U.S. offers to pay Native Americans $1.4 billion for lost funds

Andrew Young
SOC 313


I found my article on CNN.com. The story starts with thousands of American Indians would be receiving as much as $1,000 each if they accept a proposed $1.4 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit over government mismanagement of tribal lands. The suit, filed in 1996, accused the U.S. Department of the Interior of failing to account for and provide revenue from a trust fund representing the value of Indian assets managed by the government. As part of the settlement, the federal government would agree to establish a $2 billion program to buy small fractions of land to help sellers obtain value from ancestral property, which then would be held by tribal governments. Many are behind this, including Attorney General Eric Holder, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. But the reports got back to the Native Americans leaders, and they hope it goes through because they are worn out with trying to push the bill. I see social control in how our US government feels that they can first of all use the money set aside for Native Americans for other problems in our country, causing more problems. This money was for Native Americans, so give it too them. The government feels that Native Americans are not a problem, that they have no way of getting what they want, and they can be oppressed. Next that the gov. can just give 1000 to each person, what will that help? Our government needs to realize that they cannot say one thing, and do another, and that 1000 per Native American is nothing, that it will make for no change.