American Journalist Jacqueline Keeler, who claims Native American heritage, harshly criticized Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Monday for releasing her DNA results.
Warren revealed the results after being mocked and attacked for years by Republicans for claiming Native American heritage with no verification for years. Warren’s results showed that she may have between 1/64 and 1/1,024 Native American heritage.
Keeler, who works for the Native American Journalist Association, had harsh words for Warren.
She said is “fighting for HER political ascension but at the cost of OUR political credibility.” Keeler’s main problem with Warren’s approach comes from her use of DNA as “proof” of heritage and no recognition that tribal membership matters.
Ultimately, Keeler said in a Twitter thread that Warren “hurt” native peoples with her display today. (RELATED: Elizabeth Warren Has Statistically Less Native American Blood Than Average White American, According To Study)
“This whole Elizabeth Warren 1/512ths DNA ‘proof’ of Native ancestry hurts Native people because it adds to the Republican attack that we are ‘race-based’ and not citizens of nations,” Keeler writes.
This whole Elizabeth Warren 1/512ths DNA “proof” of Native ancestry hurts Native people because it adds to the Republican attack that we are “race-based” and not citizens of nations. #Indigenous #Termination 1/5
— Jacqueline Keeler (@jfkeeler) October 15, 2018
This “race-based” argument was recently cited by a federal judge in Texas to declare ICWA unconstitutional and in violation of the 14th Amendment. The goal here is to declare TRIBES unconstitutional because they are “race-based.” #ElizabethWarren #Indigenous #Termination 2/5
— Jacqueline Keeler (@jfkeeler) October 15, 2018
The writing is on the wall: Tribes need to get rid of blood quantum or disappear politically. #ElizabethWarren #Indigenous #Termination 3/5
— Jacqueline Keeler (@jfkeeler) October 15, 2018
Also, who knows how many DNA tests she took before getting the result she wanted? #ElizabethWarren #Indigenous 4/5
— Jacqueline Keeler (@jfkeeler) October 15, 2018
The net result? She’s fighting for HER political ascension but at the cost of OUR political credibility. #ElizabethWarren #Indigenous #Termination 5/5
— Jacqueline Keeler (@jfkeeler) October 15, 2018
Other high-profile liberals have similar criticisms of Warren. The former political director for Barack Obama, Jim Messina, wrote:
Argue the substance all you want, but why 22 days before a crucial election where we MUST win house and senate to save America, why did Warren have to do her announcement now? Why can’t Dems ever stay focused???