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| This is a painting of by Kirby Sattler |
I researched into the massacres and deaths of the American Indians which started in the 1700s when the Europeans discovered America , the Europeans stripped them of their land by force . I found a lot of racist quotes and historical texts which showed that violence and hate was evident towards to Native Americans at the time . However , in order to get a greater understanding of change I wanted to see how Native Americans are in modern day . So I did some more in-depth research on the internet .
What I found was quite shocking. I thought that with modern societies understanding of equality towards different races , that the racism would have cleared and that the American Indians were living peaceful lives on reserves which had been granted to them . But , this research contradicts my opinion .
(All quotations are highlighted in red and with '' '' marks . )
(Source ; http://www.spaulforrest.com/2011/03/quick-facts-native-americans.html )
''Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that American Indian teens take their own lives at more than two times the rate of any other teen demographic in the U.S. ''
'' U.S. Census data indicate that in 1996, 30.9% of Native Americans as a whole had family incomes below the poverty line, in comparison with 13.8% for the U.S. population as a whole. In 2010, more than 70% had incomes below the poverty line. ''
"Almost 12 percent of the deaths among Native Americans and Alaska Natives are alcohol-related - more than three times the percentage in the general population, a 2008 federal report says"
This blogger also wrote ;
"This research opened my eyes to the continuous struggles which Native Americans must fight just to get ownership of land they were promised years ago. While there seems to be some hope for the future in that some claims like those of Canada's Indian population are being recognized and appreciated, many other groups are still losing their land to this day. Historically, Native Americans have had a much higher appreciation for the land and what it can provide them. They attach a spiritual component to their land and, as a result, approach the relinquishment or sale of those lands with great apprehension. "
"Native Americans are still being taken advantage of to this day. What little portion of land they've been permitted to inhabit by the US government is being reacquired for use as toxic waste sites. Scientists have even come forward to contend the effects of living near this waste are not harmful. Americans must ask themselves if these practices would be similarly condoned in white communities. "Other opinions ;
"AnonymousFebruary 26, 2012 at 4:32 PM
I am so sorry to hear that native americans are still strugling, although unfortunatly, I am not surprised. Politics and greed has always worked hand in hand towards destroying cultures."
These statistics and this blog have proven my earlier opinion above wrong , the Native Americans to this day are still being taken advantage of and have little rights . I would definitely like to incorporate this in-depth research into my collection . To do this an idea is to draw this image above
