The United States vs. Native Americans

[two feathers]

It is no secret, the monstrous evils that occured in the past of this nation. All the great injustices that were done to the native peoples of this land in order to construct a "free" country are, for me, hard to stomach. Does the fact that these truths exist taint your love for America and the platform on which it stands?

And for those of you that aren't aware, the mistreatments to Native Americans still continue to this day- unspeakable abuses by government agencies are ever-present; children are born into impoverished conditions everyday; forced relocations are still being enacted; etc. Do you find it odd that the USA "wishes to free the Iraqi people" while it relentlessly oppresses a nation of people on it's very own soil?

 

[TheBear]

Yep.

 

[Dewjunkie]

There are many aspects of America that displease me, but having been to several other countries I have not yet found a place I'd rather live.

It is indeed sad that most Americans live in ignorance of the dismal conditions in which many Native Americans live. As I tried to discuss in a previous thread, anyone who supports the Historical South in any way is immediately branded as a racist, yet no one addresses that it was the North that won and then the atrocities against the Natives began. Everyone is quick to discuss segregation and slavery, yet rarely does anyone speak of the segregation of reservations or the blatant slaughter of tribes and clans. And, because it's not in most Native American cultures to cause a scene or complain loudly to get attention, they suffer quietly while people go on thinking sending them a check and giving them a few hundred acres of land makes up for slaughter and centuries of ruthless indignities.

I am a firm believer in change coming from within, and the sad fact is many of the young Native Americans are losing touch with their history, their culture, and are all too willing to sit back and let nothing happen. There aren't enough positive Native American role models to inspire young kids in Chinle or Window Rock or Tuba City or Gallup (etc.) to think "hey, I can rise above this". They see too many of their own people passed out drunk in a park or in jail or struggling to make the trailer payment. They see stats like the Navajo Nation having a murder rate 6 times the national average and believe that's just the way things will be.

I personally think that more Americans should be made aware not only of the problems existing, but what can be done to help change them. More native americans need to see something, anything that would inspire them to aspire beyond the boundaries of the Rez. I have many close friends who are Native American, and have risen above. It can be done, unfortunately, it doesn't seem that too many others are fully aware of it.

While I believe that the Iraqi people do deserve to be free from their oppressive existence, I am in complete agreement with you, two feathers, that this needs to be addressed very soon, before an integral part of American culture and history commits assisted suicide.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by two feathers


And for those of you that aren't aware, the mistreatments to Native Americans still continue to this day- unspeakable abuses by government agencies are ever-present; children are born into impoverished conditions everyday; forced relocations are still being enacted; etc. Do you find it odd that the USA "wishes to free the Iraqi people" while it relentlessly oppresses a nation of people on it's very own soil?

I live in Oklahoma, in fact in the most Native American metropolis in the world, maybe you'll inform me of these current 'oppressions'?

All I see is a bunch of free license plates, free health care and casinos.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by Dewjunkie
It is indeed sad that most Americans live in ignorance of the dismal conditions in which many Native Americans live. As I tried to discuss in a previous thread, anyone who supports the Historical South in any way is immediately branded as a racist, yet no one addresses that it was the North that won and then the atrocities against the Natives began.

It's no wonder many of the native americans fought for the Confederacy. A lot of the people where I live fought for the CSA, and in fact, lost more land, people and property than the whites of the south.

American Indians suffered the most from the civil war.

 

[Dewjunkie]

Originally posted by stray bullet
All I see is a bunch of free license plates, free health care and casinos.

Would these things satisfy you?

"Hey, sorry about your grandma, but hey, you can be exempt from vehicle registration fees, hope it helps ease the pain."

Reparations, in whatever form, are simply a feeble attempt to cover up history's mistakes, they in no way solve current problems.  Neither does ignoring them. 

 

 

[Rae]

Our treatment of Native Americans has been and is horrible.

Our treatment of people who have melanin-enhanced skin has been and is horrible.

Our treatment of people who are so desperately poor in their own country that they run to ours illegally has been and is horrible.

I don't think it's a bad thing to point out the problems that still exist in our country, in the hope that maybe someone who hears about them will act to fix them. Unfortunately, there are those who believe anyone pointing out anything less-than-good about this country means that person is evil and hates our country. I tend to think the opposite...if you're evil and hate this country, why point out injustices? Better to ignore or gloss them over so they don't get resolved.

