Wednesday, May 26, 2010
ANOTHER BAND-AID FOR INDIAN COUNTRY
I read an article today stating that the Federal Government added 33 new prosecutors for Indian Country. I do like the extra attention and effort given to crime on the reservation. Although, it would seem to me that adding extra prosecutors is only a way to prosecute at a faster rate, and not to actually prevent crime. I know that purists in the Criminal Justice field believe that you must pay the time if you do the crime, and I do as well because I hate what drugs are doing to some of the best people I have ever met on the reservation, but they also believe that prosecution is a deterrent to criminal activity, which I don't believe is the answer. Typical Government response, add more people. The only outcome I can see is there will be more American Indians from the reservation in jail or prison. Not only do they get to spend more money for the extra people needed to support prosecution, they also get to spend more money to house the added inmates. As my father, Charles Abourezk quoted,"This does nothing to change the social economic climate that exists on the reservation." I would assume the biggest deterrent to crime would be prevention. Lets figure out how to spend money rejuvenating the economic climate. Let's get some Obama hope on the reservations. Lets make it a place where drugs and alcohol don't have a place. Prevent that, and we get to see the violence and despair inherent with drugs and alcohol abuse disappear.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
An Indian walking in a white world
My sister asked me a question for a class she is taking for her master's program: "What is it like being you, since you have a very ethnic background?"
"Wow, what an interesting question," I thought. I decided a long explanation was due, but I gave her the Reader's Digest version.
By now, everybody who knows me knows I have a Native American and Lebanese background and I am pretty well rooted in both cultures, which is why she asked me the question.
I told her it was pretty funny being me. I grew up knowing who I am, where my family is from and how proud of that I am.
Now, fast-foward to today. I have since cut my long hair, which is a step off the cultural path from how my mother raised me. So now I look like your typical white male.
This is why it's funny: I don't have to experience racism directly to my face anymore. Do I enjoy being treated equally and given opportunity for my talents, values and work ethic? Absolutely.
Unfortunately, we all know why. This is very sad because I know there are people who still face this battle everyday of their lives. They still get treated unfairly because they have darker skin.
Here's the worse part of this whole thing: I don't get racism and discrimination thrown directly at me. Now, I get to here it from unsuspecting individuals who don't realize where I am from or who I am.
It's a great educational opportunity when it does come up though. It comes up more often than most people might think. That's the silver lining of it all.
I get to be part of this culture and get opportunities that others may not because they are judged before they even have an opportunity to be recognized for their talents. I get to experience success as a reward for my hard work and my family's sacrifice for the long hours I work.
The end result is this should give me more opportunity to assist those who never get that chance to succeed in the business world. It amazes me how much talent there is out in the world that never gets to be recognized because of the imbalances of minorities in positions of impact and authority.
I hope we see more Native Americans with degrees in higher education so they have a better chance to bring an equitable balance to the system.
-- Richard Abourezk
"Wow, what an interesting question," I thought. I decided a long explanation was due, but I gave her the Reader's Digest version.
By now, everybody who knows me knows I have a Native American and Lebanese background and I am pretty well rooted in both cultures, which is why she asked me the question.
I told her it was pretty funny being me. I grew up knowing who I am, where my family is from and how proud of that I am.
Now, fast-foward to today. I have since cut my long hair, which is a step off the cultural path from how my mother raised me. So now I look like your typical white male.
This is why it's funny: I don't have to experience racism directly to my face anymore. Do I enjoy being treated equally and given opportunity for my talents, values and work ethic? Absolutely.
Unfortunately, we all know why. This is very sad because I know there are people who still face this battle everyday of their lives. They still get treated unfairly because they have darker skin.
Here's the worse part of this whole thing: I don't get racism and discrimination thrown directly at me. Now, I get to here it from unsuspecting individuals who don't realize where I am from or who I am.
It's a great educational opportunity when it does come up though. It comes up more often than most people might think. That's the silver lining of it all.
I get to be part of this culture and get opportunities that others may not because they are judged before they even have an opportunity to be recognized for their talents. I get to experience success as a reward for my hard work and my family's sacrifice for the long hours I work.
The end result is this should give me more opportunity to assist those who never get that chance to succeed in the business world. It amazes me how much talent there is out in the world that never gets to be recognized because of the imbalances of minorities in positions of impact and authority.
I hope we see more Native Americans with degrees in higher education so they have a better chance to bring an equitable balance to the system.
