Thread by @rebeccanagle

Hi @BernieSanders. 🙋🏻‍♀️ I'm Rebecca Nagle. I am a citizen of Cherokee Nation. I am also the subject of the third (and longest) paragraph of your angry letter to @amprog. And... I voted for you in 2016.

documentcloud.org/documents/5839…

Since I have spoken out against @ewarren, I've been called a Russian bot, a right wing troll, and a tool of Trump. And now, I've been called a pawn of the Democratic establishment.

I am none of these things. I am Cherokee woman with a truth ppl on the Left don't want to hear.

In your letter, without acknowledging my existence, you describe my critique of Elizabeth Warren--a White woman who has falsely claimed to be Native American and Cherokee--as "unfairly targeting" her and an "echo of Trump's bad faith claims".

But if u read my words...
"Native Americans live in the space btwn Trump and Warren, btwn the stereotypes that were created to excuse the wholesale slaughter of our people and the stereotypes that were created to excuse the wholesale appropriation of our identity and cultures."

You see that over and over and over again what I am concerned about more than @ewarren, is defending tribal sovereignty and self determination from an epidemic of White people falsely claiming to be us.

hcn.org/articles/triba…

Your letter suggests that my article about Warren is part of a larger attack from @amprog on more progressive candidates. I can only speak to what I know, which is my @thinkprogress piece originated with me. I pitched it. So... no conspiracy here.

Other Native writers like @KimTallBear @jfkeeler @NickA_Martin @nick_w_estes @CP_BrandonScott @pollysgdaughter have published their critiques of Warren in @voxdotcom @splinter_news @NBCNews & more. After the DNA test, my tribe issued a public statement condemning her decision.

Maybe instead of Warren being "unfairly targeted" by the right or by the Democratic establishment, Native writers, advocates, and leaders of my tribe were upset with Warren's actions for a reason.

And maybe as the white dude in the room, your role is to listen.

Here is a collection of Native writing on the subject to get started: criticalethnicstudiesjournal.org/blog/2018/12/1…

@justicedanielh @PepePierce @NativeApprops #NativeTwitter

P.S. I am usually on board with your policies and public positions on issues. So this letter was just really, really disappointing to read.