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April 1, 2011 in News, City
Colville Tribes joins Coeur d’Alenes in protesting Fox commentator
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation on Friday issued a letter of protest to Fox News due to statements commentator John Stossel made about Native Americans.
Stossel claimed on a recent segment of Fox and Friends that no group has benefitted more from the generosity of the federal government than American Indians.
“Please make note of this basic truth: the federal government has never given Indians anything,” tribal Chairman Michael Finley wrote in a letter to Fox News President Roger Ailes. “Its paltry payments for vast and rich millions of acres of land ‘purchased’ through treaties … make Stossel’s remarks not just careless or wrong, but cruel.”
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe also recently protested Stossel’s remarks in a letter to Ailes.
Finley recommended Stossel be re-educated in an American Indian history class at a reputable university, then sent to live on a reservation for a month.
“We would be happy to have Mr. Stossel see how life is lived on the rez and see what ‘benefits’ Indian receive from the federal government,” Finley wrote. “Perhaps, with some basic education and a little real-life experience in the matters of which he speaks, he will have gained perspective, understanding and will come back to tell the truth. Fox News could use more of that.”
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Ninch on April 01 at 2:08 p.m.
Jon Stossel is extraordinarily clueless about the historical and current relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes. Both the CDA and Colville Tribes have very intelligent young leaders who are able to articulate facts.
P.S. I like the idea that Stossel should experience reservation life for at least a month.
mikeln on April 01 at 2:29 p.m.
This kind of comment by someone at fox news goes a long way in showing us the lack of knowlege these idiots have. This is not a news outlet, it’s a propaganda mill, nothing more. These people are a embarrassment to most of the people of this country and to watch, believe, or quote them shows a persons stupidity.
vanman on April 01 at 2:48 p.m.
Message to mikeln –- your comment is absolutely, 100% accurate and correct….!!! thank you.
johnclarke on April 01 at 3:17 p.m.
Hey, I agree with all of you ! What’s up with that ?
horse_feathers on April 01 at 3:43 p.m.
Way to man-up, MRH1949. It’s good to hear some one put America 1st. Thank you my fellow American.
EdubU on April 01 at 4:45 p.m.
However, Faux Snews is a lot like Rich Limbag, people watch and agree with everything that is broadcast like ditto heads do.
They have no morals and no concept of facts.
woamike on April 01 at 4:59 p.m.
I can tell none of the above Fox haters actually saw the show. I did. You have no idea what you’re talking about and are to put it nicely, full of road apples. It was NOT a hatchet job on Indians, “native” Americans or whatever the current politically correct word is. In fact, it wasn’t even “about” Indians. It was about the government welfare state, including corporate welfare. The Indians were merely one segment during which he was highly critical of the feds and certain tribal governments and organizations. If you didn’t see it yourself, why don’t you keep your ignorant comments to yourself.
greyhound2 on April 01 at 5:10 p.m.
Alledged native Americans are not indigenous to the North American continent. They were immigrats from Mongolia dating back to about 13,000 B.C. However, several other settlements have been uncovered dating back to about 40,000 B.C. which were of caucasian origin around the country. Claims from the distant past are ridicilous, much like Britian should sue Italy for British slaves in the Roman Empire in the first century A.D. Everybody has an excuse for present day behavior. no matter how far fetched, with the bottom line a hopeful lotto ticket.
jddavis on April 01 at 5:33 p.m.
woamike and greyhound2 are right on. If you didn’t see the episode, and it is clear many of the posters didn’t, then your criticisms are based upon little more than dislike for Fox News.
If you don’t like Stossel, Limbaugh, or whomever else, prove what they say is inaccurate. If you can’t base your statements on fact(s) and rely on emotion(s) rooted in differenence of opinions, you may want to spend more time developing what you stand for and why.
truthalways on April 01 at 7:02 p.m.
