Having realized that growth as a writer didn't just mean how I grew in relation to how much knowledge about the topic I gained, I decided to post a updated self-analysis post. I realized how similar to essay format I was making my blog posts. At first, I was making sure that all my posts related to each other, and were written in chronological order. However, after reading other blogs on other sites, I realized that the posts do not have to relate to each other as much as they do in an essay. So long as the post related to my overall topic and is written in a logical form, then it would be okay. Consequently, I started writing about anything interesting I found relating to my topic. Since I chose my topic, I consequently enjoyed doing research for my blog.
Throughout the course of my writing blog posts, I transitioned away from an essay-like style of writing, and began to write about anything I happened to come across related to my topic. I developed as a writer in the fact that I realized I didn't have to follow a certain form, I merely had to make sure my evidence related to my argument, either supported or detracted it,
and I presented it in an unbiased way, by showing both sides of the argument. Also, for blogs, evidence can be found everywhere; another blog; a news article; a speech; a convention, etc.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Implications Post
I do not believe that my issue will be resolved in the near future, if only due to the fact that laws take a while to take effect, and it takes a good deal of monetary circulation before an economy can be turned around. Native Americans will try to become economically independent of the federal government, as they are doing now with Indian gaming. It is called Indian gaming because at the time it started, in 1979 with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Indian was the politically correct term. Native Americans will also try to revive their culture, language, and traditions, stop racism, and gain true equality. The federal government, depending on its current mindset, will try to keep the tribes from becoming completely independent. That is completely understandable because the government does not want about 600 different nations within the United States. Also, the tribes should realize that if they are completely sovereign, their governments would now have to develop relations with other governments, make treaties, sign agreements, and maybe even build an army. Most tribes are not yet ready for this big advancement into the world of intergovernmental relations. Just recently the federal government let the Osage Nation write their own constitution and decide who can be a member of their tribe. The federal government should let the Native Americans be as independent as possible, while still helping them adjust to the technological and intergovernmental world. If an agreement is not reached concerning just how much sovereignty Native American tribes are allowed, and exactly what they are allowed to do with it, one that both sides like and agree upon, the same political battles that have been fought since the 1960's will continue.
How Economy Relates to Sovereignty
For Native Americans economic freedom means not having to rely on federal government grants and loans anymore. They can buy back ancestral land and any new land needed for their growing tribe. With income, tribal governments can support themselves and their people. Money is fungible, which means that it can be changed or exchanged for other things. The money obtained by Native American tribes through gaming or other sources can be used to make new schools or businesses, hire lawyers to help with court cases, hire building contractors and architectural engineers to build houses, communities centers, schools, government buildings, and support programs such as the National Indian Education Association and the International Indian Treaty Council. The NIEA promotes education of native language and culture as well as modern things such as computer science, math, and the English language. The IITC tries to get Native Americans involved in the UN and other national organizations; if they get international support, then the government is more likely to listen to their demands. Tribal governments and legal systems are the key to sovereignty. Sovereignty is ruling your own people, being a separate nation, making decisions for yourself and your people, having a land and resource base and a reliable source of income. With economic freedom comes political freedom. Being able to rely on yourself, your own government and not another, is the key to being an independent nation. With the income gained from Indian gaming and other businesses, such as cattle raising, Native American tribes are becoming economically free of the federal government, and then through the fungibility of money, they are becoming politically free of the federal government.