-- Richard Abourezk
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Honorable Mascots
I'm tired of the debate over the use of Indian mascots in major sports. I want to make it simple. Why is there a debate? At what point do we need to defend our right to be offended? Did America forget that we exist as a human race? Shouldn't there be an inherent right to not be disgraced? If a person or a race mentions they're offended, once is enough, isn't it? I bet they wouldn't have to take their case to the Supreme Courts to get people to hear their side of the argument.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
When racism rears it ugly head
I came home from work on Monday. I work longer hours on Mondays due to my profession, so I was lucky enough that my daughters were awake when I got home.
I love to ask my oldest daughter how elementary school went each day so she realizes education is important. She normally gives me the same answer, "It was fine, we read today." She's definitely smarter than her daddy!
Unfortunately, when I asked on Monday, she gave me a completely different answer.
She had started with, "We learned, like normal." Then she said, "Well, something else happened. Some of the girls at school were being mean. I asked them why they were pinching me, and one of the girls said it was probably because I'm Indian."
Yep, you heard right, and my blood was instantly boiling. I felt that this country has come so far. For the love of all that is great in this country, we still get to face racism head on. I mean, we elected a black president. I've been through this before, but as a kid myself.
I always felt I had a little tougher skin as a kid, probably from growing up in a border town with a higher population of Native Americans and higher incidence of racism. A person gets used to the prevailing discrimination. That doesn't mean it's right or any easier to endure, but at least you learn that it's rooted in a lack of education and exposure to culture. To have it happen to your own daughter in a mostly non-Indian school, that absolutely floored me.
I can't help but think that we can elect a black president and place a Hispanic woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, but we still forget to recognize this country's original inhabitants. It's tragic to think we neglect to inform our children about this nation's first peoples, who have survived centuries of oppression and exploitation and continue to walk the halls of our schools.
I hope the Year of Unity in South Dakota can help turn this ignorance around. If so, maybe this country can use it as a template to build the bridge between Native Americans and whites, knocking down stereotypes with actual cultural education.
Racism always pokes its ugly head out when you least expect it. I was hoping I wouldn't have to address this topic but could rather focus my attention on more productive ones because I thought we were past it.
It's amazing how much things have improved, and how far they still have to go.
I love to ask my oldest daughter how elementary school went each day so she realizes education is important. She normally gives me the same answer, "It was fine, we read today." She's definitely smarter than her daddy!
Unfortunately, when I asked on Monday, she gave me a completely different answer.
She had started with, "We learned, like normal." Then she said, "Well, something else happened. Some of the girls at school were being mean. I asked them why they were pinching me, and one of the girls said it was probably because I'm Indian."
Yep, you heard right, and my blood was instantly boiling. I felt that this country has come so far. For the love of all that is great in this country, we still get to face racism head on. I mean, we elected a black president. I've been through this before, but as a kid myself.
I always felt I had a little tougher skin as a kid, probably from growing up in a border town with a higher population of Native Americans and higher incidence of racism. A person gets used to the prevailing discrimination. That doesn't mean it's right or any easier to endure, but at least you learn that it's rooted in a lack of education and exposure to culture. To have it happen to your own daughter in a mostly non-Indian school, that absolutely floored me.
I can't help but think that we can elect a black president and place a Hispanic woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, but we still forget to recognize this country's original inhabitants. It's tragic to think we neglect to inform our children about this nation's first peoples, who have survived centuries of oppression and exploitation and continue to walk the halls of our schools.
I hope the Year of Unity in South Dakota can help turn this ignorance around. If so, maybe this country can use it as a template to build the bridge between Native Americans and whites, knocking down stereotypes with actual cultural education.
Racism always pokes its ugly head out when you least expect it. I was hoping I wouldn't have to address this topic but could rather focus my attention on more productive ones because I thought we were past it.
It's amazing how much things have improved, and how far they still have to go.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Baker leaving Mount Rushmore
One of the most prominent Native Americans in the country is about to take a new job.
Gerard Baker, who's spent much of the past six years as superintendent of Mount Rushmore, is leaving his post to serve as assistant director for American Indian Relations for the National Park Service.
“For the first time in history, the National Park Service has created a position to work with tribes across this nation to accomplish goals,” Baker said in an interview with War Pony Express on Monday. “I am looking forward to this position. This has been on my mind for 34 years (as a National Park Service employee).”
