It would behoove us to remember the plight of the American Indian. It is indeed a cruel irony that the people who saved the Pilgrims from starvation are now among the poorest of the poor; notwithstanding the fact that some Native tribes have benefited from casinos and gaming.
The poorest county in the nation, Ziebach County, South Dakota, is located primarily on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian reservation, according to the Associated Press and NBC News.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native Americans suffer from some of the worst health problems in the land. For example, they have a lower life expectancy, a lower quality of life, and they continue to die at higher rates than other Americans due to preventable illness.
American Indians experience hunger at twice the national rate, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. Housing conditions for Native Americans living on reservations can best be described as “grossly substandard,” according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In conclusion, we must all lend a helping hand to our Native American sisters and brothers. Otherwise, Thanksgiving will always be a grim reminder of our nation’s shameful treatments of its original inhabitants.
David G. Oddo resides in Chula Vista.
