American Indian activitist claims U.S. practices cultural genocide
by Whitney Gray, posted May 15, 2008
“What I want to do is give you just a peek at what indigenous people really are,” American Indian activist, Russell Means, said to a full audience in Keller Auditorium on the MU campus earlier this spring.
Passionate activist of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) tribe, Russell Means visited Mizzou and spoke to a crowd of both students and locals, not only to share some of his culture’s past, present, and hopeful future, but to bring knowledge of what he said is the U.S. government’s involvement in oppression of the American Indian.
Means has been described by the LA Times as the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
He has accomplished many things since he became involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM). He was the first national director of AIM, in 1969 he led a 19-month protest on San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island, and in 1973 he led and successfully triumphed in the AIM takeover of Wounded Knee, S.D. Bringing so much attention to himself and the movement gained him notoriety from the public, but disdain from the government.
“I had five assassination attempts on my life in the 70s and four in the 80s,” Means said.
He talked to the crowd about topics ranging from what he describes as this nation’s true history, his people’s history and background, other indigenous peoples’ history, his experiences as an activist, and the extinction of his people.
“The genocide of my people is almost complete,” he said.
What Means refers to is the low life expectancy that plagues American Indians due to poor physical, mental and emotional treatment by the U.S. government and educational institutions, and the biases held by a good portion of the American society.
Means said an American Indian woman’s life expectancy is 52 and for men it’s 41.9, which he said is one of the lowest life expectancies in the world.
Life expectancy is not the only problem this culture faces. The integrity of the family structure is also at risk.
“One out four Indian child that makes it past a year is fostered out to a non-Indian family, that’s 25 percent of our people.”
Means also said the U.S. government does not adequately test waters on the reservations for contaminants, which has led to a high rate of cancer and other diseases among the population.
“Every disease is an epidemic, including a couple that are no longer prevalent in society. Diseases like tuberculosis, lupus and polio,” Means said. “This is part of the ugliness of our life here in America. We’re out of sight, out of mind, who cares?”
According to Means, the cold truth is that what is happening to his people is not a mistake, but a plan set into motion by the U.S. government centuries ago.
MU graduate student, Charlotte McCloskey, agrees with some of Means statements. McCloskey is Sicangu Lakota and has participated in many programs geared towards the advancement of what she calls, “Native American culture.”
McCloskey agrees with Means’ claim that that the government has had and possibly still does have ulterior motives in its dealings with American Indians. This is evident in the poor treatment of the culture and the government’s refusal to help or take any action to correct problems.
“Native people in the U.S. are different because we’re the only race that holds treaties with the government,” McCloskey said. “As long as these treaties remain, the Natives hold power and land, because reservations are Indian land, not US.”
American Indians are a sovereign people with the right to govern in their own way.
“You can think of reservations as mini-countries within the U.S.,” McCloskey said.
Even though the U.S. government ignores some parts of the treaties, she said, the tribes won’t let it ignore everything. Recent claims by American Indians say the U.S. government owes billions of dollars to tribes.
The U.S. government’s response to these claims, said McCloskey, has been to try “to create cultural genocide. An American Holocaust.”
The high suicide rates among American Indians is evidence of this cultural genocide. McCloskey explains it as “historical trauma,” an ideology used by author Eduardo Duran.
“Historical trauma is the idea that we carry the crimes committed against our ancestors through generations,” McCloskey explained. “It’s a trickle-down affect.”
She goes on to explain that the taking of American Indian land, traditions and families by force caused historical trauma resulting in deep depression that causes even young American Indian children to attempt and commit suicide.
“It’s not about being Native, but being Native in this country,” McCloskey said.
While both Means and McCloskey reveal devastating truths, they also offer a positive attitude towards the advancement of American Indians in this country.
this advancement offers hope to other nations and tribes throughout the country.
McCloskey said that even though there has been a strong attempt to commit cultural genocide, the U.S. government has failed.
“We are thriving and surviving, so their attempts didn’t work,” she said.
She mentioned new language programs being established and the practicing of traditional ways on the reservations to make sure the younger generations have a strong foundation and knowledge of who they are.
“The Native Americans still exist, the numbers are increasing and are getting stronger,” McCloskey said.
McCloskey suggests if you would like to get involved and help, that the most important thing to do is to learn about American Indian culture and to understand that much of what has been taught as this country’s history is wrong.
“It perpetuates stereotypes, biases and fear,” McCloskey said. “So, learning more is the best way to advocate for this movement.”
She said one could approach a tribe and ask how best to help, or join national organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Or simply take a Native American studies class.
“You don’t have to be silenced,” she said.
For more information on Russell Means visit http://www.russellmeans.com and for more information about any classes offered at MU about Native American Studies or organizations, contact Charlotte McCloskey at mccloskeyc@missouri.edu.
