Opinions from Indian Country Today

As Native business owners, program administrators and tribal leaders, how many of us express a great interest in supporting our youth? Most of us place a high value on our youth, and understand they are the key to our future and survival as productive Indian nations. However, how many of us incorporate ways to engage youth in our everyday business and program operations?

These tough economic times are supposed to be getting better, but it’s clear we will be feeling the effects of the recession for a long time. That makes us tribes wonder about the future of natural resources and their management in this state.

Will Republicans muster enough votes to repeal the health care bill? A Michigan Republican said over the weekend that he sees “significant” bipartisan support for repeal, possibly even enough votes to override a presidential veto.

In June 2010, for the first time in two-and-a-half years, the National Indian Gaming Commission is functioning with a fully appointed commission. As the new commission, Vice Chairwoman Steffani Cochran, Associate Commissioner Dan Little and I are embarking on a journey that will not only challenge us, but tribal leaders as well.

Well, do we let the genie out of the bottle? Does this genie lavish untold wealth on its owner or wreak devastation on an established treasured enterprise? By the way, to whom does this genie belong?

Having endured centuries of conflict, survival and persecution, the Mashantucket Pequots were nearly killed off their traditional homelands in southeastern Connecticut. The Pequot adopted the name, The Fox People, as a symbol of an ability to adapt quickly to new environments, survive horrible conditions, and remain vigilant protectors of their families in lifelong monogamous relationships.

The International Indian Treaty Council welcomed the recent announcement by President Barack Obama of the United States’ support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The president’s long-awaited statement of support was made in Washington, D.C. during the Dec. 16 Tribal Nations Conference, which was attended by more than 300 tribal leaders from throughout the U.S.

My long time friend and colleague Hattie Kauffman has said her farewells to CBS News after 21 years on the job – 15 of them in Los Angeles where we were a correspondent/producer team.

Over the holidays, I had to get a wrench out of my garage to open a 2-liter bottle of root beer. Seriously, first I tried turning the cap by hand, then with one of those rubber circles you hang on your refrigerator, and even using a mechanical jar opener. Nothing would budge the top of that soda bottle. The wrench, which in my mind was really overkill, finally worked. And it got me thinking. … what do casinos make much more difficult for their guests than is necessary? What hoops do we force our customers to jump through on their way to an entertainment experience, when we could make it so much easier for them to enjoy themselves? Read on for. …

Recently the human rights record of the United States was the subject of a global review at the United Nations. The Universal Periodic Review takes place for all member states every four years. First, the country “under review” makes an oral statement to go with their written report, then other countries present comments and recommendations, then the country “under review” speaks to the recommendations. There were more than a dozen questions and recommendations to the U.S. regarding indigenous peoples and indigenous issues.

My passion for public service burned deep long before I assumed elected office – placed there by my parents who raised me and my siblings to fight for those who have no voice.

On Dec. 16, the leaders of hundreds of American Indian nations were in attendance when President Obama expressed United States “support” for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The U.S. Department of State issued a 15-page statement later that day that provides a fuller context for interpreting Mr. Obama’s remarks and the U.S.’s position on the Declaration.

What’s my take away from the White House Tribal Nations Conference? Easy. This is an administration that actually believes the United States government must represent all of the people, including American Indians and Alaska Natives.

As the second White House Tribal Nations Conference came to a close recently, there was a renewed sense of promise within the Obama administration to build upon the president’s pledge to reinforce the nation-to-nation relationship with Indian country.

At the Indian Law Resource Center, indigenous leaders from Mexico and countries in Central and South America regularly inform us about threats to their lives and the lives of their families. Like many indigenous leaders in the United States and Canada, these leaders struggle daily to maintain their territories and the health and safety of their communities in the face of powerful corporations and governments threatening to take everything they have. Too often, business as usual means threatening or even killing Indian leaders instead of meaningfully considering their concerns.

When I was a little girl growing up in Ketchikan, Alaska, there was a prosperous salmon fishery and timber harvesting economy. There was a saw mill and a pulp mill, boats filled the harbor, and life was good.

Having a well-trained staff can be one of the most important assets a business or organization has. Training should be considered an important investment. Effective training programs lead to not only higher productivity but can position a business or organization for stability and long-term success. Something we can definitely benefit from in Indian country.

As the holidays and the end of the year approaches, it’s a time when many of us reflect on the things we have accomplished, and the work yet to be done. We also give thanks for family, friends and others that are so important in our lives.

The Spokane Tribe of Indians should have its Spokane, Wash. area lands approved for purposes of Indian gaming. They deserve to be treated no differently than the Kalispel Tribe has been treated and, in fact, may be more deserving in some respects. As chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, I supported the Kalispel Tribe’s right to game on its Airway Heights property; I now do the same for the Spokane Tribe.

Today, the United States government at last officially endorsed the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and joined the international community in recognizing that American Indians and other indigenous peoples have a permanent right to exist as peoples, nations, cultures and societies.