In the 2016 Presidential Race Bernie Sanders has taken a stance unlike any other candidate thus far. Sanders speeches have been substantially about inclusion of the one's forgotten: Native Americans, Veterans, Elderly, African Americans, Latinos, those living in poverty etc. He's managed to continue his fight for civil justice and discuss those who he feels need support the most.
Since America was discovered, Native Americans have been forced into assimilation. The culture was stripped away, their people were killed, raped, and appropriated from their land. In 1887 the Dawes Act was passed which allowed, "the head of each family would receive 160 acres of tribal land and each single person would receive 80 acres. Title to the land would be held in trust by the government for 25 years.
After 25 years each individual would receive United States citizenship and fee simple title to their land." according to nrcprograms.org. This was Americas attempt at reconciliation with Native Americans during this time period. Since then, "the total land held by American Indian tribes on reservations equaled 138,000,000 acres. By the end of the allotment period landholdings had been reduced to 48,000,000 acres. Since 1934 the landholdings have slowly increased to 56,000,000 acres."
The assignment of Indian Reservations by the U.S scattered Native Americans and their tribes to numerous different states. The Tribal Directory briefs, "310 reservations" and the "55.7 million acres" of land. "While that may seem like a lot of land, it only comprises 2.3% of the total land in the United States. There are almost two million Native Americans living on reservations."
Currently Native American Reservations are permeate high accounts of alcoholism, drug abuse, poverty, and depression. Consistently Native Americans are left behind and forgotten in reform policies. Bernie Sanders is now looking to take action and change the normality. He's hoping to get Native Americans involved and hear their voices loud and clear.
On April 11, 2016 I had the luxury of hearing Sanders speak in Buffalo, NY at the UB Alumni Arena. Sanders touched on topics of youth unemployment, student debt, racial tensions, mass incarceration and more. Sanders awakened my empathy with these words, "This campaign is listening to a group of people who's voices are very rarely heard, and that is the Native American community."
Frequently we are so consumed with our own lives we dismiss the one's around us. The Native American population is right here, and often over looked. The mistreatment of their people and their resources has been neglected time and time again. "Truth is we owe the Native American people a debt of gratitude that we can never repay" expressed Sanders.
With those words all emotion from within me escaped, tears welled in my eyes. The lens of my glasses collected the salty droplets allowing my cheeks but only to feel a couple. The compassion behind this statement is the level of compassion and remembrance we should all feel. Sanders is fighting for the forgotten and attempting to speak for those unheard. Although it hasn't yet been determined what the voter turnout for Native Americans will be for this year, now is the time that they will listened too with hopes to see positive actions.
