Racism and Genocide in America by the US Government

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mgrobertson79

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In America there is a government agency known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It is the agency tasked with administering the programs relating to the Native American population. The agency has a long standing policy requiring what is known as a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood for registration with a tribe and for tribes to be eligible for federal recognition. What would happen if we were to require African Americans to show proof of African Blood, or Irishmen to show proof of Irish Blood and so on. It is the only place in this country where a particular group of people are segregated due to their race and others excluded by the government because their ancestors were not listed on a particular “roll” or census taken among Native Americans at the turn of the 20th century.

The policy is known as Blood Quantum and effectively assures the elimination of the Native Americans in only a matter of time. It is said that this policy ensures this by “watering down” the blood lines of Native Americans through intermarriage and so on. In the old days the natives intermarried as a part of their culture and assimilated each others tribes. It wasn’t a big deal until the US Government came along and said that unless they were full blooded Cherokee or Sioux or Creek or Choctaw or whatever tribe they were, then they were not really Indian.

This means that through intermarriage under this policy of the BIA that Native Americans only become more white, but never more Indian.

I believe it is time to acknowledge the original inhabitants of this country and give them at least an apology and make an attempt at restitution for the crimes perpetrated against them in the name of progress.

It is also time to abolish the almost 160 year old practice of requiring registration with the US Government to claim Native American heritage. The racism must end and in order for that to happen it must be brought out into the open.

There is a survey online at petitiononline.com/0001/that will at least give a voice to those of us who wish to stand up for the civil and human rights of the Native Americans and their descendants.
 
I find your post ignorant. I have had many dealings with Indian tribal councils and other governing bodies as such. First off, there are alot of advantages to being a member of a tribe for American Indians. The “degrees” of Indian are for benefits given by the counsels and the federal gov’t. College scholarships, legal counsel, unions, etc… Reservations are not a matter of the government exclusions… American Indians choose to live or not to live on reservations. You do not have to be 100% Indian for benefits. I know for college benefits you only have to be 1/4 Indian, and legal counsel, I believe is 1/8 Indian. I have an uncle who lives on a reservation on weekdays and comes home on weekends because he works there. He is 100% German. They welcome him to work with the kids.

The US gov’t is not trying to “get rid of” Indians, they limit the benefits because there has to be a limit somewhere. Nobody tells Indians that they can’t marry each other, in fact the tribal counsels are made up exclusively of Indians and they encourage marriage within their people to keep the tribe strong. Kids that are 1/8 Indian or more can go to summer camps and learn about their heritage.

I had a kid in my house as a foster kid that was Indian. When we had court hearings about her foster care the tribal counsel had the right to show up and also to intervene on behalf of the child. We had to comply with their decisions regarding this child who was 1/4 Indian. There is nothing wrong with belonging to a tribe or living on a reservation!
 
BlestOne said:
I find your post ignorant. I have had many dealings with Indian tribal councils and other governing bodies as such. First off, there are alot of advantages to being a member of a tribe for American Indians. The “degrees” of Indian are for benefits given by the counsels and the federal gov’t. College scholarships, legal counsel, unions, etc… Reservations are not a matter of the government exclusions… American Indians choose to live or not to live on reservations. You do not have to be 100% Indian for benefits. I know for college benefits you only have to be 1/4 Indian, and legal counsel, I believe is 1/8 Indian. I have an uncle who lives on a reservation on weekdays and comes home on weekends because he works there. He is 100% German. They welcome him to work with the kids.

The US gov’t is not trying to “get rid of” Indians, they limit the benefits because there has to be a limit somewhere. Nobody tells Indians that they can’t marry each other, in fact the tribal counsels are made up exclusively of Indians and they encourage marriage within their people to keep the tribe strong. Kids that are 1/8 Indian or more can go to summer camps and learn about their heritage.

