View Full Version : We have discussed racism before but not concerning
Native Americans...
I have done a ton of reading about the history of the Lakotas lately and read some about what is currently happening. Is there racism still when it comes to Native Americans? Why are things so horrible, especially concerning health care and education on many reservations? How can things change?
Who is supposed to be responsible for their health care and such? I'm not being rhetorical; I really don't know. Is their specific tribe supposed to provide that kind of stuff? Who's in charge of the reservations, I mean?
Oklahoma has the second-highest Indian population in the country but we have no reservations here. The specific tribe here where I live is very rich. They're the only ones around here with any money! They have a jet, they own many businesses and they have so many offices around town it's unreal. Every time you turn around there's a new office or they're building a new building. They've just begun renovating a historical theater in the downtown area. They built and own the huge family fun center.They even have their own hospital, which treats them for free. And then of course there are the casinos! There are job opportunities out the wazoo for them especially since they don't have to conform to any equal opportunity employment rules and can (and do) give Indians hiring preference over any other race.
Anyway, I know it's different in other places but around here I would say there's no reason for any of them not to be gainfully employed and have their kids in school and have health care. I really don't know why it's so tough on the reservations. I am not sure I would chalk it up to racism, though, because aren't they, themselves, responsible for running them? I didn't think the Feds or the state had anything to do with any of it. That's all part of the whole deal, I thought. They don't pay taxes and they govern themselves. The tribe here has certainly done a good job taking care of itself!
P.S., I say "Indian" because that's how they refer to themselves here. Every single office they have has it written in big letters on the window -- Indian Health Facility, etc.
Renita
07-02-2007, 08:22 AM
We receive health care through Indian Health Services, which is a Federal Health Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is controlled by the US Department of Health and Human Services. While services may be "free", there are limitations and of course this is still governed and controlled by the US. Our funds come directly from the US Government. It can take months to get an appointment with a dentist. It can take months to get an appointment for a well-visit checkup. If you are really sick, then you take your chances and go in as a "walk-in" and wait ALL day - literally. Sometimes you get seen, other times you don't and must return the next day. The services are very much needed - most of our people do not have the knowledge or education to determine their own health or physical needs. Most of our people don't even have transportation to get the services they need. What usually happens is they wait until something critical happens where they have no choice but to see a doctor or the ER. Some of our people do not speak English and only our Native tongue, therefore it is not easy for them to just up & visit the hospital.
Contrary to popular belief, the government still has their hands in the pot. It is not that easy to plop a casino down on reservation land. Casinos have to pay a portion of taxes to the state - we are talking about millions of dollars here per year. Where does that money go? At least in the state of NM, it funds educational scholarships for ALL residents of NM, not just native americans. Who knows what else they use the money for...this is only a small example. The US Government is scrambling now to make "new" laws & regulations for Indian Gaming. I guess they didn't see this one coming. ;)
In answer to the original poster's question - YES, racism still profoundly exists, as well as stereotyping. But more often than naught, our voices are never heard. Instead we are constantly reminded of how *good* we have it - free education, free healthcare, sovereignty, etc. I am much more thankful & grateful that we are allowed to practice our own religious beliefs and speak our own language. The best thing I can do is to teach my girls where they came from, the beauty of it all and to appreciate that we are indeed different and to be proud and not ashamed. Screw all those that try to be racist, stereotype and make us feel like we are not capable of being successful.
Of course there is still racism! Some of it is stereo types like alcoholism, overweight, diabetic, etc. Some of it is so ingrained in older generations that they don't even think about it- "wild indian" "indian giver" those kind of things. I've also overheard comments about how ALL indians are rich because of casinos, but it just isn't like that. Expecting cultural assimilation is another issue, as well.
I was going to say the same thing about health care as Renita. It's not liking walking to my doctor where I can be seen that day, have any tests done that are needed, x-rays, etc.
Danielle
07-02-2007, 01:34 PM
Some of it is stereo types like alcoholism, overweight, diabetic, etc.
Actually, those aren't stereotypes as much as realities of living on a lot of reserves due to high poverty rates, low employment and education and lack of quality health care etc. I see them more as symptoms of racism and government neglect of Native people.
