This week, I visited the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton with a woman who leads Hamptons Community Outreach, a grassroots organization I've written about before.
If you’re more the banker than the carpenter type, it might be doing well to seek out a bright set of young people there, fund an education for them in finance, and assist them in setting up a bank that can operate on the reservation according to tribal law. What you’re describing sounds like a lack of capital, among other things, and giving them the ability to produce wealth among their own, without recourse to the people who’ve ripped them off in the past, would be useful long-term, as well as empowering.
There's an entire network of community development financial institutions that operate by and for native populations. Here's the network. They do everything from savings programs to mortgages to loans to equity to business development etc. https://nativecdfi.net/
My cousin is co-founder of a business that helps people start small businesses and get capital they would be unable to obtain through more conventional means. I'll send you details
David, it’s always energizing to witness your interrogation of self. Every post is about what a meaningful and ethical life asks of you—and, by extension, of us all. Perhaps I would see this more often if I had a place of worship, but religion is not for me. Reading and writing open other paths to the fundamental question.
Great article. Made me think. About helping others and about the stock market.. one we can control, one we can’t. One benefits both the giver and the recipient, the other…
"Often you have to be satisfied with playing defense" - so good, David. I always learn so much from your posts and appreciate your perspective. I was especially intrigued by this post because of Shinnecock's and William Merritt Chase's ties to one another. https://parrishart.org/exhibitions/william-merritt-chase-the-shinnecock-years-2/. Thanks for describing what you experienced. Really great.
I am really impressed that you have the thought and then put into action a system to force you to keep paying into charity, when others would be cutting back. You have truly wonderful values. And I never heard of this reservation either, but left NYC 50+ years ago. My English husband was much less surprised about its existence, but equally impressed with your values.
The prayer circle must have been a wonderful, and possibly powerful, conclusion to your visit to the Reservation. I’ve had the privilege of working in the health centre of one of our local indigenous bands and one of the things that stuck me, and has carried on as I continue to treat the families from that community, is their strong tie to family and the ancestors.
Best way to redirect charitable giving would be to outlaw NGOs, all of which are tax deductible and all of which are anti-liberty. Then charitable giving could return to those who need it to succeed, rather than those intent on destroying everything free.
For years I worked for NGOs that helped adults (mostly women) and children escape horrific abuse at home. Explain how a family needing help to escape to freedom is anti-liberty? Or did you mean that the (mostly) men who abused them were no longer free to do as they pleased?
Also, churches and places of worship are also tax-exempt. Curious how they fit into your anti-liberty rubric?
Interesting. One of the issues with the reservation systems, at least in Canada (I assume its the same in the US) is the collective ownership issue, and lack of private property, which does not incentivize maintenance and repair and all the other good behaviors associated with private property. In a sense, its genuine communism in action - wide scale Tragedy of the Commons. Something to consider.
People on the Reservation seem to own their property under the auspices of the Tribal authorities so I don't believe the disrepair of their houses has anything to do with a Tragedy of the Commons. These families have every incentive as anyone else to improve their living conditions.
OK thanks. In Canada, then, it looks like the reservation system is different. The following is a bit of 'right-wing' perspective, but it presents some facts about ownership.
In the case you mentioned, though, you say they cant get loans because the houses cant be used as collateral, so something possibly similar is going on.
If more people would take the time to understand our Native, indigenous cultures and values, we might learn enough to take positive actions about our relationship with the planet on which we live. Good on you, David, for your continuing good work and philanthropy.
I may have recommended "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Kimmerer. If not, well worth a read. Also I am now into "Hospicing Modernity: Parting With Harmful Ways of Living" It's not an easy read but the message is clear about what needs to change in how we understand and deal with "other" in our lives. It will be hard to summarize my response in a post but I may give it a shot in the coming weeks.
The nicely written piece focuses on the health benefits of removing mold and other bad elements from one's living environment. But there are undeniably other benefits as well. An improve physical environment can have important psychological effects as well. And it is these effects which can lead to a sustainable change and improvement in the trajectory of a child's life. While less documented than the wealth effect, the positive effect of an improvement in a child's environment is also real.
I grew up lower middle class on Long Island. The juxtaposition of the extreme wealth of the Hamptons and the extreme poverty of the reservation is obscene. My mother used to drive to the reservation to buy cheap cartons of cigarettes - a sad albeit understandable way to create a reservation economy. Thank you for drawing attention to this, David. And as well, to the plight of non-profit charitable organizations who rely on private support and suffer terribly during economic downturns.
Thanks for the comment Jody. That's wonderful work that you're participating in.
And thanks so much for the link.
I grew up in NJ, and I didn't know there was a reservation in NY. I have never heard of the Shinnecock nation. Thanks for raising my awareness.
I don’t remember in the New Testament where Jesus worried about giving a fish! It’s called charity!
I once heard a person who was worried if he gave to a charity that it would feed a drug addict.
Yes!
