Replies

You seem to be taking this discussion awfully personally! Of course we are human beings!

Well, ya know, there's only so many hatefilled freepmails and emails I've gotten over the years here that have made it personal. Lucky, many of those types are gone. Not all, though.

I think many people (myself included) feel that the sovereign immunity and other privileges granted to tribes are just plain unfair. Far from allowing tribes to have land to allow them to maintain some of their original autonomy and lifestyle, "tribal lands" have mostly become, in many cases, "where can we put up a casino next?"

Waaaa! You don't like it? Too bad. Treaties were made, the constitution backs them up, and that should be good enough for anyone. Period. You dont' like it? Amend the constitution.

I don't think it's fair that American Indians can be free of US income tax for money earned on the reservation, yet vote in elections. I say, choose whether you want to be an American citizen, or pick whether you want to be an Indian, with all of its attendant perks (free college, tribal dividend payments, etc.).

Well, for one thing, most (as in 90% at least) indians pay federal and state income taxes, so try a different argument. For another thing, Tribal Dividend payments are money paid by corporations to access resources on indian land - for example, when an oil company wants to drill on indian land, they pay a fee and royalties based on agreements. THey pay the money to the feds, who dole it out to the individual tribal members of the appropriate tribe - that is, when they ain't stealing it from us. So don't worry your self over the dividend payments, because it doesn't come out of your pocket, k? AS for the free college, I guess we'll just have to take away all those pell grants and such they give you you white people while we are at it, eh? Since it's "not fair".

As for treaties, and honoring the Constitution, it doesn't seem like the state or Federal governments have any respect for our federal constitution. I'm not sure why Indians feel like they should escape the same loss of freedoms that the rest of us face.

Ahhh... now I get it. Why should we indians enjoy some freedom if you white people are so willing to give away your own? The old "Misery loves company" idea?

I have nothing against keeping the treaties. Read my post #7. The tribes in Idaho don't pay state fuel tax on fuel sold on their reservations by tribally owned stations. They undercut the stations near them who have to pay the state tax. Over 90% of the sales at the tribal station are to non-tribal members. The state is federally mandated to maintain the roads on the tribal lands and yet cannot collect fuel taxes from these tribal station sales. Do the words "unfunded mandate" mean anything to you?

You wrote: "Well, for one thing, most (as in 90% at least) indians pay federal and state income taxes, so try a different argument."

No, income earned on reservations is not subject to federal income tax. I, however, must pay tax on my worldwide income, regardless of where it is earned. I think this is unfair. Again, I think Indians should choose whether they want to be US Citizens, and subject to the same rules as the rest of us, or be Indians. But one should not be able to have both.

You wrote: "AS for the free college, I guess we'll just have to take away all those pell grants and such they give you you white people while we are at it, eh? Since it's "not fair"."

Indians are eligible for Pell Grants, just like everyone else, so I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here. Additionally, Indians receive, under affirmative action programs, preferential treatment for admissions to our institutions of higher education.

You wrote: "Why should we indians enjoy some freedom if you white people are so willing to give away your own?"

Yeah, Indians have been leading the fight for our Constitutional freedoms, all right! It seems to me that the only time Indians as a group are interested in the Constitution is when their treaty rights are at stake, and to hell with that document otherwise. So you'll forgive me if I don't feel too much sympathy for the "plight" of Indians so far as their treaty rights are concerned.

It's quite odd to see "conservatives" arguing against tribal sovereignty on the grounds that Indians don't pay enough taxes, isn't it?