Native American Students Suffer Social Injustices: The Higher Educational Ponzi Scheme

Social Justice: Equals being treated equally

Can’t Let It Go!

The more I research and think about the drop out rates for Native American students nationally and more specifically in the State University of New York (SUNY) system – the angrier I become. Discussions about national stats can be reviewed in many places in this blog and beyond. The stats related to SUNY Native American student drop out rates can be viewed here.

Basically, since 1984, Native Americans in the SUNY system lead all groups in drop out rates. Year after year, decade after decade (it appears Native Americans will again have the highest drop out rates in 2014), this one particular group of students, while consisting of low overall enrollment numbers, have departed from SUNY colleges without interference or seemingly without any concern from SUNY leaders.

Why I Can’t Let It Go!

The SUNY statistical department was able to respond to my simple enquiries in a matter of minutes. I asked about student drop out rates and while we were talking on the phone I was forwarded an email with various data. Has anyone at SUNY asked or looked at this data? If not, why not? If so what happened?

The SUNY provide some Fast Facts about their students, like graduation rates. It is reported that 6-Year (2009/10) SUNY graduation rates for all SUNY students is 62.3%, compared to National Public Universities’ 55% and National Private Universities’ 65.3%. Native American SUNY students have a 46.8% graduation rate.  There is a little note indicating that 89% of Baccalaureate students entering in fall 2003 had a successful educational outcome (i.e., graduate, transfer, or continue to be enrolled). Would you care to guess who the remaining 11% of “unsuccessful educational outcome” students might be?

Time to Act!

Maybe SUNY’s Board of Trustees are not aware of this problem. I have submitted my concerns to the board and asked specifically to have these concerns directed to board member Gerri Warren-Merrick who is the current Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. I am confident that the SUNY Board of Trustees, once made aware of this decades old issue, will want to address this problem instantaneously.

The Educational Ponzi Scheme

Native American students who enroll at a SUNY college have experienced social injustices. Whilst they successfully enroll and pay for an education, over half of them, more than any other group in SUNY, leave before graduating. The SUNY colleges have had a nice run of ignoring this problem. It is like a SUNY Educational Ponzi Scheme. The SUNY colleges will eagerly take 100% of Native American’s registration costs, student fees, tuition, etc., knowing that more than half of these students will drop out before benefiting from these payments.  In order to support the continuation of the Ponzi Scheme, new “suckers” have to be recruited and enrolled. Would you pay a large amount of money and enroll into anything that has a success rate of less than half?

Conclusion -- But Not Letting it Go!

It is time to act! Either fix this problem or admit it is not a problem! If there is an admitted problem then there should be planned and purposeful SUNY system wide retention strategy for every Native American enrollee. If it is not a problem then so be it. Native Americans can consider enrolling in a SUNY college fully informed. The majority race seems to be doing just fine in SUNY. Maybe if that becomes a problem -- then there will be a problem!

Peace, DAP

Top 5 Viewed NACWR Posts and Updates

The NACWR Blog began 11/11/10. There are some simple stats showing how many folks view the blog, which country they originate, and which posts they view. As of today there are 32 posts, 33 now, submitted to the NACWR blog. There have been a total of 2,844 views, with an average of about 500 views per month.  The majority of views come from the U.S., followed by Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, and Germany. Posts can be viewed without clicking on a specific post, for example you can read this post just by entering this blog. Below are the posts that folks specifically clicked on to read. The top five viewed (clicked) posts are:

#1  The INDAN is DEAD in You  175 Views

This post resulted from reading materials on Indian boarding schools and the news of a congress person being shot in the head – strange mix of events! It seems that the congress person who was shot survived and that tragic trauma has not killed who she already was. Although the congress person will, I assume, be traumatized for the rest of her life, she (e.g., who she was prior) was not killed. She will, I assume, need much help to recover and will always be impacted by this event. The trauma that was tragically inflicted on Native Americans who were forced to attend boarding schools has carried on to present day. UPDATE: This post was picked up by other blogs and on-line news outlets. The congress person is still recovering from her tragedy and so to are Native Americans!

#2  The Institutional-Level Bullying of Native American Students  155 Views

This post resulted from reading several news articles about the problems of bullying and noticing the uneven standards applied to bullying. I tried to make the case that American school systems and its teaching methods are designed for the majority and that Native American students who attend these systems are being bullied. UPDATE: This post was picked up by other blogs and on-line news outlets. This post had the most comments and seemed to get some folks a bit angered. Also, as the result of writing this post, the U.S. school system has not changed one bit! 

#3  The Teaching of the Porcupine  86 Views

This post was a simple story about how porcupines huddled together to saved themselves, although by joining together their quills poked each other. It is a sweet story and I believe why it is in the top five was mainly due to the photo of the cute baby porcupine!

#4  The Case Study in Research Integrity, Mentoring, and Slander  76 Views

This post resulted from working and hearing about folks who mentor newly graduated PhDs who end up doing things that are less than honest followed by slandering the university and others in order to distract from their own lack of integrity. Some of the comments seem to indicate that the story is about me. I can neither confirm of deny these comments! UPDATE: Truth will find its way.

