Newsweek Discovers 'Oppressive Myths' for Tribal Economies, Omits Decades of US Policy
The Newsweek opinion piece, 'Liberating Tribal Economies—Ending the Oppressive Myths and Federal Policies,' proposes a bold solution: letting Native American tribes control their own economic destiny. A novel concept, indeed, considering the US government’s historical role in systematically dismantling those economies, seizing land, and imposing federal policies designed for subjugation, not
prosperity. It's almost as if the 'myths' weren't just convenient justifications for manifest destiny. While advocating for 'economic freedom' sounds uplifting, it glosses over the historical fact that federal policies didn't just 'oppress' tribal economies; they created a reality where many tribes are still fighting for basic self-determination (Bureau of Indian Affairs, est. 1824). The piece
calls for ending 'federal policies,' which is rich, given these are the same policies that, for centuries, stripped sovereignty, imposed reservations, and dictated resource use. One might wonder if Newsweek genuinely believes these 'myths' spontaneously generated, rather than being propagated to rationalize conquest and resource extraction.