On yesterday's Federalist Society teleforum, I interviewed Naomi Schaefer Riley, author of the important new book, The New Trail of Tears, about how government is destroying American Indians--a term I mean quite literally. Native American death rates are rising and they have the lowest life expectancy rates, thanks in no small part to the way government policies have made reservations into economic wastelands. You can listen to the conversation here.
In the conversation, I referred to a few other sources:
I quoted from Ian Frazier's book On The Rez. (A flawed book, but an interesting one).
I mentioned the suicide crisis in Indian Country. Here's a story about the Attwapiskat crisis.
Here is Manny Jules' group; they're the ones pushing for property rights legislation for First Nations in Canada.
I quoted from this all too typical review of Riley's book in Indian Country Today.
I mentioned the film Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which is streaming on Netflix.
I referred to the passage in Democracy in America in which Tocqueville contrasts the two sides of the Ohio River. You can read that here.
I mentioned my recent discussion about the Indian Child Welfare Act on Cato Unbound. You can read that here, and learn more about the Goldwater Institute's lawsuit over the Act here.
Also, don't miss the Phoenix New Times' new article about the Act.
These people are our brothers and sisters. They deserve better.
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