Column: Native American women deserve justice
The “Have You Seen Me” ICE event was held from 4-5pm in Penland 110. It was informative, well attended and well participated.
The Office of Student Life Diversity Initiatives has been active in raising awareness for a wide range of topics including the rights and injustices of Native Americans and their women. From cultural exploitation to slander, back ended treatment and physical invasions, this group of people have endured pain for so long and it goes by seemingly unnoticed.
Focusing on Native American women this session, student Paige Davis and Assistant Director of Diversity Initiatives Dr. Taifha Alexander discussed real cases of Native American going missing in America without any kind of explanation or traces of their whereabouts.
It was explained in great detail, multiple cases where the “appropriate” authority (that would be the police) has failed the Native American people with inadequate investigations and lack of effort.
Usually and unfortunately, any possible leads to locating a loved one were founded by family and support groups. Who can they call on if the authorities seem to not care? It would seem that they don’t, given the lack of support they give.
Women of any race are taken by criminals and sometimes never seen again, but the difference is that Native Americans only make up 2% of the population and yet their rates are just as high as other ethnicities.
It was manifested that we spread awareness of the presence of the Native American people, since there are some people who aren’t even aware of their present existence. Their lives and culture has been exploited and singed for countless of years, and it is time that we become allies.
To preserve these people, their way of life, their culture, their women… they must be protected.
We must give them justice when they seek it, and must raise awareness on not only what has happened to them, but also to what is still happening to them this day.
Columns written by editors and writers of Pacer Times do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff members or leadership. Letters to the editor may be emailed to Editor-in-Chief Cecilia Maddox at cmy@usca.edu, and will be published at the editorial staff’s discretion.
