Las Vegas: I got beat up at the Airport.

In 1981 I had the opportunity to go on a Trip to Las Vegas!  I didn't have much money so I sold my 1976 Dodge Aspen, 2 door, yellow and gold. Man, that car was sweet. I had dual exhaust, 340 heads and a high lift cam put in that little 318. Had high ration gears so the top end was not too shabby.  A very nice little car. I sold it to this lady friend for $1500.00.   A great deal at the time. Her husband, a dink of a guy, bought it for her. He was a real prick if you know what I mean. Not nice to her. Anyway, we left Winnipeg on a charter company to Las Vegas. I think the company was called Lou Miles, but not sure. In Vegas there was a smaller airport terminal for charters, you know tour companies.

Vegas was awesome. I think we stayed at the Imperial Palace. The strip was not a crowded as it is today. So there was lot of sidewalk room and the hotels were not on top of each other. So the walks between hotels were longer and not as crowded.

I l

I really liked Caesar's Palace (I guess the hotels' were all Palaces?) and the Forum Shops, the art galleries. Red Skeleton's art works were there as well as Anthony Quin. He is a great artist.

Forum Shops of Caesars Palace

I am not much of a gambler, but it being my first time to Las Vegas I tried it. Man, it can be fun. All the loud music of the machines, clanging and shooting out coins.  Good fun, especially if you win a little bit. In those days, the machines had real sliver dollars and fifty cent pieces. So that is what came out. I tried the silver dollar machines and won about sixty bucks at one time. Man, I was a king! 

The dollar coins were nice to have. So I put them in my pockets. My two jean pockets were full of these dollar coins, pulling my pants down. I didn't know that there were little plastic buckets were there for your coins. Who knew, right?  So full pockets full of silver dollars. That is what I remember about the trip. It was fun. I even tried poker. I didn't win nothing. These old guys would just ante up into the game and fold all the time. And when they didn't fold after the ante, they won? Go figure that one.

Well the trip was three days, I think. Anyway, as it was time to leave, We went to the charter terminal. It was an old terminal, not very big, single story building. A few stores to buy drinks, magazines and that type of stuff. I went to get a magazine for my girl friend at the time. We had two kids together but it didn't last. You know how it goes. Well I went to buy a magazine for her for the plane ride home. Its a three hour ride direct from Las Vegas to Winnipeg. As I was standing in that little open store and at the cash register, some guy slapped some coins on the table beside me. He was staying something real loud to the cashier. I don't remember exactly what it was; "I want...something". I didn't turn to face him or anything I just handed my cash to the guy and waited for my change. I felt the guy behind me blowing on my head. He was taller than me, I found as I turned and looked at him. He was kind of drunk. He then blew smoke directly in my face, and said "what you gonna do about it punk?". I smiled and said "asshole" and walked out of the store.

I walked over to my girlfriend and handed her my camera that was around my neck. She didn't know anything was going on. I looked at the store and the big fat guy came out, he looked mad and he looked at me. I smiled and waved. I said "Hi, Asshole". The guy walked over to me with his fist clenched. I knew he was going to try and hit. I could hear the girlfriend say "Steve?!?".  The guy walked over and proceeded to throw a punch.

He hit me hard in the head. I was about 20 that time and thought I could duck him. Nope, he hit me in the head. So I punched him back in the face. I figured I could drop that big fat bastard. Nope again. I was only about 145 pounds and have a small bone frame. So in my mind I felt I could knock him out. Except there is this math formula : According to Newton's second law, we say that a body has a mass m if, at any instant of time, it obeys the equation of motion;
f = d/dt(mv) where f is the force acting on the body and v is its velocity. Let's just say I really don't understand the mechanics of mass, motion and volume.  But I do understand this. My hands are relatively small, my weight at the time was that of a 15 year old boy. So my mass meeting the mass of a much great object didn't defy Relativistic Kinematics equations. In other words, my small hands and small body, did not build up enough speed (vector quantity) to do any type of damage. Image if you will a fly that smashes into your forehead. What happens?  Exactly.  

Anyway, what happened next. Now this is where vector quantity plays out.  You know velocity. "the rate at which an object changes its position". Well next thing I know I am being tossed on the ground, picked up again and tossed onto the ground again. At a very fast rate I might add.

