Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol

2/27/2007 8:26:03 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
nuggzforlife Victoria Australia 28, joined Feb. 2007	as an asian man myself, i've gotten more friends than friends with benefits out this site. What do most guys say when they want friends with benefits, i mean you cant just say "hey lets have sex and become good friends" it just doesnt work like that. if there are any girls out there 18-30 who ARE interested, post up something here - i'm curious Alex Meet singles at DateHookup.dating, we're 100% free! Join now!
2/27/2007 11:58:32 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	I just have to "RESPOND" to this one!!! Asian?? at the bottom of the totem pole? Try being Native American in this modern world,,we the ones who have had our lands stolen,treaties broken..lied to..You name it ,its happened,, bottom of the totem pole? we are at the absolute bottom... Boo- hooz..someplace else We aren't even recognized half of the time..we are the ONLY culture and or/ Race/ on this Planet that the Government demands proof of who we are.. Just for your edification...the stigma of "nothungwell" with Asian men..persists..So is it any wonder Womens aren't flocking to you doorstep? Whitehawk!!CREE NATION~~~~
2/28/2007 1:53:23 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
cbr954 Port Hadlock, WA 36, joined Feb. 2007	the thing is,if you think you are still at the bottom, it's because you still live in the past. it's not like that anymore. same thing with slavery. i didn't do it to you, my dad didn't do it to you, his grandpa didn't do it to you. if you want to move up "the totem pole", live in the now and make something of yourself.I love everybody that makes america what it is today.back then people were very narrow minded and stupid. sorry for that but you can either forge ahead or use the past an excuse why you have it so hard.it happened to all white people to. yes we actually hated ourselves....cival war ring a bell.. all i'm saying is, live in the now and make it better for you're future generations.. that sucks for you're ancestors, but you are going through nothing compared to what they did.thats why i don't apoligize for it . not because i don't care, but because i wasn't there. but you were treated wrong...either dwell...or make it better...you're choice.
2/28/2007 8:01:49 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	Maybe if you were more educated on current Native American issues, you wouldn't make the statements you do.. In current America,in the year 2007. Native people are still facing poverty, alcoholism, violence. health care issues. they are a forgotten peoples,with no civil rights,such as any other minority in America gets. This does not go back to my ancestors,,this is currently happening in todays time,and it is happening in Canada right as I write this.. Caladonia...Native children do not know their heritage,,traditional ways are being lost and forgotten. Know something about the subject before you make statements. I suggest you google it and pull up Indian Country today.The Native American is "LOW" man on the totem pole in American,more so than any other minority living in this country. Whitehawk
2/28/2007 10:37:29 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	Native Americans also have their own land, with their own laws, their own leaders and police. There are huge amounts of land sit aside for Native Americans. You only have to get the councils aproval to build a home on it. Then you can get a interest free load to build the home. They make their own laws, basically a country within our country. There is a lot of help for those Native Americans willing to get it. Not sure if it is still in affect but at one time you could get a monthly check if you could prove you was at least 1/8 Native American. Yes, they do have problems, just like a lot of us do. Alcoholism is a very huge problem with a lot of the tribes out west. But again help is there if they want it. I lived with, had friends and worked with a number of Native Americans over the years, so I am not buying the line that they are so down trodden and forgotten. Most I know really hate it when people, especially their own people, try and make it seem so. A lot of them are very successful, happy, educated and interesting people.
2/28/2007 11:20:10 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
skydaddy Covington, LA 79, joined Apr. 2006	A lot of them are very successful You are right Chucky. They also run all those casinos. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe has many throughout Louisiana & Mississippi and the whole tribe shares in the profits....at least thats what I have been told.
2/28/2007 8:44:14 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
fabulousnsingle Tarawa Terrace, NC 49, joined Jan. 2007	whitehawk...i agree with you...native american people have been taken advantage of for many years...if it had not have been for the native american people then the white man would of never made it many many moons ago...so to that i say thank you...I am a white female...i have only dated and married native american men...my children or 1/2 native american...as far as only having to be 1/8 native american...this is harder to prove...the native american people were never included in the cencus...they were never issued birth certifics...in searching for my childrens anstors...it is almost impossiable to...in most cases you can only go to the 4th generation...in most cases in order to prove that you are 1/8 native american...you have to go to the 5 or 6th generation...this goes back to the fact that because the native americans were never in included in the census until the 3 generation...which would put them approx...in the begaining of the 1900 before they were included in the census...i truley belive in the native americans...and i believe alot in there ways...although my children or of the blackfoot tribe and the cherokee and the apachee tribe...i will stand stand behind whitehawk...true enough they (native americans) my have there on land...but it is the worst of land...they may have there own laws...that is because white man still does not treat them fair...they have overcome more then any white man has ever had to handle...a thought to pounder...what if a group of people came into your home and took your wife and children and abused them...then when they were thru with them kill them...what if a group of people gave you clothing full of disease...just to get rid of you...what if a group of people came and took your house...left you with no shelter...no food...would you still think that it was ok...walk a day in a pair of indian moccians...and then say as a white man or an asian (in this case)life has been unfair...p.s. sorry for any mispelled word..sure there are many...
