General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat should we do improve the lives of Native Americans?
I mean it's great to remind everybody of how bad Columbus was, but once you are willing to take responsibility for the fact that your life is what it is in part on the backs of Native Americans, what can you do to make amends? It's almost exactly similar to the problem of white privilege, except that, due to the reservation system, we don't necessarily see Native Americans the way we see black people (I'm not speaking metaphorically here - I mean that every place I've worked since becoming an adult I've worked at least one and most time several African Americans, but I don't recall working with a native American (except those who claim the heritage but seem to be white)).
It's clear that life for Native Americans is pretty crummy - from an article in March at the Washington Post.
The circumstances are absolutely dire for Indian children, said Theresa M. Pouley, the chief judge of the Tulalip Tribal Court in Washington state and a member of the Indian Law and Order Commission.That's pretty bad.
Pouley fluently recites statistics in a weary refrain: One-quarter of Indian children live in poverty, versus 13 percent in the United States. They graduate high school at a rate 17 percent lower than the national average. Their substance-abuse rates are higher. Theyre twice as likely as any other race to die before the age of 24. They have a 2.3 percent higher rate of exposure to trauma. They have two times the rate of abuse and neglect. Their experience with post-traumatic stress disorder rivals the rates of returning veterans from Afghanistan.
We are a pretty smart bunch here at DU - what sorts of things can we do to help out those Native Americans living in poverty.
Bryant
bravenak
(34,648 posts)And we should stop celebrating the people who genocided them. Like the founders of this nation. They were not nice people and did nothing but harm the natives and the african hostages who they enslaved.
We owe them about 10 quintillion dollars. Plus interest.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)I'm interested in practical ways to help them. Would it be paid out to the tribal leaders? Or reparations for each person? And I am assuming you are talking about us taking personal responsibility?
Should each citizens payment be a percentage of his or her income/wealth?
Bryant
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We will never be able to pay it off but we can start paying something. And we need to cede some land back.
The cash should come from profitable corporations who do business in America. A luxury tax.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)The native American Population is about 5.2 million. Multiply that by $2,000 and then annualize it. That represents about 3.31% of the 2014 budget (requested) of $3.77 trillion. That's doable.
What land should give back to them, and what should be done to the people who currently live on that land?
Bryant
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Ans we should thank the gods tgat they will not Trail of Tears us like we did to them. We should politely leave. The government should fund our moves and provide money for the equity we hold. Otherwise we should be able to petition the tribes to let us stay. They were kind enough to allow us to stay last time. They are good people. We can ask them for permission this time.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)The United States would renounce all claim to them.
Bryant
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We are usurpers. They can name their own nations as they did before we came here.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)At any rate, while I doubt the political will is there to do this - I'd support it - certainly the $2,000 a month - I'd probably support $4,000 a month.
Bryant
bravenak
(34,648 posts)You missed nothing. He was a nobody. I don't see racists as real people, I fear.
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hfojvt
(37,573 posts)Sure, unlike us, they are saints.
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bravenak
(34,648 posts)So, there's that.
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arcane1
(38,613 posts)It's so RUDE!
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cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Response to cyberswede (Reply #32)
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arcane1
(38,613 posts)I'll play the Indian, you can play the conquistador. You get to choose the safe word, too!
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Response to cyberswede (Reply #40)
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cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Native people already occupied the land, but you knew that.
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arcane1
(38,613 posts)uppityperson
(115,674 posts)gmta
arcane1
(38,613 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)Perhaps some employment might alleviate the boredom? You know there's porn on the internet too. You can play with all KINDS of false bravado with that!
greatauntoftriplets
(175,698 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)Just to make the poor Spanish look bad. It was a tragedy
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)Invaders angry at the natives they were trying to slaughter trying to fight back.
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arcane1
(38,613 posts)greatauntoftriplets
(175,698 posts)Family!
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cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Regardless of the whitewashed term you've chosen, the native people were brutalized, enslaved and killed by the new arrivals from Europe.
