Is it unethical that some aboriginal people from the USA still get cash payments

1. 83

   Ben Zoltakposted 12 years ago

   Is it unethical that some aboriginal people from the USA still get cash payments? Or is that a myth?
   
   I am torn as I have heard very hateful speech about tribal native Americans/indians who supposedly get paid cash monthly from the federal government. I have some kinship with some tribe (probably Annishanabe) and I am not after any benefits myself other than maybe recognition. Funds that go to homeless, unemployed or to education programs are not what I'm talking about. I mean just a cut check for being Indian. Part of me feels it's justified as tribes were nearly entirely stripped of their culture and have gone through near genocide. I want to understand the logic here.

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2. 87

   crazyhorsesghostposted 12 years ago

   There is no check I am aware of for just being a Native American and I am a Native American and very involved with several tribes and the issues facing them. I know of no tribal member getting a check for being an Indian, Just doesn't happen. Some tribes receive a small share of the gambling income from the casinos on their reservation. Others receive government benefits like food stamps. But no checks for just being an American Indian. That is only a myth.

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3. 77

   Patty Inglish, MSposted 12 years ago

   I 'm related to the smaller of the two Mohawk groups in USA, the one that is not recognized by anybody - State or Feds, so I could never get anything anyway. However, I know of no check at all.
   
   I do know that in 2006, a news program announced that a casino in Michigan took in enough money that the amount was an average of $3,500/month for each Native on the local reservation if payments WERE made. I know of no payments made. If they were made, what would be left to pay the managers and staff? Perhaps someone at Soaring Eagle Hotel Casino could tell us?
   
   RECENT REPARATIONS in 3 states only: December 2010, in the Digital Journal:
   "President Barack Obama to provide $4.5 billion in reparations to American Indians and Black farmers.  The settlement is to cover mistreatment claims by the U.S. Government over past years. The Claims Settlement Act covers disputes in New Mexico, Arizona and Montana over Native American water rights. It provides royalty rights for land used for timber, oil, grazing, and gas and overseen by the Interior Department since 1887."
   
   LONGER AGO: Nixon signed a similar act for Alaskan Natives in 1971. However, ALL Alaskans now receive a yearly check for living in Alaska in order to share in oil wealth. $878 is the last yearly figure I saw, per person.

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   1. 83

      Ben Zoltakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Patty, so from what I gather from your response, so-called payout "checks" are probably a myth. I know water/mineral rights are still infringed upon here in the States regularly, infamous Koch brothers getting sued by their own kin for that.

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   2. 77

      Patty Inglish, MSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sued by their own relatives. That is really bad what they did. What a place we live in!

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4. 61

   Civil War Bobposted 12 years ago

   If the cash payments arrive after that pull the arm of the slot machine, they've earned it and there's nothing unethical about it.

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5. 60

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   I believe the checks you are talking about are myths.  Tribal governments often make pay outs to tribal members that are on their books if the tribe has money making ventures like casinos or something else enterprising.

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6. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   There are federally-recognized business entities of tribal-owned contractors or distributors that win a good deal of government contracts. The larger companies of this type are run by white guys, but the stock is owned by the tribe. The companies can be sole-sourced (awarded without competition) a government contract with a value up to $3 Million. But this is the case with any company with a small business designation. The tribal company's net profits go to the tribe. So in a sense, they can get a check from tax money. Before he died in a plane crash and went to hell three years ago, one of the many things Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska did in his position on the appropriations committee was to get the sole-source amount for Alaskan native tribes exclusively extended to $15 Million.

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