3/1/2007 5:12:40 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	How far back do we want to go to find how wronged we was? 100 years? 500 years? 1000 years? I am sure any group of people can look back at their history and find a time when they was dealt with unfairly. We can find that in the Irish, Italians, Germans, Chinese, Japanese and any other group of people that was treated unfairly at some time. To try and lay claim that we are disadvantaged in this country today because our ancestors were, in my opinion, a rather weak argument for failure. Like I said before, most the successful Native Americans I know hate to hear the pity argument. Tell the tribes around Albuquerque that their land is worthless. They will laugh at you. We live in one of the greatest countries that every existed, our poor live a better life then most people of the world. Yet, we continue to try and work the guilt and pity instead of looking at what we have. No wonder this country is in a state of decline. Ok, time to ease off the coffee now...LOL
3/1/2007 5:18:19 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
sebzalive Pamplin, VA 89, joined Feb. 2007	No one has answered your original question, Alex. I don't think it has to do with your race, but rather your approach. Though I don't care to be anyone's friend with benefits, it doesn't seem to me that you go out looking for that on a dating site. To me it seems if you look for that on a dating site, you look more for the benefits than the friend part and that voids out the whole friends with benefits concept.... it becomes then, simply sex, nothing more. SL
3/1/2007 9:31:10 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	Chucky T.. you know a small fraction of the Native population..compared to the majority of the population,,, most Native tribes across the country DO not own casino's..again..only a small fraction of the native world..Even then in the here and now..tribal members are being unenrolled,,because of money factors.. is this fair? of course not! For those who seem to want to see things in a small world view point,,,I suggest that you do more current research in todays modern world and see just where the Native American as a (whole)--- not singled out , isolated tribes that are prosperous/ ----Fit in !-in this Society!..The B.I.A has been in the news enough times.. are any of you aware how much the Federal Government owes Native Americans tribes scattered across the country?? Billions of dollars,,Why..Because those funds were misappropriated and not given and spent where it was suppose to go... in other words,,it was stolen monies... most people in america haven't a clue as to the "real" world of the native american in this country,,,no one cares,,no one wants to know,,and no one wants to do anything about it... Sort like walking down the street and ya see a homeless person begging,,you walk by and ignore that person.,.and go about ur business,,and hope to hell they don't bother you....Whitehawk
3/1/2007 11:06:21 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
trojan536 Birmingham, AL 65, joined Feb. 2007	Don't use the N word, Bottom of the pole, Rebel flag, Car bombs, KKK, Trail of tears, Slavery, Forty acres and a F...... mule. We hole these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, I have a dream, That one day my four little childred will be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin, Black boys wearing hoods, White boys in camoflage, Yesterday, fifty years ago, all the way back to Adam & Eve or even further, The astronaut with the diaper, Anna Nicole Smith, O.J., George Bush, Gangs claiming turf, immigration, loyalty to america, Lets help rebuild Irac, Homelessness in america. One thing Im damn sure about. If there was obsolutely nothing in this world to fight about, We Would DAMN SURE CREATE SOMETHING. Each one of you may with my permission take this personally; If I have INTENTIONALLY offended or hurt ANYONE ( black, white, blue, green, or all the shades in between ) in any way, shape, form or fashion, since my existance upon this earth, punish me any way you see fit. Otherwise my life is too short and too precious to harbor ill feeling for those not DIRECTLY responsible for the ills of my forefathers. When will we ever learn ! Have a good day. [Edited 3/1/2007 11:12:57 AM ]
3/1/2007 11:29:45 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
trojan536 Birmingham, AL 65, joined Feb. 2007	Whitehawk, I would like nothing more than to try and help every homeless person that I see. But a dollar for liquor or wine is'nt my idea of help. Ophra, gives her money to kids in Africa for this reason. Black kids in america think that help is an IPOD or Tennis shoes. Kids in Africa think that help is school uniforms. It's a no brainer. Nothing in this world is more rewarding than helping those that truly need help. I cant save every bum on the streets, and I damn sure aint going to bed feeling bad about it. Bringing one person down is no way to lift your poeple up. Some victories are not worth the battle. History should have taught all of us that. [Edited 3/1/2007 1:22:16 PM ]
3/1/2007 2:03:11 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	WhiteHawk...Just how many do I need to know to get a view of the real world? How about the friends I had and their extended families? The couple girls I dated and their extended families? How about my co-workers? This is over twenty some years of working in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma. I am talking Navajo, Hopi, Shoshone people, Pueblo, much less the Chippewa and Potawatomi people I know in this area. I think I will go with my "limited" experinces with a few hundred Native Americans I have met over the years over a political group that has an agenda to promote.
3/1/2007 3:28:42 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	No political group involved here Chucky,,whats involved is many Natives who communicate thru the invent of the internet. Who share stories and horrors, of who they are and where they are,,what they live thru what they have been thru and what is happening in their life now.You have named a few of the more prosperous tribes,, I did not see any mention of the Lakota's the Dakota's, the Crow, The Blackfeet,any Abenaki tribes etc....I saw no mention of those tribes in my home state..Warm springs Indians, Klamath Indians. who live in poverty and have been down and out for a long long time... I saw no mention of Rosebud. or Pineridge.. What do you know about any of these?What do you really know about the mine the Feds and the Navajo's are fighting over in 4corners area? and why such a fight going on?What do you know about 6 Nations? and To you- what does the term Turtle island mean? or 1st Nations? Trojan knows more about what goes on than any of you..Kudo's to you Trojan... Whitehawk
3/1/2007 5:38:18 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	Not being a Indian historian, and having no desire to be, I do not know some of those things. No I did not mention other tribes because all my contacts have been in the southwest and great lakes area. Those are the tribes I dealt with. You claim they are the more sucuessful tribes. Why do you think they are doing well when others are not? Maybe because they chose to move on and make a future for themself instead of looking for sympathy for the past? Maybe they picked tribal leaders that look to the future instead of wallowing in the past? I do understand that wrongs was done in the past on both sides, some of it was not good. But you will get no pity or guilt out of me because of something that happened a hundred or even fifty years ago. In fact I will feel no guilt for my grandparents, or even the actions of my parents. That was their actions, not mine. If you feel that the past is the reason you can not rise above where you are, then that is your choice. I for one have seen many, many Native Americans succeed on their own as individuals not as a tribe. So to try and tell me that the actions of others to your ancestors is the reason you can not succeed is not a story that I will buy.
3/1/2007 6:02:16 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	I can't recall that I said in any of these postings that I, as a person ,haven't suceeded in my life.. I am an advocate for injustessness in Native Affairs.I bring to people's attention, current conditions existing in the Native America of today... So you may of met some individuals who succeeded in life..by their own demerits,,thats all well and good. They represent may a 1% percentile in Native America.My own daughter works in a district attorneys office. Yes you are right in some things,,, many do strive to succeed. others have been given no opportunities or chances for that same success. Racism,poverty, health care issues,,etc,,the list is extensive, are factors in why the majority do not succeed.