#5    Native American Study Abroad Program  69 Views

This post is about NACWR starting a study abroad program to Ireland. The overall goal of the program is to address Native American college retention. Native Americans have the highest dropout rates both nationally and within the SUNY system. It turns out that studying abroad improves overall retention rates as well as creates personal & professional improvements. UPDATE: I am leaving for Ireland today in order to begin setting up the program. I will travel to Cork and Galway in order to find the best accommodations, learning opportunities, adventures, etc. I will be sure to report my findings when I return.

Peace DAP

Hungry by Choice – Fasting for Our People

For a person with an unhealthy diet, medicine is not helpful. For a person with a healthy diet, medicine is not needed!

Reading my Kentucky hometown news paper this morning there was an article about people who live in wealthier counties being healthier than those living in poor counties. Is this data really that surprising?

As I have reported in an earlier post, 7 of the top 10 poorest counties in the US are located on Native American reservations. Out of the top 100 in the US 16 are in my home state of Kentucky. My family is no stranger to being poor, hungry and in bad health. The strange thing is that many who experiences these things, like Native Americans are some of the most giving and charitable people I know. For instance, when we first moved to Buffalo NY in 2006, we were hit with the great “October Storm.” When my ma back in KY heard we were without electric, she turned her electric off as well. This is her nature and the way she lives here life. We were raised in a home where suffering was understood from experience, and we hurt and made sacrifices for others who also suffered.

There are a lot of folks suffering around the US and have been for a long time. There are about 50 million Americans; including 17 million children who are "food insecure." This number has grown and it seems that there will be lots more as the result of our current budget issues. Our elected leaders are working to cut specific funds that have helped many of these poor folks. It seems most of our leaders have never experienced watching their own children suffer from the lack of food. I bet if they had, their attitudes about what programs to cut would be much different.

So, after reading this article in the NY Times I have a thought for us all, before any final decisions are made I challenge our leaders to fast (e.g., only drink water) for 24 hours. I will be fasting until Sunday, April 3^rd at sundown. Contact you leaders and request that they fast and pray/meditate/focus on guidance for the next 24 hours. Maybe, during their fast, our leader’s minds will be joined with those who do not have this choice.

Peace, DAP

The Principle of Health and Healing

Is it human nature for sick people, who really believe they are sick, to want to get better?

Let’s work from the idea that there are two options to answering that question, yes or no. So, yes, sick people who believe they are sick will naturally want to become well again. Or, no, it is not a natural response for sick people to want to get well.

Let’s ask the question another way. If you have an illness, say the flu, would anyone have to encourage you to get well soon? It would seem a natural, human response to get back to health as quick as possible, if you had the flu. Let’s take another example. If a doctor told you that you have sugar diabetes, would you naturally move towards becoming healthy again? And finally, if it was discovered you have brain cancer, would nature kick in with a health seeking response?

What is it that makes us motivated to actively seek a cure for our sicknesses? It might be a number of things like how fatal our illness is. A temporary, fixable illness may have a different motivating factor than an illness that will quickly end our lives.

I’m not sure what the answers are to these questions. Maybe it is unknown what motivates sick people to seek healing. However, I want to introduce an idea that will directly address the principle of healing.

Divine Principles

What if you had an illness that not only wounded you, but harmed the people closest to you?  Would that type of illness naturally motivate you to seek a cure? If your own sickness caused your children and your community to become ill, would you quickly do all that was necessary to become well again?

Let’s agree that a Divine Principle is a principle that we humans can not alter. For instance, the principle of water freezing at 32 degrees can not be changes by any human effort(s). Water will freeze at 32 degrees regardless of human will. Gravity is another principle that can not be modified by human conditions – what goes up, must come down. And finally, my wife is the boss in our home. No human power will ever change that principle!

Divine Principle of Health

Here is what I would like to seek our common agreement on – our own health and wellness directly impacts everyone around us. Let’s agree on that Devine Principle of Health, just like we agree on water freezing at 32 degrees.

Here’s another example. Cyanide is an extremely deadly poison. If you ingest enough Cyanide it will kill you. That is a Divine Principle. It does not matter if you ingest it on purpose or accidently. The effects of Cyanide does not concern itself with why someone ingested it, once it is ingested, not human power can alter the outcome of that principle.

If you are full of resentment, anger, hate, contempt, etc that is an illness that also sickens your family and larger community. If you are full of sorrow, regret, guilt, shame, etc you sicken your own family and your community with the same. If you are a racist, bigot, hypocrite, prejudice, etc, you are a very sick person passing that sickness on to your family and community members.

Remember, this Devine Principle of Health does not concern itself with all of the reasons and causes why you might be these things, the outcome cannot be altered. Although you might have a very good reason and justification to hate someone, the result of this Health Principle is that it sickens you and everyone around you.

If you think you can hate someone or be hypocritical without any negative results on you or your relation’s health, then you would have to believe that you could ingest Cyanide without any negative results. Hatred toward anyone is like drinking a large dose of Cyanide and then giving an equal does to your child. There are many principles that we accept without question. Let’s begin to accept the reality of this health principle.