Sorry if that hurts your fee fees.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,698 posts)Difficult to do when you're REALLY dead, of course.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)greatauntoftriplets
(175,698 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Take the Navajos for instance - they conquered whatever land they wanted took whatever slaves they wanted incorporating the people that they wanted to keep killing the rest
Do we tell them they need to go back to Canada and give their current land back to the Hopis?
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Take the English for example, they came here, took what they wanted, brought slaves, massacred the Native population. They mare Colonies around the world, From Africa to India, subjected the Scots, starved the Irish, nearly annihilated the Aborigines in Australia and their descendants to this day continue racist practices. Should they forever be allowed to pretend that just because the Navajo or the German or anybody else did wrongs, that their wrongs were justified or somehow not that wrong and the victims deserve nothing but scorn for centuries?
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)And you Totally ignored my question with a deflection. Which I assume means you don't have an answer.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Then there will be no debt. Until payment is tendered.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)You chipping in?
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Tee state can pay.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)I want a check from the Italian government.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)RobinA
(9,878 posts)this myself. If we carry the reparations deal to the end, the Italians are in huge trouble. Massive.
Me, I'll forgo the check and take some nice property, perferably on the Adriatic.
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Because as white Euros, they started on second base. Once they learned the language, HOME RUN!
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)After all, you got a real good deal... Shouldn't matter that the price was disclosed to you upfront and you paid that price.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)do you still think it's a good deal when you find out that trait feeds into racist or ethnic bigotry?
joeglow3
(6,228 posts)bought 75 years ago.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)and my grandfather wasn't allowed to buy at any price and therefore his heirs had no inheritance.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)so you live in Arizona, likely on land that Native Americans had claim to.
the idea that your hands are clean is ridiculous.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Likely a multitude of tribes.
Again - what does a 19th century decision have to do with my house?
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)are you white? do you think white people currently benefit from the decisions decades and centuries ago to deny civil rights to African Americans?
they do.
just because the decision is old doesn't mean that we don't live with its effects.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)How have I benefited? How do you quantify that?
Should I pay a white tax?
That attitude is why we never move on - the solution is to end discrimination of all kinds, not try to punish innocent people for something their ancestors may or may not have done (and for the record, my ancestors where all northerners, and many were involved in the abolitionist movement in MA).
This thread is full of so much fail.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)That fucking idiotic.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)you must have me confused with someone else. read it again.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)You are saying I have benefited from being white. Maybe, maybe not. So what am I supposed to do with that information? Why are you pointing that out except to put a guilt trip on?
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)I don't even think feeling guilty is helpful.
but clearly this guilt word is in your head and it's stopping you from figuring out how we can deal with broken promises and inequality based on ancestry.
ChazII
(6,198 posts)and give them back to the tribes. We have several casinos here in the Phoenix area that are on reservation land and run by the Native Americans. Two are close to me and are run by the Salt River Pima tribe. This tribe also has a top notch golf course (Talking Sticks) and the Pavilions which is home to stores like PetCo. Payless Shoes, Home Depot, Hooters, Target, etc... If you choose to shop there you are entering reservation lands.
http://www.thepavilionsattalkingstick.com/
The link below is from the Salt River Pima
http://www.srpmic-nsn.gov/economic/tsced/culture.asp
pdf file regarding lands owned in each state
http://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42346.pdf
bravenak
(34,648 posts)We have plenty of land to give back.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)That kicked out all their native tribes?
Arizona already has the largest percentage of land in reservation - and they, like all other Americans, have access to federal lands.
yesiwasacop
(93 posts)on the order of about $30k per year. Dont know if evey tribal member gets it, but from what I understand it is all adults.
They vast majority have done exactly jack squat with it. Imagine for the past 20 years getting $30 k a year on top of what you get at work...oh that is a problem.
The reservations here have a very hard time employing native americans so they hire about 30% white folks to do the govt jobs on the reservation to includ the cops. Lots of reasons behind that.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)yesiwasacop
(93 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)Idiotic. Some people drink their paychecks up and smoke crack. They still get paid. When somebody is OWED sonething, you cannot withhold payment because you don 't approve of their lifestyle. These folks have been stolen from for centuries and yes, they are fucking depressed and miserable at times and self medicate. If we had ever stuck to our original treaties they would have much more land, a MUCH LARGER population and be less likely to have these problems. They are owed. And fuck that right wing nanny state talking point bullshit where you talk about all of their bad qualities to get out of paying them. They do the same bullshit with black people. I see what you are.
