For the first time the Justice Department has released an extensive study focusing on American Indians. According to the article, about 60% of violent crimes that have occurred against American Indians have been committed by Whites. American Indians after all this time still fall victim to prejudice and discrimination. I was aware that Asian Americans and African Americans are victims of hate crimes, but I was not aware that this was the case for American Indians as well. Why has the Justice Department waited this long in releasing a study if it has been such a problem? At least, though we can move forward now by having this information and trying to do something to prevent these crimes from occurring.
             The article attributes the violent racism that occurs because of popular culture that is responsible for stereotyping and incorrect information regarding the history of American Indians. As a result, the culture of American Indian's has been both "misunderstood" and "misrepresented" according to the article. I think this is correct. When I was growing up they taught us about American Indians at school. For Thanksgiving a lot of us would run around like "wild Indians" with feathers on our heads and hitting our hands with our mouth making noises. So it's difficult not to have that picture in my head when I think of American Indians. I think the way to counteract the violent racism is to start in the school. From a young age if children are taught the seriousness of the issues effecting minority groups, they will grow up as adults who will be less likely to commit racist crimes.
             "This country can hardly lecture other nations about their human rights deficiencies while American Indians are treated as second-class citizens". I agree with this statement. Why hasn't more been done to help the American Indians? I think that this population has often been forgotten abou...