Receiving money for being native american?

[Niccolo Machiavelli]

I just wondered - over the years, I've come accross some sites having US citizens involved, stereotypically bringing up the topic of their heritage.
In the last two years, I see millions of "Cherokees" (or insert any random native-tribe-name here) popping up out of nowhere. Do you receive social wellfare for claiming that or are you just romantics?

No offense intended, but ten years ago, no American (except for Rambo-fans) claimed to be of native American origin - now everyone and his dog do - just wondering why - ... fashion?

[Earl of Rochester]

Well the thing is there are huge amounts of the population that have some Indian blood. Assimilation did happen on a rather large scale, it was actually encouraged in many tribes as they saw it as their only hope for a future of any kind.

In the past saying you got a bit of Indian in you was kind of negative. It just didn't fit in with the white supremacy ideology. Now though its something to be proud of. Its something exotic you can label yourself.

I personally am something like 1/32 Cherokee. Do I have any real link to the tribe? NO. But it sure is fun going around telling people I am. It spices things up a bit. Not to mention there are benefits to joining the tribe and getting special recognition in colleges and what not.

[Kiki52]

I am 0% Native American, but still good advice is that a Native American is not one if he doesn't uphold the culture of his ancestors.

There are only about 2 million 100% pure Native Americans left and about 5 million people of mixed Native American and another race. I think the 100% pure part increased rapidly since 30 years ago, but back in the cowboy days it was about 30,000 or 300,000 I think (don't know which it was)! I agreed it was sad that America and the older European Colonists who were white supremacist did their best to exterminate Native Americans and their heritage, I do not know if it was because they wanted to purge all forms of Paganism (to give the world to our Lord Jesus Christ) or simply because of greed and racism without any form of religious element to it.

I do not think non-Native Americans should be entitled to the benefits real ones get. I don't know how necessarily to solve this problem.
But that doesn't mean we shouldn't give aid of some sort. I heard they get free college if they are Native American, but as such someone who isn't one can abuse the system.

[Marcus II]

There are only about 2 million 100% pure Native Americans left and about 5 million people of mixed Native American and another race. I think the 100% pure part increased rapidly since 30 years ago, but back in the cowboy days it was about 30,000 or 300,000 I think

How is that possible if all the tribes are disappearing all over the country? In California alone, tribes that once were in the thousands are now around 7 to 10 people (no exaggeration) which are old people that can't reproduce, meaning that the tribe is dead.

[Gwendylyn]

Do you receive social wellfare for claiming that or are you just romantics?

Majority are romantics. Its fun to have pride in your heritage, especially for Americans.

I am pretty sure Canada has a system where if you are at least 1/4 or 1/2 Native American you have tax exemptions. A Canadian would know more than me, and obviously your ethnicity would have to be proven.

As for whether they should get breaks or tax exemptions, we try many avenues to help fix economic and educational disparages along ethnic lines. Until we find something better, there's no reason to change it (unless someone decides to argue that nothing should be done).

[NONOPUST]

Im 1/8 Native American, Cherokee I believe.

[Armfelt]

People with native American admixture are often quite attractive, like Jessica Biel, Molly Culver, Elvis Presley and Johnny Depp.

[Ozy]

People with native American admixture are often quite attractive, like Jessica Biel, Molly Culver, Elvis Presley and Johnny Depp.

and what does that have to do with this thread?

[LoZz]

I just wondered - over the years, I've come accross some sites having US citizens involved, stereotypically bringing up the topic of their heritage.
In the last two years, I see millions of "Cherokees" (or insert any random native-tribe-name here) popping up out of nowhere. Do you receive social wellfare for claiming that or are you just romantics?

No offense intended, but ten years ago, no American (except for Rambo-fans) claimed to be of native American origin - now everyone and his dog do - just wondering why - ... fashion?

even as a brit ive noticed it a little!, at one point wasnt it bad(social) to be part native american?

[-Conan the Barbarian-]

I just wondered - over the years, I've come accross some sites having US citizens involved, stereotypically bringing up the topic of their heritage.
In the last two years, I see millions of "Cherokees" (or insert any random native-tribe-name here) popping up out of nowhere. Do you receive social wellfare for claiming that or are you just romantics?