Healing Yourself Will Heal Your Community

If the health principle indicates that a sick person sickens the community, then it would seem a fact that a healthy person heals communities. A person who is happy, forgiving, and generous passes those qualities on to their communities. Won’t it be nice if everyone believed this principle and acted on it! Imagine a community where each individual worked hard to remove their own hatreds, resentments, prejudices, shame, etc. Can you envision a child being born and raised in this type community? There is an old, wise saying …it is best to nurture a child than to repair the adult.

There is good and bad news regarding this Devine Principle of Health. If you are a sick person you sicken your community. If, however, you work toward health, your community will be healed. You are kidding yourself if you think you can somehow out maneuver this principle. Please don’t take my word for it. You can quickly test your own powers to alter a Devine rule. Put some water in your deep freezer and pray, chant, speak in tongues, etc. If your freezer is 32 degrees or colder, that water will turn to ice, regardless of your best wishes. While I won’t encourage you to ingest Cyanide, you can evaluate your supremacy by taking a triple dose of ex-lax. Try all the self-talk and finger crossing you like, just stay close to the restroom!

The sooner we accept the fact that our own health and wellness negatively or positively impacts our communities, the sooner we and our communities will be healed. We do have an astonishing amount of power when we live within the framework of Devine Principles. Unfortunately, this power is often vanquished by the pursuit of trying to live outside of this rule. It’s hard to believe any sane adult would purposely pass a physical illness on to their loved ones. We have trained our children to regularly wash their hands in order to protect against sickness. Transferring emotional illnesses is just as lethal. The best way to ensure that our children and communities get and remain healthy is to first -- work to heal ourselves.

Peace, DAP

Radiation Exposure on Native American Lands Was No Accident

There’s a Difference Between Expressing Anger and Providing Information

This blog is a dedicated space for the cause and concerns of Native American health and wellness issues. I believe it is important to keep Native American issues on the front lines with all other issues that warrant attention. I enjoy giving space and voice for those who may not have one yet. This is the purpose supporting this blog.

Several years ago I was very frustrated after learning that a small group of folks was totally unaware of Native American’s overall health problems. I was amazed that they could spend their entire lives in complete unconsciousness about the troubles of Native Americans and their communities. An elder sensing my anger gently explained that these were not bad people who are unworthy of our time and attention – but in great need of it. She treated me as I should have treated this group. It is always sad when you don’t know what you don’t know!

I was in need of her gentle explanation, which lowered my anger level. And when that small group was provided some basic information about Native American issues, they became dedicated supporters of our mission. So, when I see things that have connections with Native Americans and their community’s health and wellness, I have to channel my anger into an informational expression. That elder cautioned me about becoming another angry Indian that people will tune out, like they do when they hear a dog barking in the distance.   

Paying Attention to Japan’s Nuclear Accident

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) the recent nuclear accident in Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi reactors is rated a 6 out of 7 for seriousness. The worst nuclear accident in world history is still Chernobyl with a 7/7. Three Mile Island was 5/7 on the serious scale. These three events, or places, all have one thing in common – they were considered accidents. When a nuclear accident happens, the world carefully watches.

President Obama recently stated that the U.S. will stand by Japan and that they are “…some of our closest friends and allies.” The U.S. has mobilized its resources and within days has sent scientists, military equipment, and other types of aid to that region in order to assist its friends in their time of need – as should be!  When accidents happen in our world America is very generous and the cost to the U.S. treasury is usually not a concern. However, when exposing folks to radiation is not accidental, like on our Native American reservations, the U.S. mobilizes its resources in a different way – they deny the effects of radiation exposure and deflect all responsibilities.

The Most Nuclear Bombed Nation on Our Planet

The Western Shoshone Nation, with lands located in Nevada, has had more nuclear bombs dropped on their lands than any other place on our planet. Some folks may confuse this Native American territory as being the area described as the Nevada Test Site. However, to the Native Americans living there, this is where nuclear bombs have been dropped since 1951. Even though there have never been any agreements between governments and the Western Shoshone Nation, American and British governments have been dropping nuclear bombs on this Nation’s lands for decades.

We all know what happens to people who are exposed to radiation. That’s why folks get freaked  out during nuclear accidents. I would provide links to photos of children who have been exposed to atomic radiation, as they are the most vulnerable. But there’s no need. It is as bad as you could imagine, so I will leave it to that. I just read that a respected news reporter has been exposed to the nuclear toxins after rushing to Japan in order to report on that story. Not many cameras or news reporters around Nevada these days.

Does Obama not “stand with” Native Americans who were/are exposed to radiation? Are the Native Americans being exposed to radiation on a daily basis here in the U.S. not “some of our closet friends and allies?” Now is a good time to turn our attention toward Native Americans who have suffered radiation exposure for over 60 years. Why? While cancer rates have continued to decline for all Americas over the past several decades, for Native Americans, the rates have increase about 10% over that same period of time. Cancer is the second leading cause of death for Native Americans in the U.S. and this group also has the poorest survival rates compared to any other group with cancer. 

Can’t we be Friends?