I had a kid in my house as a foster kid that was Indian. When we had court hearings about her foster care the tribal counsel had the right to show up and also to intervene on behalf of the child. We had to comply with their decisions regarding this child who was 1/4 Indian. There is nothing wrong with belonging to a tribe or living on a reservation!
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So why don’t we limit welfare to those who are at least 1/4 African blood or college scholarships. Why can’t we have the same criteria for all. It has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with government control and excessive white intervention. You obviously have no clue as to what the government is doing, only what you wish to believe. It has been that way for many years and people blind themselves to the truth. If a person is 1/8th or 1/16th Indian then they are as much Indian as the one who is full blooded. It isn’t blood that makes one an Indian, but whats inside. You should research the matter and see what the Native Americans feel about this. There is plenty of material online regarding the topic. You reply shows you have at least some bias and ignorance yourself.
 
There is no doubt the history in North America is despicable in regard to the treatment of natives. The key word is “history” today everyone must compete by the social rules. This competition is not new. Life as a native was not that cheerful, back then natives often treated each other harshly. They hunted for a living, with no medical treatment, and typically died young. Most probably died by age 40. I believe given the choice the natives of the 1400’s would gladly choose to live in today’s society over the society that existed then. Similarly all human history is about the same no matter which continent you look at, each group shows a history of wars and oppression. In summary the future is all there is. My advise is to forget the past and focus on the future
 
Texas_Roofer said:
There is no doubt the history in North America is despicable in regard to the treatment of natives. The key word is “history” today everyone must compete by the social rules. This competition is not new. Life as a native was not that cheerful, back then natives often treated each other harshly. They hunted for a living, with no medical treatment, and typically died young. Most probably died by age 40. I believe given the choice the natives of the 1400’s would gladly choose to live in today’s society over the society that existed then. Similarly all human history is about the same no matter which continent you look at, each group shows a history of wars and oppression. In summary the future is all there is. My advise is to forget the past and focus on the future
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This is good. The future is all we have and a future without the racist policies of the US Government is imperative for the survival of not only the Native Americans, but everyone. We don’t require anyone to show proof of nationality for any services other than Native Americans, we don’t require anyone other than Native Americans to register with the US Government to use the term Indian made or Indian owned. There would be a tremendous outcry if blacks were required to go through this. If the Irish population among us were subjected to this there may be a war. Why should the Native Americans, who were claimed by the US Government years ago to be a sovereign people unto themselves have to submit to the whims of an outside government. They were massacred in the namer of progress and today are treated as a sort of second class citizen. My only purpose for this thread was to bring light to a situation. The Native Americans argue about this, but in the end the majority believe it is a bad policy and they should be the ones to determine who is allowed in, not the US Government. There is a trust fund which is money that belongs to the Native Americans, but congress has for years stolen from the Indians to pay for their pet projects and who knows, probably an ill conceived war or two.

Also, We can not forget the past, lest we repeat it. Always remember the ones who have gone on and struggled before us and look to the future that they may not have struggled and died in vain.
 
I have a family member who married an Indian. In talking with her and her husband, they seem to be perfectly content to receive free medical care, free food, very low rent, and their cut of the casino profits every year. From her standpoint, there is gross discrimination against her because she was not born into “the band.” Any job she might find on the reservation is temporary and without benefits and is subject to termination if an Indian wants it.

As to the complaints about the blood tests, if I remember correctly, the tribal councils themselves set up the requirements for inclusion in a tribe, not the federal government, and the government is now just carrying out the mandates of the councils.
 
My point is that Native American tribes are by law sovereign nations which were until a couple decades ago given such status by treaties. The US Government reneged on the treaties and said the tribal councils and Indian nations no longer had the authority to enter into or negotiate treaties with the government. The whole issue of blood quantum’s was foreign to the Native Americans until the treaty of Ft. Laramie, I believe it was. They never were concerned about blood and frequently adopted whites and black freedmen into the tribe as full Indians. The racism of today is fostered by the same social programs that keep African Americans in the poverty and squalor of the inner cities of America. Some tribes, such as the Cherokee and others have Casinos which help support the tribes. Others are almost solely reliant on the US Government for assistance and live below any poverty standards set in this country, just like a third world nation. It almost seems like some tribes were kicked to the curb so to say, in the mid to late 1800’s and left there. We want to fight for justice in America and the World, why not start with those who inhabited the land we stole and used for personal gain.
 
geezerbob said:
I have a family member who married an Indian. In talking with her and her husband, they seem to be perfectly content to receive free medical care, free food, very low rent, and their cut of the casino profits every year. From her standpoint, there is gross discrimination against her because she was not born into “the band.” Any job she might find on the reservation is temporary and without benefits and is subject to termination if an Indian wants it.