3/1/2007 7:31:48 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chetan1017 Copperas Cove, TX 72, joined Jan. 2007	Well, now I have to answer to this one too. I'm glad to see another Native American is on here taking her stand. And it's not Custard's stand either!!! I get sick and tired of hearing how the Asians are on the bottom of the totem pole, the blacks are the minority, the Mexicans aren't given the right in this country to work or speak their language. Take a look at the reservations in this country. They are an absolute dispicable place that white man has placed our brothers and sisters on, forcing us into the status we are at today. This was OUR land to begin with. I recently had someone give me a hard time because I dared to say that he lied about something specific, and I have to admit I used a racist term: "White man speaks with forked tongue." He deserved that remark to some degree. And, while I apologized his reply hit way below the belt and he is real lucky he wasn't in front of me when he said the following. How sad that my people are still fighting bigots like him. This is what he told me in his e-mail: "For you to quote your Indian ancestors is a joke to me. The Indians in spite of the publicity of they being the native americans, they were the worst invironmentalists this land has ever know, they defiled their own camp sites which is partially why they had to move all the time among other reasons. They are genetically pre-disposed to alcohol, drugs, and laziness." That fired me up big time and there was no way, being the 'word warrior' that I am, that I let him get away with that which was an absolutely racist remark. This man is a person who works with the land and probably for the government and he couldn't even spell environmentalist right (now I had to throw that one in too LOL). This was my e-mail back to him: "Since you are a (left blank here for personal reasons)........you should know that my people were not the worst environmentalist that this land has ever known. You would know that ONE of the reasons they had to keep moving around was because the white man continued to steal their lands, and a lot of times they had to leave everything in order to flee for their lives. White man also committed genocide against them in an attempt to exterminate them off the face of the Earth by bringing in their smallpox disease that killed thousands. They were suppressed into the condition that many of them are still in today and lot of them have not risen above it. Many of the less fortunate are forced to live on reservations and the government makes sure that they have minimal resources, which makes it difficult for them to better themselves. While there is no excuse for unclean living conditions, there are many slums in America that are not of indigent Native people. I am truly sorry that you have such a low opinion of Native Americans. How sad. And, especially being in the ............ field, you should know that the white man was as, if not more, destructive of the environment than any of the Native Americans. He had no regard for Mother Earth, and he attempted to kill off the people who rightfully owned this land. One means was by starvation in slaughtering their main food source, the bison, destroying their crops, their homes and they left their carnage behind, in order to accomplish that endeavor. My people were peacemakers until they were forced to defend themselves in order for our race to survive......................." Now, I don't get on the band wagon too often here and I will probably get flack from this and I really don't care, but lets give one another a break. We are all Americans and if anyone has the right to complain the Native Americans are at the TOP of the totem pole to do that justifiably, because we were here FIRST and we are still being discriminated against.
3/1/2007 7:37:04 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	I Stand up and applause for my sister,,,
3/2/2007 5:02:15 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	I am wondering if either of you go to the council or tribal meetings? Do you actually go to the reservations? I been there, run around on them, stayed with friends there. Nothing like either of you are describing. Yes, just like other places, there are some run down places. Maybe some homes are not up to your standards, but I found some very delightful people that enjoy life and where they are. How many Gathers a year do either of you attend? How do you feel about the inter tribal conflicts and fighting going on? Are you even aware of them? The plains Indians did move around a lot, but not because they had to run for their lives. They was a nomadic people and followed the herds of Buffalo. Also, as nomadic people, they did not build permanent camps and they did have to move after a while because of the waste and condition of the camp site. When they moved it was a grand adventure, a parade of sorts, with all their refinery and best clothes. As Native Americans you both are initialed to membership in your tribes. I would suggest becoming active in the councils and finding out what is really going on today instead of quoting a bunch of redact from the newspapers and poorly written books or going internet forums where others like yourself repeat the same old things instead of actually doing something about it. Claiming heritage is one thing, being active in the tribe is another. BTW, I am Potawatomi on my side, my daughter's mother was Chippewa. You will find us at the Trail of Courage each fall, the Redbud each spring and you will probably find us at the "Dance for Mother Earth" Pow Wow at the end of this March.
3/2/2007 7:21:48 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	I don't know where you have been, but it would seem that you have had very limited exposure to "real" reservations . I have been to and on, more "REZ"S that I can remember thru out the years.My tribe is canadian based, I am unable to attend tribal council meetings..due to the fact that I live in the U.S - nor am I an enrolled tribal member.Does that make me any less Native? of course not! I have been to Canada.. the same situation that faces many U.S. tribes is also affecting them there -also in Canada.. 6 nations is a good example of the current situation that exists for many Natives. You ask if either of us knows what the internal bickering and fighting is,that goes ons.. I cannot answe for another,but for me..yes,,I am completely aware of what goes on.I do not get my information from ..books or the newspapers,,or the internet...I have direct dealings with people who live in today.. experience in today..and deal with the real life scenarios of today. I do not attend Pow Wows.simply because my job as a long hauler doesn't allow time for it for one..no time for myself,much less pow wow's..and I dislike the commercialization and political thing it has become. Due to the fact that many people live in different parts of the country. many.do not live anywhere near where their actual tribe is based or located..how then would these people attend tribal council meetings? My own daughter is enrolled in a tribe located in OK..would you have her run back and forth across the country spending money she does not have,,to be an active participant in tribal affairs?Lets get real here,,just because one isn't directly involved in council meeting or voting..etc..doesn't mean that that person is not active with in their tribal.or tribal communities in areas where they live..etc.. The internet helps ppl keep in contact... You make claims to something you have no clue of whether one is active or not. I could go on and on with this.but whats the point? As I say..my personal observation is,,based on statements made,..is you seem to have had very limited exposure to real reservations in this country.. whitehawk
3/2/2007 12:02:45 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	Actually I spend a lot of time on reservations in the southwest. But then you like to try and point out how "limited" my contacts are. I really don't understand how your experiences are so different then mine and others. I stayed for days at a time with friends, on reservations in Oklahoma and New Mexico. Over twenty years of going there and spending several days several times a year, how does that make my experiences limited?