I am tempted to say all Native American lands have been contaminated. However, it is probably safe to say that most have been. These Sacred lands have disproportionally been targeted for nuclear bombing and storage. President Obama made it clear after the accident in Japan that he is committed to Nuclear power for the U.S. While there are no safe power sources on America’s horizons, I’ll suspect there will be a need to store additional nuclear waste soon. If the past provides any insight for the future, when there is a need to dispose of contaminated materials, Native American lands will certainly be used in an inequitable way.

The U.S. government seems to always stand by its closest foreign friends and allies in their time of need. Any friendship can be measured by its reasonable, shared exchange of positives and negatives. The next time American needs to store atomic radiation let the U.S. government ask its closest foreign friends for some open spaces. Native American lands should be off all lists related to any nuclear sites.  

What’s happening to the Japanese people is tragic and our prayers are with them. I heard a powerful statement indicating "…we are bound together by our common humanity." If that’s true, what’s happening on Native American lands is shameful. Native Americans living on contaminated reservations are not victims of an accident. No, they suffer from a planned purposeful act – and that is inhuman.

Peace and Erin Go Bragh! DAP

Native American College Dropout -- The Problem, Solution and Plan of Action

Several years ago an elder told me that the best way to solve a problem is to determine the exact nature of that problem, identify the solution, and establish a plan of action that systematically moves you from the problem, to the solution. Understanding the problem is the most important part of solving it. Trying to solve a misunderstood problem is futile and often times could make the problem worse. For instance, when we go to the doctor for a certain health issue, the doctor does not jump directly to a solution. It is important to clearly understand the problem as the solution is ultimately dependent on knowing exactly what the problem is.

This problem solving technique seems to work as long as the problem is diagnosed correctly. As an example, if you went to the doctor suffering from the Flu and your doctor indicated that s/he thought your problem was sever constipation, although the plan of action might provide some bowel relief, the doctor’s diagnosis is wrong – the solution will be wrong – and the plan of action will be wrong, and you will continue suffering from the original problem.

The final important point my elder friend wanted to express is that once the problem and solution are settled, the plan of action most be followed and completed. Let’s say your doctor did get your problem correct and determined that you have the Flu. S/he would explain the solution, followed by laying out a specific plan of action. If you left the doctor’s office and followed that plan, which might consist of taking a prescribed medicine, drinking plenty of fluids, resting, etc., you would be on the road to recovery. It seems most folks, once they begin to feel better, slack off on following the plan. For example, if you have ever suffered from an infection, the medication plan requires that every pill be taken, if not, the infection could return stronger and even harder to treat. It is vital that the plan of action that solves the problem is followed all the way through.

THE PROBLEM

Self-identified Native American students throughout the State University of New York (SUNY) system on average, have the highest college dropout rate compared to any other student group within that system. SUNY has done a very good job with collecting student data over the years. I requested student information and was provided data spanning from 1984 through 2007. Below are some results from those 23 years for students entering SUNY beginning in 1984.

Student Dropout percentage from lowest to highest:

Asian-Pacific Islander:                          35%

White:                                                  37%

Unknown:                                             44%

Hispanic:                                              50%

International:                                         51%

Black:                                                   53%

American Indian/Alaskan Native:          57%

The data sheet can be reviewed HERE. Not only do Native American students drop out of college at very high rates, they make up the fewest amount of students on SUNY campuses. From 1984 until 2007 a total of 503 self-identified Natives enrolled in a SUNY program. In those same years or so, about 216 Native Americans graduated (43%).

The exact nature of the problem is – a significant number of Native American students who enter a SUNY program drop out before obtaining a degree.

THE SOLUTION

Establish a collaborative, community-based bridge from high school to college and when a Native American enrolls in a SUNY program, encircle a variety of support systems around him/her. 

There are a few simple things that can be done to greatly increase the likelihood that Native American students who enroll in college will complete. With the help from community leaders and SUNY academic representatives the Native American Center for Wellness Research (NACWR) intends to move forward with a plan of action that will solve this problem.

PLAN OF ACTION

1. Study Abroad Program

A study abroad program (SAP) is being developed by NACWR. I have discussed the benefits of students experiencing a SAP in an earlier post so I won’t go into depth again. However, I would like to restate a scientific-based conclusion -- students who complete a SAP and are considered high-risk for dropout, remain in school and complete. SAP’s change student’s lives for the better and makes them stronger students and community members.

I will be traveling to Ireland next month and meeting with a professor at Galway University to set up a four-week, six credit earning program. In that earlier post I reported that NACWR was applying for a UB grant that would support the development of a SAP. That grant was not awarded.

2.  100 Haudenosaunee SUNY Degrees by 2020    

NACWR is currently working on a grant to support an initiative called 100 Haudenosaunee SUNY Degrees by 2020. Part of this initiative will be to coordinate the first annual Haudenosaunee Educational Summit held in May of 2012. The main purpose of the project is to gather SUNY and Haudenosaunee representatives in order to discuss and design a long-term structure that will smoothly and strategically guide Haudenosaunee youths into SUNY colleges, resulting in 100 degrees completed by 2020. The first summit will be held on the University at Buffalo, SUNY campus. Representatives from the Western and Central SUNY systems will be invited to participate. These representatives will include admissions, affirmative action and diversity, educational opportunity, student recruitment, and any other interested worker. Haudenosaunee representatives will also be invited. For instance, Chiefs, Clan Mothers, elected leaders, educational representatives, community leaders, and parents will be asked to participate. This proposed project will establish a university-community partnership that will pave the way for our community’s most underrepresented student population to enter, remain, and complete a SUNY college degree. The Haudenosaunee Educational Summit will be an annual event for folks to gather in order to ensure that the bridge from high school to college is clear and sound for our youths to travel.  During the summit, targeted, yearly outcomes will be set, measured and adjusted.  

