Opinion

Ivan Starr: Racism rears its head in reservation border towns

Friday, March 15, 2013

The following opinion by Ivan Starr appears in the latest issue of the Native Sun News. All content © Native Sun News.

Racism is not dead in South Dakota

As a life-long resident of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and like every tribal member, I have to interact with the people of surrounding communities. We frequent and contribute to the economy of the second largest city in South Dakota and sometimes spend my money in Hot Springs (SD) and Chadron, across the border into Nebraska. This is the norm for members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

Even as one of the poorest counties in the United States, tribal members, both tribal and federal employees and welfare recipients contribute significantly to the economies of “border towns” and thus to the state treasury. The majority of Lakota people survive on some sort of state welfare payment while a smaller percentage hold jobs in the areas of government, education, and law enforcement.

At first glance, one would think that these business owners would acknowledge and appreciate this as it is income for their businesses. I grew up hearing the adage, “money is money.” In other words, it doesn’t matter if it is welfare money, “hard-earned cash, or who has it. Realistically, it has been the exact opposite for Lakota people.

Lakota people have been subjected to some situations that reek of bigotry. For example, some store employees actually follow “Indians” around the store to prevent them from stealing. Other times, they are ignored as customers or are maltreated. I was served food that was on the verge of putrefaction. Was there a store policy to hold spoiling meat to retrieve money with a “dumb Indian”?

Many years ago, my wife actually chased a woman and her daughter out of a restaurant bathroom because the women made some venomous racial remarks. Yes, it is painful to be at the receiving end of such an experience and it cannot be ignored. Our choices are few, either rearrange some faces and serve a life sentence in a high-security prison or take the time to understand such inane behavior.

It has been proven that throughout mankind’s history, groups of people have despised other groups of people for who they were, what they looked like, where they came from, or even for what they believed. I simply thought that this nation would have evolved to a higher level of sensitivity by now. I believe these people are living in the past.

Anyway, at the risk of being trite, I quote from some legal documents. The Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” The Constitution of the United States proclaims, “We the people” seek a more “perfect union.” And the Bill of Rights spells out the basic freedoms guaranteed to all Americans.

However, the numerous incidents of bigotry that continues to occur in South Dakota and adjacent areas indicate that there are individuals who actually reject these universal principles. On the other hand, I understand that the 1776 declaration of equality was made at a time when “Indians” and “coloreds” and even white women were not considered equals.

We must keep in mind the fact that the wondrous constitution turned a blind eye on slavery. None of these principles prevented the United States from seizing the ancient homelands of native people. It is obvious that the coined phrase, “We the People,” did not and does not, and more than likely, will never include all races of man. This is reality.

This narrow view of American-ness clearly reveals a common truth about the way some people here in Rapid City and other parts of the state view themselves and others. Usually, these people identify themselves with the group (s) they come from, like family, school, area of town, team, party, country, religion, race, and language.

Regardless of its complexity, it is nothing more than “us” against “them” or “ours” and “theirs.” This is essentially bigotry and it is commonly transmitted from one generation to the next until it is solidly embedded in a society. Essentially, one generation taught the next who the enemy is.

Each time I find a Wasicu child brazenly staring at me, I think about what sort of atrocious “Indian” images are swimming around in his/her little head. I am aware of common metaphors like “savage,” “drunk,” “worthless,” “dumb,” and “lazy,” to name a few. I can only imagine what other poisonous names parents have programed their children with. I am certain the child’s “Indian” is less than human.

Anyway, let’s look at the very complex and multifaceted Nazism. It developed in Germany and followed the ideology of the Nazi party. The main gist of it follows the idea of domination of society by people deemed racially superior, while removing other people deemed to be inferior, often under the construct that they are a threat to national survival.

Nazism claimed that an Aryan master race was superior to all other races. To maintain it, Nazis sought to exterminate inferiors, like the Jews, the Romani, and the physically and mentally disabled. These groups were deemed “degenerate” and unable to interact adequately with the “superior race” and given exclusionary treatment.

Nazism supported territorial expansionism under a “law of nature” banner to gain living space for all healthy and vigorous superior races which had grown in population. As we all know, the Nazis displaced what they considered inferior people in the most heinous ways imaginable. This definition certainly parallels what happened to the native people of America.

Far Right Politics is a measure that involves support of strong or complete social hierarchy in society, and supports supremacy of certain individuals or groups deemed to be naturally superior and who are to be more valued than those deemed to be genetically inferior. This is what we have in South Dakota.

Anyway, bigotry, although well-cloaked by the powers that be, is alive and well here in South Dakota and I believe good people, both Lakota and non-Lakota, need to become aware of it. Awareness is the first step to understanding something and such knowledge can form a good and intelligent path for people to follow.

We have been persistently beleaguered for 123 years. Why have we not dealt with it? Are we waiting for a miracle to occur? Are we waiting for that proverbial “Great White Father” to come and save us? I believe America does not have an interest in native people, only their land and other resources.

The Nazis were only interested in removing Jews from the face of the earth. How different is that from what Native America has endured? I recall 30 year-old discussions, both on and off the reservation, regarding the dual justice system here in South Dakota. At first, I honestly did not believe such a thing could exist… not in America.

I am now convinced that bigotry is not a thing of the past; it is here in present-day South Dakota and adjacent areas of the Pine Ridge. However, I caution anyone wanting to do something about this dilemma to think it through first. I urge you to consider the number of “Indian” people now serving prison time for just being who they are.

Again, I must quote Dr. Martin Luther King’s “This nation in in trouble not because of the bad acts of evil people, but because of the silence of good people.” The best anyone can do is to acquire some awareness. Comprehending the nature and significance of our situation can lead to calculated and efficient action.

And let’s keep in mind the fact that not every non-Lakota is bigoted. I believe the good outnumber the bad, they are simply silent.

Ivan F. Starr can be reached at mato_nasula2@yahoo.com