Next thing I know I see, from my peripheral vision, a large mass flying through the air, and landing on my opponent. It was my friend, Perry. Perry was sitting close by with his wife. He later told me he was counting money with his wife. I guess Perry seen me getting a heck of a good ragging", as its called. He decided the odds were not in my favor. Even though I didn't ask for any assistance. I thought I was doing good, after all I did connect the fat guy with a punch to the face. Perry is a big guy about six foot. At the time he was in great shape. You know one of those that ran miles and mile everyday. So Perry was good to go with my new arch enemy.  I don't know how fat guy became my arch nemesis in such a quick time, but he was.

The consequence of Perry's actions were quick. First thing was that the big guy was down on the ground. I was as well. You see, the big guy had me by my coat and by my hair. So when Perry bull dozed him.  The combined weight and force of the two ( mind you I don't know the mathematics of the action) pulled a big chunk of my hair off as I went flying in the air. I guess the big fat guy didn't have the good sense to let my hair go as we both flew in the air and down on the concrete floor of the airport terminal. 

I stood up and seeing an opening, I proceeded to kick the big fat guy as he was down. I had these nice little pointed brown sharp shoes. Sort of like cowboy boots without the tall boot. I think I may have kicked him the face as well. Just as I thought I was getting the upper hand I was thrown viciously to the ground. Some unknown aggressor jumped on my back and body slammed me. Perry turned around a for some reason punched him right in the head. The guy started screaming "not me, not me". I guess he didn't want Perry punching him in his face again.  By this time fatty was up and ready to rock and roll. I think I was in over my head. Perry started jumping dancing in a boxing stance and calling fatty to "go".  

Just then, two big, I mean big, cops showed up. And before we could say anything some older gentlemen started yelling, "I saw it all, these two started it.". He was pointing at me and Perry. Holy Shit! 
Now I was really scared. I was in the United States about to be arrested. I had no experience there. I had no money. I was scared. Perry went nuts. He started yelling at the cops. "GO AHEAD, arrest us". "I got money" "Go ahead arrest us". "We get this kind of thing happening to us all the time in Canada". 

Perry turns to me and says "Fix yourself up!".  My hair was all pulled out on the top of my head, my hair disheveled. My coat. My nice beige faux suede coat was all ripped up with one of my pockets on the floor. My shirt buttons were ripped off. I was thinking, "what?"   

I was styling in this coat. After all it was Vega 1981

Anyway the cops weren't interested in arresting these Canadians. They just wanted us on the airplane and gone.

That was trip to the United States, Las Vegas Nevada.  I really really thought I could drop that big fat ugly drunken guy. Who knew mathematics  would be against me? Lucky to have some big crazy Indian as my back up. 

"Everyone can master a grief... but he that has it."

Everyone can master a grief,
But he that has it.
William Shakespeare


Winnipeg Compassionate Friends sends out newsletters every few months. This quote by William Shakespeare was in the news letter. It caught my eye and holds meaning for me. I guess because it is true.

This year we are not going to be hosting a Circle of Life Gathering for Survivors of Suicide. We did it for four years and have no plans to go on. We were hoping that out of the Gathering someone would host gatherings of support in their community or in the city. Perhaps people are doing it, I don't know.
I think the Indian and Metis Friendship Centre in Winnipeg, might be interested. I think Rose Marsden over there is a very good person and might consider hosting an event.

I am so glad to have gotten to know Compassionate Friends. This is a good group of people that are there because they know the grief. Simply put, they are parents who have lost a child. I think some or our communities could benefit from with having a support group like compassionate friends. 

 Have been struggling with life these past months. Everynight I am visited by overwhelming regret and sadness. It is the funny thing about depression. It is not strictly a sadness thing. Hopelessness is one thing, but the other is defeat. Feeling like  you are defeated is not a good way to be. That is the darkness that screws over your nights and your alone time. 

Been volunteering at a couple of places and really pretending the clown act as the days move into years. Not one day goes by without winning over the dread of defeat. Weird eh?

Am kind of low these days. The wife is good though, always watching me and supporting me. Many times I think I have her fooled but I think she knows. 

Be good people. Try to take the Teachings and make them more than words or wall slogans, make them into action. 

One of the Teachings my Mom always gave to us, is to feed people. Feed people. So that is what we should do. Feed people. 

 

Are you Afraid?

Are you afraid?  I sure am.

