The Canary Effect (2006) |
The grim legacy of America’s treatment of its native peoples is explored in detail in this documentary. Filmmakers Robin Davey and Yellow Thunder Woman take the perspective that if one is to define “genocide” as the a deliberate effort by a government to exterminate a people, then the United States is clearly guilty of the crime given their actions against America’s indigenous population over the past 300 years. Davey andThunder Woman back up their argument with footage detailing the economic marginalization of American Indians, the consistent violation of legal agreements reached with native tribes, the mismanagement and consistent neglect of Indian reservations, the brutalization of Native Americans as they were segregated onto flinty soil and forced to live under substandard conditions, and the refusal of the mass media to report stories of suicide and Columbine-style school shootings among reservation youth. The Canary Effect was screened in competition at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide less
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My home town is just around the corner from a very successful reservation casino. I did not realize until watching the film The Canary Effect on u tube that my experience gave me a distorted impression of what reservation gaming was doing for Native Americans. I just did a bit more reading after seeing that film and at the moment I think that on balance it has been a positive policy so I wonder if some improvements could be made to make it even more positive.
Thanks for the reply and comments. I have done some econometric work on some casinos and the typical story is that out of every gross profit dollar, about 51 cents goes to outside investors all non-Indian who also provide the hardware and training at inflated costs, this leaves 49 cents out of which about 31 cents is taken in licensing, taxes (yes many), consultants etc again all non-Indian, that leaves us about 18 cents out of which about 5 cents goes to BIA administrative fees leaving 13 cents out of which 5 cents is typically skimmed by tribal insiders leaving about 8 cents on the gross profit dollar going anywhere near per capitas for tribal members or tribal programs also often dominated by tribal aristocrats. There is also the issue of culture and genocide and avoidance of treaty mandates.
This is both street smart and inlneligtet.