[Powderworks] NMOC Media/Bali
Lina Yune
midoil2001@yahoo.com.au
Sat, 19 Oct 2002 13:41:05 +1000 (EST)
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Glitch <sena.reisenweaver@verizon.net> wrote:
I have emerged into adulthood as an American who never
lived here until I was 16. I arrived in this country and started to learn
what it means to be an American. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm a
foreigner here. This place is run by folks I don't support and this country
has done all kinds of horrible things which I have only started to learn
about:
Glitch, like yourself, I came from somewhere else, and had to learn to be an American since age 15. I agree with you, that I also do not support the folks who run this country. I did participate in my share of voting, but to be very honest, we didn't have good choices to vote for. And the media most of the times is nothing but big hoopla go get the raitings.
That's why I always look for alternative news. I wish the media, and our government right now would help all the poor and disadvantaged people right here, on our own soil.
This summer, I spent few weeks out West. On our way back from Montana, we visited South Dakota. And one thing that's still etched in my mind, is the conditions that the Sioux Indians live in on the reservation, near Pine Ridge. I did some internet researching, and here's one article that can describe in a simple words the conditions there. And it's almost Thangksgiving...
Today: What challenges do the American Indians Face? Five-hundred years of agression, deception, and violence. The American Indians have arguably faced more discrimination than any group in America. The focus of this research has been on the Lakota-Sioux of the Pine Ridge reservation--the most impoverished community in America. The culture of these American Indians is a vibrant one, but their political and economic struggle pose a great threat to their livelihood.
To frame their situation more fully, one needs to explore their real situation. Sixty percent of women have Diabetes from malnourishment, half of all children under the age of six live in poverty. The poverty line for a family of four in America is 12,000 dollars a year. The average income on Pine Ridge is 4500 dollars. Twenty percent of homes lack a functioning toilet and telephone. An average male only receives 32 dollars every two weeks form welfare. The amount of money spent by the government on an average American's health is 2,600 dollars, for a Native American it is 1300 dollars. Thirty-one percent of all American Indians live below the poverty line. Coupled with all of these economic troubles are other governmental limitations. Of 470 treaties signed by congress, the government has gone back on almost all of them. In the last ten years 88 percent of Indians on Pine Ridge have been unemployed. Through all this the Department of the Interior is planning to cut the BIA budget by 46 percent.
Amidst the economic strife many Indians have been forced ot sell themselves and degenerate their people. In the tourist areas around Mt. Rushmore, there are many situations where you can find "TAKE A PICTURE WITH AN AUTHENTIC INDIAN" advertisements. Economics have forced Indians to deface themselves and their identity. Where this will lead Native American culture in the future is a troubling question.
Economics are not the only element threatening the native people. Alcohol--the leading killer of Native Americans today. The overwhelming presence of alcohol on the reservation has had a detrimental effect on native populations. Alcohol, has especially hit hard at one of the fundamental units in Indian communities, the family. Alcoholism has bred increased violence, sickness, and indolence on the reservation. Thus tearing at the fundamental root of community.
Many would also argue that certain Native American college funds have had a negative effect on society. With an increased opportunity for younger Indians to obtain a higher education, an exodus has begun on many reservations. many students are leaving the reservation for school and not returning. This has created a severe age gap in the reservation family. Today you can find many families with missing generations, having small children and elderly grandparents. This has had a deleterious effect on both the family and the economy, as many gifted, able young bodies are leaving the reservations.
This long list of troubles makes the future of Pine Ridge sound hopeless. To assume this, however, is to sell the people short. For 500 years they have struggled with foreign threats, and still today they survive, as a strong and determined people. In a future, perhaps, with fewer barriers towards their goals they will once again be able to thrive. It has been a strong sense of community and a deep sense of spiritualism that has sustained the Lakota Sioux thus far, and it will be in maintaining this culture that their future rests.
I got that information from http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jamarcus/new/ .
Sorry for long non-Oils related article, but those are our Indeginous people, and I love and cherish their people and culture.
