By Lee Longhorn

Very recently, I told my eldest brother that I am a democrat. We hadn’t talked in quite some time, so you can imagine the awkwardness when he opened the conversation with, “So who’s gonna vote for Obama?”

I responded simply, “I am.”

Well, it got me thinking about my right to vote. I wasn’t always political or interested in these matters until I was graduating this past spring semester. Why shouldn’t I exercise my right to vote more frequently and deliberately? It also got me thinking about my ability to vote in all my tribal elections.

What if I voted in eight elections each year they were held? Would my vote be seen more than others that are registered but don’t vote. Why not? If you’re registered to vote, then do it. It doesn’t take time and at least you let your voice be heard.

From someone like me, I also got to thinking about leadership. If I were to run for office, would I have what it takes? I mean, would people see the color of my skin and agree that I should be the face of their nation? Would they see my education and background and see that I’m committed to completing my goals and accomplishments? Would they see my remarks on Facebook about equality and ending racial ties and see that I’m a man of the 21st century? Would they see my blog post about Columbus Day and think, “he’s too white?”

Am I able to run for a political office within a tribe? Will they see the blood quantum of one tribe and think it’s too low but see the combined equation and see that I’m as Native as they come? Am I too liberal, conservative, independent or above all, opinionated to be an officer in a tribe?

Maybe I am. Maybe, I could never get elected to a political office. Maybe it’s safe to say now that I’d rather be a vice president of a college or university. At least there, I know my constituents will be the same, year after year; they’re all college students.

Lee Longhorn is a reporter at the Muscogee Nation News.