3. Increase Donations to Wolf-Fire Scholarship

Finally, I am vigorously working on raising funds for the Wolf-Fire Scholarship. These donations will be used to support SUNY students carry out their work in Native American/First Nations communities. There is very good scholarly work being done by students who need a little financial assistance. These funds will also be used to help Native American students study abroad. Although regular tuition will pay for much of the program, additional funds are needed in order to pay for any “out of pocket” costs for students. Additionally, these funds will support the annual Haudenosaunee Educational Summit being developed. It must be stated that I have no clue how to best raise funds. What I hope to accomplish is to engage folks and create opportunities for them to fulfill their own personal purposes.

The solution and plan of action can not solely depend on SUNY grant money. Although NACWR will continue to target and apply for grants, we must not allow our work to be judged and determined by the measures of others!  

Concluding Thoughts

If a motivated community comes together around an agreed upon problem, solution, and plan of action, our Native American youths will be significantly benefited. I will be the first to admit that I take for granted the idea behind our responsibility for the next Seven Generations. These proposals are a great opportunity to act on this Principle and positively impact our next leaders.

If you are in a position to support these proposals, I strongly encourage you join us. It will take much work and commitment on our part to solve this problem. I think I heard someone say something like – If not you, who? If not now, when? I have had the honor to work with many people who are committed to being the generation that will not ignore the problems of the next. Please consider joining us.

If you would like to financially help support our plan of action below is a link to the Wolf-Fire Scholarship. It is very simple and safe and best of all tax free. Thank you very much.
https://ubfoundation.buffalo.edu/giving/v4/index.php?&custom=0372

Peace, DAP

Breaking Biased News: A Native American Owned Business Has a “Staggering” Advantage Over Other Businesses -- UPDATED

After reading an article in the Buffalo News paper about casino gaming and the on-going fight between the Citizens for a Better Buffalo and the Seneca Nation of Indians, it occurred to me that until there is an honest and logical debate, these fights will continue and the Buffalo News will continue printing stories that are not helpful with bringing people together and solving this area’s primary problems.

It seems there are three distinct groups in this community when it applies to the topic of Native American owned casinos.

Group 1 – Those who totally oppose Native American Gaming.

Group 2 – Those who totally support Native American Gaming.

Group 3 – Those who do not like the idea of Native American’s supporting its communities with gaming, but value the rights they have to do so and without it, their communities would be less self-sustainable.

Groups 1 & 2 have easy solutions to their problem. Group 3’s issues are much more complicated and require a larger effort of problem solving. I will consider myself a Group 3 member. For those who have the sole agenda of denying Native America’s the right to own a legal, successful business, which supports its community, can expect to be opposed by Groups 2 & 3. If those folks in Group 1 want to achieve their overall mission, join Group 3 and begin working towards a long-term solution of Native American sovereignty and self-determination. However, if your Group 1 goal is to destroy a legal Native American business by any means necessary, similar to the dishonorable acts that where recently printed in the Buffalo News paper, expect a larger group of opponents. 

I won’t or can’t document the entire historical aspects of all the disagreements. However, I will state a few plain facts. It appears the Seneca Nation is operating a business that is successful and legal. Citizens for a Better Buffalo have spent a lot of time and money trying to stop the Seneca’s business from operating.

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel

A very important fact to remember is that the Seneca business is a legal operation. The Seneca’s have played by the rules. Not their own made up rules, but rules forced on any business in Buffalo.

The News Story  

The Buffalo News recently published a story about how Citizens for a Better Buffalo have gained allies on Buffalo’s City Council in trying to shut down the Seneca’s business. That story is sprinkled with comments that should scare some folks and cause readers to negatively view a Native American business. I can understand how they were able to gain supporters on Buffalo’s City Council using these tactics. Here are a few of those comments:

“…expanded casino will prove a ‘huge money-sucking vacuum’ in a city already struggling with high poverty.”

“What we rarely hear about is the devastating negative economic impact that research shows occurs when a tax-exempt casino is placed in what is claimed to be sovereign land within an urban setting.”

“Seneca casinos in Western New York gave away $42 million in ‘loss leaders’ over a nine-month period.”

“They give away more rooms per night than the Hyatt and the Adam's Mark combined,” “…No one can compete.”

“That pales in comparison to the social costs of gambling…”

“They have created a culture in this community of gambling as a way of life…which I think is destructive.”

 “…because Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino is located in a poor neighborhood of a poor city, its presence will only exacerbate poverty.”

“The explosive growth of gambling in New York State and Western New York in particular, is disastrous for people with low incomes.”

“A large percentage of gambling revenue comes from problem gamblers, and many problem gamblers are people with low incomes.”

