Native American youth suicide crisis baffles families

[Caliga]

I'm not really sure the idea of an Indian Reservation makes sense any longer.  I don't see how they are helped by living on land that is usually worthless and infertile, and living apart from wider society with the inherent lack of education and opportunity.

The Amish do rather well for themselves living in communities that, while separate, aren't on reservations.  I think this is in large part because they aren't afraid to pull up stakes and move on to (literally) greener pastures when necessary.

[PDH]

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the reservations in many cases have historical ties to lands that is considered worthwhile and/or sacred.  The lands that remained after the Dawes Act in the US was often the worst of the reservation lands, but it was still that with ties.

While I don't buy all the arguments, I do think that the cultural ties to the land are still important and somewhat unfathomable to outsiders.  The fact that it also symbolizes rather starkly and openly the decline has a lot to do with it.

But if the land is indeed some sort of sacred center, one that is also shrinking and dying out, it is no surprise that there is the continued malaise.

[Barrister]

I know I am an ignorant white guy who cannot understand this, but I simply do not get why in gods name people stay in places like that. GTFO already.

I get that people care about their culture and heritage, and yeah, the American Indians got the shaft, etc., etc., etc., but...fuck that shit. My family and my kids are a LOT more important to me than any of that. None of that is worth dooming my children to a terrible education and miserable life. Opportunity trumps culture, and there is no greater disservice to your children than not giving them the best opportunity possible.

Get
The
Fuck
Out

If your background is anything like mine, you're already the product of several generations of people leaving their home to follow opportunity.  It's second nature to me to move to follow a better job because that's what my family does.

My wife's family roots go back merely 100 years to a small Alberta town, but you know what, other than my wife, her paretns and sisters all live within 50km of that small town.  And now we'll be within 100km of it.

Now imagine an aboriginal person who has centuries of history to a particular place.  Imagine that one of the key defining features of your culture is ties to the land.  Then also imagine that most of the people you know all stay in this community.  Throw in a free house on top of that.

So yeah - personally there's no way in hell I'd stay in almost any first nations community.  And I've been to a lot of them.  I would, as you say, Get The Fuck Out.  And honestly lots of them do that.  In particular ones with education and job prospects - once you leave the Rez you likely aren't coming back.

But you can understand why many stay.

[Slargos]

Their country has been stolen from them, their race diluted to within a mere sliver of its former glory and their main source of income is moral turpitude.

Yeah, I'm sure the teenagers obsess over that stuff.

Not necessarily, but it will certainly foster a culture of dispondency and alcoholism which leads to these kinds of things. You need to think bigger. 

[Slargos]

I know I am an ignorant white guy who cannot understand this, but I simply do not get why in gods name people stay in places like that. GTFO already.

I get that people care about their culture and heritage, and yeah, the American Indians got the shaft, etc., etc., etc., but...fuck that shit. My family and my kids are a LOT more important to me than any of that. None of that is worth dooming my children to a terrible education and miserable life. Opportunity trumps culture, and there is no greater disservice to your children than not giving them the best opportunity possible.

Get
The
Fuck
Out

If your background is anything like mine, you're already the product of several generations of people leaving their home to follow opportunity.  It's second nature to me to move to follow a better job because that's what my family does.

My wife's family roots go back merely 100 years to a small Alberta town, but you know what, other than my wife, her paretns and sisters all live within 50km of that small town.  And now we'll be within 100km of it.

Now imagine an aboriginal person who has centuries of history to a particular place.  Imagine that one of the key defining features of your culture is ties to the land.  Then also imagine that most of the people you know all stay in this community.  Throw in a free house on top of that.

So yeah - personally there's no way in hell I'd stay in almost any first nations community.  And I've been to a lot of them.  I would, as you say, Get The Fuck Out.  And honestly lots of them do that.  In particular ones with education and job prospects - once you leave the Rez you likely aren't coming back.

But you can understand why many stay.

Those who have the ability to "GTFO" probably already have, thus weeding the go-getters out of the community. 

[Caliga]

If your background is anything like mine, you're already the product of several generations of people leaving their home to follow opportunity.  It's second nature to me to move to follow a better job because that's what my family does.

My paternal line left their homes to avoid being killed.   Pesky Papists and their damn Counter-Reformation.

[garbon]

Those who have the ability to "GTFO" probably already have, thus weeding the go-getters out of the community. 

I'm not sure that's the case. I remember in a middle school when an accomplished native american author came and she was still living on the reservation while simultaneously deploring the conditions.

[dps]

You know, where I grew up, most of us, if we had come home drunk at age 13, might well not have gotten the opportunity to kill ourselves--our parents would have done it for us.  Those who wouldn't have to worry about that, their parents were probably too drunk themselves to notice.  Now I'm not saying that this kid's parents are drunkards, but it's a fact that alcoholism is epidemic on reservations, and anywhere with a lot of alcoholism is likely to have a higher than average suicide rate.

[katmai]

If your background is anything like mine, you're already the product of several generations of people leaving their home to follow opportunity.  It's second nature to me to move to follow a better job because that's what my family does.

My paternal line left their homes to avoid being killed.   Pesky Papists and their damn Counter-Reformation.

Wish we had finished the job. 

[Monoriu]

I don't understand why suicide requires a response.  It is a life choice.  A stupid choice, but still a choice.  If someone doesn't want to live, then, so be it. 

Suicide happens a lot among school children in HK too.  I think they tend to happen in streaks.  One person jumps from the roof, followed by lots of media coverage, followed by more suicides. 

[DGuller]

I don't understand why suicide requires a response.  It is a life choice.  A stupid choice, but still a choice.  If someone doesn't want to live, then, so be it. 

Suicide happens a lot among school children in HK too.  I think they tend to happen in streaks.  One person jumps from the roof, followed by lots of media coverage, followed by more suicides.

Because suicides are a major mental health problem?  Or because people deciding to kill themselves are rarely making a rational decision, and are usually suffering from a mental issue impacting their decision-making?  I swear, Mono, sometimes your shtick crosses form being amusing to being offensively inhumane.

[Monoriu]

Because suicides are a major mental health problem?  Or because people deciding to kill themselves are rarely making a rational decision, and are usually suffering from a mental issue impacting their decision-making?  I swear, Mono, sometimes your shtick crosses form being amusing to being offensively inhumane.

Is it really our place to judge whether another human being is making a rational decision? 

[garbon]

Is it really our place to judge whether another human being is making a rational decision? 

Oh wai...you serious, bro?

[Monoriu]

Is it really our place to judge whether another human being is making a rational decision? 

Oh wai...you serious, bro?

Yeah I am serious.  I myself firmly believe that it is crazy to commit suicide.  But I also see that suicide could be a rational decision from another person's point of view. 

[Eddie Teach]

bro?