Metaphor between a Small Tree and the Native Americans
In English class today, we went out into nature and found either a simile or a metaphor that related nature to our blog topic. I found a small tree that is like the Native Americans and their economy. This small tree is overshadowed by a larger oak tree, and surrounded by buildings. Native American tribes are surrounded by reservation lines and poverty, and overshadowed by the government. However, the big tree also protects the small tree from storms, being higher up the big tree gets hit by the weather first, and shields the small tree with its thick branches. The federal government protects Native Americans from state laws, which helps them keep their sovereignty as independent nations. Although Native American tribes still depend on the government for support and funds, they are working around the laws, and making money through loopholes; like how the small tree is surviving by growing outward instead of up. Native Americans are making money through gaming, especially high stakes gaming in the form of casinos. The federal government believes that Native Americans are dependent on the government for survival, economically and politically, so the government provides funds to each of the tribes and defined a tribe as a "domestic dependent nation" so that every tribe can still be sovereign and rule themselves, but ultimately be under the United States' control. This is beneficial because now the tribes do not have to deal with intergovernmental relations, a daunting task for any nation. Also, since each tribe has some, although not complete sovereignty, another nation, in this case state, cannot rule over them. In conclusion, Native American tribes survive beneath the federal governments' umbrella, and their harsh, poverty stricken surroundings, by using their status as dependents to gain government support in their economic ventures. Similarly, the small tree exists by spreading its branches out to its sides, thus becoming wider then the big oak towering over it, and absorbing sunlight. The oak being above the small tree is beneficial because the oak protects the small tree from storms; any bad weather that comes down, such as hail or lightening, will hit the big tree first. Likewise, the federal government protects Native American tribes from interference by state laws.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Reparations and Trust Lands
Another source of income for Native American tribes is reparations for past wrongs. Past wrongs include land taken away by treaties, allotments, and squatters, wars and deaths, diseases, and the destruction of sacred and/or ancestral ground. If the federal governments pays Native American tribes will that be enough or are we morally responsible for more? Should we keep paying them until they are completely free of poverty, or should we only pay them a set amount? If so, what amount? Who determines the amount? Is it different for every tribe? Furthermore, what circumstances, if any, determine the amount? Reparations given in cash to Native American tribes are used to buy back land given away in allotments. More land equals more resources which equals more sources of income. The government is trying to promote their welfare through reparations or "handouts". The government believes that with this money the tribes can buy more and start businesses in order to further their growth and economic income. However, it is morally degrading to have to accept something from the people who defeated you in order to survive. I believe that while reparations are degrading in the sense that the government is saying "this is for all the misery we have caused you and promises we have broken", the money is still needed to help break the current cycle of poverty that Native American tribes not involved in gaming, and some that are, are experiencing.
Reservation lands are held in trust, so they cannot be taxed by the state or the tribe for public services. Held in trust means that the federal government keeps the land for the certain Native American tribe living on it, and controls what it is used for and who it is given to. This came into being because the government did not believe that Native Americans could adequately care for the land. This is good because it means the states don’t hold power over the tribes, and the tribes have one less thing to pay, since they don't have much money as it is. However, it is a bad thing because those funds would be a source of income for the tribal government that could be used to help pay for enrichment programs. Though reservation land is held in trust, it can be leased to companies; but, there are legal concerns over who would own the structures, who the profits would go to, and how much would go where.
Reservation lands are held in trust, so they cannot be taxed by the state or the tribe for public services. Held in trust means that the federal government keeps the land for the certain Native American tribe living on it, and controls what it is used for and who it is given to. This came into being because the government did not believe that Native Americans could adequately care for the land. This is good because it means the states don’t hold power over the tribes, and the tribes have one less thing to pay, since they don't have much money as it is. However, it is a bad thing because those funds would be a source of income for the tribal government that could be used to help pay for enrichment programs. Though reservation land is held in trust, it can be leased to companies; but, there are legal concerns over who would own the structures, who the profits would go to, and how much would go where.
Illicit Drug and Alcohol Use
Alcohol was at first not allowed on reservations by law, now it is the tribal governments’ choice as to whether or not it will be allowed. Below I have some statistics comparing the total Native American population to the total U.S population. The percent of people with incomes below the 1999 poverty level: 26% total Native American population, 12% total US population. The sources of income for Native Americans and whites are: wages and salary 81% and 78% respectively, self employment 10% and 12% respectively, social security 18% and 26% respectively, public assistance 10% and 3% respectively, and retirement income, 11% and 17% respectively. Following are questions that were asked a test group of different ages. The age ranges are 12-17, 18-25, and 26 and older. Have you used alcohol in the last month? 54% of Native Americans between the ages 18 and 25 did, and 62% white Americans between the age 18 and 25 did. 46% of Native Americans age 26 and older did, while 56% of white Americans age 26 and older did. Have you used marijuana in the last month? 17% of Native Americans between the ages 12 and 17 did, while 8% of white Americans between the ages 12 and 17 did. Have you used any illicit drug in the last month? 21% of Native Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 did, while 12% of white Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 did. 27% of Native Americans ages 18-25 did, while 20% of white Americans ages 18-25 did. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? 51% of Native Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 did, while 34% of white Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 did. 83% of Native Americans ages 18-25 did, wile 72% of white Americans ages 18-25 did. 83% of Native Americans ages 26 and up did, while only 75% of white Americans ages 26 and up did. The lifetime alcohol prevalence between 1985-1989 for Native American females is 91.4, while for white females it was 94.0. The lifetime alcohol prevalence between 1985-1989 for Native American males is 89.1, while for white males it was 93.8. Canada-based Asian DTO’s and Mexican DTO’s frequently smuggled their goods through the reservations, meant for other places. However, they could not pass up such easy targets. Native American teens are easy targets because of self-confidence. Also, because of the poverty and unemployment in some, but not most, reservations. Also present is racism. At school and work, receiving pay and job opportunities, racism constantly surrounds Native Americans. They have been told they are not as good as whites, they are savages, redskins, inferior, etc. Having been constantly told that, they no longer believe in themselves and their own beauty, inner and outer. This feeling of inferiority and worthlessness makes Native Americans good targets for illegal drugs and underage drinking because they wish to drown out and cover up their sorrows.