The world looks like one scary place. The U.N. just came out with the report on Korea (North) and found that they are committing crimes against humanity. Horrible stuff coming out of that report with accounts from former prisoners and people who have been able to get out of Korea. International affairs or world politics seems like such a complicated place. It seems so far away but yet it can have some impact on us, don't you think?  I mean there are people getting blown up everyday in the world. Should we feel safe and not afraid way over here?  Anyway the turbulent ways of the world is not what scares me right now. It is how a fragile a single life is. Not single as in not living with a significant other, but single in the individual. How they can be here one minute and poof, they're gone. How scary is that? I mean the world is scary enough as it is, you know worrying about fundamentalism, extremism, terrorism, and all the other isms out there. But to sit back or sit up and think about how fragile life is for someone you know. Now that is scary.

I used to go see this therapist, a psychologist who I didn't really connect with. I thought he was going through the motions. Not really trying to understand the deep deep inner-workings of a sophisticated complex renaissance man that is known as simply Steve (not simple Steve, but "just Steve"). Anyway, I don't think he liked me very much. He kept saying things like, how come you are still coming here? Why aren't you trying to seek help?  You are superstitious. Okay so he didn't say all that stuff. He did comment that I was superstitious. It was in reference to how I was thinking about things.

You see I think that if you love someone too much, it will be taken away from you. If you get too happy it will be taken away from you.  Weird I know. If you talk about someone dying, you will invite the death to come. Things like that is what I think of and get scared of. I get scared to lose. To lose someone close to me. Someone I love so much that I would gladly change places.

I think many people are like that. We have so much to be afraid of: The world weather changing in a crazy manner like floods, tornadoes, suicide bombers, getting a new pig flu, bird flu, AIDS, Cancer, hunting accident, car accident, brain aneurysm, flesh eating disease,  snakes on a plane, ants on a plane, that weird worm that gets stuck in your stomach and comes out of your bum, that fly that lays eggs under your skin when it bites you, bed bugs, those little skin bugs that are in your bed, radiation poison from those nuclear power plants in Japan, the economic crisis ( which one I know, every day we hear about some kind of big money collapse), oil snakes (pipelines), the bad movies by Woody Allen ( I am not sure why people like his movies?) Justin Bieber, Elephantiasis, hiccups, long toe nails (they hurt when they scratch you), bad breath, and one other thing, fat people.

I am afraid of being superstitious because I know it is true.  People don't think or say these things for nothing. I mean it must come from somewhere, right?

I am afraid if I listen to my own advice I might do something. Something bad. And I don't want that. I don't want to hurt anyone. Not being able to get over pain is a big fear I have. I can't let go. It's like an obsession. I get so low that I can't pretend some days.

Anyway, be afraid be very afraid. That thing under the bed? Well it must have come from somewhere.

I used to be very afraid of the Devil. Now it doesn't bother me. Not sure of the reason. I used to be afraid of dogs. Really scared of them. Now, not afraid, cautious if the dog is big, but no longer scared.

Spiders are another thing. And rats. I don't like rats.

Can Indians have a Sovereign State?

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Province-seizes-cigarettes-in-Pipestone-136014453.html?viewAllComments=y

There has been so much talk about Indian Sovereignty by Indian politicians, as well as main stream politicians. But is it really something that is achievable or even desired?

I don't think the Federal government of Canada would want that and I don't think the provinces do either. You see the provinces are operating illegally  over the control of the land. The land management was transferred to them in 1930 through the Natural Resources Transfer Act.  So both types of government have it in their best interest if First Nations have no sovereignty of any kind.

You know it is quite depressing and very upsetting that the government lives this lie. They all know it. But continue to promote the big lie. And you know what is even more upsetting?  Many of our own people buy into that lie. You know the big lie?  Canada owns the resources on Turtle Island.

So the government is going after the "illegal" cigarette trade these days. Two guys from our Reserve got busted yesterday. Its funny because the Community of Dakota Plains First Nation, got attacked or raided I should say, (semantics really) by the RCMP on the direction of the Provincial government. Over fucking smokes?  Can you get that?  This Band was dealing with another Band, (First Nation to First Nation) and the province sent the attack dogs to stop them.

You know its not about smokes, right? It is the issue of having control over your domain. Your home.  Nope that is not how its done these days. You can only have control over welfare. And even then it is the rules of welfare that the government tells you what the rules are. Sheesh.

Every single time I hear an Indian Chief or better yet, a government guy/gal speaking about Indian sovereignty I just gag in my own throat. What a bunch of bull fucking shit.

