Hillary Clinton Says No to Indian Country
Candidate Refuses to Meet with the First Americans
May 30, 2007
Below is a copy of the press release we sent out today in response to
Senator Clinton's refusal to meet with tribal members from across
America at Prez on the Rez:
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton today became
the first and only candidate to refuse an invitation to speak at a
first-ever candidate forum in Indian Country. The forum, called Prez
on the Rez by its organizers, the INDN's List Education Fund (ILEF),
will be August 23, on the reservation of the Morongo Band of Mission
Indians in Cabazon, Calif. Senator Clinton was invited to Prez on the
Rez more than six months ago.
Kalyn Free, president of the Tulsa-based ILEF, said, "Hillary
Clinton's willingness to ignore Indian voters on the campaign trail
has made it clear that she lacks the courage to change lives in Indian
Country."
"I'm both disappointed and astonished that Senator Clinton has turned
her back on American Indians. By refusing to participate in this
historic event, she lost an opportunity to inspire an entire
generation of American Indians to engage in the democratic process.
Sadly, that reflects the hollowness of her rhetoric and the narrowness
of her vision," said Free. "Just as tribes are gaining recognition for
building political power in key states throughout the country, Senator
Clinton is ignoring the needs - large and small - of Indian People. We
demand a president who truly cares about who we are, who has the
courage to change the shameful state of life in Indian Country and
throughout America, and who has the vision to build a society all
Americans can be proud of. I'm disheartened to say that Senator
Clinton has proven she is not that leader."
Free said Senator Clinton made "starting a conversation" about
strengthening the middle class, making healthcare more affordable, and
bolstering the lives of children and families, the centerpieces of her
campaign. On each of these counts, reflected in a staggering array of
statistics, Indian Country falls far behind the rest of the nation,
yet her proposals - detailed over the past two weeks - reflect the
priorities of her campaign: they ignore Indian Country entirely.
On Memorial Day, Senator Clinton declared expanded healthcare coverage
"a moral imperative," and proposed a solution involving investments in
modernizing medicine and eliminating waste in the industry. While
these improvements may cut costs for the majority of Americans who
already have access to adequate healthcare, it will do nothing for the
30 percent of Indians who lack health coverage and the millions more
whose reservations lie far from the modern medical facilities Senator
Clinton hopes to improve. The waiting list for new "priority"
healthcare facilities in Indian Country is nearly 60 years. Tribal
citizens need champions that are not afraid to increase funding for
tribal health programs. The need for this health funding is
staggering: life expectancy of Native Americans is nearly six years
less than any other race or ethnic group in America and 13% of Native
deaths occur in citizens under 25, a rate three times higher than the
average U.S. population.
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported in 2003 that "American
Indian youths are twice as likely to commit suicide.
Native Americans
are 630 percent more likely to die from alcoholism, 650 percent more
likely to die from tuberculosis, 318 percent more likely to die from
diabetes, and 204 percent more likely to suffer accidental death
compared with other groups.
"In a plan Senator Clinton outlined the
following day, the Democrat proposed strengthening the middle class by
protecting workers, reining in federal spending, punishing
corporations that move jobs overseas, and supporting higher education.
Yet outsourced jobs can hardly account for the 46% unemployment rate
in Indian Country, where one in four live in poverty.
Clinton's indifference to Indian Country extends to the women and
families that comprise its future. Free argues that Clinton should
take a look at the lifelong disparities that face American Indians as
they age, both on and off the reservation. A recent publication issued
by Amnesty International reported one in three American Indian women
will be raped at some point in their lives, a rate that is more than
double that for non-Indian women. (to see complete report in a pdf format click here Report by Amnesty International "The crisis of children and families
in Indian Country continues to limit the opportunities for American
Indians to build a better future, while Senator Clinton's willingness
to ignore the state of Indians ensures the continuation of a terrible
status quo," Free said.
Contact Information
email: K Free
phone: 918.583.6100
web: Prez on the Rez
Special thanks to Patti Walker for the lead.
Contents
June 2007 Reports
Last updated on June 06, 2007