A full-blood Mandan-Hidatsa Indian from western North Dakota, the 56-year-old Baker has been a park superintendent for 15 of his 34 years in the National Park Service. He is widely known as a mediator on issues involving tribes and the National Park Service. He has served as superintendent at the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana and as superintendent of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The latter position put him in charge of planning, development and initial operations for the “Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future,” the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.
Baker also has appeared in the 1997 Ken Burns film “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery” and in the recent production by Burns and Duncan, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
He is considered the highest ranking Native American within the National Park Service.
“The National Park Service faces important cultural and natural resource issues with First Americans,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis on Monday. “I’ve asked Gerard to represent me and the National Park Service with tribes across our country to work on issues I believe will further the goals of the National Park Service and goals of First Americans.”
Baker has drawn criticism and support for his efforts to include the Native American perspective within National Park Service programs and sites, having championed an Indian Memorial at the Little Bighorn Battlefield and an exhibit featuring Indian voices on history and culture for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. As superintendent of Mount Rushmore, he has worked to include Native American perspectives of history and culture as well.
Baker will begin his new assignment April 24 and will keep an office in the Black Hills.
“This really is a natural next step in my career and it’s what I’ve been doing all of my life: learning about people, our history and culture, talking to others, sharing stories and learning to appreciate other perspectives,” Baker said.
Jarvis said Baker’s new position will allow him to continue to build relations between tribes and the National Park Service.
“The goal is to bring attention to the National Park Service, as well as the plight and existence of American Indian tribes, and to make sure the National Park Service fulfills its obligations to work with tribes,” Baker said.
To hear an interview with Baker on National Parks Traveler, click here.
Gerard Baker, who's spent much of the past six years as superintendent of Mount Rushmore, is leaving his post to serve as assistant director for American Indian Relations for the National Park Service.
“For the first time in history, the National Park Service has created a position to work with tribes across this nation to accomplish goals,” Baker said in an interview with War Pony Express on Monday. “I am looking forward to this position. This has been on my mind for 34 years (as a National Park Service employee).”
A full-blood Mandan-Hidatsa Indian from western North Dakota, the 56-year-old Baker has been a park superintendent for 15 of his 34 years in the National Park Service. He is widely known as a mediator on issues involving tribes and the National Park Service. He has served as superintendent at the Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana and as superintendent of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The latter position put him in charge of planning, development and initial operations for the “Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future,” the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.
Baker also has appeared in the 1997 Ken Burns film “Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery” and in the recent production by Burns and Duncan, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
He is considered the highest ranking Native American within the National Park Service.
“The National Park Service faces important cultural and natural resource issues with First Americans,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis on Monday. “I’ve asked Gerard to represent me and the National Park Service with tribes across our country to work on issues I believe will further the goals of the National Park Service and goals of First Americans.”
Baker has drawn criticism and support for his efforts to include the Native American perspective within National Park Service programs and sites, having championed an Indian Memorial at the Little Bighorn Battlefield and an exhibit featuring Indian voices on history and culture for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. As superintendent of Mount Rushmore, he has worked to include Native American perspectives of history and culture as well.
Baker will begin his new assignment April 24 and will keep an office in the Black Hills.
“This really is a natural next step in my career and it’s what I’ve been doing all of my life: learning about people, our history and culture, talking to others, sharing stories and learning to appreciate other perspectives,” Baker said.
Jarvis said Baker’s new position will allow him to continue to build relations between tribes and the National Park Service.
“The goal is to bring attention to the National Park Service, as well as the plight and existence of American Indian tribes, and to make sure the National Park Service fulfills its obligations to work with tribes,” Baker said.
To hear an interview with Baker on National Parks Traveler, click here.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Bringing hope to Whiteclay
I attended a panel discussion at Bellevue University recently on the situation in Whiteclay, Neb. For those unfamiliar with Whiteclay, it is an unincorporated town two miles south of Pine Ridge on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. What makes this little spot so well known is four beer stores there sell 4 million cans of beer a year, almost all to residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where alcohol consumption is prohibited.
Here's where my anger and frustration begins. Well, it used to begin here. I now have a different view on it. I am more or less going to rant and rave this time. I will probably here it from my journalist cousin, who edits and filters my tirades so it makes sense to the public. He's a journalist, so he isn't allowed to be biased due to his profession. That being the case, I am not sure if this paragraph will make the editor's cut. Canku, please let it be!