As to the complaints about the blood tests, if I remember correctly, the tribal councils themselves set up the requirements for inclusion in a tribe, not the federal government, and the government is now just carrying out the mandates of the councils.
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I just wanted to point out that the Indian medical care is not what you may think it is. In order for one to receive it they must be in dire need. That is if you broke your arm you have to stand in line for medical care. Since a broken arm is not as bad as say breast cancer you may not even receive the proper care need to treat the arm.

I agree with the OP our native americans get second even third best compared to what any other nationality get. Go to any reservation in ND and you will see people living in third world conditions and than ask what our government is doing about it.

As for Texasroofer, I very much doubt that the indians of the 1400’s would rather live like they are now than they were than. I come from a pueblo indian town and I can tell you that in 1400’s they sure were living pretty good. Not much different than those in Europe, and I would guess a lot better than they are living now. At least they still had their dignity that was stripped from them.
 
mgrobertson79 said:
So why don’t we limit welfare to those who are at least 1/4 African blood or college scholarships.
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Why? Are Africans the only ones who need it? I don’t think so, Why would we? Are you saying my Caucasian son is less deserving of an education than an African student?
mgrobertson79 said:
Why can’t we have the same criteria for all. It has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with government control and excessive white intervention.
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Nice thought but I think you are a little paranoid here…excessive white intervention? Why would white folks want to give something to one culture and not their own? Wouldn’t it have to be either guilty conscience or genuine care for people who have not had as many opportunities as themselves??? You say this like it is a bad thing for one ethnic group to offer to help another one.
mgrobertson79 said:
You obviously have no clue as to what the government is doing, only what you wish to believe. It has been that way for many years and people blind themselves to the truth.
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Oh I get it, you are one of those conspiracy theorists… or maybe you are jealous when others get something you don’t?
mgrobertson79 said:
If a person is 1/8th or 1/16th Indian then they are as much Indian as the one who is full blooded. It isn’t blood that makes one an Indian, but whats inside.
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Maybe in their hearts…and that is fine, but studies have shown that the more removed the bloodline from the Indian heritage, usually, they are more affluent and capable of affording an education on their own.
mgrobertson79 said:
You should research the matter and see what the Native Americans feel about this. There is plenty of material online regarding the topic. You reply shows you have at least some bias and ignorance yourself.
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Perhaps, but you know you can’t believe everything you read online…you know, the squeaky wheel gets the oil so to speak. I have living examples, as I stated earlier, I have some experience dealing with American Indian children. I know how they felt, and how they related to their perspective tribal councils, how they reconciled their culture and modern society. I think I would rather get it from the source working with the kids and talking to their parents.

No offense, but you seem to have quite a chip on your shoulders… why don’t you share YOUR personal experiences with American Indians, Tribal Councils, Government laws pertaining to American Indians, and your ethnic background so we can actually determine your level of education and experience on this topic.
 
BlestOne said:
Why? Are Africans the only ones who need it? I don’t think so, Why would we? Are you saying my Caucasian son is less deserving of an education than an African student?

