Pine Ridge Lakota--Suffering in the U.S.

For educational purposes; all photos fall under fair use under U.S. Copyright law. We must educate our country about the suffering that exists in our own back yard--what are we, as Americans, doing to help our brothers and sisters who are starving and suffering on our own soil?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Pine Ridge Lakota
• poverty
• starvation
• United States

[ganeeneepie]

Honestly, no trash service- organize atleast! Dig a damn pit with a shovel if you have to ! Even if your poor, it doesnt make an excuse for PURE LAZINESS! Oh, by the way, I am native too and my house and yard are clean, I kicked the drinking habit years ago and have beautiful well taken care of children! Beautiful house, marriage, and a beautiful LIFE! GOD and HARD WORK! and PRIDE! It takes one person to start a chain reaction in a community. Want Better for yourself! IT starts with you!

[CerebralWriter]

@ganeeneepie You make a good point that people need to take initiative and own their issues ... but when this is all people have known, when their will is broken from nearly day one, how do you motivate someone who has already lost all hope?

[CerebralWriter]

@Nawal: It is difficult to put your trash in a dumpster when you do not have any trash service--because you're too poor.

@Kylem: Getting indignant is wasted energy. It won't change people's views, but education will.

@hotguy: Many people on Pine Ridge will supplement their diets with game, but they are not "wild" people anymore. Settlers "tamed" them, and then left them to die in their new world. They have been left with the worst land with the worst climates (can't grow much in Pine Ridge).

[CerebralWriter]

It is very difficult to see the horrific conditions in which these people are born. These people come into this life without hope, none whatsoever. Even those of us whose ancestors did not contirbute at all to their current condition (like me), we have a responsibility to ensure that ALL Americans are born with the same opportunities. It is my wish that we might find the way to help not only the Lakota, but all struggling tribes, to reclaim their pride as a nation--and as individuals.

[CerebralWriter]

Pine Ridge is the poorest nation in the U.S.--a third-world country hidden within one of the richest countries in the world. We must educate the people about this atrocity. No one should have to live as these people live. We send aid and relief overseas all the time--but what are we doing about the people starving and suffering in our own country?!

[NewJura]

I am headed to the Pine Ridge Oglala-Sioux Reservation in July to run a natural building workshop teaching how to build homes from natural and waste materials, the house will be made from pallets and in filled with light straw clay, an earthen plaster will be applied on the interior and exterior of the home, I am looking for volunteers, and I am taking 8 apprentices to learn this method of home building, for more info click my name and go to my website, see you there!!

[saladfork8]

When you take the land from the people they can no longer live as they have lived for thousands of years. You kill their elders so they have no history, you teach them your language so they have no voice. Then you give them whiskey and you wonder why they sit there and get drunk. What else is there to do? America you are done, your turn to reap what you have sown.

[sandy201260]

same thing in manitoba but no as worse as this .....awe....

[9pg5]

this made cry

[ksamons]

The saddest part is that this doesn't have to be like this. The people have been forced into it with white economics. Money was made, or at least presented to be, a necessity. Coupled with taxation and being held onto reservations, it becomes an exceedingly toxic situation.

[Eirene001]

Although people on this and other reservations are working hard to improve the conditions of their people, the poverty and problems of unemployment, abuse and violence remain. The government should take responsibility for this and take serious action to help the people get a better life. Before the whites came to this land, the people had a worthy life. It is time to make amends...

[Qbano21]

The Govt Should give these Natives Billions of Dollars since this is Their land. They put them in Useless Reservation to say that they gave these Natives a Land. What land? What damn land you can't grow anything in these Reservations, they are useless. And then the president and president's family are living like kings. And all politicians making so much money while the REAL Americans(Natives) are suffering like this.

[pesez2]

I wonder if U.S. government is not ashamed by such 3rd world like living conditions in the heart of their country (I`m really shocked, I`m german and I knew nothing about this). I mean they want to bring their lifestyle to the rest of the world - WHAT AN ADVERTISING!! I hope strongly that the inhabitants in pine ridge reservation find solutions for most of their problems by themselves. Don`t wait that others will do!! Feel free to discuss with me.

[jgar6]

@ganeeneepie ...youre an idiot.

[RonHatred]

I want my ashes scattered on pine ridge