Native Opinion Podcast An American Indian Perspective

This past election cycle has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride through hell. All eyes will be on the Senate race even though the results are in, surely there will be suits of recounts and other challenges. And the upcoming conformation for the next Interior Secertary.

The conditions people in America are living in should not be happening. America is one of the wealthiest nations on the planet and people are starving by the millions. People have been reduced to steal food just to survive. Sadly, our lawmakers have proven they do not care about the struggles of the American people.

We must do something to stop the decline. The Biden administration is nothing but a bandage for yet another greater systemic problem. It is up to us to stop the slide. Our lawmakers have proven they have no desire to stop the decline of America.

As we end 2020, and look forward to a BETTER year in 2021, Despite what many may believe, the stock market is not the economy. We attempt to educate people on what exactly the economy is. Also, President Elect Joe Biden has nominated Deb Haaland to be the next Secretary of the Interior. Congressman Haaland would become the Nations FIRST Native American to hold a cabinet level position in the United States federal Government. She would also become the first woman to be the secretary of the Interior. We discuss the positives and negatives of this post.PLEASE NOTE: This episode has been corrected after there was an issue with the original broadcast. If you downloaded this episode in two parts, you should find this new version much better quality! Thank you!

Teach children to be all they can be. Guide them to develop aspirations that look beyond the stereotypes placed upon Native peoples. Show them by example they are able to accomplish anything their hearts desire.

Educational opportunities are available to more Native students in greater numbers than ever before. Encourage Native students to take advantage of those opportunities, make the most of them, and use that knowledge to benefit their respective tribal communities and society.

Finally! An oil project on Native land I can get behind and support! -David Greyowl

Self reflection is the flavor of the day. That is all.

With the rise in the number of cases of COVID and the increased numbers of death from COVID, medical personnel are leaving positions of treatment and care because of mental, emotional, physical exhaustion, and in some cases, their own declining health.

The focus is on COVID-19 as it should be because of the devastating loss of lives it is creating, but there are other victims of this pandemic that no one is talking about. We are talking about the loss of medical professionals for various reasons from death from COVID to mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion.

The question of the day is: Why should we as Native people invest in the very thing that will ultimately destroy our very environments when there are so many other cleaner, safer alternatives?-David Greyowl

In this episode of Native Opinion, we welcome Jonathan Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) who discusses with us the effect of COVID-19 on his tribe, The American education system, and its lack of American Indian curriculum in public schools, and also Massachusetts upcoming "Plymouth 400” commemoration & and everything wrong with Thanksgiving as an American Holiday.

All across America the educational system has failed countless students. While many children persevere and become successful students, far too many are left behind, unable to keep up with a system that is designed to neglect those students who learn differently than other students.

Non-native fishermen in Nova Scotia continued to add insult to injury in their quest to keep Mi’kmaq fishermen from exercising their inherent and treaty-guaranteed fishing rights. In what can only be described as a brilliant, stroke of maneuvering, the Mi’kmaq fishermen purchased a 50 percent stake in the very company that buys the catches from those waters. Bravo!

If you believe you can breathe a sigh of relief, you had better think again. The Republicans, especially the Christian Conservative coalitions are extremely fearful of a Biden administration and they are gearing up to try to take "Back Their Country". We laugh at that absurdity. We speculate on what redicuous strategies thy try to conjure up.

It is in our nature as Natives to adapt to our environment(s). When obstacles are placed in our way to impede our progress, we somehow usually find a way to make it. When we shape our own destinies, we thrive. Stand by us, stand behind us or get out of the way.

The lessons learned from this election cycle will leave lasting scars for generations to come. We should not allow ourselves to be lulled into a state of defeat, or complacency.

News pieces covered in this episode include:Washington schools prepare to teach tribal historyStudents use ‘power of storytelling’ to highlight health inequitiesBirthing center closure: ‘My baby and I felt abandoned’How one Native American tribe in S.D. created its own wireless education networkAnd More…

Our tribal youth need to be heard! These young people share their perspectives on not only the political landscape but many things of concern in and around Indian country! One area our young people are very active and prominent is within the political landscape. This is the Native American Caucus of North Carolina hosted the "Your Vote, Your Future: NC Native Youth Election Event.The hosts for this event are Edgar Villanueva and CA Cavalier.Your Vote, Your Future!A Voting Rally for North Carolina's Native Youth hosted by Edgar Villanueva with Special Guest - award-winning actor and environmental and Indigenous rights advocate, Mark Ruffalo! Mark and Edgar will talk about the issues that matter to Native North Carolinians— from health care to climate change to racial justice — and what it will take to win.get active! Mobilize the vote! Text Native to 30330

In this episode, we talk about the problems the Native fishermen in N.S. are having with non-Native fishermen. We also discussed the necessity of being self sufficent.