3/2/2007 12:33:39 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	There are many Rez"s across america. The majority of these are living in poverty.When one has only been to a select few without traveling across the U.S. it limits ones perceptions to just those very few that one may of visited. I have been on so many and seen the "true" living conditions..that it is a saddening thing that this exists in america in todays time. The Reservations in my own state live in undesirable conditions. We have a select few that are doing well..finacially..but only with a long fight with the Feds to get their casino's up and running. Never the less,the internal politics of the tribal council members and the tribe members is a constant war among themselves,,all because of money... The majority of "White" america only see these particular reservations.. You made a statement that you had visited the Navajo Reservation..which part and in which State? The majority of the Navajo's live in poverty conditions ..and the violence and drugs and alcohol and domestic violence is not hidden from public knowledge,, it is well known...You cannot possibly know many true REZ Navajo's as most Navajo's do not speak to the white man...I have a friend who lives on the Potatowamie Rez in Kansas,, He gauranteed me that there would be parking for my "big" truck on pavement..by the casino...of course,,the rest of the Rez is dirt and gravel roads... You state you are part Pototawami... I can surely find out real quik... I have many friends scattered across a large part of America..being a trucker,, I have met with many and been to where they live,,The NEZ PERCE still talk about my bringing the truck out on the REZ.What do you know about the Yakima REZ> or The CRow REZ in montana? or The K falls Rez..I can go on and on and on.. I have been there.. I have friends on most of them...What the Real NDN sees may be different than what the White man see eh? Where my differences are.. Is I look what I am..I am accepted by my brothers and sisters,,on any REZ across the nation...I have understanding of what its like to be Native and be discriminated against and be subject to society's misguided information on what its like to be a "real" ndn.I live my walk in life.. and make no pretenses to be other than what I am.I don't go out on the REZ to visit.. I go there for my spirituality..to be in harmony with my brothers and sisters,,to be lifted up and reminded of who and what I am when I get lost.. To have the support and understanding of what its like to live in modern America.. I go to the Rez for many different things..but not to play at the Casino's thats for sure!!! I guess your experiences in the southwest surely diff from mine,as I have seen many more and been on many more REZ"S than u have across America.I have freinds in so many diff tribes I can't even begin to keep track and Alaska is included in this list..not to mention the many NDN's I associate with that live in Canada...I am a participating member of the Native communities across North america.. every day..not just a few times a year. Whitehawk
3/2/2007 1:31:13 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	The Navajo do not speak to white men? Where did you ever come up with that? They sure did a lot of talking to me when we run up to Pawnee and stayed on the reservation when I was in my twenties. They talked to me a lot when I would visit with friends west of Albuquerque when I spend a lot of time there. Even the fascinating elder that has not been off the reservation in over forty years. I am easy to find just ask around, already told you where I would be. I have name places I been and people I run around with. Not vague everywhere, all people type comments. How is it you are accepted in all these different places when you claim to know that being a member of the wrong tribe in the wrong place can be a not so good a outcome? You are very vague about your experiences but seem to want to claim how "limited" my knowledge is. I think I got the idea now, so you keep believing in your view of the world and I will live in mine.
3/2/2007 7:51:59 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
wolfy9459 Dayton, OH 53, joined Nov. 2006	Trogen said Don't use the N word, Bottom of the pole, Rebel flag, Car bombs, KKK, Trail of tears, Slavery, Forty acres and a F...... mule. We hole these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, I have a dream, That one day my four little childred will be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin, Black boys wearing hoods, White boys in camoflage, Yesterday, fifty years ago, all the way back to Adam & Eve or even further, The astronaut with the diaper, Anna Nicole Smith, O.J., George Bush, Gangs claiming turf, immigration, loyalty to america, Lets help rebuild Irac, Homelessness in america. One thing Im damn sure about. If there was obsolutely nothing in this world to fight about, We Would DAMN SURE CREATE SOMETHING. Each one of you may with my permission take this personally; If I have INTENTIONALLY offended or hurt ANYONE ( black, white, blue, green, or all the shades in between ) in any way, shape, form or fashion, since my existance upon this earth, punish me any way you see fit. Otherwise my life is too short and too precious to harbor ill feeling for those not DIRECTLY responsible for the ills of my forefathers. When will we ever learn ! Have a good day. I AGREE. Kenny PS What we are doing today. The wrongs. Is what gets me pissed. Prejudice is the sickness of a moron. [Edited 3/2/2007 8:41:35 PM ]
3/2/2007 8:01:02 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
wolfy9459 Dayton, OH 53, joined Nov. 2006	most people in america haven't a clue as to the "real" world of the native american in this country,,,no one cares,,no one wants to know,,and no one wants to do anything about it... Sort like walking down the street and ya see a homeless person begging,,you walk by and ignore that person.,.and go about ur business,,and hope to hell they don't bother you....Whitehawk I care! I know to much! Want to know more! Do what I can! Kenny
3/2/2007 8:32:09 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	How is it you are accepted in all these different places when you claim to know that being a member of the wrong tribe in the wrong place can be a not so good a outcome? Quote me and copy and paste where i said the above statement
3/2/2007 10:29:51 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	You are the one that stated you knew about the troubles between the tribes. If you know this then you would understand the statement. I give you a couple of other things I am not quite buying. You say you are a OTR trucker, but you have time to stop at all these places and make all these Native American friends. I am sure your dispatcher is understanding of this. You claim you are involved with a number of tribes and know the "true" ways, but you are vague as to the tribes you are talking about or why that is. Your whole argument to my experiences is that in the over twenty years I have been around reservations and Native Americans is that I only have "limited" experiences and you have "true" experiences while still being vague about it. There are a couple other things, but they are not worth the space to address. My personal opinion, it that you are full of it. Trying to hold a conversation or exchange experiences with you is mostly a waste of time. I, personally, don't buy most of what you are saying about your "true" experiences.
3/3/2007 4:30:36 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	I am going to add one more thing here then I am done with this thread. I believe you are the one with the limited experiences. Most of the Native Americans I know are forward thinking and positive people. I believe that is the majority. They are good hard working people that want to make a good future for their children as well as teach and pass on their culture and beliefs. I think the minority is the ones like yourself that work to try and keep the hostility and bigotry alive. To constantly blame the evil white man for all your woes. People like you are the reason that some Native Americans continue to stuggle, you give them a excuse to not try, instead of encouraging them to achieve.
