How Do You Feel About Indians Receiving Less for Health Care?
It’s unfair that Native Americans receive only about half the nearly $4,000 spent annually for non-Indians in public health care.
It’s unfair that Native Americans receive only about half the nearly $4,000 spent annually for non-Indians in public health care.
July 13th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Comments cross-posted from DailyKos where the IHS story first published on ApachesVote.org was also published:
Got a book in the mail yesterdaay , “Osceola’s (6+ / 0-)
Recommended by: Tinfoil Hat, Rogneid, Owllwoman, EricAZ, phrogge prince, Virginia mom
Legacy”. Was a war chief of the Seminole , and he fought till the last.He led several thousand US soldiers on as merry a chase as did Geronimo , also with very few warriors. Both of them knew what they were doing ; GWB should serve as a reminder as to why they fought so long. Those rulers who so obviously serve money always seem to find non-whites to be inconvenient.
by Abra Crabcakeya on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 06:43:27 AM PDT
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Got a book in the mail yesterdaay , “Osceola’s by Abra Crabcakeya, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 06:43:27 AM PDT (6+ / 0-)
Modern Indian people (3+ / 0-)
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I wonder why as soon as you mention Indians someone posts about ancient history instead of discussing modern day issues like the diarist did? It isn’t done for Afican American issues or Jewish American issues, only ours. Go figure.
by cacamp on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:26:03 AM PDT
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Modern Indian people by cacamp, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:26:03 AM PDT (3+ / 0-)
It’s easier for many Americans to forget or (0+ / 0-)
pretend we don’t exist. Not very comfortable , see something like Pine Ridge .Unwelcome feelings of guilt at historical marker at Dancing Rabbit Creek - I assume there’s one there , anyway. We were mostly woodland peoples , and staying kind of low and out of sight is first nature. Became even wiser about 1492 or so . when on rez of my people , standard for traditionals is still to become much quieter ,keep eyes averted as the white (mostly ) tourists come closer.
In many ways , I was raised White , but stayed in woods and on water with very small number of like souls most of life outside the timeclock. Trying to answer your thoughts , but i read mine and see that I really haven’t As you say , “go figure”.
Unles it’s so simple it slips away too fast , like later arrivals somehow always realizing they are intruders , and far removed from the lands of their Ancestors. We Are Here.
by Abra Crabcakeya on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 11:47:14 AM PDT
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It’s easier for many Americans to forget or by Abra Crabcakeya, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 11:47:14 AM PDT (0+ / 0-)
Our nations treatment of the Native American (5+ / 0-)
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people has been shameful from the very start when colonialists intentionally gave smallpox infected blankets to local Massachusetts tribes to “thin them out.”
If my memory is correct, some acedemic demographic estimates conclude this eventually resulted in the deaths of 95% of the total indigenous population of North, Central and South America.
To continue a list up to this modern day travesty would be too depressing for all of us. But how do we look at ourselves in the mirror each morning without lowering our eyes in shame and disgrace?
And how dare the GOP have the unmitigated gall to chastise anyone in a political campaign for saying this was the first time she was really “proud of our nation.”
That we should continue such atrocious treatment with so little regard leaves me speechless and too sad for further comment.
Thanks for bringing this too our attention. How many more generations will it take before Americans start actually trying to live up to our more noble espoused values?
The means is the ends in the process of becoming. - Mahatma Gandhi
by HoundDog on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 07:00:15 AM PDT
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Our nations treatment of the Native American by HoundDog, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 07:00:15 AM PDT (5+ / 0-)
perhaps smallpox and other diseases (0+ / 0-)
resulted in this devastation, but it was not the conscious sharing of blankets that killed off such huge numbers. Already by the time the Spaniards were seriously exploring Florida the population had been devastated. Simple contact did the trick for most of the natives.
by annetteboardman on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:17:06 AM PDT
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perhaps smallpox and other diseases by annetteboardman, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:17:06 AM PDT (0+ / 0-)
that makes it ok? (0+ / 0-)
wtf? Amherst admitted giving out smallpox blankets long after the disease had hit most nations, more of us died, did being second make his actions less deadly or evil?
by cacamp on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:40:19 AM PDT
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that makes it ok? by cacamp, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:40:19 AM PDT (0+ / 0-)
George Bush (3+ / 0-)
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George Bush doesn’t like black people.
George Bush doesn’t like white people.
George Bush doesn’t like Native Americans.
by tcdup on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 07:54:18 AM PDT
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George Bush by tcdup, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 07:54:18 AM PDT (3+ / 0-)
You forgot his least favorites: (2+ / 0-)
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George Bush doesn’t like poor people.
