Modern-day Native Americans

(Source: http://all-funny.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Indian-Chief.jpg)

As a boy, I remember going to southern Utah to hunt for Native American pottery and arrowheads with my grandparents. They would tell me captivating tales about the once-great Native American tribes, using the artifacts we found as proof of their existence. For the modern-day Native American, I observe a single story told by the media: Native Americans are lazy alcoholics who are stuck in the past and live off government handouts. This stereotype is clearly presented in the following artifacts.

(Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19562980/ns/health-addictions/t/about-americans-have-abused-alcohol/#.VfZi2xFViko)  

This graph illustrates that Native Americans are supposedly #1 when it comes to alcohol abuse by race/ethnicity in the United States. Such reporting by NBC News, a reputable source for information, further supports the single story about Native Americans that claims they are alcoholics.

(Source: http://www.bluecorncomics.com/stbasics.htm)

This cartoon shows a white male shaking his head as he sees what has become of the “Vanishing American.” The image presented here seeks to prove that Native Americans lazily spend their days in meaningless businesses. Both smoke shops and casinos are places that suggest idling away time and wasting money and resources. Additionally, Native American casinos have been portrayed in a similarly mocking light by TV series such as Family Guy and South Park.

(Source: http://blogs.courant.com/bob_englehart/2008/10/october-7-2008.html)

The above comic depicts a downtrodden Native American with a failing casino who is assured by his business partner that the U.S. government will take care of them with government handouts. Like images and the sheer amount of Native American scholarship funds (see https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/minority-scholarships/american-indian-native-american-scholarships/) both contribute to the stereotype that Native Americans find it difficult to survive in the modern world and require government aid.

I think that the messages being sent about modern Native Americans matter and should be given attention. They not only show what the media perceives of them, but such stereotypes also restrict Native Americans’ ability to believe in themselves and rise above the single story that others have told for them. 

While Native Americans may be prone to alcoholism, not every Native American is an alcoholic. While some Native Americans are in the casino business, many graduate high school and go on to attain degrees in higher learning. Native Youth Magazine writes, “In response to the issues facing Native American heritage, economic prosperity, and health, a number of government programs have been put in place to level the playing field for people of native descent. These range from grant programs for cultural programs to education trusts for Native American students.” (Source: http://nativeyouthmagazine.com/pastpresentfuture.htm). While it is true that the U.S. government devotes funding to Native Americans, it would be absurd to believe that every Native American survives solely off of government handouts. 

Modern-day Native Americans are trying to do what the rest of us are; they’re trying to find their place in the world. I believe that Native Americans can overcome the single story told for them and aspire to the stories of a noble, advanced, and spiritual people that were told to me of their predecessors when I was a boy.