Racism absolutely still exists. In fact, I'd say that in my area, natives are probably the MOST likely to be the victims of racism. We're currently trying to settle tons of old land claims and so there are lots of Native protests and unrest in Native communities and the communities that border them. Do the Native people have a beef? For sure! Do most "white" people care? Not really, not even the government.
Kristen
07-02-2007, 01:44 PM
I don't know, personally. Where I live, we have an extremely low Native American population, at least that I am aware of. We have minorites, of course, but the minorities here tend to be black and hispanic.
I know my grandparents(who lived in S.D.) had issues with the way things were with the Indians, but I was too young to understand(or remember) what was said.
I'm pretty uneducated about this too, so I was wondering some of the same things as Mary...who is responsible for them, and why? Where do Native American people work? Is there some reason that they can't go out and get a job that provides health care? I'm not trying to be difficult here...I just truly am not educated on how this works.
Actually, those aren't stereotypes as much as realities of living on a lot of reserves due to high poverty rates, low employment and education and lack of quality health care etc. I see them more as symptoms of racism and government neglect of Native people.
Meh. My carefully worded reply just got sucked into cyber space and was lost forever. My basic point was that while these are problems with basis where you can discuss causes, effects, and possible solutions- it doesn't mean that someone saying "All Indians are X,Y,Z" is doing so. In most cases I have heard someone saying those things, it is infact someone going on a stereotype.
We receive health care through Indian Health Services, which is a Federal Health Program for American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is controlled by the US Department of Health and Human Services. While services may be "free", there are limitations and of course this is still governed and controlled by the US. Our funds come directly from the US Government. It can take months to get an appointment with a dentist. It can take months to get an appointment for a well-visit checkup. If you are really sick, then you take your chances and go in as a "walk-in" and wait ALL day - literally. Sometimes you get seen, other times you don't and must return the next day. The services are very much needed - most of our people do not have the knowledge or education to determine their own health or physical needs. Most of our people don't even have transportation to get the services they need. What usually happens is they wait until something critical happens where they have no choice but to see a doctor or the ER. Some of our people do not speak English and only our Native tongue, therefore it is not easy for them to just up & visit the hospital.
That is much along the lines of what I was recently reading. I have read that conditions on some of the reservations, Pine Ridge in particular because I read a South Dakota paper, as 3rd world. I read article on another site that described the health care situation. On that particular reservation(for the life of me can't remember which one) they had received no increase in funding for health care that was already underfunded in the last 6 years but yet health care costs had risen 25%. They don't have a ct scan or MRI though they are finally getting a ct this year. They cannot refer to health care facilities outside the reservation unless something is immediately life or sense threatening but yet people are dying of curable cancer if it would be caught in time. It would be if there was proper health care.
But more often than naught, our voices are never heard. Instead we are constantly reminded of how *good* we have it - free education, free healthcare, sovereignty, etc. I am much more thankful & grateful that we are allowed to practice our own religious beliefs and speak our own language. The best thing I can do is to teach my girls where they came from, the beauty of it all and to appreciate that we are indeed different and to be proud and not ashamed. Screw all those that try to be racist, stereotype and make us feel like we are not capable of being successful.
That is something I simply don't understand. How people can believe that all of those wonderful free...and somehow yet still woefully underfunded things that people get...are a fantastic thing. To me it still speaks of arrogance for people to feel this way. We(as in white people) conquered this land, in the name of progress we destroyed civilizations, families, women, children, etc. I will always believe that if we had showed up here and the people here happened to be white, things would have been different. Like any territorial conflict, there would have been a period of domination but then assimilation.(simplifying the process to the extreme here)
As to your comment about your voices never being heard. I was wondering about that too. I assumed I was ignorant because I grew up on the east coast and this simply wasn't part of the social or political spectrum for well...a lot of historical reasons. But I had no idea that there is reservation about 20 miles away until a couple of days ago. I grew up with hearing about the Sioux attacking New Ulm, Minnesota(where my family is from) but I wonder how many people in my family know who the city of Mankato is named after even though it is only 30 miles way from there. I never hear anything in the big news about any of these issues. I just don't understand. Someone can make a careless racial slur on the radio and all hell breaks loose for a few weeks but yet there are very real people who are living in conditions that many can't fathom and no one knows.