Annotated Links Post
At the beginning of my blog project I decided to compare the economy of the Seminoles and the Kickapoo. So in order to give a background of relations, I stated what type of government each tribe has. The Kickapoo have a Tribal Council. Having your own government and being able to decide where the money goes and projects and support programs begin on the reservation, are signs of tribal sovereignty. Native Americans today control their own economy. However, the federal government used to control any and all types of income gained by individual Native Americans and Native American tribes.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 declared that all Native Americans east of the Mississippi River were to be removed to reservations in Kansas and Indian Country (Oklahoma). President Jackson signed the bill into law in September 1830. Ten years after the Removal Act became a law, 70,000 Native Americans had been forcibly removed to reservations. Many other Native Americans died along the way. The most famous, well known tale of Native American removal is that of the Cherokees and the Trail of Tears. The link gives an overview of relations between the Cherokee people and the United States, and the famous Marshall cases that coined the term "domestic dependent nation". It also includes the view of the state of Georgia and why they wanted the Cherokee removed. I included a list of reservations in my blog because more than the Five Civilized Tribes were moved to the reservations in Indian Country. This list shows all the current Native American reservations. The Five Civilized Tribes are the Seminole, Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Chickasaw. They called themselves the "Five Civilized Tribes" because they adopted white ways of agriculture, religion, and government. However, even though the United States' goal was to "civilize" the "savage" Native Americans, the Five Civilized Tribes were still removed and placed on reservations because of the extreme desire for land. Of course, the Native Americans would not go with a fight. The Seminoles engaged in three wars of Indian Removal. The link describes the date of the wars and the major battles and outcomes. The most important outcome is that the Seminoles were never completely defeated. While it is true that 3,000 Seminole were removed and became the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, the Seminoles hid in the Everglades and were never formally conquered. These links give a brief history of how some Seminole were removed to Oklahoma and became the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, while others, mostly women and children, hid out in the Everglades and were never found and removed. The Seminoles that remained became the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Seminoles. These links give a description of the different tribes, how they came to be, and what their current economic, political, and social situation is. After a while the wars to remove the Seminole from Florida became too costly for the United States, so they eventually left the Seminole to their own devices. However by then the Seminole posed little threat, many of their number having died or been caught and taken to Oklahoma. Next came the Allotment and Assimilation Era. The reservation land of the tribes was further broken up into allotments, or 160 acres pieces of land given to the head of a family. Squatters would come and start building on reservation land, and the government would not kick them out. So in order to prevent fighting between the squatters and the tribes, the reservations were broken into allotments by the Allotment Act of 1891 and the leftover land was sold to whites. The best land was always taken by the white settlers, therefore leaving the worst land to the Native Americans. Consequently, there were horrible conditions on the reservation. Diseases ran rampant and food and water were scarce. The Buffalo were hunted to near extinction by white traders dealing in buffalo hide. The hide would be stripped and the carcass left to rot on the plain. As a result, hunting parties were no longer able to provide food for their tribes and clothing for the winter.
The Assimilation Era is a continuation of the attempt to "civilize" the Native American. This time, the attempt is focused on the children, as they are easier to teach and influence then adults. Teachers, sometimes nuns and preachers taught Native American children in boarding schools, sometimes miles away from the reservation. They were not allowed to see their parents until graduation or speak their native language. They were taught the English language and how to read, write, and sing American songs. Who decides what they should and should not be taught? This blog post considers the President's back to school speech. It debates the books and courses being taught in schools and who decides that they should be taught. Who is given the authority to decide what we learn and don't learn, and why are they given that power? Why are some books considered better than others and some styles of teaching considered better than others?
After a time the federal government grew tired of trying to assimilate Native Americans, and decided to withdraw their support and leave them to their own devices. Thus began the Termination Period. The Termination Period lasted from 1950-1960. During this period federal support for Native Americans was withdrawn and they were left to fend for themselves against their white neighbors and the state in which they resided. Public Law 280 gave civil and criminal control to the states. The states had the power to control any civil and criminal laws on Native American reservations, and any civil and criminal crimes were taken to state court.
