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Controversial Issues Facing Native Americans

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Native American Research Native Americans have been oppressed and denied some of their basic rights ever since the Europeans discovered the Americas. The Native Americans made it through many horrid situations and let their culture and beliefs live on through the generations. They have been put through many trying times but the sad part is that they are still facing prejudices today. Some of the issues they face today are conditions on reservations, land ownership, and stereotypes. Indian Reservations There are roughly three hundred Indian reservations in America, 23.6 million Indians live on the reservations. The reservations have something called tribal sovereignty this essentially means that the tribes on the reservations have the …show more content…

Like the name and mascot for the Redskins football team. Some Indians find the name of the team and their mascot derogatory and racist, the mascot is a stereotype of an Indian man. Some people think that the mascot is fine and it carries a lot of history and people are over reacting. While others believe that if it is found offensive then it should be changed. Another issue facing the Native Americans is the holiday Columbus Day. Some believe that the discovering of America should be celebrated but it is controversial with the Indians. They believe that the holiday promotes the transatlantic slave trade as well as genocide against the Native Americans. Also it “highlights western imperialism and the conquest of people of color”. Some places have already changed Columbus Day. Then there is the issue of environmental injustice which is the “geographical relationship between minorities and poor environment”. People who live within 2 miles of hazardous waste are a majority of color. The Native Americans have some of the worst pollution problems half of all Indians live near an uncontrolled toxic waste site. The last issue is Scared Lands Protection. When the white settlers came they took control of a lot of land that was important to the Indians beliefs and culture and they still haven’t gotten a lot of it back. Federal officials are of little help so various non-profits buy the land and put it in a conservancy trust. So the Native Americans can still access it. All though there is still a lot of land still out of the Native Americans

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