Wyo. tribe mourns 3 teens, loss of cultural ties
By BEN NEARY
Associated Press Writer

Rows of rundown houses sit among stunted trees on a bleak, wind-swept plateau. The nearest mountains are a faint smudge on the horizon, and a boarded-up house marks the end of the road. Three teenage girls died here, at the Beaver Creek housing complex, in early June. All three were members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Federal authorities have not said what killed them, although tribal leaders say the deaths highlight the scourge of drugs and alcohol on the reservation. And the leaders say the deaths show the price the tribe continues to pay for the slow evaporation of its culture, native language and traditional ways."At this point, it seems that we're losing it," said Harvey Spoonhunter, co-chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council, the tribe's governing body. "I think the youth, from 12 to 18, are kind of lost. They don't know their place in the tribe."

The War on Poverty is a waste of money, the War on Illiteract is a joke, and The War on Drugs wages on because no one really wants it to end. Listen folks, really listen to me;
We are loosing whole generations of children based on the lies and greed of our over-educated-political-leaders. Their greed, their corruption steal the hope and prayers from our children. The American Indians are just ONE of many who reap the harvest of our corrupt government. It is not our fault, it is not their fault, it is Washington DC who continues to lie cheat and steal from all of us! We have the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Charlie Rangle who are ALL millionaires off of OUR money! They stand around preaching about the wrongs on others while their own children die. The American Indians, like the blacks and Hispanics have cultural differences that create homes and neighborhoods of addicted people. Because they are told by their so-called leaders that it will never be any different they drink themselves to death. We have allowed this lie of hyprocricy to go on long enough. I refuse to feel guilty about the blacks, indians or illegal aliens when they systemacticly depend on our greedy officials to live and prosper. I hate it when any child dies! I hate the War on Drugs as much as anyone! But our leaders do not want an end to drugs and alcohol - If they did, then they would!