Nice thought but I think you are a little paranoid here…excessive white intervention? Why would white folks want to give something to one culture and not their own? Wouldn’t it have to be either guilty conscience or genuine care for people who have not had as many opportunities as themselves??? You say this like it is a bad thing for one ethnic group to offer to help another one. Oh I get it, you are one of those conspiracy theorists… or maybe you are jealous when others get something you don’t?
Maybe in their hearts…and that is fine, but studies have shown that the more removed the bloodline from the Indian heritage, usually, they are more affluent and capable of affording an education on their own.
Perhaps, but you know you can’t believe everything you read online…you know, the squeaky wheel gets the oil so to speak. I have living examples, as I stated earlier, I have some experience dealing with American Indian children. I know how they felt, and how they related to their perspective tribal councils, how they reconciled their culture and modern society. I think I would rather get it from the source working with the kids and talking to their parents.

No offense, but you seem to have quite a chip on your shoulders… why don’t you share YOUR personal experiences with American Indians, Tribal Councils, Government laws pertaining to American Indians, and your ethnic background so we can actually determine your level of education and experience on this topic.
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I am sorry you feel that you know it all about the Native American population. I never said I needed anything from the government and nothing about your Caucasian kid getting a scholarship either. No I didn’t go to college, but that hasn’t prevented me from making $45,000+ annually at the age of 27. I am Cherokee, remember the Trail of Tears, where we were forcibly marched over 800 miles with only the clothes on our backs. Not allowed to gather anything, many without even shoes on their feet. You seem to be very arrogant and only because you have had contact with what sounds to be an affluent tribe. You should get out and travel to a few of the not so well off reservations. Government assistance is meager to say the least and there aren’t the benefits you seem to be imagining. The money most tribes have comes from gambling and casinos. Otherwise they live poverty stricken lives on reservations. Yes I do have a chip on my shoulder, because of the double standard this country has held for many generations. If the government would get out of the business of controlling people with it’s money then maybe the Native Americans could rise above their situation. It isn’t yours or anyone else’s place to tell a person that they must live on a reservation because the settlers need the land. This is exactly what happened and the reason for the trail of tears. The Cherokee were the allies of the US until 1828 when they were stabbed in the back by the president who ordered them removed and marched to Oklahoma. Did you know that Oklahoma means red people, It is a mixture of two Choctaw words Okla - Red and Humma - People. This in its self was racist and had a negative connotation many years ago, but we are proud of it now. You obviously have the views and opinions of an outsider who has only had limited contact with the Native population. I will not hold you accountable for the mean and hateful tone and things you have said here. Arrogance and ignorance are the two things that have prevented any real relations with the tribes since the mid-1800’s. It is time to drop the attitudes and work for a true and lasting peace in which the Indians will benefit and no longer suffer at the hands of everyone else. As for the remainder of your questions, maybe I will get a chance to answer in greater detail later. I will be out of town and off the pc for a little more than three weeks starting tomorrow. Thanks at least for the beginnings to a dialog here.
 
mgrobertson79 said:
I am sorry you feel that you know it all about the Native American population. I never said I needed anything from the government and nothing about your Caucasian kid getting a scholarship either. No I didn’t go to college, but that hasn’t prevented me from making $45,000+ annually at the age of 27. I am Cherokee, remember the Trail of Tears, where we were forcibly marched over 800 miles with only the clothes on our backs. Not allowed to gather anything, many without even shoes on their feet. You seem to be very arrogant and only because you have had contact with what sounds to be an affluent tribe. You should get out and travel to a few of the not so well off reservations. Government assistance is meager to say the least and there aren’t the benefits you seem to be imagining. The money most tribes have comes from gambling and casinos. Otherwise they live poverty stricken lives on reservations. Yes I do have a chip on my shoulder, because of the double standard this country has held for many generations. If the government would get out of the business of controlling people with it’s money then maybe the Native Americans could rise above their situation. It isn’t yours or anyone else’s place to tell a person that they must live on a reservation because the settlers need the land. This is exactly what happened and the reason for the trail of tears. The Cherokee were the allies of the US until 1828 when they were stabbed in the back by the president who ordered them removed and marched to Oklahoma. Did you know that Oklahoma means red people, It is a mixture of two Choctaw words Okla - Red and Humma - People. This in its self was racist and had a negative connotation many years ago, but we are proud of it now. You obviously have the views and opinions of an outsider who has only had limited contact with the Native population. I will not hold you accountable for the mean and hateful tone and things you have said here. Arrogance and ignorance are the two things that have prevented any real relations with the tribes since the mid-1800’s. It is time to drop the attitudes and work for a true and lasting peace in which the Indians will benefit and no longer suffer at the hands of everyone else. As for the remainder of your questions, maybe I will get a chance to answer in greater detail later. I will be out of town and off the pc for a little more than three weeks starting tomorrow. Thanks at least for the beginnings to a dialog here.
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I totally agree with what you are saying. I have seen first hand how horrible the Indians are treated here in America. It seems to me that our government will be more willing to take care of those from poorer countries than those who live right here in their own back yard. I have brought this up to many people and only get oh they get enough or maybe they don’t deserve anymore because they drink it all away. But I wonder how these same people would act if they too were put on a small piece of land that is sometimes barren and than given nothing. SO when they try to leave their small piece of land all they get from those who aren’t indian are negativity. I know that it is a very brave and very strong person who can live outside of the reservation in ND.

