Blood Quantum laws

[the game]

So one of my classes this semester is on Native American studies. One of the things we started talking about last week is blood quantum tests/laws. For those who don't know blood quantum tests are what the american government uses to decides how much Indian blood a person has in them. Once the indian blood gets to a certain fraction in the blood quantum test they can no longer be considered Indian. In fact Indians have to carry a government issued ID card saying that they are indian and it puts how much indian blood on the card. Without this card an individual can't be considered Indian. This started in 1705 because Indians are/were considered less than human/savages. It's the governments way of doing away with indians.

I personally think in this day and age that it's time to do away with blood quantum laws. In an age where we are trying to do away with racism this has no place. I'm told they also do this blood quantum for puerto ricans.

What do you guys think? Do we have any American Indians on these forums?

[Reg]

Native Americans receive Federal benefits, so they need to be able to prove it. The tribes themselves also require you to have a certain percentage of their tribe's bloodline to be a part of the tribe. I have one, but I have never used it for anything.

[Kasierith]

I thought they were more important for tribe affiliation, since the benefits that Native Americans get are not paid to individuals; they're paid to existing tribes that are owed benefits due to treaties. That I remember, individuals don't actually get any benefits, apart from things like minority scholarships.

[the game]

I thought they were more important for tribe affiliation, since the benefits that Native Americans get are not paid to individuals; they're paid to existing tribes that are owed benefits due to treaties. That I remember, individuals don't actually get any benefits, apart from things like minority scholarships.

Except the laws were designed to "breed out" indians.

[Kasierith]

Except the laws were designed to "breed out" indians.

How exactly does having to have a card saying you're Native American in order to legally be recognized as a Native American contribute to a people being bred out?

[Rixis]

Except the laws were designed to "breed out" indians.

What something was designed for and what it is used for are not necessarily the same thing.

[the game]

How exactly does having to have a card saying you're Native American in order to legally be recognized as a Native American contribute to a people being bred out?

Because once the blood gets to a certain fraction then the blood line after that is no longer considered indian. That's why they did it. Because Indians were considered less than human. The fact that you can't consider yourself an indian without that card should speak volumes.

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What something was designed for and what it is used for are not necessarily the same thing.

Except that's what it was used for back then. Still is.

[kynthrus]

Because once the blood gets to a certain fraction then the blood line after that is no longer considered indian. That's why they did it. Because Indians were considered less than human. The fact that you can't consider yourself an indian without that card should speak volumes.

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Except that's what it was used for back then. Still is.

First, Native American. Indians are from India, if you are going to preach about racial discrimination use the proper term. Second, you are incorrect.

[s_bushido]

The fact that you can't consider yourself an indian without that card should speak volumes.

You can consider yourself whatever you want...doesn't mean that it's going to be legally recognized by the government...

Still is.

Um...prove it?

[Rixis]

Because once the blood gets to a certain fraction then the blood line after that is no longer considered indian. That's why they did it. Because Indians were considered less than human. The fact that you can't consider yourself an indian without that card should speak volumes.

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Except that's what it was used for back then. Still is.

You can consider yourself whatever you want to be, it's others not considering you to be xxx/yyy that the card indicates. Also how exactly is it being used to "breed out" Native Americans? If you have enough blood, you're not going to "change" your blood later on and suddenly not be an Native Americans. If you fall in love with a none Native Americans and have a child who has less blood, then they do, then they do etc, that's just nature at work.

This card does not make you have sex with a white woman to produce a less Native American child.

Hell, what does the card even do, what advantages does the card bestow upon them? If it bestows any upon them and you get rid of the cards, they lose them, if they don't have enough blood they lose them, if there are no advantages, they don't even have them to lose.

The only "knowledge" I have of this in place is from a TV show (and thus likely completely wrong), where the Native American tribal council was using it to kick some people out of the tribe, so that the proceeds of their new casino would be split among fewer people. This is Native Americans against Native Americans, not whites against Native Americans.

[Deleted]

In my opinion if you cannot prove your ethnicity just by how you look then you probably are stretching things a hell of a lot.

[Rixis]

In my opinion if you cannot prove your ethnicity just by how you look then you probably are stretching things a hell of a lot.

Why the need to prove ethnicity anyway. Get rid of racism but be desperate to cling to a race you 1/16th of >.>

[the game]

Why the need to prove ethnicity anyway. Get rid of racism but be desperate to cling to a race you 1/16th of >.>

Indians are the only race in America that has to have that card to prove their race.

[s_bushido]

Why the need to prove ethnicity anyway. Get rid of racism but be desperate to cling to a race you 1/16th of >.>

I have a feeling that it's similar to the notion that white people are an endangered breed (propped up by those terrified of multiculturalism and change). For some, their heritage is very important to them, and Native Americans are a pretty special case given how few of them are left.

[Zethras]

Indians are the only race in America that has to have that card to prove their race.

God, the irony is so strong it's magnetic.

Native american. Get your terminology right.

[the game]

I have a feeling that it's similar to the notion that white people are an endangered breed (propped up by those terrified of multiculturalism and change). For some, their heritage is very important to them, and Native Americans are a pretty special case given how few of them are left.

There's few of them left because of the blood quantum test.

https://oneida-nsn.gov/uploadedFiles...oodQuantum.pdf

[Kasierith]

Because once the blood gets to a certain fraction then the blood line after that is no longer considered indian. That's why they did it. Because Indians were considered less than human. The fact that you can't consider yourself an indian without that card should speak volumes.

You can still consider yourself an Indian all you want. This isn't a "star of david" scenario. The interest of the US government is in terms of the legally defined treaties with still existing tribes. That you need to be able to prove that you're part of a tribe in order to have the right to some of the compensation is pretty much completely normal and fine.

[Deleted]

Why the need to prove ethnicity anyway. Get rid of racism but be desperate to cling to a race you 1/16th of >.>

It annoys me too, my Grandad is from Belfast and I was schooled in Ireland for 5 years but I do not consider myself Irish, on the other hand I have met people from other countries that consider themselves Irish because their great great grandad came over on the potato boat but they have never visited the country, they get damned agressive when you tell them they are plastic paddies too.

[Rixis]

Indians are the only race in America that has to have that card to prove their race.

They're also the only ones with treaties pertaining to land ownerships and have their own legal systems and whatnot.

(i believe)

[Kasierith]

In my opinion if you cannot prove your ethnicity just by how you look then you probably are stretching things a hell of a lot.

The counter argument being that if your family line has merged with non-Native Americans to a certain degree, you're more part of the US and no longer a part of the tribes, and thus not entitled to the treaty compensations.