3/3/2007 5:30:38 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Greetings. I am joining in this discussion a little late but I’m on Indian time, get there when I feel like it. I am of the Hathewekala, Shawnee Nation. I have been a women’s traditional dancer for 10 years and a fancy shawl dancer for 5 years. I traveled the East coast Pow Wow circuit (New York, Pa, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina) and have been to reservations, gatherings, and many traditional ceremonies such as Awakening of Mother Earth, Green Corn, Bread Dance, Feast of the Dead, Sweat Lodge and Making of A Woman ceremony ect... I have been actively involved in many meetings and listened to Roberta Blackgoat and Russell Means speak about the preservation of Native American Rights. The word Totem comes from the Algonquian word Dodem- meaning to be related to or to share ones crest and there certainly were no Asians on the pole. But Alex honey...I’ll date you. I’m 20 years older but maybe I can teach you a few things. ~wink~ wink~ Anyway, the totem poles were created by the Tinglit, Haida, Tsimshian, Kwakwakawakw and Nuu-chah-nulth FIRST NATIONS. As for LIVING IN THE PAST these Northwest Coast tribes are now facing the extinction of Salmon because of PROGRESS...because of others trying to MAKE SOMETHING OF THEMSELVES...there were 40 million acres of ceded land, 34,000 acres of burial ground flooded and 338,000 acres flooded when the dams were put in. And 243-410 million pounds of salmon were lost. Is this called living in the past? TODAY the salmon are all but gone. What about the child molestation and sexual abuse lawsuits now in court because Native American children were abused when they were put into boarding schools such as Carlisle Indian School and forced to assimilate into the white culture? Forbidden to speak their language. Forbidden to practice their spirituality until the Freedom of Religion Act of 1978. These people are now our Grandmas and Grandpas, not ten generations ago. What about the billions of dollars of misappropriated funds LOST by the federal government that was being held in trust for which belonged to the NATIVE tribes of AMERICA? What about the current lawsuits being filed due to the exploitation of our burial grounds? The cemeteries and graves of everyone else's ancestors are respected and left alone. Wal-Mart builds their stores on top of ours. Can I build a store on top of your Grandma? Why not? What about the Massachusetts legislature finally repealing a 330 year old law that barred Native Americans from entering Boston? This was on May 19, 2005. We are not living in the past. This is TODAY. As for Native Americans who have 'All that land'...yeah, we do. If my Navajo friend gets sick she has to drive 150 miles just to get to a hospital. As for the drug issue, helicopters land in the desert and the badlands in the middle of the night to drop shipments of drugs on Indian land...and the pilots of these helicopters are NOT Indian. As for the casino money it doesn't reach everyone. Some tribes have no casinos. Some tribes such as the Muwekma Ohlone and the Piscataway Nation of Maryland are not being given Federal Recognition. Without Federal Recognition, you get no check, no money, no land and no benefits. You are considered one of the lost peoples of the lost First Nations within America. However, the Seminole just bought ALL the ownership of the Hard Rock Cafes. They quote “We will buy it all back one piece at a time if we have to.” In spite of all the ignorance, stupidity and discrimination we will come back. First Nations will rise again but understand...we are not living in the past. We have been oppressed by the mainstream society for a very, very long time. It is a daily fight, a struggle to come back. These issues are very real and we struggle with them TODAY. I have to ask Chucky if you have been around Natives and you recognize these things to be true, why give Whitehawk a hard time. She is standing up for what she believes to be true according to her own life experiences. As is Cetan. Why argue with us Indians who follow the RED ROAD about OUR PAST, OUR HISTORY...and all that we know to be true? If anyone knows it well, we do. We don’t just visit there. We live it every day. If you don’t believe what we are saying is true, you are following what you learned to be the truth which, I am sorry to inform you is severely misguided and incorrect. You should be a gentleman and apologize to her and everyone else on here for attacking her in an unjust manner. She speaks the truth as I do. Msipesi Lana Ambalote. Panther That Walks. SHAWNEE NATION. ~Aiming4Justice~
3/3/2007 8:14:39 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	What my time limits are are really none of your business... where I have been ,,I have spoken truth,, I do not need to continue to defend myself to someone who makes a choice to not comprehend the written word. You are transposing what ever it is I write,and insidiously twisting it for what ever you seem to feel a need to do to prove ...what? I know where I have been,,, I know who I associate with... And I know where I am accepted.. I have found that people,such as your self. who need to challenge ,,others and twist their words,,are usually very insecure individiuals... I have traveled long before I became a trucker.. Ask any trucker,,, We travel thru many places in the course of delivering that freight,,so that you, and everyone can have that butt wipe... When its time to shut er down..no one dictates where or how or why... Its up to that trucker where he or she wants the 34 hr restart... If I choose to shut my truck down on the Crow rez.. thats what I do.. You seem to have a need for disbelief.. Would it make you feel any better ifn I gathered up and had a petition signed,, with those individual I associate with..proving .. that I speak truth..? You claim native heritage,, but yet from looking at ur picture..what DO you look like? By yourself.. I would like to see you go to..hmmm..say the Burns Indian reservation.. in my state.. yeah ,,thats a good one for starters... Lets see you drive on up in there and have all the brother's and sister's welcome you with open arms... Better yet..why not the Modoc rez In northern Ca.. lets see ya take ur self on up in there... Now that would be a FUN thing to watch.... Lets see ya go on up in there and ask for a "Sweat" tell em ya feel a need for a cleansing,,, You are there because ur spirit is down and out and you need a spiritual" uplifting" yeah... now this I would take my personal vehicle and drive that distance..to to stand back in the sidelines and "watch".. should prove for some great entertainment... By your words..it is obvious you haven't a clue as to what really goes on in Native America... You digress and transpose words... You challenge what is spoken or said,,You cannot add input as to what is happening currently in Native America... But you can single things out and lay claim that I uttered those words... in my prior postings,,and then even then ,when asked to Quote..You could not even do that... Hmmm maybe because its that little big man syndrome at work... Well anyways... I know who and what I am..Do you?? I know which walk in life I take... Whitehawk
3/3/2007 9:15:36 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
skydaddy Covington, LA 79, joined Apr. 2006	are not being given Federal Recognition{/quote] Hey Justice, I would like to add the Houmas in Louisiana to that list.
3/3/2007 9:55:41 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Yeah, I heard about Houma Indian settlements in lower Plaquemines, lower St. Bernard, and lower Jefferson parishes. Some 3500 tribal citizens. They were hit hard by the storm Katrina. Do you know if things are getting any better there?
3/3/2007 4:28:25 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
skydaddy Covington, LA 79, joined Apr. 2006	Yes, things are slowly getting better. Lower Terrebonne was also hit hard.....(more by Rita than Katrina)a lot of Houmas around Dulac, Cocodrie, etc. in Terrebonne. Up here north of Lake Ponchartrain we had mainly Choctaw and Blackfoot. There's a big Pow Wow here every year.
3/3/2007 5:27:38 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Well, I hope things do get better for them. I know it takes time. It is very, very hard for people to come back after such devastation. Homes lost, relocation, no money, no food, friends and family lost...yes, it's very hard. I feel for them. About Pow Wows, yes, it will be that time of year again soon. Looking forward to it!
3/3/2007 5:58:19 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
wolfy9459 Dayton, OH 53, joined Nov. 2006	OK I got to say this Chucky Id like to see you find a Miami, a Wyandot, a Powell, a Hopewell (hope I spelled that last one right), or any of the mound builder natives and tell them how good they have it. Kenny [Edited 3/3/2007 5:58:56 PM ]
3/3/2007 9:02:08 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	LOL Wolf..good answer....
