30 days!

I love morgan spurlock and his 30 days series! I am especially excited for tonight's episode titled, "living on the reservation." I find it tremendously difficult to understand how people in this (williston) area justify their racist stereotypes about Native people. It absolutely blows my mind how ignorance can be an excuse for these thoughts, remarks and insults. I am hoping that Spurlock gets to the heart of the devastation that the Native community endures... especially on its reservations. Reservations are a whole other world, literally like being in another country. The suicide rates are off the charts, alcoholism (which was introduced by anglos, mind you) runs rampant, and of course the very real affects of historical trauma are apparent in nearly every family. This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart and I can only hope that the situation improves. I know that I'm giving it all I've got to do my part.

Some appalling statistics:

* American Indians experienced violence at a rate more than twice the rate for other ethnic groups in the United States, 1992 – 2001

*Nearly one-quarter of Indians live below the poverty line – which is double the national average.

* The American Indian median income is just two-thirds the national average.

*Infant mortality rates per 1,000 births are 25% higher for American Indian and Alaska Native mothers compared to all races in the United States

* American Indians have the highest high school dropout rate. (Indian Country Today 9.5.07)

* Unemployment averages 55%

*Per Capita income
-American Indians : $16,216
-White Americans: $27,559

*American Indian children have poverty rates more than four times higher than white children in ND.

* Over half of all American Indian Children younger than 6 are poor and they represent the highest percentage of persons experiencing extreme poverty in ND

*American Indian children’s poverty rates have not improved since 1980

* American Indian teens have higher suicide rates than do all teens in ND

* Native population fell by 90% between 1492 and 1800, to about 600,000, owing to diseases introduced by European settlers.

* Over half of all American Indian children younger than 6 are poor in ND.

All statistics compiled by Dr. Denise K. Lajimodiere.