After hearing many arguments of what should be done with Whiteclay at the panel discussion -- some of them well-educated and others as irrational as blowing up the road that leads in and putting up a 10-foot wall like the one in China, which I thought would be very interesting to see -- I decided to go with the rational side of the argument and discuss the issue from an economic standpoint.
One of the panelists, Lance Morgan, CEO and president of Ho-Chunk Inc., a Winnebago corporation, brought up a good point: "From a legal perspective, there's things you can do," he said, citing such actions as cross-deputization and increased funding and enforcement. But, Morgan said, the law protects economic rather than social interests, and elected leaders are unlikely to tear down legal hurdles to real change in Whiteclay. "If it was going to be done, it would have been done already."
Morally, beer stores in Whiteclay should be shut down. That'll never happen. There isn't enough economic interest to the state of Nebraska. Money rules. Mr. Morgan also stated, "This (alcohol) is a sympton of the problem. Poverty creates lack of hope, dispair, depression. I worry they'll just buy it someplace else if they don't buy it in Whiteclay."
I do know that progress is being made, and that's a step in the right direction. Then it hit me -- that's the battle we should have been fighting for decades. Nobody does the right thing anymore. If so, Whiteclay would be shut down. But since economic interests dictate social interests, maybe there's a way for Pine Ridge residents to improve their own economy while striking at the roots of their own social problems, including alcoholism and joblessness.
If factories or businesses could be brought in to provide jobs, it could lead to more economic infrastructure. Working parents would set great examples to their children, who might see that as the way of life they should lead and further their education. It would provide more income, which could lead to small businesses achieving long-term economic sustainability (I borrowed that line) due to local spending. I think we call this hope.
Maybe Obama had it right! Maybe we can give the people that reside on the reservation hope. Enough to see that there are good jobs, that they don't have to move away to get a job and raise a family. That there are more constructive things to do than drink. Just so I am clear, not everyone drinks on the reservation. Not everyone is unemployed. There are great role models, activities and very spiritual people that set examples of what type of life can be led.
There is hope and beauty on the reservation, just as there is a dark side.
My point is, alcoholism exists, as a result of hopelessness and despair. So we need to knock out hopelessness and go from despair to improved living conditions, for everyone. I am a big fan of federal funding to provide treatment programs, some housing upgrades and other grants. What I would be a bigger fan of is federal funding to corporations to entice them move to the reservation and provide jobs. Funding to provide more financial education to be able to manage money also would help. Who knows, maybe the corporations employing the residents will want to protect their investment and will convince the state of Nebraska to shut down the beer stores of Whiteclay. We all know, Nebraska won't listen to us Indians.
-- Richard Abourezk
Here's where my anger and frustration begins. Well, it used to begin here. I now have a different view on it. I am more or less going to rant and rave this time. I will probably here it from my journalist cousin, who edits and filters my tirades so it makes sense to the public. He's a journalist, so he isn't allowed to be biased due to his profession. That being the case, I am not sure if this paragraph will make the editor's cut. Canku, please let it be!
After hearing many arguments of what should be done with Whiteclay at the panel discussion -- some of them well-educated and others as irrational as blowing up the road that leads in and putting up a 10-foot wall like the one in China, which I thought would be very interesting to see -- I decided to go with the rational side of the argument and discuss the issue from an economic standpoint.
One of the panelists, Lance Morgan, CEO and president of Ho-Chunk Inc., a Winnebago corporation, brought up a good point: "From a legal perspective, there's things you can do," he said, citing such actions as cross-deputization and increased funding and enforcement. But, Morgan said, the law protects economic rather than social interests, and elected leaders are unlikely to tear down legal hurdles to real change in Whiteclay. "If it was going to be done, it would have been done already."
Morally, beer stores in Whiteclay should be shut down. That'll never happen. There isn't enough economic interest to the state of Nebraska. Money rules. Mr. Morgan also stated, "This (alcohol) is a sympton of the problem. Poverty creates lack of hope, dispair, depression. I worry they'll just buy it someplace else if they don't buy it in Whiteclay."
I do know that progress is being made, and that's a step in the right direction. Then it hit me -- that's the battle we should have been fighting for decades. Nobody does the right thing anymore. If so, Whiteclay would be shut down. But since economic interests dictate social interests, maybe there's a way for Pine Ridge residents to improve their own economy while striking at the roots of their own social problems, including alcoholism and joblessness.
