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Title
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Citizenship and the Indian Treaties Seminar with Dr. Ben Cashman
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Date
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1982
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extracted text
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CITIZENSHIP AND. THE INDIAN TREATIES SEMINAR
with
DR. BEN CASHMAN
Professar of Ptilitieal Science, Seattle. University
~ The Honorable Slade Gortqn
The Honorable Sid Morrison
united st~tes Congressman (4th Dist.)
1330 Longworth House Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
United States Senate
3327 Dirksen Senate Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Henrg H. Jackson
United States Senate
137 Russell Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable. Tho1MS s. Foleg
United states Congressman · (5th Dist.) ·
1201 Longworth House Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Joel M; Pritchard
Unitea ·states Congressman (1st D1st.)
2349 Ragburn House Off. Bldg.
Washington, _D.C. 20515
The Honorable Al Swift
United States Congressman (2nd Dist.)
1502 Longworth House Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Norm Dicks
united States Congressman (6th Dist.)
1122 Longworth House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Mike Lowrg
United States Congressman (7th Dist.)
1206 Longworth House Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
T~e Honorable Don Bonker
United States Congressman (3rd Dist.)
434 Cannon House Off. Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
CONTRIBUTING CO-SPONSORS TO THE DR. CASHMAN SEMINAR
Luhr Jensen Tackle Mfg.
Hood River, Oregon
Narrows Marina
·Tacoma
Pacific Trollers Assoc.
Pt. Defiance Boat House
Tacoma
Art Ullis, Inc.
Tacoma
Anongmous
Anongmous
Anongmous
Johnng's Dock Restaurant
z.
R. Westgard
Anongmous
Anongmous
Anongmous
/
Eq U·alitn~ under the
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INDIAN TREATIES:
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
IN THE BEGINNING:
Before the arrival of people from other countries 800,000 Indians occupied the
3,022,387 square miles that make up the continental United States.
~TREATIES
Over 400 treaties were made to normalize relations with Indians.
CITIZENSHIP
Although many Indians already were citizens, it was not until the Indian Citizenship
Act of 1924 that all remaining Indians became citizens and were brought under the
citizenship provision of the 14th Amendment.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION/INACTION
Since 1924 there have been· many congressional acts passed on the assumption that
treaties still exist, but Congress has not dealt directly and specifically with the
constitutional.ity and the effects of the acquired Indian citizenship on treaty rights.
WHO IS AN
"INDIAN?"
Currently there is no Federal definition of an Indian. Each tribe may write their
own guidelines for membership. For example, the Quinault Tribal Bylaws include:
~ ••• Any person shal.l be enrolled who ••• meets (certain) requirements:
(a) Blood
Membership (one quartet Quinault or Queets) (b) Affiliated Membership (one quarter
specific Indian who o.wns Quinault land · or resides near it). THE COUNCIL MAY BY
TWO-THIRD VOTE APPROVE THE ADOPTION AND ENROLLMENT AS A BLOOD OR AFFILIATED MEMBER,
AS THE COUNCIL MAY DESIGNATE·, ANY PERSON NOT MEETING THE ABOVE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS."
In practice, persons of as little as l/1024th Indian blood (11 generations removed)
~can and do receive government benefits given to tribes across the country.
SPEAKING OF MONEY
Federal money available to help American Indians last year would be enough
to run -the Oklahoma City (Pop. 378,000) government at its current level for
more than 32 years
Or, put another way, that $3.7 billion in federal dollars would be enough
to give $10,000. to every man, woman and child in Oklahoma City.
.
Yet, as much as two-thitds of that $3.7 bill.ion in Indian money is wasted,
stolen or charged to bureaucratic overhead. Oklahoma City's current operating
budget is $114 million, about one-twenty-seventh of the funds available from
Indian programs and trusts.
The $3.7 billion is a conservative estimate because some available figures
are outdated. Specialists in Indian affairs concede privately that total
expenditures for Indians could be double, or even triple that amount.
Using the BIA's most recent population estimates, if the direct government
expenditures spent for Indians living on or. near reservations were divided
evenly, every Indian would receive $4,193. a year.
Reprinted from The Daily Oklahoman, June 8-15, 1980
WHOSE GUILT?
People newly aware that a conflict now exists either immediately feel protective of
the "deprived Indians" or wonder how Indians can be citizens and still have treaties
with their own country. This is the picture of a caring and confused population.
Why?l When one begins to sort through the YEARS of COMPLEXITIES one answer consistently
emerges: There exists a NATIONAL GUILT. "Don't do anything more to hurt the already
abused Indian ..whose land was stolen from him." Is it with misguided ignorance that
this wardship is continued, or is it by intent to perpetuate a dependency on government programs and, thus, government and agency jobs of all levels? Likely, it is
both. Misguided ignorance by the average citizen and intent by those who reap rewards
at the expense of the average Indian. It is time the American people realized they
are not trulu the auiltu oartu. America was founded more humanel~ than most countries
in all of history. Citizenship in this country is still something people are even
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Or, put another way, that $3.7 bill on n
ars would be enough
to give $10,000. to every man, woman and child in Oklahoma City •
Yet, as much as two-thirds of that $3.7 billion in Indian money is wasted,
stolen or charged to bureaucratic overhead. Oklahoma City's current operating
budget is $114 million, about one-twenty-seventh of tlie funds available from
Indian programs and trusts.
The $3.7 billion is a conservative estimate because some available figures
are outdated. Specialists in Indian affairs concede privately that total
expenditures for Indians could be double, or even triple that amount.
Using the BIA's most recent population estimates, if the direct government
expenditures spent for Indians living on or. near reservations were divided
evenly, every Indian would receive $4,193. a year.
Reprinted from The Daily Oklahoman, June 8-15, 1980
WHOSE GUILT?
People newly aware that a conflict now exists either immediately feel protective of
the "deprived Indians" or wonder how Indians can be citizens and still have treaties
v with their own country.
This is the picture of a caring and confused population.
· Why?l When one begins · to sort through the YEARS of COMPLEXITIES one answer cons·i stently
· emerges: There exists a NATIONAL GUILT. "Don't do anything more to hurt the already
'"' abused Indian whose land was stolen from him." Is it with misguided ignorance tha·t
this wardship is continued, or is it by intent to perpetuate a depe~dency on government programs and, thus, government and agency jobs of all levels? Likely, it is
both. Misguided ignorance by the average citizen and intent by those who reap rewards
at the expense of the average Ind.t.an. It is time the American people rea.l ized they
are not trulu the auiltu oartu. America was founded more humanel~ than most countries
in all of history. Citizenship in this country is still something people are even
willing to die for. Equality under the constitution is not so bad. It's only when
inequalities (such as the Indian dilemma) are allowed to exist that there is a
problem for all concerned. Only if people become aware of the Indians' REAL plight
and continue to allow Congress to do nothing to give the Indian citizen true independence will they be guilty.
'----February, 1'982
1973-86_NAS_8D38_02_36