Native Americans and the federal government became so polarized because of their early interactions and current ideals. Native Americans were treated like animals, expected to die off, and not given the same opportunities as white children and adults. Many are still unemployed or under educated. Nuns, former military officers, and others tried to teach Native American children the white ways, but the children did not know English, so they could not understand what they were being taught. They were, the children and the adults, constantly told they were inferior "savages". As a result, there is a high percent of drug abuse on reservations. Native Americans tribes want to be their own nations, which they rightly are (our government made treaties with them and considered them separate nations in the early stages of Native American/white interactions), but, doing so in the middle of a United States of America would not only turn a majority of Americans against the government, but cause other world powers serious trouble in terms of international relations and trading.
To solve this disconnection I propose that the federal government give Native Americans as much freedom as possible, while still providing them government support. Some tribes still need government funds and support programs, as they have not established any gaming or other successful business operations. Tribal schools should keep teaching tribal history, tradition, culture, and religion, and Native Americans should be given the same opportunities as all other citizens of the United States. However, I do recognize that each tribe has a different government and social structure, and therefore must each tribe needs a different approach to handling relations. Native Americans should be given their freedom to the extent that no structural damage is done to society or our government. They should be granted all the rights whites enjoy, and should not be discriminated against for any reason.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Class Links Post
American and Iranian Relations, History of American Nutrition, and iGreen are insightful blogs worth visiting because of their connections to the current public mindset and current events.
American and Iranian Relations deals with how we are treating another country, namely Iran, and the current status of the war we are involved in.
The History of American Nutrition blog discusses the current craze over getting slim, all the new diets, and how the food pyramid came into being. The food pyramid was developed based on the diet of the time, however, however, according to Peoplefood, that diet consisted of calories coming from grains, and little meat consumption. In this blog, you learn the history of human diets, how they have evolved while our race evolved, and how the current "norms" of nutrition were developed. Using this information, and an unbiased presentation of the nutrients our bodies need, you can analyze the current diets and food trends, and see if humans are truly eating healthy.
Green is Good, in his/her blog iGreen, defines global warming is and that it does indeed exists. The blog explains how global warming came into being, what is affecting it (not just emissions), how we can stop harmful emissions and save our environment. Also, at the end of each blog are useful tips about saving the environment, and maybe even some money!
American and Iranian Relations, History of American Nutrition, and iGreen all discuss current events either closely or distantly affecting our lives. They provide definitions for their topics, such as global warming, discuss the history, then current status, and finally, a solution to whatever problem is contained in their argument.
American and Iranian Relations deals with how we are treating another country, namely Iran, and the current status of the war we are involved in.
The History of American Nutrition blog discusses the current craze over getting slim, all the new diets, and how the food pyramid came into being. The food pyramid was developed based on the diet of the time, however, however, according to Peoplefood, that diet consisted of calories coming from grains, and little meat consumption. In this blog, you learn the history of human diets, how they have evolved while our race evolved, and how the current "norms" of nutrition were developed. Using this information, and an unbiased presentation of the nutrients our bodies need, you can analyze the current diets and food trends, and see if humans are truly eating healthy.
Green is Good, in his/her blog iGreen, defines global warming is and that it does indeed exists. The blog explains how global warming came into being, what is affecting it (not just emissions), how we can stop harmful emissions and save our environment. Also, at the end of each blog are useful tips about saving the environment, and maybe even some money!
American and Iranian Relations, History of American Nutrition, and iGreen all discuss current events either closely or distantly affecting our lives. They provide definitions for their topics, such as global warming, discuss the history, then current status, and finally, a solution to whatever problem is contained in their argument.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Native American Economy Today
Native American generally lack an economic base because their land and resources with which to build and sell things were taken away by treaties and force, mostly during the Allotment and Termination Eras. However, with the invention of Native American gaming by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Native American economy has taken a turn for the better. Currently, there are 391 tribal gaming operations. The top 21 or 5% earned 43% of the revenues, and the bottom 87 or 22% percent earned 0.4% of the revenues in 2004. In spite of the great success of tribal gaming, only 40% of the 562 federally recognized tribes operate casinos. Tribal gaming accounted for about one fourth of all U.S. gaming revenues in 2004. Tribal gaming revenues grew from $5.4 billion in 1995 to $22.6 billion in 2005. Federal Indian programs, such as the ones in California, were created by the government in an effort to help Native Americans adjust to modern society while keeping their traditions and ways of life. In addition, many tribes are coming together and creating Pan-Indian programs such as the American Indian Movement, the Indian Defense League of America, the Native American Rights Fund, the National Indian Education Association and the Society of American Indians. These programs were created to uphold fishing rights, rights guarantied by treaties, the right to cross the border between the United States and Canada guarantied by the Jay Treaty of 1794, and to teach their children the language, culture and traditions of the tribes. The Inter-Tribal Environmental Council oversees the Superfund Program, Clean Air Program, Solid Waste Program, Underground Storage Tank Program, and the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program. One tribe alone cannot make enough of a difference, so Native American tribes have created Pan-Indian programs in an attempt to gain public support and have enough power to persuade the federal government to let them be free, independent nations. Since in modern society money is everything, having a stable economy and a guaranteed source of income has let tribes start handling their own affairs, and becoming independent of the federal government. Some, but not all, tribes no longer need to rely on government support to survive. The tribes that do have a substantial income can buy or create any programs or businesses they need and/or desire. Having the ability to run their own governments and enforce laws on their reservations has changed Native American tribes from being wholly dependent on the federal government for money and sustenance to being almost completely independent.
