To the Editor,

I am not associated with the Taliban. I fiercely defend and uphold the Constitutions of these United States and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. I do not demean, harass or compromise Lumbee men or women for personal gain. Former Tribal Councilmen Clark and Hunt would be hard pressed to truthfully make these same statements.

As elected officials Clark and Hunt violated the oath of office for nine years in our tribal government. It is incredibly insulting to the Lumbee people for the Tribal Council to appoint Clark to a judgeship when he has clearly demonstrated contempt for the rule of law.

On Friday during an event at the farmers market, the Tribal Council showed contempt for our two most treasured populations of tribal members. The Tribal Council falsely presented itself to elders and cursed our youth when addressing them. Also on Friday, the Tribal Enrollment Office changed the number it had reported as being needed to move forward a constitutional initiative from being 750 to 1,500.

The constitutional initiative has been from the beginning about returning our Tribal Council to the one-man, one-vote representation as written in the Lumbee Constitution. I have been public in detailing the excesses, abuses and costs associated with a 21-member Tribal Council. I have laid out a logic for reduction. Actions like those on Friday have moved the members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to organize with the call that change is very much needed.

With every sunrise since I made public the illegality of the Tribal Council, 21 members of that council have had the opportunity to put the tribe back on course. They have knowingly and willfully chosen not to do so. They continue to place the tribe and our tribal members in harm’s way.

Lumbee people know they are being wronged by our Tribal Council. The petition for reduction is a response by the Lumbee people to make things right. All enrolled tribal members are asked to seize back your tribal government by visiting http://www.facebook.com/#!/eric.r.locklear.9 to obtain a copy of the petition.

While 21 Tribal Council members (and their friends) may oppose and attempt to derail the will and vision of the Lumbee, this unity of force within our tribe will not be silenced by those who have no hope, love or respect for our elders or for future generations of Lumbee people.

Eric R. Locklear

Pembroke