Home > Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory
Should Native American continue to receive Federal Aid?
Results so far:
| Yes | 51% | 27 votes | Total: 53 votes | |
| No | 49% | 26 votes |
Yes
by M. L. Larzelere
Created on: February 21, 2010 Last Updated: February 25, 2010
When it comes to looking good in the eyes of our foreign neighbors, we seem to have the script down pat. We have no trouble finding the aid necessary to make our image look golden. I, for one feel this act of generosity is commendable. However, that being said, I believe we deceive ourselves when we claim to be the omnipotent care givers of the world, when right here in our own backyard we have tragedies that go unnoticed.
I do not begrudge Haiti receiving all the aid it has gotten. Haiti has received aid the world over. While the cry for the earthquake victims of Haiti certainly deserves quick and immediate action, the cries for the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation went unnoticed. The suffering from a massive ice storm deserves no less immediate reaction.
I first heard about the ice storm that ravaged the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation watching Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. He made a plea that we at least send shoes to the Reservation. Shoes is what the citizens of the reservations asked for.
The Associative Press wrote on February 1, 2009, nearly two weeks after the storm that the reservation was without water and electricity. Admittedly, I do not watch the news channels every night, but I do scan the news on my blackberry and on my computer, and I saw nothing about the ice storm that buried the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.
Not until Keith Olbermann made his plea did the mainstream media take notice and send somebody to report on the situation.
Who should lead this politically correct endeavor? the United States Government. Who should be the spokesperson for the government? The President of the United States. Who should help in the cause for giving aid to these tragic victims?
We the people of the United States should give money, time, food, clothing, and or other items to ease the pain these people suffer in emergencies. In many ways, the United States Government caused this tragic weather related incident the Sioux have endured.
Therefore, it is only right and most certainly justifiable, that our government come to aid of any Native American whether due to whether, climate or any other natural phenomenon.
Last, I would like to make a plea to Helium. Now, I see a banner on Helium asking for donations to help the Haiti victims. Once again, I have no qualms with helping victims of tragic situations.
However, I do believe we need to help those tragic victims in our own back yard. I believe after treating Native Americans as second and third class citizens, citizens who live every bit as poorly as many of the third world people live.
We need to start treating them with more respect, more kindness, more action that alleviates the pain and suffering they have endured. Will Helium have a banner that asks for donations for the victims of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation?
Learn more about this author, M. L. Larzelere.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
by Joseph Coleman
Created on: April 22, 2009 Last Updated: April 24, 2009
No, the people of the Indian Nation should not continue to be given Federal aid. Instead of Federal aid, they should be given their lands back; they should be given an apology by the Federal Government, and the people of America, plus reparations from atrocities committed by the American Government upon them! This would, of course, include the Black Hills, of South Dakota, which they were given in the Treaty of 1876, and the treaty is still active; also all farm lots the were given, individually. Then, and only then, could they tear the "Great White Fathers" faces from Mt. Rushmore, rename it "WoyuOnihaya He", (Honor mountain), and replace those faces with the likes of honorable humans, such as, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Gall, and Chief Joseph.
The most sacred piece of Indian ground, in America, has become a slap-in-the-face-ins ult by putting the white faces in such a place of sacred honor, to put the Indian "in his place", and show them who it was that they were to worship! This was a travesty of inhuman proportions. These humans, the people of the Indian Nation, do not own the land; they live on the land. For them, the ground is sacred, it moves, and they believe no one can own the Earth, since they live acording to the Great Spirit's commandments! The Earth is God to them. It feeds them; the Earth holds their babies; it is their home. They do nothing to take the food away from the Air, the Water, or the Earth, unless to feed their own kind. Unlike white corporations, and earth-killers, they do nothing to insult, degrade, or harm their Mother, Earth. An Indian is master of his air.
Perhaps Americans, still, do not understand what atrocities that were committed against out brothers and sisters of the Indian Nation. This Federal Government subjugated them, tortured them, and killed them, women and children included. This, alone, makes them all war criminals. Forget the Geneva convention, this was a human massacre! There is no need for the Federal Government to commandier the people of the Indian Nation any longer.
The Federal Government owes the Indian Nation for their sacrifice! No aid is necessary, or welcomed; it is the duty of the people of America to honor them by givng them their necessary coin, through Congressional generosity, one of the "four virtues" of the Indian Nation. Since the United States Government has broken, and dishonored, every single treaty made with the people of the Indian Nation, it should be said "they owe this tribute"! The American people must forage this tribute, as the American Government can no longer be trusted to do this!
Learn more about this author, Joseph Coleman.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills
Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all
INFORMATION
Copyright © 2002-2012 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helium.com: A Service of RR Donnelley