States and white residents did not trust the Native Americans living nearby. Therefore, it became extremely difficult for Native Americans to hold onto what land and culture they had left. After it became apparent that Native Americans were not going to die out, the federal government began taking control of Native American affairs once more. This time however with a more positive mindset. The link connects to a blog post in which their is a video that describes racism the way Native Americans see it. Even today, there is racism everywhere; in the way that people think of Native Americans and how they act toward them. Native Americans became official citizens of the United States with the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. Any Native American born on a reservation who separates from their tribe and adapts the "civilized" white ways became a citizen. Also included in the Act are citizenship by marriage and by being in the Armed Forces. In an attempt to hold on to any remaining reservation land in Native American hands and protect them from state laws, Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. All the lands held by Native American were placed into federal government trust. That means that only the government may sell the land. Also, the Act stated that the Secretary of the Interior was to restore any tribal lands taken away during allotment, and proclaim new Native American reservations as needed.
Currently, Native American tribes are trying to become their own nations. Through self-determination Native Americans are controlling their own lives. They decide who runs their government, how their income is distributed, how they should maintain their culture, what support programs they should create, who can be a member of the tribe, and much more. Some, but not all, Native American tribes are prospering economically through Indian gaming, and the fact that tribal lands and goods cannot be taxed on their reservations. This means they can sell their products, such as native arts and crafts or cigarettes, cheaper than the state stores. As a result, people came onto the reservation and began buying native goods. However, the economy of the Native American tribes did not begin to truly turn around until the Seminole tribe of Florida invented Indian gaming. Indian gaming includes bingo halls, casinos and much more. The states became upset that Native Americans were making money, and in a way that the states could not. So, in order to appease them, the federal government wrote the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. It defines what the different classes of gaming are, what states they are allowed in, and any special conditions needed to have high stakes gaming. The National Indian Gaming Association was created in 1985, and consists of 184 Native American nations and other organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming. The Association works to better the lives of Native Americans through Indian gaming (same thing as tribal gaming and Native Amerian gaming). At the beginning of my blog project, I did not realize that Native Americans were making an attempt to become modern. I believed that if they tried, they would lose their culture and traditions. However, as I started my research, I came across many references to organizations dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture, language, and tradtions. At the same time, many teenage Native Americans are attending school and applying for jobs. Tribal elders know that their tribe must adapt to the modern technological world if they wish to survive. They are saving their past while preparing for the future.
The following links take you to books.google.com: High Stakes: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty, Atlas of the North American Indian, American Indian Law in a Nutshell, and American Indians and the Law. These are books I have read for my first year seminar class and found extremely helpful with my research on the economic relationship between Native American tribes and the federal government. Since I cannot provide a direct link to the book, I found them all online. The title and author is given, as well as a few pages from the book. What pages there are and how many are shown is at the discretion of the author.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 declared that all Native Americans east of the Mississippi River were to be removed to reservations in Kansas and Indian Country (Oklahoma). President Jackson signed the bill into law in September 1830. Ten years after the Removal Act became a law, 70,000 Native Americans had been forcibly removed to reservations. Many other Native Americans died along the way. The most famous, well known tale of Native American removal is that of the Cherokees and the Trail of Tears. The link gives an overview of relations between the Cherokee people and the United States, and the famous Marshall cases that coined the term "domestic dependent nation". It also includes the view of the state of Georgia and why they wanted the Cherokee removed. I included a list of reservations in my blog because more than the Five Civilized Tribes were moved to the reservations in Indian Country. This list shows all the current Native American reservations. The Five Civilized Tribes are the Seminole, Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, and Chickasaw. They called themselves the "Five Civilized Tribes" because they adopted white ways of agriculture, religion, and government. However, even though the United States' goal was to "civilize" the "savage" Native Americans, the Five Civilized Tribes were still removed and placed on reservations because of the extreme desire for land. Of course, the Native Americans would not go with a fight. The Seminoles engaged in three wars of Indian Removal. The link describes the date of the wars and the major battles and outcomes. The most important outcome is that the Seminoles were never completely defeated. While it is true that 3,000 Seminole were removed and became the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, the Seminoles hid in the Everglades and were never formally conquered. These links give a brief history of how some Seminole were removed to Oklahoma and became the Seminole Tribe of Oklahoma, while others, mostly women and children, hid out in the Everglades and were never found and removed. The Seminoles that remained became the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Seminoles. These links give a description of the different tribes, how they came to be, and what their current economic, political, and social situation is. After a while the wars to remove the Seminole from Florida became too costly for the United States, so they eventually left the Seminole to their own devices. However by then the Seminole posed little threat, many of their number having died or been caught and taken to Oklahoma. Next came the Allotment and Assimilation Era. The reservation land of the tribes was further broken up into allotments, or 160 acres pieces of land given to the head of a family. Squatters would come and start building on reservation land, and the government would not kick them out. So in order to prevent fighting between the squatters and the tribes, the reservations were broken into allotments by the Allotment Act of 1891 and the leftover land was sold to whites. The best land was always taken by the white settlers, therefore leaving the worst land to the Native Americans. Consequently, there were horrible conditions on the reservation. Diseases ran rampant and food and water were scarce. The Buffalo were hunted to near extinction by white traders dealing in buffalo hide. The hide would be stripped and the carcass left to rot on the plain. As a result, hunting parties were no longer able to provide food for their tribes and clothing for the winter.