 

[Michael0701]

Two feathers,

What would you like to see done?

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by TheBear
Yep.

and....?

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by stray bullet
I live in Oklahoma, in fact in the most Native American metropolis in the world, maybe you'll inform me of these current 'oppressions'?

This question speaks volumes for your lack of awareness of your immediate surroundings.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by two feathers
This question speaks volumes for your lack of awareness of your immediate surroundings.

Why don't you lay it on me? Considering my family is full of Native Americans, I live in the Creek Nation and I don't see the government rounding up or killing Native Americans.

I would really like to know about this 'oppression' we must be suffering from.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by Dewjunkie
Would these things satisfy you?

"Hey, sorry about your grandma, but hey, you can be exempt from vehicle registration fees, hope it helps ease the pain."

Reparations, in whatever form, are simply a feeble attempt to cover up history's mistakes, they in no way solve current problems.  Neither does ignoring them. 

 

Here in Oklahoma, the tribes all have a piece of the state and if you park your car in that piece and are member of the tribe, such as being a Creek in the Creek Nation, you can have the tribe give you Creek plate.

You know who I see riding around it those cars? Whites and blacks, rarely anyone that looks even remotely American Indian. You know what cars they are driving around in? I've seen them in BMWs, Mercedes, Porsche.... ugh.
You know who I see running the casions and working there? Whites and blacks.
You know who I see going to the Indian hospitals? Whites and blacks.

All these things used to 'excel' the Native Americans are just capitalized by people who are like 1/64, 1/128 or whatever Native American.

I can bearly tell the differences between the part/full Native Americans and non-Native Americans... this BS about how all Natives are still being oppressed is just absurd.

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by stray bullet
Why don't you lay it on me? Considering my family is full of Native Americans, I live in the Creek Nation and I don't see the government rounding up or killing Native Americans.

I would really like to know about this 'oppression' we must be suffering from.

Just Southwest of you, nearly 14,000 Dineh (aka Navajo, the very people whose language and warriors helped this nation emerge victorious in WWII) have been relocated in order to make room for the coal industry. Many more refuse to be removed from their homes and are resisting.

http://www.blackmesais.org/hope_is_a_profession.htm

http://www.blackmesais.org/a_changed_world.html

If you want more links let me know.

 

[stray bullet]

Clearly from an unbiased source.
I have to do some research on the situation and see if once again, the tribe screwed itself over and blamed it on whitey.

I really loved the spiels about how Bush wasn't elected and they are living in conditions like the Taliban set up... RIGHT...

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by stray bullet
I have to do some research on the situation.

Obviously.

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by stray bullet
Clearly from an unbiased source.

Whether a source is biased or not has to do with a matter of perception, but the truth remains...facts don't lie.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by two feathers
Whether a source is biased or not has to do with a matter of perception, but the truth remains...facts don't lie.

I didn't see any facts related to whether or not they were screwed.

You can skew perspective and conceal facts that would otherwise disprove or go against what you want.

 

[stray bullet]

Originally posted by two feathers
Obviously.

well, there are a lot of current events going on, I don't have time to learn about everything that's happening on Reservations as it doesn't effect me immediatly.

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by stray bullet
I didn't see any facts related to whether or not they were screwed.

14,000 Dineh were forced out of their homes to fulfill Bush's Energy Plan. If that's not getting "screwed", then I don't know what is.

Originally posted by Stray Bullet
well, there are a lot of current events going on, I don't have time to learn about everything that's happening on Reservations as it doesn't affect me immediatly.

This explains the fact of why you aren't aware of the continued oppression of Native Americans.

If these oppressions did not exist, as you alluded to earlier, then what are these "things" that are happening on Reservations for which you "don't have time for?" And here, because you have many Natives in your family and you live in the Creek Nation, I thought you would be able to catch the scent of all injustices in the wind; like you you can sniff out free license plates and whether a person is "1/64 or 1/128 or whatever Native American." It's quite evident that you choose not to acknowledge existing oppressions because they "don't affect you immediately." That is sad. Compassion must not run as rampant as I thought. You seem to have fogotten an important thing we are taught as children- The honor of one is the honor of all. The hurt of one is the hurt of all.

 

[two feathers]

Originally posted by Michael0701
Two feathers,

What would you like to see done?

Simple.

I would like to see genocide exterminated.