Native American Economy Today
Native American generally lack an economic base because their land and resources with which to build and sell things were taken away by treaties and force, mostly during the Allotment and Termination Eras. However, with the invention of Native American gaming by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Native American economy has taken a turn for the better. Currently, there are 391 tribal gaming operations. The top 21 or 5% earned 43% of the revenues, and the bottom 87 or 22% percent earned 0.4% of the revenues in 2004. In spite of the great success of tribal gaming, only 40% of the 562 federally recognized tribes operate casinos. Tribal gaming accounted for about one fourth of all
Current Seminole Economy
Since tribal goods cannot be taxed within reservation borders, people went to tribal smoke shops to buy their cigars and cigarettes because they were cheaper. Smoke shops gained a fair amount of income, but not enough to pull Native Americans out of their endless cycle of poverty. So, Seminoles began high stakes gaming. High stakes gaming is Class Three gaming which involves casinos. The Seminole Tribe of Florida opened the first bingo hall at 5 pm December 14, 1979. They also began all Native American gaming in general. There are three classes of gaming covered in the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Class One gaming consists of traditional Native American games connected with tribal ceremonies or celebrations, and games that solely for prizes of minimal value. Class Two gaming consists of bingo which is played for prizes, with cards bearing numbers or other designations, in which the holder of the card covers such numbers or designations with objects, and in which the game is won by the first person covering a previously designated arrangement of numbers or designations on such cards. Class Three gaming consists of casinos and all games that are not Class One or Two. In order to have a casino and engage in gambling, a tribe must enter into a compact with the state that the tribal lands are located in. Also, the type of gaming they wish to engage in must not be outlawed by that state. Before 1979 the Seminole government distributed less than $2 million to its tribal members, most of it federal grants. By 2006, tribal net income surpassed $600 million. Also in 2006, the Seminole Tribe of Florida purchased Hard Rock Café for $965 million. As an effect of this economic independence, the Seminoles now run their own schools, shops, and government. They created a constitution in 1957, becoming like our government, but still maintaining their culture. The curriculum of the tribally run schools include the English language as well as Miccosukee and Creek, the two languages Seminoles speak. Seminole children are taught science and math alongside traditional religion and dances. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum was opened on August 21, 1997 to house and exhibit tribal artifacts and other things that were dug up from grave sites and just recently returned to the tribe under the Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Another example of how economic independence effects tribal sovereignty is the Seminole Tribune, the tribal newspaper. With the $600 million a year the tribe is currently making, no longer are they dependent on government funds and programs to survive. Now the tribe can fund their own support programs and schools, making money and preserving their culture and traditions in the next generation.
Early Seminole Economy
The Seminoles who stayed in the Everglades, known as the Seminole Tribe of Florida, lived off the land, which unfortunately kept getting taken away by settlers. As a result, there was very little land left to build a community on, and even scarcer resources with which to earn a living. If natural resources such as oil or coal did exist on Seminole land, the tribe could have gotten contracts with big industries to mine the coal or drill for the oil, and in return, a certain percent of the profits would go to the tribe. However, the white settlers took the best land, containing a vast majority of the natural resources, and left the rest for the tribe. So, realizing the fascination that many people held for their "savage" way of life, the Seminoles began a tourism business. The tribe gave tours of their village and the surrounding Everglades. For souvenirs, the women sold arts and crafts, native beadwork, and clothes. Seminole men did alligator wrestling for the tourists. It started out as a sign of manhood, but since it was popular with the tourists, it soon became a sport used to make money. Also, Native Americans in general did not understand the concept of making money in the current society. They had always traded for anything they needed, or gotten it off their land. They did not understand the concept of "owning" a piece of land and the resources on it. To them, no one owned anything; everything was shared and taken only when needed. The federal government tried to start up a business of cattle raising for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. In 1936 they shipped 500 head of cattle to the tribe. The government provided services such as pasture improvement, marketing, and breeding. Cattle were given only to male Seminoles who lived on designated federal reservations. Consequently, the tribe became reliant on government financial aid and technical assistance. The financial aid was needed to help build the pastures and buy feed, the technical assistance was needed to care for the cattle and find buyers. This dependency forwarded the governments' mindset that Native Americans could not exist without government support, and that they can be transformed into "civilized" farmers.
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