The Chief Invited Me to His Cookout

Michell Hicks invited me to his cookout. You know, it's not often that Chief Hicks makes me feel like I'm a valued constituent of his, and I didn't in this instance either. At the meet the candidates meeting in Cherokee County for principal chief candidates, the chief approached me while I was speaking to the Cherokee Scout Publisher David Brown and handed me a flyer for his cookout in Cherokee County that was taking place last Saturday. His tone was curt and short, and he had a scowl on his face.
Now I don't expect him to greet me with a smile. I've been harshly critical of him. And it was his action alone that removed me from the One Feather, for the sole reason that he didn't like what I had to say. So I'm not a fan of his, and I was frank with Brown when he asked me about that.
Michell Hicks has opposed legislation to grant tribal members access to information. He's issued an executive order that violated the tribe's free press law, and while I was editor under his leadership, a number of times I either had to explain editorial decisions or have unpleasant conversations with him when I've stood my ground against his interference with the One Feather's operations, and that doesn't include what I experienced with him while publishing my own paper. Michell is clearly hostile to the idea of a free and independent press for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. I have always maintained that any candidate who opposes a free press does not have your best interests at heart.
Needless to say, I did not attend the chief's cookout. While I'm one of his constituents and would've liked the opportunity to ask him questions, like just what is his plan to pay off the hundreds of millions in debt the tribe has racked up, I know that he would've been in control of the situation, and I would've just gotten shut down. I don't like being in situations where I'm clearly at a disadvantage. I'm not running for office. So why put myself in that situation. So instead of going to listen to the chief brag upon accomplishments that are far outweighed by his failures, I took my son to the pool.