Heard this story on NPR today and was horrified and angry

[glinda]

Having much knowledge of MN. Native American community and Reservation life, I found myself unable to move my feet while listening to this story on NRP about complicit interaction between the Federal Government and Funding received in S.D. per each Native American Child taken and placed into non-native families. I suspect under this all is also the current of indoctrination (Christian homes, dislike of Native American Culture, breaking the Tribes_ IMHO) and as someone who grew up in Minneapolis, where my earliest child hood friends were Native and moved off of Reservations, my heart just weeps.

_snip_

Nearly 700 Native American children in South Dakota are being removed from their homes every year, sometimes in questionable circumstances.

_snip_

Investigation by LAURA SULLIVAN and AMY WALTERS

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/25/141672992/native-foster-care-lost-children-shattered-families

[DURHAM D]

1. I know this is not terribly adult of me but...

Those Mother Fuckers!

[Jester Messiah]

13. Concur 100%

It's no different than what the Catholic Church did in Spain, telling poor single mothers that their babies died or were stillborn, then shuffling off the babies to "good" Catholic homes. It's an unforgivable disgrace.

[ellisonz]

2. Make your voice heard:

Mailing Address:
Office of Public Affairs
Department of the Interior
MS-3658-MIB
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240

Telephone: [phone]
Telefax: [phone]

http://www.bia.gov/ContactUs/index.htm

You can also call or write to the President:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Please include your e-mail address
Phone Numbers

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: [phone]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

[mimitabby]

3. could the lack of good native american foster homes be part of the problem?

[mimitabby]

5. ooops reading the article. my bad..

[rox63]

14. They talked to licensed Native American foster parents who would love to take in kids

But DSS doesn't call them.

I heard this story on the drive home from work, and was outraged.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Another thread on this: :(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=634510&mesg_id=634510

[TwilightGardener]

6. What an awful story--the children were basically kidnapped by the state, with no

credible charges against the mother. Had this happened to a white mother, there would be outrage, apologies, lawsuits.

[barb162]

7. How does this crap keep happening year after year after year.

Like the Native Americans haven't been screwed enough. Simply outrageous this keeps happening.

[occupyeverywhere]

8. Heard it too

South Dakota is one messed up state.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. Thank you. This is important and people need to know. nt

[glinda]

11. and need to do something now

[Sarah Ibarruri]

12. Yes indeed. I've sent this info. to my friends and family. nt

[KamaAina]

10. Hey South Dakota, 1912 called. It wants its patronizing racist attitudes back.

:grr: :banghead:

[Festivito]

15. The worker gave a woman's child to someone else and then resigned (so, no one can question her).

One wonders: how can this happen.

There it is. Right in plain sight.

[AsahinaKimi]

16. This is a

disgusting thing, pure and simple. I could see this kind of action being taken beyond the Native Americans, to other people in this country. This is so wrong.. it needs to stop.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. I am not active American and it makes me seethe too

[xchrom]

18. Recommend

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

19. I was livid when I heard it while driving home

from work. I was almost in tears. Where is the due process for these children ????

Rec

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

20. They have no right to take these children

"But two South Dakota judges, two lawyers and a dozen tribal advocates told NPR that state law doesn't apply. Federal law says tribes are sovereign. The experts say a state official can't drive off with an Indian child from Crow Creek any more than a Crow Creek official could drive off with a child from Rapid City."

When there is a legitimate need to remove a child ,there are Native American foster homes that are not being utilized.

My blood is boiling again

[Tsiyu]

21. Chilling story

Props to NPR for covering this horror.

They have plenty of Native Foster homes, where they don't cut the little girls hair off, or make them wear their peed in panties on their heads.

South Dakota is doing shameful things to Native children all over again.





:kick:

[Odin2005]

22. Native soverignty shat on again, as usual!

:grr:

[knitter4democracy]

23. I heard that, too, while taking my kids to the sitter.

My daughter had a lot of questions, and I was sitting there, driving with white knuckles of fury, trying not to start cussing up a storm. We're still doing it--still taking children from their families and forcing them to assimilate. Disgusts me to my core.