Deaths prompt outcry: BIA law enforcement is failing, Blackfeet leaders say

[Wetzelbill]

There has been a recent spate of murders on my reservation. Here is an article about it. -WB

Deaths prompt outcry: BIA law enforcement is failing, Blackfeet leaders say
By ERIC NEWHOUSE
Tribune Projects Editor

BROWNING — Four years after the Bureau of Indian Affairs swept in and seized control of law enforcement on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the situation has not improved, according to tribal officials.

In fact, Blackfeet leaders and frustrated tribal members say the BIA takeover has been a dismal failure.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070415/NEWS01/704150304

[knowbody0]

1. same up here

and the meth labs are thriving. Sigh.

[Dinger]

2. Very Sad

Wish there was something I could do. As a teacher in a school district with approximately 50% Native American students, I try my best to give these, and all students, my best. I hope that helps in some small way.

P.S. Who is the picture of on your avatar?

[knowbody0]

7. Crazy Horse

Thanks for all you do for the kids.

[Wetzelbill]

3. oh yeah, meth labs are terrible

in my home county, which is half reservation and half not, the meth problems in both communities are horrible. Sad stuff.

[knowbody0]

6. last time I was over there

I checked in with some of my ex foster kids, now teens. Zombies with babies. I wept all the way home.

[scarletwoman]

4. One might wonder whether the BIA has your best interests at heart, eh?

I'm out of the loop on Native politics these days, but I got a pretty good education over the years by virtue of friendships with people from several tribes at different times in my life.

As a non-Indian, I hope it is not presumptuous of me to wish for FULL sovereignty for every Native Nation -- I am also aware of just how complex an issue that is.

sw

[BeHereNow]

5. I am so sorry.

But glad that you are getting it out to the world.
I wanted to visit Browning this summer; I have an internet
friend (in Alberta) that I wanted to meet there during
the festival days, but it sounds pretty grim.
I don't know if I can take any more sadness this year.
the last comment on the article about the young girl
who died in the automobile accident brought tears to
my eyes.
What has this country become?
What has this government done to the people
living on the reservation there, not to mention
Pine Ridge and all the others.
BHN

[brentspeak]

8. The article says that there's about 10,100 residents

and that last week alone the police received over 1,100 calls for help. That's what you call "lawlessness". Forget the B.I.A.; that community needs the National Guard.

[Wetzelbill]

9. maybe even less residents

That may be a little high.

Oh yeah, it's like an inner-city ghetto out in the middle of nowwhere. A small violent place.

[BillE]

10. I grew up in Browning

It's sad to hear things are getting worse. I left around 1973, but was really good friends with Arthur Westwolf, whose brother froze to death. When I was there the biggest problem was alcoholism and pot smoking. I've heard that meth is a big problem in Montana itself and probably more so in poor areas including Browning.

[WHAT]

11. I can't help but think...

that the reservations must be viewed as exploitable.

that there must be spread sheets somewhere (like the cia does for third world countries) showing all the demographic data like land mass, population, natural resources, strategic placement, geographical advantages and limitations. In other words, OPPORTUNITY.

If perception and premise are tools afforded by culture, nobody doing the manipulating today would fail to kick that can.

The same type of perspective is evident in the way consumers are viewed as a cash crop and crop rotation is in practice by off-shoring. However, this type of perspective seems too narrow and focused, too colonial, because information is fracturing the monolithic and there are going to be better, more facile ways of organizing because of this.

just some ruminations...