As an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe who grew up on a reservation with around 75% welfare rate I see nothing wrong with Stossel’s comments. Most Native Americans I grew up with, who also happen to be tribal leaders, are opposed to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The BIA has always been seen as a “babysitter” to American Indians. They oversee our land and finances while taking away from the tribal constitutions of “Sovereignity.”
It appears Michael Finley is the one who needs to be reeducated and not Stossel. I would like to hear the reasoning from Michael Finley as to why tribal governments who do not rely on government “handouts” do fair better than those who do.
When I first heard Stossel’s comments I thought to myself, “watch and see how many Natives misinterpret his comments and become upset.”
This is one Native who educated himself, without the help of Indian Grants, and is very upset with the misinterpretation of Stossel’s comments by individuals who should know better.
Ninch on April 01 at 7:49 p.m.
My most favorite talking point (as if it makes one’s viewpoint the correct representative one) is “as an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe…” while personally bashing tribal peoples, including the Colville Tribal Chair Michael Finley, who is well educated in history and tribal self determination (which also coincides with being opposed to BIA as babysitter). Note also that the federal aid that all the states get is not denigrated as “handouts,” but is distributing taxpayer money (tribal peoples pay taxes) for roads, education, healthcare, social services, and more. Too much ethnic bias about tribes getting federal aid as well as promised payments for land and resources.
Regarding First Americans and migration from Mongolia… That theory has been pretty well debunked especially by a recent discovery in Texas dating at least 16K ago. Although many theories abound, the present Native Americans are surely indigenous, unless greyhound2 has taken it upon himself to arbitrarily decide how many millennia it takes to be indigenous.
Ninch on April 01 at 7:52 p.m.
BTW: The economic success of Indian tribes is mostly dependent upon geographic location and natural resources.
Scoutster on April 01 at 9:56 p.m.
Ninch..
You are absolutely right about the conditions for wealth.
It’s also why Anglo-Europeans beginning in 1492 have been able to extract wealth from N. America.
It’s not exceptionalism, its location and natural resources.
93bird on April 01 at 10:11 p.m.
Stossel deftly pointed out that the federal government’s involvement in Indian affairs has been highly counterproductive and is attacked for it? Wow. Great going Confederated Tribes. Your inability to discern what Stossel said has proved the point you decry. As for the Spokesman. Embarassing.
PlanB on April 01 at 10:23 p.m.
greyhound2, please enlighten us as to the source of evidence that Caucasians inhabited North America 40000 years ago?
tribalemployee on April 01 at 11:35 p.m.
My favorite “talking points” (as “Ninch” so puts it) are when tribal members express their experiences growing up on reservations, but others who are misinformed (such as Ninch) use their comments against them at an ill-fated attempt to destroy their credibility. So,Ninch what reservation did you grow up on?
Being an enrolled member from a federally recognized tribe plays a huge roll in one’s credibility and experiences with the BIA and how other tribal members view the BIA because there is experience to rely on.
Just because Finley is well educated in history means nothing if the “facts” are distorted. Also, how did the individual (I assume you mean “truthalways” since your comments mirror her/him) “bash tribal peoples?” If any “bashing” of tribal peoples exists came at the words of Finley by taking the truth and making it into something it’s not.
So, “Ninch” until you grew up on a reservation leave the professional comments to those who have.
BTW: The migration from Mongolia has not been debunked, it is just in question just like the migration theory that all humans came from Africa. The most extensive, and still ongoing, research links mitochrondrial DNA to the three original Native Language Groups - Amerind, Nadene and Eskaleut.
Source: Myself,being an Educated “Enrolled” Native American from a “Federally Recognized Tribe” who has been researching Native American history, cultural, economic, political, geneaology, etc. for quite some time.
So, go ahead and Google some cute flavorful answers and post your reply.
schleufer on April 02 at 7:04 a.m.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Ey_g4wOnw
Bryce on April 06 at 4:28 p.m.
If you want to see the most clear example of failed socialism, then just take a drive through any random reservation.