If you’re more the banker than the carpenter type, it might be doing well to seek out a bright set of young people there, fund an education for them in finance, and assist them in setting up a bank that can operate on the reservation according to tribal law. What you’re describing sounds like a lack of capital, among other things, and giving them the ability to produce wealth among their own, without recourse to the people who’ve ripped them off in the past, would be useful long-term, as well as empowering.
That's a really interesting idea. Access to capital is definitely an issue, not just for mortgages I imagine.
There's an entire network of community development financial institutions that operate by and for native populations. Here's the network. They do everything from savings programs to mortgages to loans to equity to business development etc. https://nativecdfi.net/
My cousin is co-founder of a business that helps people start small businesses and get capital they would be unable to obtain through more conventional means. I'll send you details
David, it’s always energizing to witness your interrogation of self. Every post is about what a meaningful and ethical life asks of you—and, by extension, of us all. Perhaps I would see this more often if I had a place of worship, but religion is not for me. Reading and writing open other paths to the fundamental question.
Thanks rona.
Great article. Made me think. About helping others and about the stock market.. one we can control, one we can’t. One benefits both the giver and the recipient, the other…
"Often you have to be satisfied with playing defense" - so good, David. I always learn so much from your posts and appreciate your perspective. I was especially intrigued by this post because of Shinnecock's and William Merritt Chase's ties to one another. https://parrishart.org/exhibitions/william-merritt-chase-the-shinnecock-years-2/. Thanks for describing what you experienced. Really great.
Thanks Mary for the comment and the link. "The Big Bayberry Bush" captures so well the natural beauty of the area.
Well. Done.
I am really impressed that you have the thought and then put into action a system to force you to keep paying into charity, when others would be cutting back. You have truly wonderful values. And I never heard of this reservation either, but left NYC 50+ years ago. My English husband was much less surprised about its existence, but equally impressed with your values.
Thanks Ann.
The prayer circle must have been a wonderful, and possibly powerful, conclusion to your visit to the Reservation. I’ve had the privilege of working in the health centre of one of our local indigenous bands and one of the things that stuck me, and has carried on as I continue to treat the families from that community, is their strong tie to family and the ancestors.
Donna, the values of ancestry and traditions are increasingly rare in America. Thanks for your comment.
I love the tight community of the Indian tribes. 🥰🙏
Best way to redirect charitable giving would be to outlaw NGOs, all of which are tax deductible and all of which are anti-liberty. Then charitable giving could return to those who need it to succeed, rather than those intent on destroying everything free.
For years I worked for NGOs that helped adults (mostly women) and children escape horrific abuse at home. Explain how a family needing help to escape to freedom is anti-liberty? Or did you mean that the (mostly) men who abused them were no longer free to do as they pleased?
Also, churches and places of worship are also tax-exempt. Curious how they fit into your anti-liberty rubric?
Interesting. One of the issues with the reservation systems, at least in Canada (I assume its the same in the US) is the collective ownership issue, and lack of private property, which does not incentivize maintenance and repair and all the other good behaviors associated with private property. In a sense, its genuine communism in action - wide scale Tragedy of the Commons. Something to consider.
People on the Reservation seem to own their property under the auspices of the Tribal authorities so I don't believe the disrepair of their houses has anything to do with a Tragedy of the Commons. These families have every incentive as anyone else to improve their living conditions.
OK thanks. In Canada, then, it looks like the reservation system is different. The following is a bit of 'right-wing' perspective, but it presents some facts about ownership.
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/allowing-private-home-ownership-on-reserves-could-be-key-to-improving-well-being-for-natives-report
In the case you mentioned, though, you say they cant get loans because the houses cant be used as collateral, so something possibly similar is going on.
If more people would take the time to understand our Native, indigenous cultures and values, we might learn enough to take positive actions about our relationship with the planet on which we live. Good on you, David, for your continuing good work and philanthropy.
I may have recommended "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Kimmerer. If not, well worth a read. Also I am now into "Hospicing Modernity: Parting With Harmful Ways of Living" It's not an easy read but the message is clear about what needs to change in how we understand and deal with "other" in our lives. It will be hard to summarize my response in a post but I may give it a shot in the coming weeks.
Thanks Gary.
Thank you, David. The journey you are on finding a way to integrate privilege with social awareness and concrete action is inspiring.
The nicely written piece focuses on the health benefits of removing mold and other bad elements from one's living environment. But there are undeniably other benefits as well. An improve physical environment can have important psychological effects as well. And it is these effects which can lead to a sustainable change and improvement in the trajectory of a child's life. While less documented than the wealth effect, the positive effect of an improvement in a child's environment is also real.
Mark, I agree with you that one's surroundings have an overall effect on personal well being. health to be sure but overall outlook too.
I grew up lower middle class on Long Island. The juxtaposition of the extreme wealth of the Hamptons and the extreme poverty of the reservation is obscene. My mother used to drive to the reservation to buy cheap cartons of cigarettes - a sad albeit understandable way to create a reservation economy. Thank you for drawing attention to this, David. And as well, to the plight of non-profit charitable organizations who rely on private support and suffer terribly during economic downturns.
Thanks Amy. And I agree that Scipio's comment made no sense.