Clinton Says No to Indian Country

Mud_Woman · 07-24-2007, 12:38 PM

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Clinton Says No to Indian Country

Candidate Refuses to Meet with the First Americans

May 30, 2007

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Below is a copy of the press release we sent out today in response to Senator Clinton's refusal to meet with tribal members from across America at Prez on the Rez:

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton today became the first and only candidate to refuse an invitation to speak at a first-ever candidate forum in Indian Country. The forum, called Prez on the Rez by its organizers, the INDN's List Education Fund (ILEF), will be August 23, on the reservation of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, Calif. Senator Clinton was invited to Prez on the Rez more than six months ago.

Kalyn Free, president of the Tulsa-based ILEF, said, "Hillary Clinton's willingness to ignore Indian voters on the campaign trail has made it clear that she lacks the courage to change lives in Indian Country."

"I'm both disappointed and astonished that Senator Clinton has turned her back on American Indians. By refusing to participate in this historic event, she lost an opportunity to inspire an entire generation of American Indians to engage in the democratic process. Sadly, that reflects the hollowness of her rhetoric and the narrowness of her vision," said Free. "Just as tribes are gaining recognition for building political power in key states throughout the country, Senator Clinton is ignoring the needs - large and small - of Indian People. We demand a president who truly cares about who we are, who has the courage to change the shameful state of life in Indian Country and throughout America, and who has the vision to build a society all Americans can be proud of. I'm disheartened to say that Senator Clinton has proven she is not that leader."

Free said Senator Clinton made "starting a conversation" about strengthening the middle class, making healthcare more affordable, and bolstering the lives of children and families, the centerpieces of her campaign. On each of these counts, reflected in a staggering array of statistics, Indian Country falls far behind the rest of the nation, yet her proposals - detailed over the past two weeks - reflect the priorities of her campaign: they ignore Indian Country entirely.

On Memorial Day, Senator Clinton declared expanded healthcare coverage "a moral imperative," and proposed a solution involving investments in modernizing medicine and eliminating waste in the industry. While these improvements may cut costs for the majority of Americans who already have access to adequate healthcare, it will do nothing for the 30 percent of Indians who lack health coverage and the millions more whose reservations lie far from the modern medical facilities Senator Clinton hopes to improve. The waiting list for new "priority" healthcare facilities in Indian Country is nearly 60 years. Tribal citizens need champions that are not afraid to increase funding for tribal health programs. The need for this health funding is staggering: life expectancy of Native Americans is nearly six years less than any other race or ethnic group in America and 13% of Native deaths occur in citizens under 25, a rate three times higher than the average U.S. population.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported in 2003 that "American Indian youths are twice as likely to commit suicide. Native Americans are 630 percent more likely to die from alcoholism, 650 percent more likely to die from tuberculosis, 318 percent more likely to die from diabetes, and 204 percent more likely to suffer accidental death compared with other groups. "In a plan Senator Clinton outlined the following day, the Democrat proposed strengthening the middle class by protecting workers, reining in federal spending, punishing corporations that move jobs overseas, and supporting higher education. Yet outsourced jobs can hardly account for the 46% unemployment rate in Indian Country, where one in four live in poverty.

Clinton's indifference to Indian Country extends to the women and families that comprise its future. Free argues that Clinton should take a look at the lifelong disparities that face American Indians as they age, both on and off the reservation. A recent publication issued by Amnesty International reported one in three American Indian women will be raped at some point in their lives, a rate that is more than double that for non-Indian women. "The crisis of children and families in Indian Country continues to limit the opportunities for American Indians to build a better future, while Senator Clinton's willingness to ignore the state of Indians ensures the continuation of a terrible status quo," Free said.

Contact Information

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email: kalyn@indnslist.org

phone: 918.583.6100

web: Prez on the Rez

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anishtradish · 08-01-2007, 10:41 PM

thats sad...I was actualy leaning towards voting for her.

I remember that time she was given an eagle feather by some native supporters of hers on tv, and then the feds came and confiscated it lol.

outershell · 08-03-2007, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anishtradish

thats sad...I was actualy leaning towards voting for her.

me too.
I left a nasty message on her myspace profile about this.
That should straighten her out.....

but out of curiosity does anyone know the voting rates for native americans? If she's ignoring the tribes because she doesn't think thier vote makes a difference..... i have to wonder how much they do.

whitewave · 08-03-2007, 02:26 PM

She hasn't addressed this issue since at all?
I'm disappointed too...I was leaning toward her too....
Outershell thas probably what its about. Its always all about votes. Sux.
Ah well, now its official for me....OBAMA for Prez

