WaPo: Native Americans Criticize Bush's Silence

[Hand]

Native Americans across the country -- including tribal leaders, academics and rank-and-file tribe members -- voiced anger and frustration Thursday that President Bush has responded to the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history with silence.

Three days after 16-year-old Jeff Weise killed nine members of his Red Lake tribe before taking his own life, grief-stricken American Indians complained that the White House has offered little in the way of sympathy for the tribe situated in the uppermost region of Minnesota.


"From all over the world we are getting letters of condolence, the Red Cross has come, but the so-called Great White Father in Washington hasn't said or done a thing," said Clyde Bellecourt, a Chippewa Indian who is the founder and national director of the American Indian Movement here. "When people's children are murdered and others are in the hospital hanging on to life, he should be the first one to offer his condolences. . . . If this was a white community, I don't think he'd have any problem doing that."

My .02: Blue state, red skin, low income... Not included in Chimpy's "Culture of Life".
:mad:

link

[timber84]

1. Too busy with Terri n/t

[mzmolly]

3. So is DU unfortunately. There is hardly a mention of Red Lake here.

:(

[Dez]

4. Natives aren't a priority with white America

they never were, never will be.

[ananda]

2. not enough votes?

This is the real tragedy of the week, not the Terri Sciavo case.. and Bush can't be bothered...

Sue

[Withywindle]

5. It's shameful.

I don't get it. I don't get why Terrimania is more important than this tragedy. I don't get why her very unpromising not-quite-life-anymore is the center of attention and not these young lives cut short.

I can only guess it's because the Repukes aren't finding angles to exploit in this. I suppose that might even be a blessing of a sort.

Countdown had a good story tonight about a girl who survived the Columbine shootings going to Red Lake to meet with anyone who wanted to talk to someone who'd been through it. I hope that helped somebody at least a little.

[applegrove]

6. How come Bush does not speak against the supremacists? His

base - stupid!

[rodeodance]

7. Reporters were not welcomed with open arms up there in the sticks

either. In fact, for the most part, they were rebuffed.

[applegrove]

8. Oh yeah - they were blocked from driving throughout the tiny town,

knocking on doors and asking to speak to someone who knew someone who had been killed.

I think it was a good idea. I am sure those columbine families were protected too (perhaps by the city they lived in). That town was really, really small and those were all dead kids. I think any health expert would say...make sure they are not harassed, make sure that mass of reporters (international) are not running wild over the reserve of 3000.

I think Bush should comment on it and express sorrow. But thinks of all the lobby groups? Bush doesn't do things just out of decency..

[riverwalker]

9. a national disgrace

that any child in the US should have felt as utterly hopeless as Weise. Something must be done. The future looks so bleak in America for native adolescents,in the "land of opportunity", the suicide rate is double that of the rest of the country.

Red Lake shooter's bleak portrait of reservation life was accurate

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05084/477380.stm