But during the discussion abortion came up and someone suggested that it was a big business. I have heard this elsewhere, but really don't know if it is truly profitable. Is there big money in abortions? I really want to know.
Searching the web, btw, it is very difficult to find a good answer. Each side has its claims. But during my search, I came across a gem with our friend Glenn Beck. For those of you who think he is benign, read this where he attacks South Dakota Indians for their support (last year) for abortion rights. And ignore the abortion controversy. Just check out how racist this man is about Indians.
BECK: Whatever happened to the Indians? You know, they were celebrating Mother Earth and Father Sky or whatever it is, and that was beautiful and special. Now, it's about gaming, alcohol, fireworks, and abortions. I mean, what happened to the proud Indian?
[...]
What fork in the road did Native Americans take? When did they decide, "Ah, crap, it's just not worth it any more. Why don't we turn our precious land into a place where we can build some slot machines?"
[...]
I mean, you know, I'm bringing this up not because I have, you know, huge opposition to keno -- casinos and Indian trinket shops; don't get me wrong here. I bring it up because, you know, the Indians are using the whole "You took our land [sobbing]." I think they're taking that a little too far, don't you? I mean, South Dakota about to pass the no-abortion thing, so the women in the tribe -- in fact, let me get this straight, the -- it's Fire Thunder, that's her -- I don't know whether that's her last name or her middle and last name. It's Cecilia Fire Thunder. So -- anyway, she says she wants to open up the abortion clinics on the Indians' land, and I mean -- how good do you feel about giving away the sovereignty now? I mean, when I say we gave them sovereignty, I mean it's, you know, more in a way like, you know, we took their sovereignty and then loaned them a little bit of it back, but you know what I mean. I hope that contract isn't iron-clad -- when are we gonna get out of that contract with the Indians?
Amazing.
4 comments:
A) Since sovereignty predates the arrival of Columbus, I don't see how the United States "gave sovereignty" to Indian Nations.
B) I really don't understand why conservatives complain about Indian gaming. If, in some communities, there was no gaming, then unemployment and poverty rates would be higher. Then, Beck could make the dubious claim that Indians are on reservations waiting for their welfare checks. So, in terms of economic development, it seems as if Indians are damned no matter choice they make.
C) Sure - I will stop sobbing about land being taken away as soon as Paha Sapa is returned to the Lakota (which, after all, was taken when the United States passed a law threatening to withhold treaty-guaranteed rations and annuities until the Lakota agreed) and the United States and California does something about the million dollars they spent funding state militias to hunt down the Indigenous people of the state (contrary to what Arnold claimed a few years ago, I think that California Indians have indeed paid their fair share).
More later.
What an f'ing bigot.
-- CIL
Beck is a racist ass who tries to appeal to common ignorance, which he of course frames as common sense. This are the people I deal with everyday, except they're teaching our kids.
In some cases its a sincere ignorance, an opportunity to learn issue. With Beck, he's not sure if its "her middle name and last name" because his too damn condescending to care. He and those like him revels in their ignorance.
Pornography comes in many forms, "what happened to the proud Indian?" is one of them. Rather than address the issue of abortion, he seems to have used it as a segway to Indian bashing.
Gaming seems to come up all of the time. The last study I read (no reference, sorry) showed pretty clearly that reservations close to major urban areas were doing the best with the gaming. Rural ones, of which there are many, aren't doing as well. Add in the usual outside gaming "consultants" and it can be a real mess.
I can't believe this Beck guy has ever visited a rural rez. Anyway, this kind of crap is racist spewing that immediately reveals a thorough ignorance of anything he's talking about. For one thing, he's painting all Native Americans with the same brush- no appreciation of diversity there.
Lastly, Beck and people like him just don't get that the condition of many Native Americans, particularly in the reservation system, is the result of careful, intentional planning. Alot of the plan worked out as intended- poor land, total dependence on outside sources for livelihood, separation from key spiritual/cultural sites, limitations on allowable productivity, etc.... The only part of the plan the Indians didn't follow through on was dying out. Frankly, it's pretty amazing we still have them around given the conditions they had to make it through. I'd go on but I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.
I've got to stop checking your blog before I hit the sack.
Later-BB
Glenn Beck is proof-positive of the current totalitarianism that has America in a death-grip. He's about as smart as a dirt-clod, and as funny as a drunken Shriner. The only way this little man can possibly be on mainstream news-oriented television is because he's mouthing the bigotries of the bastards who run this country and its corporations.
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