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Originally Posted by Vulcan
I'd bet that their original land in the USA was given to them for a token amount and probably in Canada as well. As has been said it was much better land then the Natives got as well.
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From what I understand they purchased the original land, and all the land since then. The only special status they ever got was being exempt from serving in the military. But until the government did that the Hutterites were treated horribly. After that, they got a special way of how they pay taxes set up, and some privileges that have to do with education. These all vary from province to province though. But outside of that, they have to make their living just like the rest of the population. No welfare check, no handouts, no free land, nothing. And they've been in North American for hundreds of years.
Also, if you happen to know Hutterites, you'll find them a very hard-working and honest people. They do live in a community that is more or less cut off from the 'world'....but for the most part they work hard to earn their living. Their success is due to their way of life, which hasn't prohibited them in any way. And the best part? They are a perfect example of a group of people living with Canada who have kept their culture and way of life without ANY significant special treatment from the government.
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An interesting fact pertaining to the political thread but in Alberta the Hutterites didn't have to get picture ID for their drivers licences, maybe we should take away their right to vote.
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I do believe the ruling was that in order to cross the border, they had to have picture ID. No exemptions. And if you happen to know the colonies involved in the case, you'd find that there are the extremists amongst the Hutterites. The overwhelming majority of Hutterites have picture ID, and cameras, and while a lot do not vote, in the recent years the younger generation has exercised their right to vote.
Not sure how you could justify taking their right away to vote. Unless you're just making more stupid comments about a group of people you obviously have no clue about.
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You don't seem to have any understanding of the historical prejudices the natives have faced. I read of one native who after returning from the war, bought a home in the city for his family. The Indian agent took it away and gave it to a white man.
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I'm not sure what your point is here. Everyone in this thread is in favour of NOT taking that house away. We're in favour of fairness and equality for everyone, and the freedom to live your life the way YOU want too.
I think we all know that the Native population was treated horribly for many years. Just like black people in the US. Difference is, black people never got put on reserves or forced into residential schools. They were more or less forced to integrate into the rest of society, and while it has been a long HARD road, the US now has a black President, which is a testament to how far we've come in the past 100 years.
We all realize that it won't happen overnight, and we all KNOW that there is no easy way of doing it.
The fact that a group of people were treated horribly for any period of time does not give us the right to put them on reserves and basically treat them like 2nd class citizens. I know a lot of Natives personally, and the MAJORITY of them loathe the reserve system.
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Hutterites also have control over their education which has helped them to preserve their language and culture while natives have faced a government sponsored agenda to destroy their language and culture. It's only recently that the natives are getting educated and are beginning to use their rights. It will take a while for them to improve their lives. Because you have experience with one reserve doesn't mean all reserves are like the one you know.
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Again, what the hell is your point? That Natives were force-fed a phony government education and therefore we shouldn't sit down and take a long, hard look at what we can do to fix their problems? You do realize the residential schools were a by-product of the stupid reserve system? That is exactly what we want to throw out.
As long as that system is in place, nothing will ever change. I would venture a very good guess that I have a hell of a lot more experience working with Native people than you do, including being involved in how they make political decisions and how a reserve is run. So don't give me the crap about not all reserves being the same. Ask anyone who has grown up with Natives and they'll tell you the same damn thing. Doesn't matter if its in southern Alberta or in northern Manitoba.
The system is flawed. The system needs to change.