You know what is hard? Try turning a yes into a no. You get what I mean?  It is best to start with a no. So when the government comes saying "hey, lets go into this agreement, it will give you more control, more options". Say fucking no. You know why? Once you say yes, the others are now caught in your yes. So if you say yes to provincial regulations for smoking by laws, or gambling in your community, or land mangement in your area, there can never ever be a no. The first Reserve to sign a gaming license with the province screwed all the other communities. Because now the table is set. No longer can you say we have control over or sovereignty over this domain, the province has. It has been shown and given up by some imbecile over there in that community.

Really the issue is simple: do you really think society way back when didn't have trade? Didn't have rules of governance? Didn't have a sense of authority? Or do you really think it was caveman shit? If you think that, man you are one dumb fuck. Indians were a living society just like any fucking place on the planet. But yet the government of Canada would have you believe that Indians didn't have any type of society norms, rules or systems. That is why this government is spending so much cash on fighting every fucking Indian right in the courts. Courts that they have selected by the way.

Newly released public accounts figures reveal that the federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs was by far the top spender on legal fees as it continues to battle First Nations' rights.
The department spent $106 million on legal services in 2012-13, slightly less than the $110 million it spent the year before. The legal costs for the Canada Revenue Agency were second at $66 million, followed by Canada prosecution services and the RCMP at $37 million and $21 million respectively.
So, the government spends more money on legal costs to fight First Nations in court and to challenge land claims and treaty issues than it spends on chasing tax cheats and on legal services to help the Mounties fight crime.

They do this because they know, they know they have to support their big lie.

The Government in the constitutions (and even in the NRTA) says that Indians have Rights. But yet, the governments, both federal and provincial are not even trying to pretend anymore that Indians have rights or are sovereign.  Shit our own leaders keep saying yes to the government big lie.

It shouldn't come to a big surprise that the new breed of Indian is going to say "hey, wait a fucking minute here".  Yep, its going to come to that and you can see it coming.



CSIS is no fool, that is why they have already drawn contingency plans for the Indian. 

CSIS Public Report 2009-2010 - Service canadien du ...

www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/pblctns/nnlrprt/.../20110127_pblcrprt_09-10-eng.pd...‎

Jan 27, 2011 - annual CSIS Public Report, which provides us with an opportunity to .... Eco-extremists, Aboriginal extremists and other issue-motivated groups.

"The report says CSIS employs 3,200 and its annual operating costs for 2011-2012 totalled $540 million. For the first time, it has hired a proactive Aboriginal recruiter “whose main role is to reach out to Aboriginal, First Nation and Inuit communities throughout Canada.”"

 “Aboriginal people in general have been under CSIS alert since the 80s,”Chantal Chagnon, an organizer with Idle No More in Calgary, was not surprised to hear that the group has been monitored by CSIS.

I link related stories to articles that may have you find out more information regarding points or stories I have brought out, just in case you are interested. That is why some of the words are purple. Just click on them. :)

Women and the young are the ones that are going to lead.

Its too bad we don't practice some little bit of responsibility for our people. Take the Indian Registry for example. Why are we blindly following their rules?  The Band can have its own registry. They can list who their members are, instead they follow Indian Affairs without question. The Bands are throwing away their members, their families with the policy of the status rules. We even follow the provincial birth registry when we register our children. Register our children as the "6-2" when a mom decides not list the biological father on the provincial birth certificate. Regardless if that child's father is a Band Member of a Tribe. Bands have no idea of what they are doing to their own people. Practice a little bit of control for the people. Sovereignty is not a catch phrase. 

I pooped myself today

This post is about poop!  So you are informed going in. 

I was speaking with a group of people taking part in a treatment program for alcohol and drug abuse a little while ago. The subject of crapping one's self came up. I think everyone in the group denied ever having done that. I said "bull shit".  Man, if you have gotten smashed to the point you can't remember or even stand, how in the heck are you going to control your bowels?  It's an embarrassing thing to admit. Once I was at a festival in the local town. I wasn't partying or anything just hanging out with friends. Saw this young woman with a nice pink pants on, she had poop on her pants. Felt bad for her. Poop is bad. Especially if it's on your light coloured pants.

This young guy was telling me about his story; he was with friends and he needed to poop.  So he went find a quiet place in the bush to do his business. Thing was he didn't really have toilet papers. Don't know how but he got stains all over the back of his white shirt. He said his friends laughed and laughed. He was laughing as he was telling the story. That's the thing, it really is no big deal. You poop. Heck even the TP commercials are using the poop word on regular television: "everyone has to go we not enjoy the go".

