Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site hou2d.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!houxm!hou2d!hammy From: hammy@hou2d.UUCP (P.HAMILTON) Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics Subject: Re: Native Americans Message-ID: <210@hou2d.UUCP> Date: Thu, 9-Feb-84 17:09:52 EST Article-I.D.: hou2d.210 Posted: Thu Feb 9 17:09:52 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 05:31:37 EST Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 40 Steve Aldrich states the native American indians are "kept from society, quality education, jobs, and professional occupations". I really disagree with such a statement. First of all, the federal government gives a great amount of financial aid to indians living on reservation land. I believe that this aid includes free housing, free medical services, and free education in addition to an annual income. Secondly, I believe that native American indians who want to get a college education or professional job off of the reservation land are actually aided by their ethnic background. In this regard, minority status is an advantage. However, many indians decide to remain on reservation land. One might argue that this is because they would lose their federal aid, and I'm sure in many cases this is a primary factor. But, I think that the most important factor is that most indian communities are very ethnocentric. Most of the indians would rather remain in their own cultural environment. Those that do leave to get an education often return to the reservation to apply their skills to their community. Also, to the argument that indian tribes were put on land from which they could earn no living, I say "Not always, buffalo-breathe!" In Arizona, the Apache tribe has the best land in the state, with large amounts of income from recreation (skiing, hunting, fishing, and camping), mining, and livestock grazing. Most of the other tribes' reservation land is on anciant tribal grounds also. Anyway, I try not to speak with forked tongue, unlike Steve, who I think was just blowing smoke signals out his *ss with that statement. I can't wait to get home and smoke my PEACEpipe, Pat Hamilton (hou2d!hammy) P.S. A joke in case I haven't offended anybody yet: What did Geronimo's Jewish American Princess squaw make for dinner??..... ........reservations, of course!!!!