How meth took hold on Indian reservation

[almaty 19]

I love it how they blame the 'evil Mexican drug dealer' for 'spreading it like cancer'....if the tribespeople didn't take the sample, none of this would have happened. I'm not holding the drug dealer blameless, but it all boils down to personal responsibility....*GASP* crazy concept, I know....

If someone offers me a free sample of meth, I'd tell em to go suck a butt.

Yes, but you have a good job, a home and aren't struggling in society in general. I think the missed point is that many of the American Indians are at rock bottom anyway. There are high levels of depression and alcoholism too. It's easy to say "suck a butt" if you have good standing and self esteem but for many, it is a way out of the reality of life.

I do agree that personal responsibility IS a factor in the start of an addiction. But personal circumstances also have a bearing on it. Some people just can't see a way out.

Do you realize how much $$ the Native American community gets?

I haven't the foggiest, but I do know that money isn't always the answer. I bet it makes the Government feel better to say "we gave X amount of money to the American Indians last year, now we can wash our hands of them until next payday".

I'm just trying to see the whys and wherefores behind the addiction problem, I'm not looking at it from the money angle, not really.

Well, tbh I'm not THAT knowledgeable on the finances of the tribes, but I recall an article about the tribe in S FL and all the $$ they got. And the article actually made it a point to say about the meth problem in the younger members and actually attributed it to a 'rich kid' mentality because each tribe member gets so much $ that the younger ones have this 'devil may care attitude'. I don't really want to get into a full blown discussion about money, but I was only answering your post about the good job, house, etc...

Money aside...rich or poor....I think it sucks that there's ALWAYS an excuse....'oh personal circumstances and people can't see a way out' TO ME is a perfect comment indicative of the 'therapist' nation we've turned into (sorry Deano)....there's always an excuse, isn't there? I listened to a 70 some odd year old woman blaming her mother for summat in her own life. Erm, that was a long time ago, suck it up and move on for **'s sake.

I'm not baggin on ya mags, you know that...I know I'm coming across harsh as owt but eh, it's the way I see it.

sister lisa, in all due repsects, i doubt if ever you have been to a reservation that does not have a casino..i worked on 3 and been to over 35...the poorest area and highest unemployment rate in the country...and a feeling of hopelessness and powerless prevails..american indians have always had a low tolerance to etoh and drugs...

I haven't and a futher explanation of my post is above...ironically enough, I mentioned you in it...and I hadn't even seen this yet.

aw. i still love you sister lisa...your ol' brother dean

[Fandango 1,440]

aw. i still love you sister lisa...your ol' brother dean

Right back atcha Deano....

I really should have clarified that I was specifically using the Seminole tribe in my example.

They just bought the Hard RockCafe in Hollywood FL for $965million

[almaty 19]

aw. i still love you sister lisa...your ol' brother dean

Right back atcha Deano....

I really should have clarified that I was specifically using the Seminole tribe in my example.

They just bought the Hard RockCafe in Hollywood FL for $965million

sister lisa, the seminioles and various tribes are wealthy indeed...but the area in question in the story is in a mountainous area in wyoming and are more of a reflection of the mainstream tribes...i have been there, almost took a job there..the area is beautiful..\

i did my master research paper on indians and etoh with drugs included, where you had a warrior society based on mystic..the rate of addiction was much higher.

.also, the Pueblo tribe were mainly urban and closeknit tribes and their rate is lower than the tribes that were more transient in nature

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't think its a coincidence that drug use (and indeed crime) flourishes in deprived areas or that people who live in such areas have a greater likelihood of falling victim to 'unhealthy lifestyles'.

[Fandango 1,440]

aw. i still love you sister lisa...your ol' brother dean

Right back atcha Deano....

I really should have clarified that I was specifically using the Seminole tribe in my example.

They just bought the Hard RockCafe in Hollywood FL for $965million

sister lisa, the seminioles and various tribes are wealthy indeed...but the area in question in the story is in a mountainous area in wyoming and are more of a reflection of the mainstream tribes...i have been there, almost took a job there..the area is beautiful..\

i did my master research paper on indians and etoh with drugs included, where you had a warrior society based on mystic..the rate of addiction was much higher.

.also, the Pueblo tribe were mainly urban and closeknit tribes and their rate is lower than the tribes that were more transient in nature

Well then you are highly qualified to talk on this matter...so to what do you attribute the predisposition towards addiction? I don't say that to be combative...I'm curious.

Where does personal responsibility come into this?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I could answer that, but Im too predisposed to a condition that won't let me respond.

[Alex+R 0]

Predisposition to addiction is genetic, and I didn't mean any offense by bringing this into things. Different ethnic groups show different susceptibilities to different things. Jews, for example, are not generally predisposed to alcoholism, but of course there are many Jewish alcoholics. Native Americans are predisposed as a group, but there are many in that group who are not.

[almaty 19]

aw. i still love you sister lisa...your ol' brother dean

Right back atcha Deano....

I really should have clarified that I was specifically using the Seminole tribe in my example.