“These damn dirty Indians will soon be just as prosperous as the rest of us -- dating our daughters and trying to change our great way of life.”

Sorry, that last quote was mine. I thought I would just sum up how I view the main notion behind the other quotes!

Most of these comments are supported by a “report” conducted by Niagara University professor Steven H. Siegel. According to the Buffalo News paper, Mr. Siegel is “contending that city leaders should be wary of plans to expand the downtown casino even on a smaller scale than originally envisioned. He contends that the Senecas effectively enjoy a 15 percent price advantage over non-Indian competitors in the hospitality industry. He called the advantage staggering.”

Staggering!

Mr. Siegel’s Niagara University bio:

Following 10 years working in various operational and management positions within the hospitality industry, Professor Siegel is now completing his 31st year on the faculty of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Niagara University. His teaching interests focus upon the areas of strategic management, finance, and analytical methods as applied to the industry. His research interests explore the competitive advantages that Indian run casinos, with hotels and food and beverage outlets, located on sovereign Indian land, have over local hospitality establishments.

A couple of very important points that must be addressed:

1. The reliability and validity of Mr. Siegel’s study;

2. Staggering, unfair advantage. 

#1 Point

I contacted Mr. Siegel and asked for his report and/or study that this entire article is based on. I would like to learn more about the study’s research design and methods. He has not yet replied to my request. Mr. Siegel has a master degree in business administration. This is a very good degree for someone who wants to master the skills associated with working in a business. It is not a degree to have if someone wants to conduct scientific research. If you are interested in conducting scientific research, a PhD is best.

Now… please know, someone could be a good business administrator with a PhD and someone could do good research with a master degree in business. However, the educational training and skill development would not match up. For instance, I have a couple of college degrees. I’ve watched, on many occasions, our dog groomer, groom our dogs. I thought to myself, “I can do this job and save some money.” As part of my expanded dog grooming training I watched several step-by-step YouTube videos on how to groom dogs. Afterwards, I went to the local pet store and spend about $120 on a do-it-yourself dog grooming kit. That kit came with an instructional video that I watched as well. After all this preparation, I felt highly trained, educated, and confident I could successfully groom our dogs. Update: I have a lightly used dog grooming kit for sale, if anyone is interested.

Mr. Siegel is a teacher, and after 31 years probably a good one. However, it is my opinion that his education and training have not appropriately prepared him to be a scientific researcher. Also, I have been unable to find any peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts or discovered any funded scientific works by Mr. Siegel related to his research. Peer-reviewed research manuscripts and/or obtaining federal research funds best indicate that the research plan has been at least minimally scrutinized. (And a little, gentle advice for Mr. Siegel, please consider editing your bio by removing the word – Indian. Please consider using American Indian or Native American).

Let’s look specifically at the report’s stated outcomes. Basically, Mr. Siegel reports that Native Americans have a staggering advantage over non-Native American businesses. Other hospitality businesses can’t compete, he says. Hotels can’t fill rooms, sports bars lose customers, HSBC arena loses money, movie theaters lose money, etc. So this leads me to the second conflicting aspect of this argument.

#2 Point

First, the fairness issue? The Seneca business is operating by the law of the land, rules that every business operates. It’s not like the Seneca created these laws. So, the “unfair” label is, well…an unfair, unwarranted description.

But the main conflict in the article’s position is that the Seneca business destroys communities that are already dilapidated, neglected, and poverty burdened and that only poor people enter the Seneca business. I do not understand the association between the Seneca business hurting poor people and its advantages over other local businesses, happening concurrently.

Are Mr. Siegel and Citizens for a Better Buffalo saying that very poor people were spending their money on other hospitality businesses around Buffalo prior to the arrival of the Seneca business? Were all the poor people in Buffalo spending their weekends at the Hyatt and the Adam's Mark hotel? Were the people from the “poor neighborhood of a poor city” using their limited money going to movies, eating out at the upscale downtown Buffalo restaurants and going to hockey games at HSBC arena?  

If the Seneca business only attracts low income people, how do they have a “staggering” advantage over other hospitality businesses? Were the low income people spending all of their money on other entertainment/hospitality businesses before the Seneca’s arrived, and now that they have arrived, these folks avoid all other businesses except the Seneca’s business?

Please allow me to remind you of some of the article’s comments:

“The explosive growth of gambling in New York State and Western New York in particular, is disastrous for people with low incomes.”

“A large percentage of gambling revenue comes from problem gamblers, and many problem gamblers are people with low incomes.”

“They give away more rooms per night than the Hyatt and the Adam's Mark combined,” “…No one can compete.”

Article’s Logical Conclusion

I am confused how the Seneca business hurts low income people, its only customers, while disadvantaging other businesses unless low income people were spending their money elsewhere on entertainment/hospitality activities.

Let’s have an honest, logic debate about how to best improve the lives of people who live around Buffalo. Let’s also have an honest, logical debate about how Native Americans can best sustain their right of sovereignty and operate a legal business. This entire article’s argument is not logical, reliable or valid. An unbiased scientific researcher might have dealt with these illogical issues. Unbiased Citizens for a Better Buffalo should address their concerns honestly and logically. Finally, An unbiased Buffalo City Council should not base their decisions on a biased, unscientific report. All groups should find a way to join together in a common cause of increasing the health and wellness of all people in our communities.