**middle of the sky** · 08-03-2007, 02:34 PM

i wouldnt vote for her if i was american.. cuz she cant divorce her cheating husband...if she doesnt have the balls for that..she cant lead the world...lol....her husband was ok...he tried to pardon peltier eh..and then the fbi all threatened to strike or quit or something...theres something about her i dont like/trust...id go with obama

whitewave · 08-03-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by middle of the sky

i wouldnt vote for her if i was american.. cuz she cant divorce her cheating husband...if she doesnt have the balls for that..she cant lead the world...lol....her husband was ok...he tried to pardon peltier eh..and then the fbi all threatened to strike or quit or something...theres something about her i dont like/trust...id go with obama

Yea there's somethin about that look in her eyes....like if you look away she may cut u or somethin lol. Anybody else get that feeling? Maybe just me. As far as the cheating husband...PLEASE....she just wanted to stay in the whitehouse. Her hubby was aight with me, I dont trust any of em, but thats the way politics go I guess.

**middle of the sky** · 08-03-2007, 02:42 PM

im thinking maybe i have a double standard...he also lied and cheated...so i dont know...theyre should be an indian president...russel means lol..jk....

whitewave · 08-03-2007, 02:45 PM

Honestly I'm afraid that Obama might get killed if he gets elected. I HOPE not....but I wouldn't be tooo surprised.

wa-zha-zhe · 08-03-2007, 03:16 PM

I'm glad that we know how she feels toward our people.
She must be a very narrow minded person afterall.
If she gets elected we are doomed.

whitewave · 08-03-2007, 03:28 PM

Ah ya cant trust any of em.....I feel at this point anything HAS to be better than what we got (twice).
I swear..... I've had nightmares that Jed got elected!!!
No for real I have.

**Eagle Plumes** · 08-03-2007, 03:57 PM

I never cared for Billery. I am not voting for anybody that name rhymes with Osama so I really dont know at this point.

**middle of the sky** · 08-03-2007, 05:52 PM

jed clampitt? aye

Mud_Woman · 08-07-2007, 02:56 PM

Its great to hear all your opinions.
I dont know who im voting for.
Ive looked at all the canidests home pages, and not one of them have anything to say about Native Americans.
I for one am not voting for Hillary C. after she kicked dirt in my eyes.

07-24-2007, 12:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Mud_Woman shhh . . im thinking Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: beating the crap out of the other stick figure Posts: 3,772	Clinton Says No to Indian Country ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Clinton Says No to Indian Country Candidate Refuses to Meet with the First Americans May 30, 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below is a copy of the press release we sent out today in response to Senator Clinton's refusal to meet with tribal members from across America at Prez on the Rez: Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton today became the first and only candidate to refuse an invitation to speak at a first-ever candidate forum in Indian Country. The forum, called Prez on the Rez by its organizers, the INDN's List Education Fund (ILEF), will be August 23, on the reservation of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in Cabazon, Calif. Senator Clinton was invited to Prez on the Rez more than six months ago. Kalyn Free, president of the Tulsa-based ILEF, said, "Hillary Clinton's willingness to ignore Indian voters on the campaign trail has made it clear that she lacks the courage to change lives in Indian Country." "I'm both disappointed and astonished that Senator Clinton has turned her back on American Indians. By refusing to participate in this historic event, she lost an opportunity to inspire an entire generation of American Indians to engage in the democratic process. Sadly, that reflects the hollowness of her rhetoric and the narrowness of her vision," said Free. "Just as tribes are gaining recognition for building political power in key states throughout the country, Senator Clinton is ignoring the needs - large and small - of Indian People. We demand a president who truly cares about who we are, who has the courage to change the shameful state of life in Indian Country and throughout America, and who has the vision to build a society all Americans can be proud of. I'm disheartened to say that Senator Clinton has proven she is not that leader." Free said Senator Clinton made "starting a conversation" about strengthening the middle class, making healthcare more affordable, and bolstering the lives of children and families, the centerpieces of her campaign. On each of these counts, reflected in a staggering array of statistics, Indian Country falls far behind the rest of the nation, yet her proposals - detailed over the past two weeks - reflect the priorities of her campaign: they ignore Indian Country entirely. On Memorial Day, Senator Clinton declared expanded healthcare coverage "a moral imperative," and proposed a solution involving investments in modernizing medicine and eliminating waste in the industry. While these improvements may cut costs for the majority of Americans who already have access to adequate healthcare, it will do nothing for the 30 percent of Indians who lack health coverage and the millions more whose reservations lie far from the modern medical facilities Senator Clinton hopes to improve. The waiting list for new "priority" healthcare facilities in Indian Country is nearly 60 years. Tribal citizens need champions that are not afraid to increase funding for tribal health programs. The need for this health funding is staggering: life expectancy of Native Americans is nearly six years less than any other race or ethnic group in America and 13% of Native deaths occur in citizens under 25, a rate three times higher than the average U.S. population. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported in 2003 that "American Indian youths are twice as likely to commit suicide. Native Americans are 630 percent more likely to die from alcoholism, 650 percent more likely to die from tuberculosis, 318 percent more likely to die from diabetes, and 204 percent more likely to suffer accidental death compared with other groups. "In a plan Senator Clinton outlined the following day, the Democrat proposed strengthening the middle class by protecting workers, reining in federal spending, punishing corporations that move jobs overseas, and supporting higher education. Yet outsourced jobs can hardly account for the 46% unemployment rate in Indian Country, where one in four live in poverty. Clinton's indifference to Indian Country extends to the women and families that comprise its future. Free argues that Clinton should take a look at the lifelong disparities that face American Indians as they age, both on and off the reservation. A recent publication issued by Amnesty International reported one in three American Indian women will be raped at some point in their lives, a rate that is more than double that for non-Indian women. "The crisis of children and families in Indian Country continues to limit the opportunities for American Indians to build a better future, while Senator Clinton's willingness to ignore the state of Indians ensures the continuation of a terrible status quo," Free said. Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ email: kalyn@indnslist.org phone: 918.583.6100 web: Prez on the Rez ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