3/3/2007 10:13:16 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chetan1017 Copperas Cove, TX 72, joined Jan. 2007	This is for my sister Whitehawk in defense for your honored words of enlightenment. It never ceases to amaze me how some people get on bandwagons and soap boxes about something in particular that they really know nothing about, and they argue relentlessly with someone who attempts to explain the real truth. Instead of admitting they just might be wrong in their assumptions, they continue to disagree, refusing to admit they are wrong. Some long-winded, misinformed, disrespectful wasichu (white man), professes to know more than Whitehawk about the conditions that the Native Americans are still facing today, and she is directly involved in the long-suffering and plight of our brothers and sisters and works for the cause of many. She knows the entire perspective, as she has lived it and sees it; not through a wasichu’s eyes either. She is a Native American who has taken it upon herself to walk the walk and she does not try to distort the truth, but is attempting to educate and open the eyes of a very misinformed public. On the other hand, some people see the sugar-coated side of the coin and they try to influence others to believe that the Native Americans today are treated with respect, consideration, and those so-called bigots attempt to lead others to believe that the Indians are being treated with dignity and honor. I recently met a Lakota woman and she complained about the terrible living conditions on the reservation where she lived in North Dakota. She said her people there are depressed and oppressed on a daily basis, and that many of them cannot rise from the degradation that they have been subjected to. Many have also succumbed to the imprisonment they have been forced into by giving into alcoholism and drugs, which gives them some sense of escape to another realm, which places them in yet another ‘catch 22' scenario. There is no doubt that some of the Native American people are faring well, especially those who are receiving their share from the casinos, but the majority are not. That majority lives in below standard housing and are suppressed into being made to feel less than human. Every day they struggle for survival from a people that has attempted to strip them of their traditions, beliefs, spirituality and of their very identity as members of the rest of society. I suggest if anyone has any question about how the native people have suffered from the hands of the wasichus that they read more history. Even though so many people claim to know so much, you might need to go to the direct source. In fact, the history that most people know is based on misconception and myth, especially about what happened with Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or at the Greasy Grass, which Crazy Horse called it. The same is still true today with the plight of the Native American people, they are still mistreated and are still being made to suffer. We can forgive past transgressions, but we cannot forget. We will not forget. If you claim to be Native American; even a small amount of blood, and want to get on your native 'wagon', you need to put aside what history has taught and how this government has tried to justify their injustices yesterday......and now. Che Tan
3/3/2007 10:30:26 PM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	Thank you Che Tan.... You are correct..these people are misguided,,and ill informed -based on their comebacks,,not by any real association with Rez life.. I was talking with my brother,who lives on the Pototawami Rez in Kansas... He agree's with me.. Ifn ya a "white" man and you are not on the rez unless its for business or with someone who has invited ya,,, ya don't get very damn far... We ..he and I ..after I told him of my encounters here with Chucky,,,, agrees,,this is one misguided individual who has a need to put down a Native American woman.....is ok though... because Chucky by his own words,,has further shown Native America,,what the "white" man way of thinking is... Walk well my sister,,,, Whitehawk
3/4/2007 1:06:16 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
chucky_t Akron, IN 67, joined May. 2006	We make our own life, the evil white man is not your problem. You can blame him, you can think you are a failure because of him, but in the end the problem is yours. Who continues to this day to exploit the Indians of the Americas? Who first exploited the Indians of the southwest? Does anyone know? I am the evil white man that does have a history of Indian or Native American. We do honor that, unlike some that wants to exploit it to their own advantage. We do attend the meetings and try to make the world better instead of trying to keep the hate and dishonor alive...that only keeps you, as a person, a failure... The hate and discontent some of you preach is the reason things can not be settled in your own mind. You want someone to give you what you did not earn? You are the present, not the past. You want a free ride, but you want a great free ride, not just a free ride? What are you looking for? Just for a history fact, the mound builders disappeared way before the white man came around....
3/4/2007 4:21:19 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Hidden away, out of sight but dotting the landscape of America, are the little known or forgotten Reservations of the Indigenous People of our land. Sadly, the average U.S. mainstream resident knows almost nothing about the people of the Native American reservations other than what romanticized or caricaturized versions they see on film or as the print media stereotypes of oil or casino-rich Indians. Most assume that whatever poverty exists on a reservation is most certainly comparable to that which they might experience themselves. Further, they assume it is curable by the same means they would use. But that is the arrogance of ignorance. Our dominant society is accustomed to being exposed to poverty. It’s nearly invisible because it is everywhere. We drive through our cities with a blind eye, numb to the suffering on the streets, or we shake our heads and turn away, assuming help is on the way. After all, it’s known that the government and the big charities are helping the needy in nearly every corner of the world. But the question begs: What about the sovereign nations on America’s own soil, within this country, a part and yet apart from mainstream society? What about these Reservations that few people ever see? Oddly enough, the case could be made that more Europeans and Australians know and understand the cultures and conditions of our Indigenous people better Americans do.
3/4/2007 4:23:13 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	The Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Indian Reservation sits in Bennett, Jackson, and Shannon Counties and is located in the southwest corner of South Dakota, fifty miles east of the Wyoming border. § The 11,000-square mile (approximately 2,700,000 acres) Pine Ridge Reservation is the second-largest Native American Reservation within the United States. It is roughly the size of the State of Connecticut. According to the Oglala Sioux tribal statistics, approximately 1,700,000 acres of this land are owned by the Tribe or by tribal members. § The Reservation is divided into eight districts: Eagle Nest, Pass Creek, Wakpamni, LaCreek, Pine Ridge, White Clay, Medicine Root, Porcupine, and Wounded Knee. § The topography of the Pine Ridge Reservation includes the barren Badlands, rolling grassland hills, dryland prairie, and areas dotted with pine trees. § The Pine Ridge Reservation is home to approximately 40,000 persons, 35% of which are under the age of 18. The latest Federal Census shows the median age to be 20.6 years. Approximately half the residents of the Reservation are registered tribal members of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Nation. § According to the most recent Federal Census, 58.7% of the grandparents on the Reservation are responsible for raising their own grandchildren. § The population is slowly but steadily rising, despite the severe conditions on the Reservation, as more and more Oglala Lakota return home from far-away cities to live within their societal values, be with their families, and assist with the revitalization of their culture and their Nation.
