Last night watching an old TV show from the '70s, part of the episode's plot turned on the Bureau of Indian Affairs, whose function is probably what you would imagine from the name. I'd no recollection of ever having heard of it, so this afternoon I went to see when it had been dissolved or merged into some other governmental organ. To my surprise,
it still exists! Sure, it went through as many leaders in the Bush years as it had in the previous 25 years combined, but it's still alive and kicking. Hrm.
Native Americans never integrated into the American mainstream like most minorities did. Partly, they were not allowed to do so. Partly, the special relationship between the U.S. federal government and the various tribes has disserved integration. The bottom line is that Native Americans are still some of the poorest people in the country, and are afflicted by crimes of poverty at a disproportionate rate. Other than
the wiseguy, and various local stories regarding to Native American issues here in Washington State, the whole area of Native American welfare seems to have fallen dormant as a national concern.
