Nearing the end February, President Obama signed the revised renewal of the Violence Against Women first drafted by Joe Biden and his office in 1994. This act was to allow funding for the help of victims, women or men, to get justice and support after a violent and or sexual crime. The act was shut down by the Supreme Court because it "was an intrusion of states rights". The act was finally passed through Congress and was approved by President Obama who has only optimistic feelings for the act. “It didn't just change the rules, it changed our culture. It empowered people to start speaking out,” Obama said. This new law allows $659 million in funds for the investigation and prosecution against those that commit violent crimes. Also it allows funds for transitional housing, legal assistance, law enforcement training and hotlines. The renewal of this act will allow funding for the next 5 years. Another aspect of this act is the new law against prosecution on reservations. In the past, tribal courts were not allowed to try non-natives because of the fear of prejudice and false prosecution. This loophole allowed non-natives living on and off the reservation to attack women sexually and not have to worry about getting in trouble for it because there was nothing that the tribal court system could do about it. With the new act in place, tribal courts will now be able to try non-natives. If the accused does not think that they were given a fair trial because of the jury and judge all being native citizens, then the accused can take their case to federal courts.
Do you think that the law against tribal courts not being able to try non-native citizens was the right thing or the wrong thing to have in place? Is the law that tribal courts can now try non-natives revised in renewal of the act a step forward or a step back in the equality of all American citizens?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-sign-anti-violence-act-renewal-that-extends-protection-to-gays-native-americans/2013/03/07/549feecc-8703-11e2-a80b-3edc779b676f_story.html
I think that tribal courts should only be able to trie other tribal people. They are not part of our government, so they dont have the right to be a figure of superiority in any case when it comes to the law. If an american steals from an American Indian, if they want to hold a trial, they have to sue and be the plaintiff side of things, they cant have the edge, especially because they arent even technical citizens themselfs.
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