5/30/14

Bouie: Coates case for reparations 'not to mention American Indians'

Yes, "reparations," as in compensation for the crimes of slavery and indigenous genocide at the hands of former European colonizers - reparations, as in reparatory justice for the horrific consequences of two of the greatest crimes against humanity in the history of this planet - the 400 years of the African Slave Trade and the systematic and calculated extermination of the indigenous peoples of the Americas - reparations, as in fundamental and comprehensive social, economic and political justice, indeed, historical justice for the descendants of African slaves and native American peoples. [Don Rojas, Caribbean Reparations Initiative Inspires a Revitalization of US Movement]


Here is yet one more reason why Democrats and Native Americans should vote in midterm elections.
And ultimately, as Coates writes, the money isn’t important. What’s critical is that we reckon with our national crimes against black Americans, to say nothing of Native Americans and other minority groups. We must wrestle with our history, lest we ignore the “certain sins of the future”—or worse—the sins of our present. [Jamelle Bouie, Reparations Are Owed]
In a state where American Indian children are abducted by the Daugaard administration, the wife of South Dakota's governor is pimping for an industry that is a defendant in at least one lawsuit:
The first lady founded the Foster One program one year ago hoping to give all children the chance to live and grow up in a safe environment. Right now there are 173 children in foster care in the Black Hills area, and 699 in the state of South Dakota. "We have the Dept. of Social Services that can call them, or they call go to our website FosterOneSD.org and find information out there and find out what their interest level is that they have to answer their questions and talk about the requirements to become a foster parent." [Thomas Patrick, KNBN teevee]
Chase Iron Eyes:
There is a profound and fundamental cultural bias in South Dakota. There is mistrust and hatred against the Native people in South Dakota, passed down through generations of prejudice, bigotry, and misunderstanding. This culture enables the slow genocide that South Dakota continues to inflict upon its own population. Lakota kids disappear at alarming rates from their tribes and families in South Dakota. Just 13% of the child population in South Dakota is Native American, and yet they make up 54% of the children housed in state foster care. [S.D. Foster Facilities are the New Indian Boarding Schools, Daily Kos]


2 comments:

barry freed said...

I didn't show my ID to vote in the Primaries and I have never shown my ID as it is a racist law intended to discourage minority voting.

larry kurtz said...

neither have i, barry: white privilege in my case most likely. always good to read you.