The True story of a family Living and Dying in Indian Country in the 1980’s-90’s.
What made a full-blooded American Indian want to work against Tribal government and federal Indian Policy?
Need a close-to-home example of how socialist policies within our government currently affect U.S. citizens? Read Roland Morris’ story. Read about his family: A beautiful 16-year-old niece who hanged herself in a closet, another dying of a drug overdose in a public bathroom. A brother was stabbed to death on the reservation, a 4-yr-old was left alone for a whole night at a dangerous inner city park while her Dad drank, and a 2-yr old was beaten to death by her mother. Those examples are just starters. Find out why this tribal elder traveled to DC over and over again to fight tribal jurisdiction over his family – as well as the well-compensated Congressmen who support it.
Roland J. Morris Sr. kept his tribal culture at heart as he taught his children about wild ricing, hunting, fishing, family history and some Ojibwa language. He did this, despite having lost all trust in the reservation system. He’d watched too many family members die tragic, violent deaths and had come to believe that current federal Indian policy and the reservation system itself was responsible.
Tribal leaders tell the public that the reservation system must be maintained or all will be lost. They claim that no one understands Indians, and this system has to be preserved as the only viable way for tribal members to exist in happiness. While they are saying this, violence, crime, child neglect, drug and alcohol abuse, and Fetal Alcohol effects are epidemic on the reservations. Further, at the hands of their own governments, tribal members experience denial of civil rights: freedom of speech, press, religion and assembly. They experience cohortion, manipulation, cronyism, nepotism, criminal fraud, ballot box stuffing and have even been robbed of their own children.
We are all aware this is happening, but refuse to admit out loud. For some reason, it’s much easier to blame white America, history, and poverty for the problems.
Many tribal members continue in this life, complaining in private but not willing to protest. They keep silent in part because they have tribal jobs or housing – and rocking the boat will affect not just them, but extended family. Those that do speak up are vilified. In addition, for the most part, tribal members don’t like to discuss reservation problems with outsiders. They may be dying, but they are dying compliantly.
Read More:
- Website: dyinginindiancountry.com
- Twitter: twitter.com/WriteBethWard
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/DyingInIndianCountry
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7 users commented in " Dying in Indian Country: A True Story "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackInstead of labeling this as an issue specific to “Indian Country” and playing the blame game hows about being honest and explaining that these issues are happening in foster homes of all races? The CHILDREN need BETTER representation in the court system no matter what their racial background. I disagree with you on this issue in general to do with Native American Indians.
The FIRST foster placement for Native American Indian Children should be within their own tribal people. If the placement cannot be accomodated then the courts can and do work it out.
These Children do not need people like you crying around with your negative racial overtones.
The solution resides in the Children’s best interest, not your own.
I know what your agenda is as you have already explained.
There are Children’s advocates available for the Child you speak of. Let them do their job.
If the advocates are not doing their job then your issue is solely with them.
The advocates I speak of are court appointed and are paid for by the Govt.
Negative Racial Overtones? You have no idea what you are talking about! My husband was raised traditional on the REZ; he didn’t speak English until he started school when he was five. AND HE is the one that said we aren’t living there anymore!!
I tell you what – when you have stood in the closet where a 16-yr-old has just hanged herself, been to the funeral of a 2-yr-old beaten to death, rescued children from the streets dozens of times, paid a mother seven dollars so she’d go away and not take her kid out on the street, pushed a drunk off of a 10-yr-old girl and then sat up the rest of the night protecting her, and raised four extra children for 14 YEARS – all of whom have FAS and ADD – as well as your own five kids – you come back and tell me all about what you think, ok? You do all that, and then come back and tell me those kids all belong on the reservation – because the tribal government owns them and has a right to them AND it doesn’t matter who does what to them there!
And then tell me WHY is doesn’t matter! You tell me WHY those kids are required to live like that – just because of their heritage – and then you tell me why YOU can’t see that it’s YOU and people like YOU that are racist! Thinking kids have to live in conditions most people would never put their own kid into just because of their heritage!
Excuse me, but not you, nor any government has a right to tell me that the tribe has jurisdiction over my children or my grandchildren!
You’re telling ME to Get honest? What is happening in other courts isn’t my concern. I’m not writing about that because I know NOTHING about it! But this ICWA – I KNOW about! And I WILL Write about it!
What is my concern is tribal government – and people like you – claiming to know what is best for my children.
My husband and I have been good parents and have made the decisions that WE KNOW are right. The issue has been that if both of us were to die – the tribe would have all the say and whomever we chose as guardians wouldn’t matter. That’s just wrong – no matter WHAT you think.
NOW I have grandkids – and the same thing could happen to them if their parents died – even though we don’t have ANYTHING to do with the reservation system and don’t want to.
YOU are the person that needs to butt out and mind your own business. These aren’t your kids to be saying where the first foster placement should be.
This is a FREE country – and WE are Citizens – all my kids and grandkids – and WE HAVE a RIGHT to NOT want to live on the RESERVATION!
Your kind of rhetoric never ceases to make me sick.
So basically what you are saying is that the court appointed advocates have no accountability? Or is it that you have contempt for the court system itself but that it is more convenient for you to slam the Native American Indian people(s) as a whole for doing what we can to protect our rights?
Who do you blame for all the deaths and abuses of foster Children (not race specific) who were placed in the custody of non Native American Indian households? Oh WAIT! That’s right! YOU do NOT CARE about THOSE cases.
It appears that your only argument is with the courts decision to protect the rights of Native American Indians and less to do with the general, non race specific issue, which is doing what is in Children’s best interest.
SAD.
You said,
“This is a FREE country – and WE are Citizens – all my kids and grandkids – and WE HAVE a RIGHT to NOT want to live on the RESERVATION!”
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Your use of the word “We” implies that you yourself are Native American Indian. We both know from past conversations that you simply are not Native American Indian.
Thank you.
I’m with Lisa! Btw, I’m white. I think everyone who has an opinion different from Lisa’s, needs to do a long, hard winter on an impoverished SD reservation.
So DL, you are saying that the court appointed Children’s advocates are not doing their jobs either?
Interesting.
I know exactly what goes on when Children are placed in foster homes. Across the board (non racial specific) there are guidelines that must be followed and rules/measures that must be met.
And too, I would “butt out” as the author has warned me to do, however, I am Native American Indian. I have interest and a voice in this matter. The issue of the author now seems case specific regarding her own family members and if she wanted no feedback then maybe she should not have written this article for all the world to see.
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