“1 in 3 American Indian women are raped in their lifetime. And 86% of those rapes are committed by non-Native Americans.” That staggering statistic was one of the first of many unbelievably saddening facts that Eric Cheyfitz, an American Indian Studies professor, gave during his talk on Wednesday. 1 in 3. As in 33%. And the majority of them aren’t even raped by other men on the reservation (not that that would be any justification in any way, shape or form). So, in history, not only have Americans (then European explorers) stolen the land that Indians settled on first and committed mass genocide of these people and insisted on ethnic cleansing to rid the land of Indians and waged war against them and forced them out of their homes, but they also raped their women. Just to name a few.

None of this information was particularly news to me, considering I took a history class every year of grade school, but hearing Professor Cheyfitz inform us that no significant federal action is currently being taken to protect the rights and economic, social, and emotional well-being of Indians even today revolted me. What I kept asking myself was, “How can people see an entire ethnic nation of people within the United States suffering and not feel compelled to do anything about it?” That’s why I was especially glad to hear that Professor Cheyfitz, as a member of the American Indian Program here at Cornell, was making an effort to do his part in giving back to the Indian community in his own little way. Even though Cornell sits on the land of the Cayuga people, something I was completely unaware of until yesterday, administration refuses to recognize this pretty interesting fact at either convocation or commencement, something I found appalling. In response, Professor Cheyfitz told us about the effort that he and his colleagues have been making to turn that all around. I sincerely hope that they succeed in doing so because it’s the least we can do after what Indians here in America have already been through.