Peace, DAP

UPDATE: I have contacted the writers of the Buffalo News story asking them to comment. Below is their response.

I have also contacted Steven Siegel and Bruce Jackson with the Citizens for a Better Buffalo offering an opportunity to respond.

From The Buffalo News:

Dr. Patterson:

Thank you for sending along your blog. You should consider condensing
your thoughts and submitting them as a letter to the editor or a
submission to our MY View column.

I must say, however, that I find no basis for your view that the story
was biased. The group issued a report, brought it to the Council, and we
wrote about it. No more, no less.

But I am sure your thoughts would be very welcome.

Bob McCarthy

Greetings, Dr. Patterson.
Thanks for your note.
I'm the city government reporter at The News. My main contribution to this article focused on some Common Council members' concerns that an agreement between the city and Seneca Gaming was being breached. My involvement with this story had little to do with the study, which is the main focus of your blog.
Thanks for taking the time to reach out to me. I appreciate it.
Brian Meyer

Please Don’t Allow Your Current and Past Life to Destroy Your Future Life

“Having a Purpose in Life Gives All Other Things Purpose”

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A few years back, maybe 20 or so now, I overheard a conversation that has stayed with me ever since. I was waiting in line for a morning coffee and two men, one older and the other my age at that time, where chatting in front of me. I didn’t catch the beginning of their conversation, nor was I around to get the ending. However, I did pick up on an assertion coming from the older gentleman. He said, “When you find your purpose in life – it gives all other things purpose.”

When I first overheard this, I thought about that conversation and what must have lead to such a strange statement. Until then and even after, I have not heard those same words or concept from anyone else. That man’s decree swirled around in my head for several hours, turning into days and then weeks. I’m not sure, but I think the reason that man’s proclamation was so impacting on me, was that, at that time in my life, I had been living in a homeless/treatment facility for over a year.

I’m not sure about anyone else who has lived in a homeless program, but for me, I continuously wondered about my purpose in life. Was my purpose, like so many other men in that building, to be a long-term homeless man traveling between shelters ending up with my name in the newspaper seeking the next nearest living relative? That really wasn’t my overall ambition at the time because I was attending a local community college. Boy, those two worlds as very far apart. My days would be spent on a college campus full of fear trying to assimilate as a typical college student, followed by concerns about making curfew back at the facility.

I used to think, “If that old man is correct, then this could not be my purpose. And if it is not my purpose, what purpose would finally give purpose to all this? If that old man was right about finding your purpose in life gives all other things purpose – what the heck kind of purpose awaits me after living in this place for two years?” This is why that man’s statement so altered me. I could not come up with a scenario that would provide a later life purpose for living in a homeless program.

It was very hard to imagine that someday I would look back on this time and state, “Oh…so that’s why my life was this way and I lived in this program.” Believe me when I say this, having to smell the pungent stench coming out of my roommate’s shoes is not a design for a purpose driven life. Those shoes were already foul and abandoned, for all the right reasons, when he found them.

Well, as it turns out, that older man’s statement 20 years ago has merit. It seems, finding a purpose, places all past experiences as indispensable and very much needed in order to have arrived to this present day. 

A life that has finally found purpose, would not want to change one single day of that past life. All of those past days were required in order to find this current day’s purposeful life. A life that has purpose is so overwhelmingly grateful to have found this purpose, any thoughts of altering the past is quickly retracted as those alterations would have risked not having found this purpose (Note: I had to re-read that past sentence a few times to make sure I understood what I just said).

Regardless where anyone is currently, when someone finds their purpose in life – it gives all other things purpose. Folks don’t have to believe that statement and I’m sure there are many that don’t/won’t. What I hope, is that folks who have not found their purpose, believes that there is a purpose for every life.

The path on the way to that purpose, regardless of where it is or begins, is the exact route needed to get there.  If you do believe this and think you will never find a purpose, relax, you are right where you are supposed to be. Enjoy the journey. 

Peace, DAP

Data are limited

NOTE: This post is offered up by Amy Manning. Amy is a doctoral candidate at UB’s School of Social Work. Amy’s research focus is on prevention, specifically focusing on child and adolescent mental health issues.

The month of February is the National Heart Association Go Red for Women Day. Go Red For Women movement celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke.

Being a Native woman, I thought it would be appropriate to spend some time looking at what the research says about cardiovascular health for Native American women. So I spent a little time searching the internet as well as the University Library looking for specific data.  After several searches and many reviews, the reoccurring phrase common in most of these studies as it relates to the Native American population is “data are limited.” Many of the studies published seem to exclude Native Americans from their analysis due to limited numbers of participants.  They were also combined them with other groups, thereby limiting the interpretability of the results.