3/4/2007 4:26:08 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Recent reports vary but many point out that the median income on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year. § The unemployment rate on Pine Ridge is said to be approximately 83-85% and can be higher during the winter months when travel is difficult or often impossible. § According to 2006 resources, about 97% of the population lives below Federal poverty levels. * There is little industry, technology, or commercial infrastructure on the Reservation to provide employment. § Rapid City, South Dakota is the nearest town of size (population approximately 57,700) for those who can travel to find work. It is located 120 miles from the Reservation. The nearest large city to Pine Ridge is Denver, Colorado located some 350 miles away. Life Expectancy and Health Conditions § Some figures state that the life expectancy on the Reservation is 48 years old for men and 52 for women. Other reports state that the average life expectancy on the Reservation is 45 years old. These statistics are far from the 77.5 years of age life expectancy average found in the United States as a whole. According to current USDA Rural Development documents, the Lakota have the lowest life expectancy of any group in America. § Teenage suicide rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is 150% higher than the U.S. national average for this age group. § The infant mortality rate is the highest on this continent and is about 300% higher than the U.S. national average. § More than half the Reservation's adults battle addiction and disease. Alcoholism, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and malnutrition are pervasive. § The rate of diabetes on the Reservation is reported to be 800% higher than the U.S. national average. § Recent reports indicate that almost 50% of the adults on the Reservation over the age of 40 have diabetes. § As a result of the high rate of diabetes on the Reservation, diabetic-related blindness, amputations, and kidney failure are common. § The tuberculosis rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately 800% higher than the U.S. national average. § Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S. national average. § It is reported that at least 60% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are infested with Black Mold, Stachybotrys. This infestation causes an often-fatal condition with infants, children, elderly, those with damaged immune systems, and those with lung and pulmonary conditions at the highest risk. Exposure to this mold can cause hemorrhaging of the lungs and brain as well as cancer. § A Federal Commodity Food Program is active but supplies mostly inappropriate foods (high in carbohydrate and/or sugar) for the largely diabetic population of the Reservation. § A small non-profit Food Co-op is in operation on the Reservation but is available only for those with funds to participate.
3/4/2007 4:27:49 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Health Care § Many Reservation residents live without health care due to vast travel distances involved in accessing that care. Additional factors include under-funded, under-staffed medical facilities and outdated or non-existent medical equipment. § Preventive healthcare programs are rare. § In most of the treaties between the U.S. Government and Indian Nations, the U.S. government agreed to provide adequate medical care for Indians in return for vast quantities of land. The Indian Health Services (IHS) was set up to administer the health care for Indians under these treaties and receives an appropriation each year to fund Indian health care. Unfortunately, the appropriation is very small compared to the need and there is little hope for increased funding from Congress. The IHS is understaffed and ill-equipped and can’t possibly address the needs of Indian communities. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Education Issues § School drop-out rate is over 70%. § According to a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) report, the Pine Ridge Reservation schools are in the bottom 10% of school funding by U.S. Department of Education and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. § Teacher turnover is 800% that of the U.S. national average
3/4/2007 4:30:10 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Housing Conditions and Homelessness § The small BIA/Tribal Housing Authority homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are overcrowded and scarce, resulting in many homeless families who often use tents or cars for shelter. Many families live in old cabins or dilapidated mobile homes and trailers. § According to a 2003 report from South Dakota State University, the majority of the current Tribal Housing Authority homes were built from 1970-1979. The report brings to light that a great percentage of that original construction by the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) was “shoddy and substandard.” The report also states that 26% of the housing units on the Reservation are mobile homes, often purchased or obtained (through donations) as used, low-value units with negative-value equity. § Even though there is a large homeless population on the Reservation, most families never turn away a relative no matter how distant the blood relation. Consequently, many homes often have large numbers of people living in them. § In a recent case study, the Tribal Council estimated a need for at least 4,000 new homes in order to combat the homeless situation. § There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (a home which may only have two to three rooms). Some larger homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 people living in them. § Over-all, 59% of the Reservation homes are substandard. § Over 33% of the Reservation homes lack basic water and sewage systems as well as electricity. § Many residents must carry (often contaminated) water from the local rivers daily for their personal needs. § Some Reservation families are forced to sleep on dirt floors. § Without basic insulation or central heating in their homes, many residents on the Pine Ridge Reservation use their ovens to heat their homes. § Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation. Even more homes lack central heating. § Periodically, Reservation residents are found dead from hypothermia (freezing). § It is reported that at least 60% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation need to be burned to the ground and replaced with new housing due to infestation of the potentially-fatal Black Mold, Stachybotrys. There is no insurance or government program to assist families in replacing their homes. § 39% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation have no electricity. § The most common form of heating fuel is propane. Wood-burning is the second most common form of heating a home although wood supplies are often expensive or difficult to obtain. § Many Reservation homes lack basic furniture and appliances such as beds, refrigerators, and stoves. § 60% of Reservation families have no land-line telephone. The Tribe has recently issued basic cell phones to the residents. However, these cell phones (commonly called commodity phones) do not operate off the Reservation at all and are often inoperable in the rural areas on the Reservation or during storms or wind. § Computers and internet connections are very rare. § Federal and tribal heat assistance programs (such as LLEAP) are limited by their funding. In the winter of 2005-2006, the average one-time only payment to a family was said to be approximately $250-$300 to cover the entire winter. For many, that amount did not even fill their propane heating tanks one time.
3/4/2007 4:32:05 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Life on the Reservation § Most Reservation families live in rural and often isolated areas. § The largest town on the Reservation is the village of Pine Ridge which has a population of approximately 5,720 people and is the administrative center for the Reservation. § There are few improved (paved) roads on the Reservation and most of the rural homes are inaccessible during times of rain or snow. § Weather is extreme on the Reservation. Severe winds are always a factor. Traditionally, summer temperatures reach well over 110°F and winters bring bitter cold with temperatures that can reach - 50°F or worse. Flooding, tornados, or wildfires are always a risk. § The Pine Ridge Reservation still has no banks, discount stores, or movie theaters. It has only one grocery store of any moderate size and it is located in the village of Pine Ridge on the Reservation. A motel just opened in 2006 near the Oglala Lakota College at Kyle, South Dakota. There are said to be about 8 Bed and Breakfast or campsite locations found across the Reservation but that number varies from time to time since most are part of a private home. § Several of the banks and lending institutions nearest to the Reservation have been targeted for investigation of fraudulent or predatory lending practices, with the citizens of the Pine Ridge Reservation as their victims. § There are no public libraries except one at the Oglala Lakota College. § There is 1 radio station on the Pine Ridge Reservation. KILI 90.1FM is located near the town of Porcupine on the Reservation. Transportation § There is no public transportation available on the Reservation. § Only a minority of Reservation residents own an operable automobile. § Predominant form of travel for all ages on the Reservation is walking or hitchhiking. § There is one very small airport on the Reservation servicing both the Pine Ridge Reservation and Shannon County. It's longest, paved runway extends 4,969 feet. There are no commercial flights available. The majority of flights using the airport are Federal, State, or County Government-related. § The nearest commercial airport and/or commercial bus line is located in Rapid City, South Dakota (approximately 120 miles away).
