Native Americans????

Question

Why are Native Americans "land rich" on paper, but the most impoverished group in reality in the U.S.? And What have Native Americans done to challenge the larger society for control over, and compensation for the use of their lands?

Answer 1

They really don't have any power over the American Government. They have staged protests and continue to try to empower themselves, but Native American reservations/tribes are considered to be seperate nations and not part of the United States, so they are not protected by American civil rights, or a petition for rights.

Native Americans do seem land rich, but they were "given" the WORST land in the US, and when American mining companies found mineral resources they have and do simply take back the land of the tribes for themselves. Native Americans, of course, used to live on the best land in the US, the land of their ancestors has been usurped for farm and city utilization in the US.

you might recognize these nasty tactics because it is exactly what England is doing to Ireland, and what Israel is doing to Palistien. The only difference is that Native American have not retaliated with violence.

Sadly, most Native Americans are very self-destructive- it is a  reenactment of the crimes that Americans perpetuated on them, only now largely they do it to themselves. And they simply don't have the resources to heal themselves by becoming powerful in their own right. So they are STUCK in reservations "internment camps", and left behind because how can you get a proper education without decent teachers, and how can you concentrate on school with an abusive alcoholic parent, when your water is polluted? The ground is so low quality that it is impossible to farm, how can you get ahead? It is a vicious cycle.

Chemically Polluted and non-arable land means that they can't even build themselves up. I am not proud of my country at all for our nasty disregard and sometimes exploitation of Native Americans.

Sad painful truth. Read Howard Zinn. I wish all capable NA would become attorneys, so they can protect their people.