What was frustrating, as a doctoral student researching health issues and trying to publish manuscripts, was reading through and finding that in most cases, excluding and lumping Native Americans into dissimilar groups was not even mentioned as a limitation of the study. Often times the authors praised themselves for having a heterogeneous sample, when in fact much was missing. I feel that we must do more as researchers and as Native Americans to ensure greater participation in research that could improve the health and welfare of our families and communities.  Imagine if your physician was unaware of the prevalence rates of heart disease among Native Americans because of the current literature? Unfortunately, that isn’t hard to imagine. The movement in healthcare now is to use evidence-based practices. This means medical providers look at the science and evidence of a particular problem and allow that research to guide the best intervention. If medical professionals were to seek the best practices for treating heart disease for Native Americans, they would discover what I just did – Native American’s are excluded or placed into another category resulting in the professional having no evidence to guide practice.

           

General Heart Data

From the American Heart Association I learned that heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. Twenty-five percent of all deaths among Native American women are caused by heart disease and stroke. Among all Native Americans, 12% have heart disease, 8% have coronary heart disease, 25% have hypertension, and 5% have had a stroke. The rate of coronary heart disease, and hypertension are elevated when compared to the white population, however, the percent of Native Americans who have had a stroke is more than DOUBLE compared to the white population.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease must be monitored and wellness interventions initiated if we are ever going to take control of these silent killers. Almost 50% of Native Americans have 2 or more risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

How could this be possible? The risk factors that are now known to contribute to heart disease include high cholesterol, tobacco use, inactivity, overweight and diabetes. Among the Native American population over 40% use tobacco, including 30% of Native American women.  About 30% of Native Americans have high cholesterol compared to 17% of the general population. Over 50% of Native American adults also report no physical activity, as in zero activity. Currently, only 21% of our young women in grades 9-12 meet basic physical activity guidelines. Physical inactivity is one thing that can lead to an individual being overweight, and as a group Native Americans are the most likely to be overweight out of any group, with 30.4% of adults being overweight. Almost 16% of the Native American population (male and female) have a diagnosed case of Diabetes, compared with 7% of the total general population. The risk for Native Americans developing diabetes is 2.2 times greater than the general population. Check out the rest of the American Heart Association report at here.

Recommendation

Dealing with this problem is easier said than done. It seems families could be the first line of education and agents of change. Communities also should come together and advocate changes. It may even take just one person to stand up and take control of their health to start the process of change. Change is never easy. We women need to be our own best advocates for our communities, families and our own health. All women need to know that if their medical health provider is not listening to their concerns -- they need to find another provider. We also need to stop explaining away symptoms. If something with your health isn’t right -- it isn’t right -- and you need to find out why. Too many times women’s first presentation of heart problems to a medical professional is when she arrives at the ER dead from cardiac arrest.

As a community, we have the highest prevalence rates of so many negative health and wellness issues. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we, as a community, experienced the single most amazing turn-around for our health? I can guarantee you this – if a Native American women’s movement was able to turn this around – data would not be limited on us anymore.

So, what changes can you see happening? How do we start?

Thank you, Amy

Christopher Columbus Fellowships to study Homeland Security

I was preparing a much different post than this one. I thought my last few posts were not focused on health and wellness issues, as I prefer, and that a more meaningful one was in order. Unfortunately, my plans were altered. Have you ever heard of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation? No!? I didn’t either until I received an email this morning encouraging me to apply for one of the fellowships. Now…stay with me here – one of the fellowships focuses on – get this – Homeland Security! I kid you Not! You can win a $25,000 Christopher Columbus award to study Homeland Security issues. Don’t believe it, click right here.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

The foundation’s purpose:

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is an independent Federal government agency established to "encourage and support research, study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind." Governed by a Presidential appointed Board of Trustees, the Foundation seeks to nurture and recognize pioneering individuals and programs which reflect the visionary spirit and pioneering heritage of Christopher Columbus.  

And the history of the foundation is:

In 1992 Americans celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas, and the United States Congress joined in the commemoration by passing Public Law 102-281, the Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation. The initial funding for the Christopher Columbus Foundation was derived from the sale of three denominations of specially minted coins sold by the United States Mint from August 1992-June 1993. The coin sales surcharges constituted the Foundation's endowment thus establishing a living legacy of explorer Christopher Columbus.

So, I’ll reframe from ranting on about all the issues related to a foundation such as this. However, I do have a couple recommendations I would like to offer up. Why stop at celebrating ole Chris. I have three new foundations I would like to propose:

Adolf Hitler Waste Management Fellowship Foundation. The purpose of this fellowship is to study the best strategies for disposing of unwanted waste materials.

Joseph Stalin Ukraine Food Destruction Fellowship.  The purpose of this fellowship is to study why food was over-produced in Europe.

The Klu Klux Klan Botanical & Hemp Fellowship. The purpose of this fellowship is to study trees with strong branches and the uses for hemp ropes.

All we need are some coins, a presidential appointed Board of Trustees, and an Executive Director to oversee these foundations and we could be all set. Would anyone who has studied world history and in their right mind, support any of my three foundations? I would hope not. The people connected with the Christopher Columbus Foundation must not have studied world history, be in their right minds, or both. 

The Executive Director of the Christopher Columbus’s foundation is Judith Shellenberger. If you have any questions or concerns she can be reached at judithmscolumbus@cs.com or call (315) 258-0090.