3/4/2007 4:35:17 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Alcoholism § Alcoholism affects 8 out of 10 families on the Reservation. § The death rate from alcohol-related problems on the Reservation is 300% higher than the remaining US population. § The Oglala Lakota Nation has prohibited the sale and possession of alcohol on the Pine Ridge Reservation since the early 1970's. However, the town of Whiteclay, Nebraska (which sits 400 yards off the Reservation border in a contested "buffer" zone) has approximately 14 residents and four liquor stores which sell over 4,100,000 cans of beer each year resulting in a $3,000,000 annual trade. Unlike other Nebraska communities, Whiteclay exists only to sell liquor and make money. It has no schools, no churches, no civic organizations, no parks, no benches, no public bathrooms, no fire service and no law enforcement. Tribal officials have repeatedly pleaded with the State of Nebraska to close these liquor stores or enforce the State laws regulating liquor stores but have been consistently refused. Water and Aquifer Contamination § Many wells and much of the water and land on the Reservation is contaminated with pesticides and other poisons from farming, mining, open dumps, and commercial and governmental mining operations outside the Reservation. A further source of contamination is buried ordnance and hazardous materials from closed U.S. military bombing ranges on the Reservation. § Scientific studies show that the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer which begins underneath the Pine Ridge Reservation is predicted to run dry in less than 30 years due to commercial interest use and dryland farming in numerous states south of the Reservation. This critical North American underground water resource is not renewable at anything near the present consumption rate. The recent years of drought have simply accelerated the problem. § Scientific studies show that much of the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer has been contaminated with farming pesticides and commercial, factory, mining, and industrial contaminants in the States of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
3/4/2007 4:36:53 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Sovereignty and Tribal Government § By Treaty, the Tribal nations are considered to have sovereign governmental status. They have a special government to government relationship with the United States. Interactions with the U.S. Government and the Department of Interior (and its Bureau of Indian Affairs) are supposed to be through Treaty negotiations and most Federal programs (such as Indian Health Services) were purchased by the Tribal nations (usually with land) and guaranteed by Treaty. This is specifically true for the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Nation of the Pine Ridge Reservation. § The Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Tribal government operates under a constitution consistent with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 and approved by the Tribal membership and Tribal Council of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Tribe. The Tribe is governed by an elected body consisting of a 5 member Executive Committee and an 18 member Tribal Council, all of whom serve a two year term. Hope § Currently, there are various efforts underway to implement innovative techniques and solutions to Reservation problems. These projects include community volunteer groups, alternative education programs, wind or water energy initiatives, substance abuse programs, cultural and language programs, employment opportunities, cottage industries, promotion of artists and musicians, small co-op businesses, etc. However, funding for these programs is highly limited. § There are several very small projects now working to help with the housing shortage. Some of these involve using donated mobile homes, community-built sod housing, other community-built housing (such as Habitat for Humanity), exploring possible use of unused FEMA mobile homes, and other alternate solutions. Unfortunately, funding is highly limited. § The Tribal Council Housing Authority is working as hard as it can to build new homes and repair existing structures but it is limited by the small, limited amount of funding available. § There are a few reputable small non-profit organizations attempting to sincerely assist the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation in their efforts to resolve and mitigate existing problems. However, funding for these programs is currently highly limited. § There is one small independent (non-IHS) clinic on the Reservation at the community of Porcupine. It was founded and is controlled by the Lakota community. It just recently obtained its first dialysis machine and runs an aggressive program to combat diabetes. However, funding is very limited and is obtained locally and through grants. § The Oglala Lakota are a determined, intelligent, and proud People who are working hard to over-come their Reservation problems. Against all odds, with minimal resources, they are slowly working to re-claim their self-sufficiency, their culture, and their life.
3/4/2007 4:45:30 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	We make our own life, the evil white man is not your problem. You can blame him, you can think you are a failure because of him, but in the end the problem is yours. That's okay. We'll fix it.
3/4/2007 7:18:31 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	Standing ovation my sister........ As I tried to tell Mr chucky.... He seems to continue having this need to blame us for the current conditions..or maybe not so much that,,but that we are a contributor as to why the native peoples can't pull themselves up by the bootstraps.that it is (my) attitude that continues to bring Native America down...I guess I get to be singled out for the month...lol... His few trips to some southwest rez's have given him all this knowledge of true indian life it seems..and we don't really know anything,,,But what we do know..is it is people like my self that bring Native Americans down and keep them suppressed..etc... Oh yeah..another key word here,,Exploit our own brothers and sisters... We ,who do battle over the injust treatments that some of our brothers and sisters are subjected to by "white" america... Chucky... lets get this perfectly clear... Non of us exploit one another,,, non of us continues to keep putting our brothers and sister in the current conditions that some find them selves in.. If we do " battle" it is to bring to attention to "white" america..the "real" life living situations of current Native America!You don't see 60 minutes talking about the Native American on its show... You don't see us on shows such as Oprah... Now why is that Chucky? We are the forgotten people's... No one want to deal with the fact that their ancestors placed us in the living conditions currently..that the lands have been taken away,, that many transgressions went on..etc...that billions of dollars never went to where it was suppose to go.... Native America on TV??? oh no!! we can't have that! this country has people who are starving,,homelesss,,no jobs,,, standing in lines to get food... and this is "white" america... the government turn a blind eye to the existing conditions of it own country,,, Health care?? what the hell is that?? there's no place..or time..to address the Native America part in this..they can't deal with the very things I just mentioned ,,much less Native America issues... My Sisters have spoken the truth as plain as day... We may forgive,,,But we will NEVER FORGET!!!! Whitehawk
3/4/2007 8:27:28 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
aiming4justice Mount Pleasant, PA 52, joined Mar. 2007	Okay Whitehawk...this is the plan. I'll leave Pennsylvania tonight, pick up Chucky in Indiana and you meet us at Pine Ridge. We're going to put as many Lakota as we can in the community center, hold a ceremony, dance a little and then we will let Chucky tell them the are living this way because it's their own fault. That it is their problem. He can be a new motivational speaker. But after that, I think you and I will leave together because I will need company for the ride home. Fry bread and coffee at my house.
3/4/2007 9:58:57 AM	Asians at the bottom of the totem pole lol
whitehawk Eugene, OR 61, joined Feb. 2007	Ok ..your on... Hmmm..Fry bread??/ thats my weakness, I do bout anything for frybread,,, When we meeting up at Pineridge???? LOL Whitehawk

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