The United States government has often been criticized for acting irrationally in the heat of the moment. This has frequently caused the government to attempt to back track on many of the laws and regulations that they have passed in order to right a situation that the government later determines to be not in the best interest of the nation. However, the individuals who were granted the rights during the initial compromise feel violated when the government chooses to attempt to revoke these rights. This is true in the case of the American Indians.
The rights of these American citizens to maintain their culture on the protected reservations as opposed to fully integrating into American society. Based on the literature and the rights that were granted, it is critical for the function of the legislative process in the United States that the rights of the American Indians remain protected under the original laws.
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"American Indians: Maintaining the Rights of a Culture".
It has already shaken the faith that the American public has in the United States government that these laws are being questioned in the best interest of the nation since the original laws were stated to do the same. However, as history shows, the laws that granted the reservations to the Native Americans were in fact an effort to bring about the “confinement of American Indians to reservation was deemed the most efficient way to separate Indians and whites while allowing whites access to the greatest amount of land” (Tischauser). This shows that the government often alters or implements laws as a direct insult to a particular race.
Once the Native Americans were comfortable with maintaining their culture on the dictated land that the government had granted to them, the government then wanted to take more control over the reservations. In a long battle between the states and the reservations, the question of separating the two was deflected by “Indians, who believed that too much discretionary power over reservation Indians was being given to the states and that the answer to the problems of American Indians lay not in termination of federal services but in better legislation” (Spector). However, the concept continued whereas “the U.S. government sought to assimilate Native Americans into mainstream American culture” (Alkema). However, the American Indian continued to state that they wanted to maintain their culture on their land.
Granted, it is important to note that the American Indian wanted things both ways. They wanted to govern themselves but still be involved in the government processes of the United States. The American Indians began to have “organized protests occurred across the United States” (Webb). Yet many people have questioned whether or not the government should continue to allow the American Indians to operate independently while still having the right to speak in national politics. In fact, “the question of their citizenship has been complicated” (Barrett). This has led to where “the United States government actively encouraged American Indians to leave reservations and to settle in cities” (Lowe).
However, it is important to question that, if the government can pressure a group of individuals to move because they do not want to conform to other members of society, where will this line be drawn. Is this to suggest that members of different religions or ethnic backgrounds should not be allowed to speak in politics unless they conform, and if so, is this still the United States of America? The American Indians were granted rights by the United States government. The American Indians are staying within those rights in order to maintain their culture. This is no different than other individuals of varying backgrounds choosing their personal ways of life. However, because of the history between the American government and the American Indians, this has been viewed as a refusal to become American. In truth, this should be viewed as the American government’s refusal to follow its own laws.
- Alkema, Patricia. “Indian Reorganization Act.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
- Barrett, Carole A. “Indian Citizenship Act Is Passed.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
- Lowe, William C. “U.S. Government Encourages American Indians To Settle In Cities.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
- Spector, Robert M. “American Indian Civil Rights.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2014): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
- Tischauser, Leslie V. “Reservation System Of The United States.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2014): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
- Webb, Martha Ellen. “Congress Ratifies The National Council On Indian Opportunity.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2015): Research Starters. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.
