I have been reading over these posts and thinking seriously about them, and wondering where do I fit in in all of this.  I am a Native American woman from Belcourt, North Dakota.  I am very proud of my heritage.  However I no longer live on the reservation.  I am now residing in another state, working two jobs and attending school full time.  So what catergory do I fit in.  I am still Ojibway no matter where I live.  So does living outside such a poverty sticken enviroment make me better than all of those back home.  I am going to school, so does it make me less Native because I choose to educate myself?  The answer is absolutly not!!!   I have a lot of friends and family back home who I know are just trying to make it month to month.  These are people who are recieving higher education, and are working full time for minimum wage.  Job prospects are nill on and around the reservation.  Not all people who live in the reservation are recieving government handouts.  In fact there is more of a majority of other races who recieve the same assistance that Native people do.  Would you say a white person, not living on the reservation, but recieving government assistance is as you would say " on the governments titty". Pobably not concidering that would be criticizing your own race right.   Let's face facts people.  There is plenty of people out there who need help, and not all are Native.  So why draw attention to only one race?  Pure prejudice and bigotry.   As a footnote,  I have never recieved any assistance from my tribe monetary or otherwise.  Our casino's add jobs to the area's in which they are located.  I am glad that they have the opportunity to work and many people do take advantage of this. 

Reservations are the perfect modern day prison.  Theres no fence but everyone thinks they can not leave.  Have some self respect and pop that government titty out of your mouths and do something productive with your lives!

Prarie sorry to hear about  your swelling.     I hadn't realized you were so far from Cambridge... 89 miles?   I thought you lived in cambridge..

Get well soon...

vic

The lastest fight with the Hamas of Gaza and the Israelies.   Wonder if this has anything at all to do with  RADICAL MUSLIMS?

I feel that Hamas is willing to let their innocent civilians die just to have the MEDIA  post it all over the world that  Israel is now killing children.   I do not fault Israel,  I fault the Hamas .   They didn't have to start lobbing rockets over into israel for the last 2 weeks.

HAMAS CAN STOP THE KILLING RIGHT NOW IF THEY WANTED.   

Radical Muslims... peace loving...

Praire Fire Daughter,

How is she doing, I am really concerned about her. I will pray for the Great Creator to be with her and protect her. Tell Praire, Big Country had his surgery Thursday 18 and now is at home by the Hills. It's still cold but I will do good. Tell her our home land looks good too, I don't think I could leave here because what happens in ND, stays in ND.

                                                                 Big Country, ND

dffnow,  thanks..    Its hayday is over, its almot 10  yrs old.. :)   Its hard to stand up in an SUV, but a conversion van has that great head room..

sg

Well I have power now, I'm not in the dark anymore. My wife just told me the lights can be on and I'm still in the dark. I wounder what she means

I think next winter I'm going to be one of them people that goes South for the winter. I can always work on my tan like I'm not dark enough already. I had a man a few years ago ask me if I was an Indian, I said NO, I am a white man with are dark tan and a hump nose. I then walked off and let him thank about that. That crazy to ake a person that looks like me in ND that question. I wonder if he goes up to a chicken farmer and ask him "Do those lay eggs". This is your sign buddy.

Well I have to make talk like this, being locked in the house with my wife and can not go anywhere drives me this way. She is a real good woman having to put up with me for all these years and the bad times we went through. I was hard at first but we made it and retired, I really love a whole lot.

Going to Cancun Mexico next winter, get  me a Tipi on wheels......

                                                                Big Country