They just bought the Hard RockCafe in Hollywood FL for $965million

sister lisa, the seminioles and various tribes are wealthy indeed...but the area in question in the story is in a mountainous area in wyoming and are more of a reflection of the mainstream tribes...i have been there, almost took a job there..the area is beautiful..\

i did my master research paper on indians and etoh with drugs included, where you had a warrior society based on mystic..the rate of addiction was much higher.

.also, the Pueblo tribe were mainly urban and closeknit tribes and their rate is lower than the tribes that were more transient in nature

Well then you are highly qualified to talk on this matter...so to what do you attribute the predisposition towards addiction? I don't say that to be combative...I'm curious.

Where does personal responsibility come into this?

sister lisa, i know you do not ...

i think it is a genetic make-up first...they have had a small amount of generations that have used substances...most people in the world, some form of etoh has been used for centuries.,.probably most tribes ..like the Sioux about 150 years...

second, i think the style of usage is reinforced..that is in the book Drunken Comportment..the theory is that tribes learned to drink doing the 1800s and drank quickly to get intoxicated....since they were placed on reservations at that period in time, they continued the same pattern...without a refinement ///

third, the act of being intoxicated..high..is a mystic place reinforced by old cultural norms..also, the personal responsibility is lesses..

fourth, the consequences of one's action ans behavior under the infulence is not a reflection of the person's character..

indivdual's are indeed responsible for their behavior.,..i am a behaviorist and place the responsibilty there..there are many people who do not drink or use on the Res. than do...they have experienced the same consequences or similar experiences than those who do...in the end, it is the person who snorts the meth..drinks to excess... that is responsible...sadly, his/her behavior have consequences for all the tribal members

Edited April 30, 2007 by almaty

[Alex+R 0]

PS that is not to bring in any of the things Dean is talking about, which I don't know anything about but sound interesting. I'm just explaining why I brought that into the discussion.

[homesick_american 1]

I love it how they blame the 'evil Mexican drug dealer' for 'spreading it like cancer'....if the tribespeople didn't take the sample, none of this would have happened. I'm not holding the drug dealer blameless, but it all boils down to personal responsibility....*GASP* crazy concept, I know....

If someone offers me a free sample of meth, I'd tell em to go suck a butt.

Yes, but you have a good job, a home and aren't struggling in society in general. I think the missed point is that many of the American Indians are at rock bottom anyway. There are high levels of depression and alcoholism too. It's easy to say "suck a butt" if you have good standing and self esteem but for many, it is a way out of the reality of life.

I do agree that personal responsibility IS a factor in the start of an addiction. But personal circumstances also have a bearing on it. Some people just can't see a way out.

Yeah, but taking meth isn't the way out. It's not rocket science. Taking drugs is, ultimately, an individual choice. I'm not saying that Native Americans don't have it rough. They do.

Edited May 1, 2007 by homesick_american

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I love it how they blame the 'evil Mexican drug dealer' for 'spreading it like cancer'....if the tribespeople didn't take the sample, none of this would have happened. I'm not holding the drug dealer blameless, but it all boils down to personal responsibility....*GASP* crazy concept, I know....

If someone offers me a free sample of meth, I'd tell em to go suck a butt.

Yes, but you have a good job, a home and aren't struggling in society in general. I think the missed point is that many of the American Indians are at rock bottom anyway. There are high levels of depression and alcoholism too. It's easy to say "suck a butt" if you have good standing and self esteem but for many, it is a way out of the reality of life.

I do agree that personal responsibility IS a factor in the start of an addiction. But personal circumstances also have a bearing on it. Some people just can't see a way out.

Yeah, but taking meth isn't the way out. It's not rocket science. Taking drugs is, ultimately, an individual choice. I'm not saying that Native Americans don't have it rough. They do.

You see the same thing in any high poverty area / group - crime, substance abuse and high rates of depression & suicide.

[homesick_american 1]

You see the same thing in any high poverty area / group - crime, substance abuse and high rates of depression & suicide.

Yes, I know. That doesn't mean taking drugs isn't a conscious choice, though.

[almaty 19]

You see the same thing in any high poverty area / group - crime, substance abuse and high rates of depression & suicide.

Yes, I know. That doesn't mean taking drugs isn't a conscious choice, though.

taking drugs is used as an ecape from reality and is an individual choice....by native americans

and for a teen in newark, nj..or salt lake city

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You see the same thing in any high poverty area / group - crime, substance abuse and high rates of depression & suicide.

Yes, I know. That doesn't mean taking drugs isn't a conscious choice, though.

Not saying it isn't. But it might be accurate to suggest that a person's choices are influenced somewhat by their circumstances and general outlook.

[almaty 19]

You see the same thing in any high poverty area / group - crime, substance abuse and high rates of depression & suicide.

Yes, I know. That doesn't mean taking drugs isn't a conscious choice, though.

Not saying it isn't. But it might be accurate to suggest that a person's choices are influenced somewhat by their circumstances and general outlook.

i agree with that..allot of variables influence usage and drug of choice..

i did research years ago in college on religion and etoh usage,....and religion like mormoms...muslims jewish ..baptist were very low in consumption ..according to them due to cultural and religious retraints...