[Daryl C]

I will first explain the debate topic and then put my views into another post to keep the facts and my opinion seperate.

As everyone should know the Native Americans were the first people to settle North America. Then in the 1500's and onward Europeans started to settle the Americas. This ended up taking away land from the Native Americans. Up until the 1970's the natives had no more rights than anyone else had in Canada. In 1970 though our government decided that the natives deserved extra rights due to what happened to them 500 years ago. Some of these rights included year round unrestricted fishing and hunting. I'm not really sure about the list of right so if someone know the feel free to post.

So...the topic of this debate

Should Native Americans have unrestricted fishing and hunting rights due to what happened to them 500 years ago?

[Daryl C]

Now for my beliefs

I feel that the natives deserve a little bit for what they had happen to them. I disagree with the unrestricted hunting. This allows them to use their semi-automatics along with their ski-doos, spotlights, GPS and every other hunting tool that is avavilable all year long. If they deserve any rights I feel that they can hunt how they use to in the past. I have no problem if they go out year round with a bow and some arrows and hunt like that. This should not effect the population balance too much. Then once hunting season begins for everyone else, then they can use their semi-automatic rifles.

Thats just my personal beliefs though.

[Jarik C-Bol]

Now for my beliefs

I feel that the natives deserve a little bit for what they had happen to them.  I disagree with the unrestricted hunting.  This allows them to use their semi-automatics along with their ski-doos, spotlights, GPS and every other hunting tool that is avavilable all year long.  If they deserve any rights I feel that they can hunt how they use to in the past.  I have no problem if they go out year round with a bow and some arrows and hunt like that.  This should not effect the population balance too much.  Then once hunting season begins for everyone else, then they can use their semi-automatic rifles.

Thats just my personal beliefs though.

i agree, mostly.
exept that a large portion of the items you mentioned dont help poeple find animals to hunt, it keeps the hunters from getting lost

however, if they are alowed to have year-round hunting, they should still have restrictions (no hunting at night, no "spotlighting" no useing ileagal weapons) basicly the restrictions that apply during normal hunting season, along with perhaps a monthly limit to prevent extensive population thinning.

[Neraphym]

Let's see... in the past, settlers have kicked us off our lands (trail of tears), gave us all deadly diseases to which we had no immunity to (smallpox and syphillis), and committed mass genocide on our peoples (wounded knee). Meh, I'll forgive you.

Anyway, a lot of the indians that use the free hunting do it to live off of. They still use stuff made from the things they hunt, and they also do it for food and not sport. Being that they are indian, they can probably be trusted not to overhunt, as they have shown in the past that they live in harmony with nature. As for the hi-tech weopons they use, I think you're just jealous that we can kill squirrels with rocket launchers.

[Aaron]

Native Americans already get a tax break and $20,000 extra bonus each year by the government. Reservations have been set aside for them also. But they should not have "unlimited" hunting and fishing rights. Their actions should still have to be under the local fish and game laws. It isn't like they don't have anything to eat, they still have stores ,etc. Most of them these days aren't like their ancestors at all except a pow-wows and other formal get-togethers. Many of them are fat, ride on their Harleys round' the reservation, buy beer, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. My great-great grandfather was a full-blooded Cherokee too...

[Daryl C]

Anyway, a lot of the indians that use the free hunting do it to live off of.  They still use stuff made from the things they hunt, and they also do it for food and not sport.  Being that they are indian, they can probably be trusted not to overhunt, as they have shown in the past that they live in harmony with nature.

If your talking about the native in the far north, then this is the case. The natives that have not got the full introduction to the culture of the south will live off the land responsibly. The natives in the south though are abusing their privileges and a lot of them no longer even follow their past. If you forget about your past and choose not to live like that anymore then your native rights should be taken away.

[Aaron]

If your talking about the native in the far north, then this is the case. The natives that have not got the full introduction to the culture of the south will live off the land responsibly. The natives in the south though are abusing their privileges and a lot of them no longer even follow their past. If you forget about your past and choose not to live like that anymore then your native rights should be taken away.

[/quote]

I agree on that one. If they choose to be modernized, then they should learn to mingle with the rest of us.

[Neraphym]

Yeah, I was referring to those. I do know some indians have abandoned their pasts, but that should ruin it for those that haven't. Honestly, there should be some way that works out well for everyone, because it is wrong for people to have advantages and disadvantages over others solely because of their race. I think that certain hunting and fishing freedoms should require a permit, which would only be given to anyone who decides to live of that land. That is the most fair way I can think of so that no one is left out.