Many of today's Native Americans live on reservations. These are some of the most poor places in America and the people live in less than good conditions. Many of the reservation cars only run in reverse because the Natives probably can't afford to fix it. It has been tough for the Natives to retain their culture as they have been pushed in to confined living spaces. The only thing that has kept them going through all the hardship is comedy. Learning to laugh at what is happening around them has helped to lighten the burdens and sorrows that they carry with them.
America's view of Native Americans has been skewed by the media, especially the cinema. Native Americans are made out to be savages and people with low intelligence and primitive cultures. For example, in Looney Toons, Bugs Bunny is killing Native Americans casually and they are trying to shoot him with arrows. Another example is John Ford's movies which portrayed Native Americans as nothing but dirty people and that the only good "Indian" was a dead one. In one scene an injured Native American is found beneath a rock and Ford shoots him multiple times in the head. It is surprising how prominent stereotypes were against Native Americans were and how easily manipulated Americans views of them were.
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