7.06.2005

This is an incredibly sad story...they don't want the child, but they don't want the baby to have outside help either....

CNN.com - Tribe blocks American Indian baby's adoption - Jul 6, 2005: "'This is really frustrating,' Buffalo, 22, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. 'It's my baby and should be my decision. I'm probably more mad at what is happening than anything else.'Larry Lassley, executive director of the tribe, said the tribe has the authority under the Indian Child Welfare Act to intervene in adoption cases involving children of tribal members.

'The tribal council initially determined that the best interests of the child was to have the child remain within the boundaries of the Meskwaki settlement,' Lassley said. 'It can be a very important and serious decision to make ... and a determination could be made in spite of the mother's view on who adopts her child.'The Meskwaki tribe, which operates a lucrative casino in Tama, is the only federally recognized tribe in Iowa.

Even though Buffalo is a tribal member, it's unlikely the child will ever be formally enrolled in the tribe because his father is white. And under tribal tradition, women alone cannot enroll their children in the tribe, she said.'I don't really see the purpose of why they want to keep a child around who won't benefit from staying here,' Buffalo said."

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