Many people in America really don’t know about the everyday life of Native Americans. Many don’t even know we exist anymore, and that needs to change. I think that Native people need to step up and make themselves heard in the upcoming presidential election. For years now, Native Americans have been living in extreme poverty because of many issues like alcohol and drug abuse. One thing that this government did to negatively affect Native people is try to destroy our culture. Even though they tried, they did not prevent the young generation from learning their culture, like traditional ceremonies and languages.
When I hear the presidential candidates debate about numerous issues facing this country, I never hear them addressing Native American issues. One issue that Native Americans are facing is teen suicides. In many Native reservations, the teen suicide rate is four times the national rate, and that is because the lack of enforcement on alcohol and drugs.
Another issue is the many broken treaties. One man I really admire is an Oglala Sioux Indian named Russell Means who was an advocate for not just his Native tribe, but for all who were facing problems with the U.S. government. The Los Angeles Times called him the most famous Indian since Crazy Horse. Russell was very passionate about fighting for the rights that Native Americans deserved. He was the voice for Native Americans, and to me, he was very inspirational because he was very proud of who he was and what he represented: his Native cultures. In the near future, I hope to follow in his footsteps.
Keifer Goodtracks-Alires
Bayfield