Response to bravenak (Reply #138)
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bravenak
(34,648 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)The government should pay since they allowed us to be used as slaves. And if the government has violated us and continue to do so, they are doubly guilty. Put that in yr pipe and smoke it! We pit a price tag on it by determining the value of lost pay, adding in racism tax and lynching fees, multiplying that by Jim Crow amounts, and factoring in all of the penalties for discrimination. I value it at about 50 trillion dollars. Then we can figure out how much women are owed in lost wages and sexism fees.
Response to bravenak (Reply #1)
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arcane1
(38,613 posts)Manners, please!
bravenak
(34,648 posts)You racist shit!
hunter
(38,264 posts)Telling people what they ought to do doesn't work.
They live the life, and they probably have the best ideas about what they need.
Money and the return of stolen lands would probably be a good place to start.
bermudat
(1,329 posts)that sounds so very paternalistic, patronizing..'what should we do to make their lives better'
Did they ask you for your help? America has been 'helping them since Columbus.'
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)I want to do something positive to help them, rather than simply browbeat the United States about our history.
I don't think simply turning our back on their issues while condemning Columbus is the best thing one could do.
Bryant
jwirr
(39,215 posts)intelligent people to direct their progress. What happens when we go in to "help" them is that we tell them what to do and which way we think they should go. This does not work in any of the places that we have tried to override the culture and turn them into little white people.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)I should have read the entire thread before I posted my response at #64.
As a Person of Color, I bristle whenever I see these discussions among liberals ... because they never seem to get around to asking what the affected people, they intend to save, want ... they talk to themselves and work really, really hard to provide stuff that they would want if they were in that spot ... and then are shocked and/or hurt (to the point of anger) that no one (few) falls to the knees, for generations, in gratitude.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)Should American participants at DU head back to Europe?
Bryant
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Some Americans have dual nationalities and would be able to relocate. But most do not.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)Give them jobs, allow them to run (and give them new) schools, provide healthcare.
A casino that is run by some half blood (or much less) that does not keep the money in the community does little for the people of the tribe.
Give them good jobs, and with that, hope. Give them access to healthy foods, and fight the high levels of obesity on the rez.
Start honoring treaties that were signed years ago.
nomorenomore08
(13,324 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)full bloods left in the USA. The casino in our community hires many people both Native, black and white. And they are good jobs with health care benefits.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)several that are horrible and full of corruption that only add insult to injury
jwirr
(39,215 posts)mopinko
(69,806 posts)that THEY run. taking care of children ALWAYS pays.
i know people on a rez with no running water or sewer. or healthcare.
helping them farm is another good one. small farms on each rez, with good support and supplies would make a lot of change. i have sent them heirloom seedlings and they were very thankful. i told them how to save the seeds.
they should be helped to grow their native foods.
we do a lot for big farmers. we need to help small farmers, too.
erpowers
(9,350 posts)Can you give any examples of the casinos run run by "half bloods", or that are corrupt?
BlindTiresias
(1,563 posts)Has about zero chance of being implemented. Most Americans do not give a shit, so the crime will forever go unpunished unless in the probably far future the Americans become a conquered people and the conquerors nail the list of previous transgressions on the American people as a whole as a way of justifying their conquest.
derby378
(30,252 posts)Under the current scheme of things, the Secretary of the Interior is more relevant to the various tribes than the President himself. We can't turn back the clock to a time before Wounded Knee and Cripple Creek, but we can change the way the tribes are represented.
No more semi-autonomous "nations." Instead, states. States that are free to enforce tribal law, states with chiefs instead of governors, states that are based on the rightful land of a given tribe instead of scraps from the BIA.
More importantly, states that are able to send their own Senators and Representatives to Capitol Hill. To participate in the National Guard with their own units. To attract business, tourism, and enterprise as they see fit without someone looking over their shoulders. To provide quality education for their children so that they can succeed in whatever endeavors they pursue.