If factories or businesses could be brought in to provide jobs, it could lead to more economic infrastructure. Working parents would set great examples to their children, who might see that as the way of life they should lead and further their education. It would provide more income, which could lead to small businesses achieving long-term economic sustainability (I borrowed that line) due to local spending. I think we call this hope.
Maybe Obama had it right! Maybe we can give the people that reside on the reservation hope. Enough to see that there are good jobs, that they don't have to move away to get a job and raise a family. That there are more constructive things to do than drink. Just so I am clear, not everyone drinks on the reservation. Not everyone is unemployed. There are great role models, activities and very spiritual people that set examples of what type of life can be led.
There is hope and beauty on the reservation, just as there is a dark side.
My point is, alcoholism exists, as a result of hopelessness and despair. So we need to knock out hopelessness and go from despair to improved living conditions, for everyone. I am a big fan of federal funding to provide treatment programs, some housing upgrades and other grants. What I would be a bigger fan of is federal funding to corporations to entice them move to the reservation and provide jobs. Funding to provide more financial education to be able to manage money also would help. Who knows, maybe the corporations employing the residents will want to protect their investment and will convince the state of Nebraska to shut down the beer stores of Whiteclay. We all know, Nebraska won't listen to us Indians.
-- Richard Abourezk
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The roots of exploitation
I decided to write my first blog post on War Pony Express to elaborate on our topic of discussion. The post was going to be only about predatory lending to Native Americans. Then I decided the topic requires a more in-depth discussion of how exactly that transgression is able to happen.
Being in the auto industry, I know that all contracts are legal, regardless of how the transactions are presented before signing. I want to discuss what happens before a buyer signs his/her name on a contract.
Native Americans living on reservations don’t have the same financial opportunities and education as those living elsewhere. As the graduate of a reservation high school in South Dakota, I can tell you there isn’t much emphasis on teaching financial independence and aptitude in most reservation schools. With the lack education in that area, the only other place a person can pick up that type of knowledge is as an employee.
With high unemployment rates and few available jobs on reservations, few people have the chance to learn financial skills while working. Few jobs also mean little money for tribes to build self-sustaining economic infrastructure that most communities have. Thus, the capitalistic wheel that turns America’s economic engine doesn’t turn in the country’s most needy places.
So now we have an environment in which a Native American who grew up on the reservation has no experience with larger financial transactions involving interest rates or any other repayment obligation. As a result, they turn to the people they deem experts: sales consultants, financial representatives, mortgage lenders and others. If these “experts” aren’t transparent in their transactions, it can lead to predatory lending.
If people are unable to completely understand the contracts they are signing, they are ripe for exploitation. An example would be a person who takes an auto loan with a higher interest rate, not because her credit history allows for it, but because she assumes the dealership is looking out for her best interest, so she doesn’t do any shopping to make sure she is getting a competitive interest rate. That is the type of disadvantage that exists today within Native American communities.
Rich Abourezk
Being in the auto industry, I know that all contracts are legal, regardless of how the transactions are presented before signing. I want to discuss what happens before a buyer signs his/her name on a contract.
Native Americans living on reservations don’t have the same financial opportunities and education as those living elsewhere. As the graduate of a reservation high school in South Dakota, I can tell you there isn’t much emphasis on teaching financial independence and aptitude in most reservation schools. With the lack education in that area, the only other place a person can pick up that type of knowledge is as an employee.
With high unemployment rates and few available jobs on reservations, few people have the chance to learn financial skills while working. Few jobs also mean little money for tribes to build self-sustaining economic infrastructure that most communities have. Thus, the capitalistic wheel that turns America’s economic engine doesn’t turn in the country’s most needy places.
So now we have an environment in which a Native American who grew up on the reservation has no experience with larger financial transactions involving interest rates or any other repayment obligation. As a result, they turn to the people they deem experts: sales consultants, financial representatives, mortgage lenders and others. If these “experts” aren’t transparent in their transactions, it can lead to predatory lending.
If people are unable to completely understand the contracts they are signing, they are ripe for exploitation. An example would be a person who takes an auto loan with a higher interest rate, not because her credit history allows for it, but because she assumes the dealership is looking out for her best interest, so she doesn’t do any shopping to make sure she is getting a competitive interest rate. That is the type of disadvantage that exists today within Native American communities.
Rich Abourezk
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