As a Nation Mourns, Great White Father in Washington is Silent [View All]

[kerrygoddess]

From LUTD... news about the frustration of Native Americans that Bush has been silent over the Red Lake incident, poverty and youth statistics of Native Americans and their traditions and rituals dealing with grief.

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As a Nation Mourns, Great White Father in Washington is Silent
25 March 2005

It is not that I expected anything from George W. Bush, in regards to a statement about the Red Lake incident, however it was the right thing to do and once again, Bush did nothing. Yesterday, Ron posted the Ronald Brownstein piece in the L.A. Times about this subject. Today’s WP has a story on the reaction of Native Americans to the silence of the “Great White Father in Washington.”

"From all over the world we are getting letters of condolence, the Red Cross has come, but the so-called Great White Father in Washington hasn't said or done a thing," said Clyde Bellecourt, a Chippewa Indian who is the founder and national director of the American Indian Movement here. "When people's children are murdered and others are in the hospital hanging on to life, he should be the first one to offer his condolences. . . . If this was a white community, I don't think he'd have any problem doing that."

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There is something perversely troubling about this incident. A nation of proud people have been reduced to living in some of the worst conditions of poverty in our country. Native teens often face more struggles than their peers.

Statistics show that Native youth face the highest rates of school victimization and use alcohol, drugs and tobacco at higher rates than their counterparts. Native youth don't perform as well as their peers, drop out of school at higher rates than other students and often come from low-income families.

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For hundreds of years the Great White Father has oppressed these proud people and they struggle daily to maintain their culture and way of life. As the people of Red Lake grapple with their grief, some understanding of their rituals and traditions may help us to understand the culture and traditions they have fought to preserve.

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