The Assimilation Era is a continuation of the attempt to "civilize" the Native American. This time, the attempt is focused on the children, as they are easier to teach and influence then adults. Teachers, sometimes nuns and preachers taught Native American children in boarding schools, sometimes miles away from the reservation. They were not allowed to see their parents until graduation or speak their native language. They were taught the English language and how to read, write, and sing American songs. Who decides what they should and should not be taught? This blog post considers the President's back to school speech. It debates the books and courses being taught in schools and who decides that they should be taught. Who is given the authority to decide what we learn and don't learn, and why are they given that power? Why are some books considered better than others and some styles of teaching considered better than others?
After a time the federal government grew tired of trying to assimilate Native Americans, and decided to withdraw their support and leave them to their own devices. Thus began the Termination Period. The Termination Period lasted from 1950-1960. During this period federal support for Native Americans was withdrawn and they were left to fend for themselves against their white neighbors and the state in which they resided. Public Law 280 gave civil and criminal control to the states. The states had the power to control any civil and criminal laws on Native American reservations, and any civil and criminal crimes were taken to state court.
States and white residents did not trust the Native Americans living nearby. Therefore, it became extremely difficult for Native Americans to hold onto what land and culture they had left. After it became apparent that Native Americans were not going to die out, the federal government began taking control of Native American affairs once more. This time however with a more positive mindset. The link connects to a blog post in which their is a video that describes racism the way Native Americans see it. Even today, there is racism everywhere; in the way that people think of Native Americans and how they act toward them. Native Americans became official citizens of the United States with the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. Any Native American born on a reservation who separates from their tribe and adapts the "civilized" white ways became a citizen. Also included in the Act are citizenship by marriage and by being in the Armed Forces. In an attempt to hold on to any remaining reservation land in Native American hands and protect them from state laws, Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. All the lands held by Native American were placed into federal government trust. That means that only the government may sell the land. Also, the Act stated that the Secretary of the Interior was to restore any tribal lands taken away during allotment, and proclaim new Native American reservations as needed.
Currently, Native American tribes are trying to become their own nations. Through self-determination Native Americans are controlling their own lives. They decide who runs their government, how their income is distributed, how they should maintain their culture, what support programs they should create, who can be a member of the tribe, and much more. Some, but not all, Native American tribes are prospering economically through Indian gaming, and the fact that tribal lands and goods cannot be taxed on their reservations. This means they can sell their products, such as native arts and crafts or cigarettes, cheaper than the state stores. As a result, people came onto the reservation and began buying native goods. However, the economy of the Native American tribes did not begin to truly turn around until the Seminole tribe of Florida invented Indian gaming. Indian gaming includes bingo halls, casinos and much more. The states became upset that Native Americans were making money, and in a way that the states could not. So, in order to appease them, the federal government wrote the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. It defines what the different classes of gaming are, what states they are allowed in, and any special conditions needed to have high stakes gaming. The National Indian Gaming Association was created in 1985, and consists of 184 Native American nations and other organizations, tribes and businesses engaged in tribal gaming. The Association works to better the lives of Native Americans through Indian gaming (same thing as tribal gaming and Native Amerian gaming). At the beginning of my blog project, I did not realize that Native Americans were making an attempt to become modern. I believed that if they tried, they would lose their culture and traditions. However, as I started my research, I came across many references to organizations dedicated to the preservation of Native American culture, language, and tradtions. At the same time, many teenage Native Americans are attending school and applying for jobs. Tribal elders know that their tribe must adapt to the modern technological world if they wish to survive. They are saving their past while preparing for the future.
The following links take you to books.google.com: High Stakes: Florida Seminole Gaming and Sovereignty, Atlas of the North American Indian, American Indian Law in a Nutshell, and American Indians and the Law. These are books I have read for my first year seminar class and found extremely helpful with my research on the economic relationship between Native American tribes and the federal government. Since I cannot provide a direct link to the book, I found them all online. The title and author is given, as well as a few pages from the book. What pages there are and how many are shown is at the discretion of the author.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