Yes, I can dream - I can dream of a time when I can tell my nephew that I visited states such as Oklahoma, Nevada, Florida, Seminole, and Navajo.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)Making sure to confiscate from people we don't like.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Nothing like leading by example.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)regardless of what their ancestry happens to be. If two people are both desperately poor and struggling with rent and medical bills I'm not sure that the person who happens to have Native American ancestry should get a fat monthly check while the person with Irish ancestry gets nothing.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)one size doesn't fix all ... what one community needs, is not necessarily needed by another. For example, Communities of Color would likely prioritize the elimination of discrimination (something unique to Communities of Color) over ... say ... job training, and maybe even job creation.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Why not address that rather than deflect to a generalized underprivileged issue?
And the discussion isn't people with Native American ancestry, it's Native Americans -- a racial minority who have suffered through eons of personal and cultural discrimination unlike that of Americans of Irish ancestry.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Sorry, I should have explained that in the earlier post. I assumed that you understood that the "No Irish Need Apply" signs came down a century ago.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)CreekDog
(46,192 posts)the thread is about Native Americans.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)Signed--an Irish-American.
Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)Irish-American (with grandparents who experienced discrimination as children, then not so much) and Indian (with culture stripped to "improve" my grandfather's lot in life.)
I also have immediate relatives who are Native American, some with rez experience.
In short, the Irish equivalency argument is hooey.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)CreekDog
(46,192 posts)WHY? you don't live here and you always weigh in to say that we should do something other than deal directly to confront or end racism?
what gives?
let me just make it clear that I have nothing against someone from out of the country offering advice or opinions, but I have a big problem with you telling us to NOT directly try to tackle an important social issue in our country.
CreekDog
(46,192 posts)77. Why are blacks overrepresented as NBA coaches? (nt)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2219803
and
12. If Barack Obama had been born white, would he have still become president?
Who knows?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4142300
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,780 posts)The person of Irish ancestry wasn't handed blankets that carried Small Pox
The person of Irish ancestry didn't have his ancestors slaughtered at Wounded Knee
The person of Irish ancestry wasn't moved across the nation in a death march
Normally, I'm with you, Nye -- I have to respectfully disagree here.
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)to someone who can't pay their medical bills and is facing eviction or foreclosure?
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,780 posts)They get medical care through the BIA. Many are provided housing, but the quality of the housing is generally awful. Old FEMA trailers -- not well built to begin with, and hard to heat in winter. Theuy lack a lot of basic necessities: diapers for their babies, winter coats, school supplies. Many of the reservations I've visited have 70% + unemployment and huge alcohol and drug issues. They see the government (read: the white man) as an entity that continually makes promises it does not keep.
Xithras
(16,191 posts)More than 70% of Native Americans live outside of their tribal reservations, a number that has climbed substantially in recent years (the percentage has been increasing by about 10% per decade). In spite of this exodus, only a tiny percentage of the services and resources available to Native Americans can be had in urban settings. The Indian Health Service, for example, only allocates about 1% of its budget to support Native Americans who live outside of the reservation setting. This lack of support has been cited as one of the reasons why it is so hard to break the cycle of poverty. They flee the reservations because there are no jobs or opportunities there, enter the cities, and find themselves unable to gain access to educational opportunities and job training needed to actually land the jobs. When they attempt to access resources intended to help Native Americans out in these situations, they're often told "Go back to the reservation if you need help."
My wife's grandmother was adopted off-reservation in the 1940's and ended up in California. Her children (including my mother in law) struggled greatly because there were so few resources available to help them. When my wife went to college (the first woman in her mothers family to ever do so), she just selected "Hispanic" on all of the financial aid and scholarship forms, because there is so much more assistance available to hispanics than to Native Americans. Between her skin color and the fact that she speaks Spanish fluently, nobody ever questioned it.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)One tribal nation runs a loansharking outfit called Western Sky, but that isn't much better. Nor is the fairly widespread practice of selling tax-free cigarettes. And of course, there's always nuclear waste dumping. How about a medical clinic beyond the reach of FDA, hopefully utilizing treatments approved in Europe, Canada, etc. but not here.