No offense intended, but ten years ago, no American (except for Rambo-fans) claimed to be of native American origin - now everyone and his dog do - just wondering why - ... fashion?

Basically when you are given a reward for being a certain race or having certain ancestors, more people will want to be that race or have those ancestors. Colleges would certainly want to know if you were an American Indian. Basically it is extremely racist that people are asked to put their race down for the government or colleges to know so they can reward you based on color alone.

On a different note. Why is it that America is the only country that if you were born in America and even had ancestors who were born in America for hundreds of years doesn't qualify you as a native American? I for one am a native American but I am not an American Indian.

[Rhinosaur]

Basically when you are given a reward for being a certain race or having certain ancestors, more people will want to be that race or have those ancestors. Colleges would certainly want to know if you were an American Indian. Basically it is extremely racist that people are asked to put their race down for the government or colleges to know so they can reward you based on color alone.

On a different note. Why is it that America is the only country that if you were born in America and even had ancestors who were born in America for hundreds of years doesn't qualify you as a native American? I for one am a native American but I am not an American Indian.

What else are you gonna call the Indians? They don't seem to be into being called Indians anymore, if they ever were.

[-Conan the Barbarian-]

First of all they already call themselves the American Indians along with their own tribal name.

[Rhinosaur]

Bah, too PC.

[DarkKnight]

Its an affirmative action get-into-college-free card.

[Rhinosaur]

Its an affirmative action get-into-college-free card.

Depends how much "Native American" blood you have in you I guess. A lot of people have a little, and way more than that claim some, and most of them don't go to college, so I guess I have to call BS on that statement.

[DarkKnight]

Depends how much "Native American" blood you have in you I guess. A lot of people have a little, and way more than that claim some, and most of them don't go to college, so I guess I have to call BS on that statement.

I have one question to ask you. Are you from America? In America we have affirmative action programs for our college acceptance. If you are a racial minority (other than asian) then you are given extra weight to your college application. See cases such as Grutter vs Bolinger. It is unconstitutional for the colleges to have a quota where they say were going to admit X number of blacks, X number of hispanics, etc. But they can consider a race for the compelling interest of diversity in admissions.

Basically if you are black, hispanic, or native american then you are more likely to be admitted over a white or asian of equal qualification. Native americans are the most underrepresented racial minority in American colleges so affirmative action works the most in their favor.

It is not the true native americans who are living on the reservation who are benefiting from it. It is the middle to upper class people who are maybe 25% native american putting it down on their application to get the boost from affirmative action-- the topic of the thread.

[JP226]

I don't get any cash for being a cherokee. The only benefit really is being a minority and able to check the box outside of white or the other/ i'm white and don't want to admit it box

[Beowulf47]

No trust me as a native, I can tell you plenty of rez kids don't get into good schools. I personally am against giving natives money just for being native, but investing in tangible improvements in education and drug/alcohol prevention is fully justified, particularly if the money is coming from the government

[Kiki52]

I also think it would be helpful to improve the infrastructure of the buildings at Native American reservations so they can start their own businesses easier or something. Also that, but the Native Americans can use better hospitals too, so I'd still be good I guess to help them get some jobs like being a doctor and the like so they can help their folks back home.

But I still think Native American pre-Modern technological culture should still be looked at though, it could solve a lot of enviornmental problems if we were to adopt it to some degree.

Another good way is to expose Native American culture and people in the media more, though depictions (should be positive) in movies, video games, TV, magazines the like. Not portraying them as savages or anything evil, but as positive instead. The more people know, the less likely they are to look down upon them.

Being PC towards Native Americans isn't a bad thing you know. The magazine called Cowboys and Indians is a cowboy western type magazine and I think it does a good job at giving a fair share of respect to American Indians. That could be helpful influence to people who like cowboy western stuff. It isn't a magazine dedicated solely to American Indian things but it still seems good compared to what happened long ago in how they were depicted. I feel even in some media now, they still aren't shown the same type of respect.
The same with how Jews were portrayed as evil baby-eating murderers back in Europe in the 1500s, the African Americans depicted as white woman miscegnationers back around 1800s and before, even Asians like Chinese and Japanese were depicted as funny carcitures who were wierd, slit eyed, and backwards people not too long ago.

[Beowulf47]

@Kiki52

Damned straight. BTW who says you can't be cowboy AND indian?