Home > News > Headlines

printer friendly version
Opinion: Indians should stop segregating themselves
Wednesday, March 30, 2005

"The problem among Native American reservations is an extreme example of a problem that plagues all ethnic enclaves. Amidst a majority culture and society, self-segregated segments cannot succeed. One Native American blasted national politicians' silence in the wake of the Minnesota shootings. 'From all over the world, we are getting letters of condolence … but the so-called Great White Father in Washington hasn't said or done a thing,' The Washington Post quoted her as saying. But, according to the Post, the Minnesota tribe rejected federal programs, and one tribal member defiantly stated, 'We have just not ever been too crazy about white people coming around the reservation.'

It is this kind of marginalizing attitude that discourages reservation residents from participating in the national economy and encourages the rest of the nation to ignore them. Under "tribal sovereignty" self-government agreements, the reservations have no stake in the national political system, and vice versa. On the campaign trail last year, when President Bush was asked about the issue, he rambled, 'Tribal sovereignty means just that; it's sovereign,' before tacitly admitting he didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about.'

Native Americans should not be forced to assimilate, as they were in the late nineteenth century. However, assimilation should also not be the dirty word it has become in our Orwellian, multiculturalist, politically correct society. Rather than continue to imprison individuals in the ethnic enclaves of our de facto apartheid, we should embrace assimilation as the way to shut down the trail of tears for individuals of all physical races."

Get the Story:
Eric Wang: Shutting down the Trail of Tears (The Cavalier Daily 3/30)

Relevant Links:
Red Lake Net News - http://www.rlnn.com
Red Lake Nation - http://www.redlakenation.org
Red Lake High School - http://www.paulbunyan.net/rlschools/hs.htm

Related Stories:
Chairman's son charged in connection with shootings (3/29)
Column: Teacher died a hero protecting students (3/29)
Editorial: Red Lake doesn't seem to want help (3/29)
Bad Eagle: Indian leaders today are pitiful (3/29)
Bush responds to shootings at Red Lake Reservation (3/29)
Red Lake begins to say goodbye to shooting victims (3/28)
Editorial: 'Massacre' at Red Lake Reservation (3/28)
Yellow Bird: Red Lake people are gentle warriors (3/28)
Ojibwe Reporter: Red Lake familiar yet different (3/28)
Opinion: Indian people suffer from disconnect (3/28)
Editorial: Tribe's response to shootings a model (3/28)
Native students talk about tragedy at Red Lake (3/28)
Reader Rep: Tribe's harsh policy against media (3/28)
Column: Lawmakers pray, but won't pay, for Red Lake (3/28)
Opinion: 'Warning signs' apply to every other child (3/28)
Column: Sadness fills services at Indian church (3/28)
Column: Covering Red Lake tragedy a difficult task (3/28)
Surviving victims talk about Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Opinion: A dark day in the history of all tribes (3/25)
Column: Red Lake members in Twin Cities head home (3/25)
Opinion: Everyone to blame for Red Lake tragedy (3/25)
Deadly tragedy puts focus on Native youth problems (3/24)
Response continues to tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/24)
Yellow Bird: Red Lake community in deep pain (3/24)
Ojibwe Leader: Answers needed to help youth (3/24)
Opinion: Violence not uncommon at Red Lake (3/24)
Column: Has media underplayed Red Lake? (3/24)
Opinion: Media circus won't get to heart of matter (3/24)
Letters: Star Trib readers respond to tragedy (3/24)
Indian Country sends support to community in shock (3/23)
Details emerge on tragedy at Red Lake Reservation (3/23)
Tribal Member: My reservation will never be the same (3/23)
Opinion: Above all, this is a tribal nation tragedy (3/23)
Editorial: Tragedy at Red Lake unites all in grief (3/23)
Editorial: Solidarity with the people of Red Lake (3/23)
Column: Sacred pipe ceremony begins the healing (3/23)
Column: Media gets crash course in sovereignty (3/23)
Shooting at Red Lake Reservation leaves 10 dead (3/22)

Copyright © 2000-2005 Indianz.Com