Of course, the tribal nations rolling in dough from casinos could invest some of that $$$ on other reservations.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)LISTEN TO WHAT NATIVE AMERICANS SAY ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES ... rather than, foist our opinions on them; then, DO IT!
But I suspect that would prove to be too difficult.
name not needed
(11,660 posts)It's as reasonable as anything else suggested here.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)delete_bush
(1,712 posts)emotional responses, I have to agree with you.
The world will be a better place without us. In case you're wondering how to accomplish this, might I suggest...
[link:|
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Support well-vetted, native-run organizations that help out natives, such as Okiciyap. (http://okiciyap.weebly.com)
And purchase art and other craftwork from natives who sell such. (http://www.wingssilverwork.com)
(Disclaimer: While I fundraise for Okiciyap, and am friendly online with Wings and his wife, I receive no payment of any sort for sending folks towards either of them. I just know they're all good people, who do what they can to help out their respective NA communities.)
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)responses - so thank you for participating.
Bryant
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)Years ago, an enterprising Lakota farmer, Alex White Plume, on the Pine Ridge reservation decided to grow hemp as a viable cash crop - which, for those who are unaware, is a completely NON-psychoactive member of the Cannabis family. Because he lived on Reservation land which was supposedly a "Sovereign Nation", he figured this would be an excellent enterprise with a ready market, an excellent opportunity for the tribe to become self-supporting. Furthermore, in 1998 the Ogalala Tribal Council had vote to encourage the growing of hemp.
But, forget it. He tried twice, and both times, just before the plants were ready to harvest, the fucking DEA swooped in and destroyed his entire crop.
So much for being a "Sovereign Nation".
So here's one thing that ought to be fixed.
Edited to add some links:
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2001/08/07/white-plumes-relinquish-hemp-crop-84805
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2003/09/18/hemp-could-be-crop-future-89314
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2007/07/06/pine-ridge-farmer-struggles-grow-hemp-91082
http://www.twofrog.com/hemp.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_White_Plume
http://www.hemphasis.net/Notable/notable_files/whiteplume.htm
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)Fuck Wynn and fuck Adelson Let them economically empower themselves, they don't need our charity or sympathy. Jobs and royalties will do more for them than sentiment.
It's a legit business. Morality laws based on religious beliefs should go anyway.
Calista241
(5,584 posts)JonLP24
(29,322 posts)Poverty on the reservations is complex. You have a nation within a nation which is difficult to attract businesses under US guidelines or lend out w/ no guarantee the contract will be enforced.
I wouldn't mind giving the $2.5 million the US already spends on this issue directly to the hands but without much work outside of farming or casinos, poverty will continue to be an issue.
Warpy
(110,913 posts)Second, listen carefully to the answer.
Third, work with them to supply it.
Without their input it's just more patronizing colonialism.
kwassa
(23,340 posts)Gormy Cuss
(30,884 posts)el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)And I understand it and agree with it.
But, we are in the middle of our annual feeling bad about Columbus day. I don't like feeling guilty without doing something about it - i.e. guilt that can't go anywhere isn't useful. So that's what I am asking - what can I do - what can we do - to move forward. I don't have the lifestyle that permits me to go to the reservation, talk to Native Americans, and find out what they need from me.
But just sitting around feeling bad that I'm an American doesn't really do much either, unless that translates into action.
Bryant
Warpy
(110,913 posts)Most people I know on reservations out here say what they really need is jobs, that loafing around eating government cheese that upsets their stomachs is a lousy way to live. They can't be traditional people because we didn't leave them enough land for their crops ( and desert farming without irrigation is a really tricky business) and desert game isn't plentiful any more.
Feeling trapped and useless has driven a lot of them to the bottle, but their alcoholism rates aren't any higher than ours. It just hits them harder, younger and I've seen a few die of cirrhosis in their late 20s.
