The Race for the White House through the Red vote

The debates are done. The daily polls carry on, swinging back and forth, depending on the pollster. The rhetoric continues in thirty-second doses in between "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy". But in the barrage of soundbites and juicy photo-ops, what does the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election mean? The fate of the world hinges on the impending November 2nd vote. Ethnic, special interest, and religious groups are listening to each candidate, trying to decipher what exactly their choice should be. Who would better represent their people and their cause?

Given their small numbers, Native Americans rarely hear their plight outlined in either election platform in an election year. Although they are the original inhabitants of this beautiful continent of Turtle Island, their vote is almost seen as expendable. But in recent years, their votes have generated enough clout to impact election results in states like New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. So of the two candidates vying for the most powerful job in the world, who is actually making ingrounds into Native America?

At this point, the only real choice is Senator John Kerry, running under the Democrat banner. Although it may only look like lip service - and his promises have to be taken with a HUGE grain of salt - Kerry has been campaigning rather significantly in Native communities. Last summer, he rolled through Indian Country in both NM and AZ, promising improvements in health care and education, strengthening economic development on-reserve, and last but not least, a plan to promote and reinforce tribal sovereignty. His counterpart, President George W. Bush, on the other hand, was hard-pressed to even define tribal sovereignty when asked at the summer's UNITY Journalists of Color conference in D.C. Like a deer in the headlights, Bush stumbled and stammered through a half-assed and clueless response that even garnered some laughter from the audience.

Perhaps Bush can't take full blame for being so out of touch - you'd think his handlers would have at least briefed him on some of the more pressing issues facing Native America before speaking to a room full of Aboriginal media. But his record speaks for itself. His administration has done very little - if anything - for Indian Country in the past four years. At a time when Native communities are finally emerging from the cycles of abuse triggered by attempted genocide, they are finally starting to flourish. And bridges need to be built between the ruling order (which had once tried to wipe them out) and reserves.

Throughout his career in the senate, Kerry has been building these bridges. He's had a deep understanding of the needs of Native communities and how to foster a working Federal/Aboriginal relationship. He's spearheaded many economic development initiatives to help reserves become more self-sufficient. A list of these efforts can be found on his website.

This is probably the most important American election in history. It will have far-reaching and long-lasting implications, so I beg of my friends and family in the U.S. - please vote! Who you vote for is entirely up to you. But whereas one candidate would probably rather see Indigenous people continue to waste away, another sees them as a vital and vibrant component of American society. Needless to say, I will be glued to the T.V. on November 2nd.

Posted by waub at October 15, 2004 01:06 AM