Lina
Concrete you don't free my soul... ...Midnight Oil
---------------------------------
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<P>
<P> <B><I>Glitch <sena.reisenweaver@verizon.net></I></B> wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">
<P> I have emerged into adulthood as an American who never<BR>lived here until I was 16. I arrived in this country and started to learn<BR>what it means to be an American. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm a<BR>foreigner here. This place is run by folks I don't support and this country<BR>has done all kinds of horrible things which I have only started to learn<BR>about: </P>
<P>Glitch, like yourself, I came from somewhere else, and had to learn to be an American since age 15. I agree with you, that I also do not support the folks who run this country. I did participate in my share of voting, but to be very honest, we didn't have good choices to vote for. And the media most of the times is nothing but big hoopla go get the raitings.</P>
<P>That's why I always look for alternative news. I wish the media, and our government right now would help all the poor and disadvantaged people right here, on our own soil.</P>
<P>This summer, I spent few weeks out West. On our way back from Montana, we visited South Dakota. And one thing that's still etched in my mind, is the conditions that the Sioux Indians live in on the reservation, near Pine Ridge. I did some internet researching, and here's one article that can describe in a simple words the conditions there. And it's almost Thangksgiving...<BR></P>
<P>
<TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=6 width=590 border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD align=middle background=images/bg-stars.jpg bgColor=#ffffff><FONT face=arial,helvetica,sans-serif size=+2><B>Today: What challenges do the American Indians Face?</B> </FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD bgColor=#ffffff><FONT face=arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Five-hundred years of agression, deception, and violence. The American Indians have arguably faced more discrimination than any group in America. The focus of this research has been on the Lakota-Sioux of the Pine Ridge reservation--the most impoverished community in America. The culture of these American Indians is a vibrant one, but their political and economic struggle pose a great threat to their livelihood.
<P>To frame their situation more fully, one needs to explore their real situation. Sixty percent of women have Diabetes from malnourishment, half of all children under the age of six live in poverty. The poverty line for a family of four in America is 12,000 dollars a year. The average income on Pine Ridge is 4500 dollars. Twenty percent of homes lack a functioning toilet and telephone. An average male only receives 32 dollars every two weeks form welfare. The amount of money spent by the government on an average American's health is 2,600 dollars, for a Native American it is 1300 dollars. Thirty-one percent of all American Indians live below the poverty line. Coupled with all of these economic troubles are other governmental limitations. Of 470 treaties signed by congress, the government has gone back on almost all of them. In the last ten years 88 percent of Indians on Pine Ridge have been unemployed. Through all this the Department of the Interior is planning to cut the BIA budget by 46 percent.
<P>Amidst the economic strife many Indians have been forced ot sell themselves and degenerate their people. In the tourist areas around Mt. Rushmore, there are many situations where you can find "TAKE A PICTURE WITH AN AUTHENTIC INDIAN" advertisements. Economics have forced Indians to deface themselves and their identity. Where this will lead Native American culture in the future is a troubling question.
<P>Economics are not the only element threatening the native people. Alcohol--the leading killer of Native Americans today. The overwhelming presence of alcohol on the reservation has had a detrimental effect on native populations. Alcohol, has especially hit hard at one of the fundamental units in Indian communities, the family. Alcoholism has bred increased violence, sickness, and indolence on the reservation. Thus tearing at the fundamental root of community.
<P>Many would also argue that certain Native American college funds have had a negative effect on society. With an increased opportunity for younger Indians to obtain a higher education, an exodus has begun on many reservations. many students are leaving the reservation for school and not returning. This has created a severe age gap in the reservation family. Today you can find many families with missing generations, having small children and elderly grandparents. This has had a deleterious effect on both the family and the economy, as many gifted, able young bodies are leaving the reservations.
<P>This long list of troubles makes the future of Pine Ridge sound hopeless. To assume this, however, is to sell the people short. For 500 years they have struggled with foreign threats, and still today they survive, as a strong and determined people. In a future, perhaps, with fewer barriers towards their goals they will once again be able to thrive. It has been a strong sense of community and a deep sense of spiritualism that has sustained the Lakota Sioux thus far, and it will be in maintaining this culture that their future rests. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>I got that information from <A href="http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jamarcus/new/">http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jamarcus/new/</A> .</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Sorry for long non-Oils related article, but those are our Indeginous people, and I love and cherish their people and culture.</FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><P>Lina</P>
<P><IMG src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys/m.gif"></P>
<P> </P>
<P><STRONG>Concrete you don't free my soul...</STRONG> ...<EM>Midnight Oil</EM></P><p><br><hr size=1>
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