Native-American Hate Crimes

    Native-Americans are the group that does not get showcased when it comes to hate crimes, but it does in deed happen to them.  Native-Americans have been in this country long before Europeans even touched down and ventured the new land.  They also do well off for themselves as a people especially with their modern success of casions which ventures in a lot of money.  This could be make them a target for hate, because of their prosperity that people assume they have. Native Americans discrimination occured at its severity back from when the Europeans came to the Americas up the 1970s.  There is a book that outlines the hate on Native-Americans called Silent Crimes: Hate crimes agaisnt Native-Americans  "One instance is the section on forced steralization of Native Women, which is not common knowledge for many readers" (Johnson-Jennings,2009,p.414).  I surely did not know this and it is sad that they would restrict Native-American women to have children.
     There has even been evidence that Native-Americans have been targeted the most for hate crimes. "Crimes of hate against American Indians totaled 75 incidents in the nation during 2007, said a Federal Bureau of Investigation report" (Ruckman,2008,p.2).  That is a high number of incidents and some believe it to be, because of Native-Americans "high-style" life that many assume that they have.  This was said by Brenda Golden, an Indian Activist: "'People think we get all these benefits when don't," she said. "And they also associate us with the past...that we killed white people indiscriminately when we were fighting for our land'"(Ruckman,2008,p.2).  This could result from many people in America thinking that Native-Americans get huge reparations for territory taken away from them many years ago.
       It is, because people are ignorant and think that they know a certain people's situation and know far from it.  Luckily there is being some progress made from the Government to reduce hate crimes directed towards Native-Americans. "The new initiative would provide a minimum of $100 million, over current funding levels, for activities which reduce violence and hate crimes against American Indians and incidents of those crimes on tribal lands. These grants could be used for counseling and social work services relating to tribal courts or prosecutors and programs to reduce hate crimes"(Stocks,2001,p.A1).  This is big step in the right direction, because it shows that America is trying to make an effort in helping out the Native-Americans which at times feel neglected.


References:


Stockes, B. (2001 , April 18). Hate crime legislation introduced: grants would target indian country. Indian Country Today, p. A1

Ruckman, S.E. (2008, November 14). Fbi hate crime report shows indians remain most often assaulted. Native American Times, p. 2.

Johnson-Jennings, M. (2009). Silent victims: hate crimes agaisnt native americans. American Indian Quarterly, 33(3), 414-416.