For our Diary of Systemic Injustice showcase, I would like to explore and present the injustices that American Indians face on reservations. Throughout reservations, you can see widespread poverty, unemployment, lack of adequate healthcare, and inadequate housing. According to a publication by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 2003, approximately 40% of on-reservation housing is considered inadequate and one in five homes lack complete plumbing. “Native Americans are twice as likely as any other racial/ethnic group to be the victims of crime. Yet, per capita spending on law enforcement in Native American communities is roughly 60 percent of the national average. Correctional facilities in Indian Country are also more overcrowded than even the most crowded state and federal prisons.” (A Quiet Crisis, 2003). It was shocking to find that these issues Native Americans face go largely unnoticed today, with the rise in social media awareness on issues around the country.
Since North America was colonized by Europeans, Native Americans have lost the majority of their land and are supposed to be satisfied with the reservations that have been drawn out by politicians. Within the reservations, Native Americans still do not have full control over how their land is used. Reservations are held “in trust” by the U.S. federal government (Riley, 2016) meaning that Native Americans are restricted with property rights. Because reservations are held “in trust”, there are very few who can obtain a mortgage to build a home and banks can not foreclose on properties. “Reservations contain almost 30% of the nation’s coal reserves west of the Mississippi, 50% of potential uranium reserves, and 20% of known oil and gas reserves” (Regan and Anderson, 2014). Native Americans can not mine for these resources due to policy implemented by the U.S. government. While there are some Native Americans that fear that the implementation of mining for resources will ruin their culture, it should be an issue that Tribes can figure out for themselves, not forcing a decision because the government says they can not. Casino’s are allowed to be built on reservations and some Tribes are taking advantage of the opportunity to make money. Reservation’s were also allowed to sell cigarettes tax free until the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act was enacted and they were unable to continue. In the end, not enough is being done to aid in helping of Native Americans. Money is being given to reservations by the government but money is not necessarily what Tribes need, because there is no definitive plan to pull reservations out of poverty. Native Americans are viewed as Others. They are often given a single story and are blamed for their own demise. Not much thought goes into what policies are in place that hinders how they can thrive in our current world.
Current reservations (red) compared to previous land held by Native Americans. http://usg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=eb6ca76e008543a89349ff2517db47e6
http://www.akh99.com/2017/10/01/one-third-of-native-american-and-african-american-children-are-still-in-poverty/
References:
Regan, Shawn and Anderson, Terry. (November, 2014). The Energy Wealth of Indian Nations. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/jelr/vol3/iss1/9/
Riley, Naomi. (July, 2016). One Way to Help Native Americans: Property Rights. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/07/native-americans-property-rights/492941/
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (July, 2003). A Quiet Crisis. Retrieved from https://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=usccr&query=a+quiet+crisis