It is very sad that there are so many who choose to turn a blind eye to a person in need who literally lives right in their own back yard.
 
I say we abolish Indian Reservations completely. There is nothing worse than having a “nation inside a nation”. This is America and we should live together in the same society following the same laws as we have done for generations. To have these isolated communities within our own country is an abomination.

There is way too much seperation in this country as it is. As has been pointed out here already, its time to put the past behind us and make a better future for all of us (while jot forgetting the mistakes or successes of the past). There are so many here that want us all to be seperate. They can point out nothing but the differences and injustices that one group has done to another. These people are the problem!

We need to come together and embrace what it is we have in COMMON. In order for a nation and ultimately a society to survive we must be able to live together harmoniously. Ethnic and racial tension are great weapons of the Devil.

The Melting Pot of this country needs to be resurrected. For Generations we have been able to bring together people from different backgrounds successfully and become a good nation. It is this ability that has made America a unique and special country in this world. A country worthy of praise.

We have lost that ability. We are quickly becoming a polyglot nation where seperate people remain seperate and have absolutely no desire to share anything in common with one another. From language to music to the cloths we wear, enthic differences are lauded as the highest form of civil accomplishment. Unity be damned.

I ask you this…If we cannot even speak to one another, how are we supposed to live together and respect one another???

Unity, to me, is the greatest accomplishment a society, a culture, a Country can strive for and achieve.
 
All the natives in this state have long since been assimilated into the larger society save for a small band who live near Rock Hill. Do we really need or want separate enclaves for everybody? I grew up in a neighborhood that had Syrians, Lebanese, Greeks, Italians and Jews living in it and we all just considered each other people, which is the way it should be. The only way you would know if a person was all or part Indian around here would be if he told you or, perhaps, had a chip on his shoulder about it.

Complaining about the past does nothing for the future. Nothing is holding these people on the reservations. They are free to find employment and housing anywhere they want. As for going back to living the way they once did, it ain’t gonna happen. The country has changed and they also need to change.

I’ll be making my first visit to a reservation next week. It’s in an area where I’ve been told that widespread discrimination off the reservation is the norm. I’ve also been told a few other things that I won’t repeat here because I haven’t seen them for myself and they don’t reflect nicely on a whole group of people. At least I’ll have a week to get an idea of how good or bad life on the reservation is. No matter, though, they still have the choice of remaining isolated from society or becoming a part of it. I think that we and they would be better off if they assimilated rather than trying to keep one foot in the past and the other in the reservation.
 
lanza27 said:
I say we abolish Indian Reservations completely. There is nothing worse than having a “nation inside a nation”. This is America and we should live together in the same society following the same laws as we have done for generations. To have these isolated communities within our own country is an abomination.

There is way too much seperation in this country as it is. As has been pointed out here already, its time to put the past behind us and make a better future for all of us (while jot forgetting the mistakes or successes of the past). There are so many here that want us all to be seperate. They can point out nothing but the differences and injustices that one group has done to another. These people are the problem!