The feeling we need to save other people might be a laudable one, but acting on it without knowledge of very real needs often leads to unintended consequences. People on the reservations have survived hundreds of years of missionaries and most of the good intentions resulted in resounding flops.
Lancero
(2,983 posts)...It's proably best that we admit that we don't know what do to to help them, and instead ASK them what they need.
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)give them Texas.
madville
(7,397 posts)of Native Americans, like 51% maybe.
Offer strong substance abuse programs and try to eliminate alcohol and drug abuse among that population. Better schools, better college programs, etc.
You can offer all the opportunity in the world though but it is ultimately up to the person to utilize it. They currently have a bunch of opportunities to break the cycle their people are in, many types of federal aid opportunities, scholarships, grants, etc available.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,780 posts)Stop telling them what they can and cannot do on their land
fadedrose
(10,044 posts)The Republicans have made such a mess of things it might be better for us as well as the Native Americans.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)is fully committed to promoting the absolute best interests of all human beings and our Mother Earth.
Small, traditionally organized quasi-communal tribes, that comprised societies of peoples ancestrally indigenous to these lands, who had a totally symbiotic relationship with the natural world, evolved thought processes, perceptions, and relationships with the natural world that are light years different from the impersonal chaos of this Eurochristian industrial based society in so many ways, that the word "better" as apparently meant in the OP subject line, is probably inappropriate.
Who in their right mind would willingly assimilate into this totally insane ass backwards system that sees the destruction of the universe as progress?
When your entire evolutionary process was outside the box, stuffing yourself into the box is not really all that appealing.
"My young men shall never work, men who work cannot dream; and wisdom comes to us in dreams. You ask me to plow the ground. Shall I take a knife and tear my mothers breast? Then when I die she will not take me to her bosom to rest. You ask me to dig for stone. Shall I dig under her skin for her bones? Then when I die I cannot enter her body to be born again. You ask me to cut grass and make hay and sell it and be rich like white men. But how dare I cut off my mother's hair?" ~ Smohalla
Smohalla: "His wisdom is that of his own mind and thoughts. Such wisdom is poor and weak."
Huggins: "What is the wisdom of which you speak, that comes in dreams ?"
Smohalla: "Each one must learn for himself the highest wisdom. It cannot be taught in words."
Like the difference between apples and oranges.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)delete_bush
(1,712 posts)As this seems to be that which must occur prior to your new vision for society to take place, you no doubt are clear as to how this is to be accomplished. Do tell!
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Last edited Wed Oct 15, 2014, 07:53 PM - Edit history (1)
My post in no way implies that I know how to overthrow the 1%.
I have ideas about how to accomplish this non-violently, but I feel no obligation to spend hours explaining them here.
I will say that I believe that the best way to start the process of overthrowing the 1% would be for all people of good conscience to get together and refuse to work, or buy anything, for one week.
hunter
(38,264 posts)Let them suffer through life as ordinary wealthy people with no extraordinary political powers.
When income reaches some multiple of the minimum wage, probably a number less than twenty, and personal wealth exceeds some multiple of the average wealth, then taxes ought to be stratospheric, approaching 90%, on the excess.
Let the uber-wealthy piggies squeal and leave the country if they must, but then disqualify from office any politician or government bureaucrat who accepts their money.
delete_bush
(1,712 posts)coupled with higher marginal rates would be in order. I don't care much for a wealth tax, but inheritance taxes need to be examined and changed.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I think the Feds should go in and negotiate a fifteen year plan to end all current agreements with Native Americans. It would enhance their standard of living and way of life.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Sustenance and Shelter.
Health insurance.
A guaranteed minimum annual income.
Excellent public education.
First We the People owe this to the first people in the nation. Then, We the People need provide it to every citizen, including Ourselves.
These are the richest times in human history. Despite what the Koch brothers pay for people to say, we can afford it.
TheKentuckian
(24,949 posts)Maybe most of us would be better off in the end.
KT2000
(20,544 posts)Have public service announcements that tell people the tribes are NOT getting checks from the US government every month for being Indian. Most people believe that is the case.
Clear the air by correcting misinformation.
Then - ask the tribes what they know would improve their situations.