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” Sinclair Lewis
by MsWings on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:24:05 AM PDT
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You forgot his least favorites: by MsWings, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:24:05 AM PDT (2+ / 0-)
not one hell of a lot of rich red or black (0+ / 0-)
people , that I’ve ever seen.So , obviously not facored by god , not important , like “wastelands” are anything not making rich people even more money.
by Abra Crabcakeya on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 11:50:30 AM PDT
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not one hell of a lot of rich red or black by Abra Crabcakeya, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 11:50:30 AM PDT (0+ / 0-)
Can you blame him? (2+ / 0-)
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How many Native Americans have ever contributed to the GOP? To the religious right? His priorities have always been clear.
Go ApachesVote.org - I hope you are successful.
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” Sinclair Lewis
by MsWings on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:22:50 AM PDT
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Can you blame him? by MsWings, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:22:50 AM PDT (2+ / 0-)
I blame him (2+ / 0-)
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we may not contribute to him but our treaties are still the law of the land. His actions on our budget costs lives in Indian Country every day. I blame him for each and every one.
by cacamp on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:29:07 AM PDT
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I blame him by cacamp, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:29:07 AM PDT (2+ / 0-)
Bush doesn’t (1+ / 0-)
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care about the law of the land and he never has.
I was being sarcastic above, pointing out that Bush only cares about himself and his rich on the backs of the poor cronies.
I blame him for a lot.
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” Sinclair Lewis
by MsWings on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:43:45 AM PDT
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Bush doesn’t by MsWings, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:43:45 AM PDT (1+ / 0-)
men live 47 years here (2+ / 0-)
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the lifespan of an Indian boy born today on the Rosebud Reservation is 47 years. You’ll have to go to a country being devastated by HIV/AIDs in Africa to find those kind of health statistics. In the last three years we have lost TWENTY-THREE young children to suicide in our small population.
The massacre is going on today, it has never stopped.
by cacamp on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:35:23 AM PDT
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men live 47 years here by cacamp, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:35:23 AM PDT (2+ / 0-)
And yet (2+ / 0-)
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Native Americans proudly serve the military in high numbers. Their patriotism is a fine example for our country. Elect Black Eagle Obama!
by Virginia mom on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:46:38 AM PDT
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And yet by Virginia mom, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:46:38 AM PDT (2+ / 0-)
thanks for this diary but (3+ / 0-)
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I’m disappointed not one poster has discussed helping us get the IHS funded. Health care on reservations are easy targets for GOP budget cutters and the IHS reform act has taken over a decade to be enacted. Meanwhile my people suffer health statistics below any country in this hemisphere and worse than most countries in the third world. Worse than Hati and Guatamala. Our reservation suffers 75-90% unemployment that has lasted for generations. War torn Iraq has about a 20% unemployment rate.
by cacamp on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:48:23 AM PDT
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thanks for this diary but by cacamp, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 08:48:23 AM PDT (3+ / 0-)
I have also posted (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by: Abra Crabcakeya
comments about IHS funding in nyceve’s health care diaries over the past two years. I use it as an example how the US does have a very low cost universal care program. I also post about it’s limitations.
I have gotten a few comments saying that if the US govt passes a single payer system that the IHS funding would dramatically improve. I see that comment as wishful thinking and naive.
by kkjohnson on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 09:00:18 AM PDT
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I have also posted by kkjohnson, Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 09:00:18 AM PDT (1+ / 0-)
I am hoping that meedical care delivery will be (0+ / 0-)
nationalized , and that the European-Americans who will undoubtedly remain in charge will somehow be as competent as their Old Country people have been.
As kkjohnson says in a comment her , I realize my thinking is probably wishful and naive. Justice may well be a fiction , formed by the same processes of wishful thinking. But I continue to fight. That is why I read of Osceola , Billy Bowlegs,Red Cloud , Crazy horse , even of Wovoka.And why we go to Rez and buy al we can from traditional artisans , from weavers to soapmakers to herbalists ,and eat every meal taken outside homes at places owned by enrolled members .
by Abra Crabcakeya on Sun Jul 13, 2008 at 11:58:44 AM PDT
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July 29th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Life expectancy on reservations is substantially lower than off-rez. When we look at the financial aspects, it is not very difficult at all to understand why that is so: significantly less money is provided for the health care of Indians. On a personal level, I resent it immensely. Systemically, it is a shame. More for one = less for the other.