The American democracy promotes equality under the
law for all races. The special relationship between Indian tribes and
the U.S. Government, however, is not based on race or ethnicity. It is
true that Native Americans are minorities within the greater U.S.
system, and as American citizens, tribal members have civil rights
protections under the U.S. Constitution. Nevertheless, the special
benefits and services to Indians are based on an historical and
political relationship between the U.S. government and the individual
tribal governments known as the trust relationship. See article on this
web site entitled, “The Federal-Indian Trust Relationship.”
