If you could ask President Obama to do something for Native Americans, what would it be?

[OmahaBlueDog]

..and why?

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Guaranteed health coverage and Financial aid for Education

Because we owe All Americans that .

[southernyankeebelle]

3. Yep I think that is a good idea. Help them to help themselves. They are a strong

people. They don't want charity but a helping hand.

[raging moderate]

2. Help in getting through this winter!

Please! I was a poor kid! It was so HARD when we had to be cold and hungry in the winter! I am sure they are clever and hardworking enough to get themselves a living during the warmer times, but it sounds to me as if life just gets SO hard during the winter! Especially up in the northern plains!

[jody]

4. Return all the land illegal aliens from Europe stole from us. nt

[pscot]

5. Cheap loans for tribal casinos.

[catbyte]

6. speed up the federal recognition process for tribes to take advantage of programs

only federally recognized tribes can access. Tell the Redskins to change their name because it's our ni**er and a fucking insult. Actually, he has kept his promises from 2008 and he has our overwhelming support. He's done much more than past presidents.

[lbrtbell]

7. And while they're at it....

Notre Dame needs to change that "Fighting Irish" too. It's a negative stereotype. I mean, why stop there? Why not call some college teams the "Stupid Polish" or the "Drunken Germans"? (DISCLAIMER: I don't buy into any of these stereotypes, I'm just listing some of the common ones as examples.)

Even Washington Indians would be more acceptable...they could keep the logo while ditching that disgusting, hateful word.

[mlr]

16. Really?

I am a member of the Klamath tribe here in Oregon, and have never seen the negative in terms like Squaw, Redskin, etc. When these terms were coined many many years ago, they were in common use, and not meant in a negative way. The specific term "Redskin" was in reference to the reddish tint that many of the Cherokee tribe members had. It's like us calling white people "white skins". I have been called many things in my life, and I just laugh and throw it right back at them. No harm done. I am ferociously proud of my American Native heritage and am related to royalty and don't care what people call me, cause I know im alright. Some minorities in America seem to suffer from low self esteem and seem to find negative in all terms used to describe them.
As for what I would like to see Obama do for us is to just leave us alone and let us prosper without any government help. Dependence is a death sentence. There are lots of good ideas for us to implement on our reservations to bring us up to excellence and surpass what the whites have. We need to recreate our villages in modern ways to make them self sustainable and not live from the white cities around the reservation. The Navajos are a very successful tribe, and I support the casino idea. Alcohol is our greatest enemy. Not trying to be disagreeable with you catbyte but there are lots of ways to see things.
P.S. What is the Native American name for the continent of America. I get tired of saying America when I know America is a 14th century mapmakers name for this continent. Does anybody know? I'm Curious.

[uppityperson]

17. "What is the Native American name for the continent of America"? Which tribe or language?

There are many different tribes and languages and they each have different words. I don't think there is "a" name that is universal.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Protect their water from pollution.

Free education including college for their children.

[RegieRocker]

9. Start by

Building self sustaining cities that operate with 100% renewable energy. Cities with a fully accredited colleges and top notch hospitals. Surrounded by farming and livestock lands. Start with one then another and then another. Give them what they need, a close connection to nature without harming it. This will heal.

[Broken_Hero]

10. The two things that jump to mind

are

1. Health care, stream line it in a way in which any hospital, clinic will accept American Indians, basically making all health care providers defacto IHS clinics/hospitals.

2. Education/Higher Education, like with Hospitals, let any Indian, go to any College/Private school/whatever instead of funneling Indian kids to Indian colleges/boarding schools.

Those two issues are the most important to me, with IHS I hate the fact that IHS in a way traps people into staying in certain area's, because in some cases if you move out of your area the tribe doesn't consider you "indian". With higher education they have a handful of Indian only colleges but I think giving the chance/opportunity to go to any college/votech will offer more hope/chances for our people to be successful.

[JoeyT]

11. +1

Win.

[tama]

12. Mr President

be well and cause no problems.

[jwirr]

13. My wish is personal because I have a grandson in drug treatment right now - hooked on methadone.

I would want enough and top notch treatment available for everyone who needs it.

[RebelOne]

14. Give back all the land we stole from them. n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

15. Dear President Obama:

Congratulations on your victory.

If you are in western South Dakota (maybe you needed to land at Elsworth AFB), please visit Pine Ridge.

1) Visit the tribal leaders. Hear their stories and their requests.
2) Visit Wounded Knee
3) Go speak to the kids at the Red Cloud Indian School
4) Go meet with the folks at Re Member, and learn about the good work that they do...

BUT...

BEFORE YOU DO ANY OF THAT...

Make an unannounced visit to Whiteclay. See it for yourself, because few would believe that this really exists in America. Then, after you've seen Pine Ridge, think about what can be done to solve that problem.

[Anonymousecoview]

18. Thrust First Nations Elders....

Who can share values to help restore the land and the good name of America