Time To Make Things Personal

I wonder when we decide that something matters to us? There is so much going on in the world where we should be concerned. I mean David Suzuki is flying around telling us the Earth is dying. Shouldn't we heed his call? North Korea and the United States are playing "I Dare ya" and "No, I double dog Dare you". The folks living in the Desert countries are being killed like mosquitoes on a hot night by the fire. People are leaving Wars only to be met with hate and scorn. The Oil Rich men are planting oil pipelines in everyone's gardens and in their back yard pools and creeks. The US is busy trying to make it a White nation by arresting and kicking Brown people out of the country. The police force are also getting trigger happy. The police battle cry of "stop resisting" is their code for other offices to join in the fray of beating people of colour. The US continues to fool the public with the use of the Military. They use the old adage of "fighting for your freedom" while sending in the Military for corporate wants and gains. The war veteran comes back to isolation and life of suffering. The suicide of a Veteran has become common. White Supremacists are given the go ahead speech from the President of the United States and the other European countries. Much going on in the world that is truly ugly. So when do we take an interest in what goes on in the world? Do we need it be us or be in our homes for things to matter?

Cancer has been a constant in our little Indian community. I know many who have died from Cancer in our Reserve. Still it was something that was in front of me but I didn't really have an interest in Cancer until it became personal. A number of my Aunties got cancer and died. Some friends and acquaintances got the cancer and they too died. My brother-in-laws had cancer as well and died. My Mom got cancer and died. My Dad got cancer and died. So what now? Is it beyond my ability to fight cancer?

Suicide is in the national news when a celebrity dies by suicide. In Canada it is actually not that uncommon to see suicide make the news. Its the amount of suicides which make it news worthy. Small Indigenous communities have high rates of youth suicide. Its shocking and a reality of being an Indian child. When does the suicide issue become of interest to us?

The amount of weather related disasters are in the news on a regular basis.  Still the powers to be are racing to see who can add fire to the fuel the fastest. The Boreal Forest, the Amazon Forest, Nepal's Forest, are being killed quicker than you can put together an IKEA dresser. IKEA has even gone as so far as to steal forests. Stealing forests?  Do we care that forests are disappearing? Or is the a wooden park in the neighbourhood suitable for our needs?

Wait, I have to stop right here. I was going to finish off with the Earth being personal to us and how we care but right now I just can't. I have been hoping to try and write some good things going on in the Indian community and by extension the world. But I can't. Tonight they let a guy who shot and killed an Indian boy go free.

Gerald Stanley a white farmer in rural Saskatchewan shot Colten Boushie in the head. Didn't matter what Colten did, the fact is Stanley killed him. The good people of Saskatchewan, an all White Jury of his peers said "its okay you can go home" (basically). Colten's mom and his relatives are in shock. I think all of Indian Country is shocked.

Its personal. Colten is your child, my child, my nephews, my cousins, my nieces. So what does that say when you can kill an Indian? Oh wait as long as you are White.

It is personal.