We need to come together and embrace what it is we have in COMMON. In order for a nation and ultimately a society to survive we must be able to live together harmoniously. Ethnic and racial tension are great weapons of the Devil.

The Melting Pot of this country needs to be resurrected. For Generations we have been able to bring together people from different backgrounds successfully and become a good nation. It is this ability that has made America a unique and special country in this world. A country worthy of praise.

We have lost that ability. We are quickly becoming a polyglot nation where seperate people remain seperate and have absolutely no desire to share anything in common with one another. From language to music to the cloths we wear, enthic differences are lauded as the highest form of civil accomplishment. Unity be damned.

I ask you this…If we cannot even speak to one another, how are we supposed to live together and respect one another???

Unity, to me, is the greatest accomplishment a society, a culture, a Country can strive for and achieve.
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Eh, Abolish the Resewrvations?

That was already tried in the American Indian Termination and Relocation acts from 1948-197.

Apparently it failed – I am not terminated, yet.

It is not an abomination to follow through on your solemn promise. Terminating that promise one sided is an abomination. There are many excusses not to honor the word of the American government. It all boils down to willfully not giving honor to the word of your government and ancestors.

About 50% of those under age 18 died as a result of the Termination laws of the USA. That mean 50% were not termnated. We are still here. Food, heating fuel and medicine were cut off. We still survived.

Abolish your word? What good is your word? Off all the insults I have heard and for the most part ignored on these many threads about Natives – this is the only one that has gotten me angry. You want to abolish me?
 
The history of the US government in regards to -insert current label for American Indians here- is indeed disgusting and shameful.

But nobody has a time machine and that tragedy cannot be undone. So the question becomes ‘What to do now?’

I think it is probably a valid question to ask why blood percentage determines status as regard old treaties. But then again, you need to be careful what you ask for! My wife is about 1/32 Cherokee. An awful lot of Americans probably have that much in us. Do you REALLY want us clamoring for a piece of what limited money has been budgeted for college scholarships and casino revenues?? Think hard.

Seems to me that the nations ought to be allowed to intermarry without penalty and that the children of anyone with indian status ought to be able to claim status if they actually grow up on the res, regardless of who or what blood the other spouse was. You need to think up some way of protecting yourselves from hoards of would-be slackers that also allows you the dignity to marry whom you will while retaining the right to convey your heritage to your kids. Sounds tricky!
 
Can’t most ethinic groups claim these same things. Racism and geoocide in America by the Government. Irishman, Indians, Muslims, Japanese, the unborn, African Americans. Ultimately aren’t we all a part of one of those ethinic groups in one form or another?

Our government isn’t perfect. It will never be.

We are lead by mere people like you and I with various limitations, and bias, fear, hate, pride, greed, power hungry people. These types of people are a part of every society.

Our Government is better than not having a government. You are free to express your views because of that government. It’s better than any other form of government past or present. Would you prefer communism? You think you would have more rights under the iron curtain?
 
mgrobertson79 said:
I am sorry you feel that you know it all about the Native American population. I never said I needed anything from the government and nothing about your Caucasian kid getting a scholarship either. No I didn’t go to college, but that hasn’t prevented me from making $45,000+ annually at the age of 27. I am Cherokee, remember the Trail of Tears, where we were forcibly marched over 800 miles with only the clothes on our backs. Not allowed to gather anything, many without even shoes on their feet. .
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I would like to ask you a question. You have a huge amount of anger and resentment that seem top dominate your life? Who does this anger and resentment hurt the most? Note I am not making a comment on whether it justifed-just who it hurts the most.
 
Sean_Boyle said:
Can’t most ethinic groups claim these same things. Racism and geoocide in America by the Government. Irishman, Indians, Muslims, Japanese, the unborn, African Americans. Ultimately aren’t we all a part of one of those ethinic groups in one form or another?
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In fairness, our government never made and then broke a solmen TREATY with any of those you mention!
 
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