WASHINGTON — Fast on the heels of President Bush's State of the Union address, Joe Garcia, the new president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), unveiled the State of Indian Nations address Thursday in Washington. Why the timing?
So that the issues and agenda of Indian country might get noticed. When Indian country makes the news, it is usually bad. These days, for example, the Mississippi Band of Chocktaw Indians, a former client of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, is bringing renewed scrutiny to laws that allow tribes, as sovereign governments, to donate unlimited amounts of money to political candidates.
In his address, Garcia, governor of the Ohkay Owingeh of New Mexico tribe (formerly known as the San Juan Pueblo), said that the state of Indian nations is "strong." But he added that "four areas of great challenge" persist.
Those include law enforcement and public safety, particularly for border tribes dealing with illegal immigration; health care (American Indians have a life expectancy five years shorter than the rest of the country); education and the economy (only half of Indian students complete high school); and the Indian trust lawsuit — a class-action lawsuit against the federal government for mismanaging Indian lands held in trust that has dragged on for 10 years.
Earlier, in an interview, Garcia, 52, reflected on a variety of issues.
Question: How has the Abramoff scandal affected Indian country — what do you think are the repercussions for tribes and gaming?
Answer: That's a pretty sensitive issue right now. It's like the drunken-sailor scheme — you see one drunken sailor, all sailors are drunkards. Same as in Indian country. The Indian issues are going to be scrutinized. I think that's not right — in every case that I'm aware of, we've followed the law about lobbyists. But the seriousness of it for Indian country is that we will be impacted by it.
Question: These days, most people outside of Indian country think of casinos when they think of tribes and reservations.
Answer: The facts really indicate that a small number of tribes have casinos. What's bad about it is that the press and the people against gaming have created this notion. Gaming is one way to provide the economic security that every other entity or every other organization strives to achieve. I'll probably be attacked for this, but the trust responsibilities that are not being provided for by the federal government — health and education — gaming helps support.
Question: Does it bother you that a lot of people think Indians are swimming in gambling money?
Answer: That myth is actually the result of the media broad-brushing Indian tribes and Indian issues into one stereotype. In fact, just a few years ago, the notion was out there that all Indian tribes are poor. Suggesting that Indians are swimming in gambling money only perpetuates the stereotype you referenced in your question. It's unfortunate that many Indian communities still have the poorest health conditions, highest rates of poverty, the worst housing conditions and lowest life expectancy than any segment of the population. But, then again, in other tribal communities we see the emerging economic growth.
Question: The other stereotype about Native Americans is this romantic view of noble sufferers.
Answer: We are not noble sufferers, rather noble citizens of our respective nations and the U.S. We as a people with our cultures and traditions have endured many changes and are still vibrant today. It is my hope that the general public will gain a more respective concept of who we are as sovereign governments. Our traditions, cultures and languages sustain who we are.
Question: What are the priorities for the NCAI?
Answer: We aren't driven by us — we're driven by the needs of the people of Indian country. And for all of us, above all else, protecting tribal sovereignty is important. Everything else falls under that. We've got to push that agenda.
Question: What do you mean by Indian sovereignty?
Answer: Indian nations have recognized three sovereigns: the states, the federal government and tribal nations. The courts have recognized tribes' inherent sovereignty to maintain our own distinct cultures, family units and forms of government, as we have done since the dawn of our creation. Tribes have been successfully governing themselves for hundreds and hundreds of years. These experiences, accomplishments and lessons are something that we, as a people, can share with the United States and the world.
<Question: How do you think the Bush administration responds to problems in Indian country — do you feel you have a receptive ear?
Answer: Yes, this administration has shown that they want to address some of the core issues that have plagued us for years. They put the energy behind trying to tackle trust settlement issues, and the secretary (of the interior) had high-level meetings with tribal officials. Although we are not there yet, I don't believe we would be this close if they hadn't spent a lot of time with tribal leaders, engaging them on the issues.