08-03-2007, 02:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
whitewave Student, always learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Californication Posts: 1,337	She hasn't addressed this issue since at all? I'm disappointed too...I was leaning toward her too.... Outershell thas probably what its about. Its always all about votes. Sux. Ah well, now its official for me....OBAMA for Prez __________________ "To ignore injustice is to allow it" Peace, Love, and many blessings, White Wave

08-03-2007, 02:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
whitewave Student, always learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Californication Posts: 1,337	Honestly I'm afraid that Obama might get killed if he gets elected. I HOPE not....but I wouldn't be tooo surprised. __________________ "To ignore injustice is to allow it" Peace, Love, and many blessings, White Wave

08-03-2007, 03:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
wa-zha-zhe Senior Dancer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: pawhuska, ok Posts: 642	I'm glad that we know how she feels toward our people. She must be a very narrow minded person afterall. If she gets elected we are doomed. __________________ wa-zha-zhe Last edited by wa-zha-zhe; 08-03-2007 at 03:19 PM.

08-03-2007, 03:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
whitewave Student, always learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Californication Posts: 1,337	Ah ya cant trust any of em.....I feel at this point anything HAS to be better than what we got (twice). I swear..... I've had nightmares that Jed got elected!!! No for real I have. __________________ "To ignore injustice is to allow it" Peace, Love, and many blessings, White Wave

08-01-2007, 10:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
anishtradish AnishTradish Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cass Lake mn Posts: 84	thats sad...I was actualy leaning towards voting for her. I remember that time she was given an eagle feather by some native supporters of hers on tv, and then the feds came and confiscated it lol.

08-03-2007, 02:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
middle of the sky M...O...T...to the S! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: westcoast Posts: 18,935 Blog Entries: 9	i wouldnt vote for her if i was american.. cuz she cant divorce her cheating husband...if she doesnt have the balls for that..she cant lead the world...lol....her husband was ok...he tried to pardon peltier eh..and then the fbi all threatened to strike or quit or something...theres something about her i dont like/trust...id go with obama

08-03-2007, 02:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
middle of the sky M...O...T...to the S! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: westcoast Posts: 18,935 Blog Entries: 9	im thinking maybe i have a double standard...he also lied and cheated...so i dont know...theyre should be an indian president...russel means lol..jk....

08-03-2007, 03:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
Eagle Plumes Just Bead it! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MId-West Posts: 11,492	I never cared for Billery. I am not voting for anybody that name rhymes with Osama so I really dont know at this point. __________________ I got a fevah! And the only cure is more cowbell!!!

08-03-2007, 05:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
middle of the sky M...O...T...to the S! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: westcoast Posts: 18,935 Blog Entries: 9	jed clampitt? aye

08-07-2007, 02:56 PM	#13 (permalink)
Mud_Woman shhh . . im thinking Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: beating the crap out of the other stick figure Posts: 3,772	Its great to hear all your opinions. I dont know who im voting for. Ive looked at all the canidests home pages, and not one of them have anything to say about Native Americans. I for one am not voting for Hillary C. after she kicked dirt in my eyes.

08-07-2007, 03:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
whitewave Student, always learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Californication Posts: 1,337