My wife gives me heck all the time for being stupid. Lucky she never knew me when I was a booze hound. When I used to drink I would get so pissed drunk that I was lucky that defecating myself was the only thing I did. Oh yeah, you have to thank Pink Floyd for introducing that word to a whole crowd of Neechies that didn't know defecate from percolate.

 "The evidence before the court is Incontrovertible, there's no need for The jury to retire.In all my years of judging I have never heard before Of someone more deserving Of the full penalty of law.The way you made them suffer,Your exquisite wife and mother,Fills me with the urge to defecate!" 



Another teacher for the uniformed Neechie was the movie Christine:  

Rudolph Junkins: I understand, uh, one of the perpetrators, uh, defecated on the dashboard. Now, I woulda thought you'd be madder than hell at that. And I thought you woulda reported that.
Arnie Cunningham: Shit wipes off.

Who knew that music and movies could be so enlightening?  About poop yet?

Why is poop so gross?

I was going down ( or up) to visit my Dad on the Reserve. It's about and hour and half drive from the city going north. Anyway, I was wearing these nice khaki shorts, you know the beige ones.  I had to pooget (fart) so no big deal. Oops. I was past the halfway point of the trip, so no use heading back home. I didn't phone and tell my wife. She already worries about how I am going to be when I get much older and she has to look after me. Throw me in the home I guess. Anyway, lucky my Dad had spare clothes. I took one of his dark brown pants. I still have them. My granddaughter was 2 when she said to me, "nice pants granpa". My lucky dark brown pants. My grandpa pants. My wife tells our daughter that she is scared of how I might be senile already. She thinks about how I am now, can you imagine how I am going to be in a few years when I can no longer control my bowels???

Elite Indians versus Grass Root Indians.

There is a lot of talk and an on going tit for tat on the internet (Facebook) regarding the war between the Indian Elite and the Indian Grassroots.  In a couple of my earlier posts I touched on the subject of the Indian Elite.  Of course I did one post tongue in cheek in a way to make light of the complex issue of identity.

Now you have the Indians  accusing each other of not doing right. The fight has turned into a fight of the have's and the have not's. There are  people like the  Honourable Justice Murry Sinclair, the current Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (for Indian Residential Schools) taking on Ogichidaa Jo Seenie of Roseau River First Nation. A classic picture of the well do to do and the day by day Indians.

In an earlier post I spoke on the University of Winnipeg speaking engagement of Mr. Phil Fontaine, former Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief. I have to say that it has caused quite an out pour of opinions and emotions regarding the cancellation of the event or disruption (which every you prefer to call it). Even the president of the University, Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, (former Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada) came out swinging against the people like Jo Seenie (the protesters).

Jo Seenie is a self professed Keeper of Mother Earth and an Ogichidaa. Ogichidaa is a peace keeper/warrior for the people. Jo Seenie has be very active most of her life following a path to protect the Land and stand with the people, Anishinaabeg. Jo Seenie is not well to do in terms of wealth.  She does have a very supportive group of Women (and men) that share the same ideals as she does. They are determined to have Indian people respected and heard. Jo Seenie has some strong Grassroots friends: Chickadee Richard, Shannon Buck, Judy Da Silva, Cheryl James and others.

It is easy to be upset when things don't go according to plan. No one really likes controversy or confrontation. With Justice Sinclair it is understandable for him to be upset and to attack (be it in a passive aggressive style of using the Traditional Teaching to slap someone) the protesters (as they are called, as it was an act of protest). After all Fontaine is one of Sinclair's contemporaries. They are both successful Indian people that have made a good life in the main stream society. Both have been accused of being a Apple. Apple is a derogatory term used to chastise Indians that "seem" to be less Indian than other Indians. White on the inside and red on the outside. A very nasty remark to any Aboriginal person. So the attack on Mr. Fontaine could be an attack (in the eyes) on all successful main stream Indians. The other thing is it natural to take up for your friend. That is what friends do. It is not a bad thing at all.

The thing is (as in many fights) the root of the issue takes a backward step. In this case it is not about the issue any more. It is about the characters involved. It has become a fight of individuals. The so called Grassroots taking on the Elites.  The Elites (all though they may not call themselves by that term) battling back against the protesters. What does that accomplish? 

And there is the further divide now. We have well meaning well to do Indians being attacked? Why because they are doing well in their circles? The not as well off Indians starting to feel superior to the well to do's simply because they don't have as much wealth as they do? It becomes a game of identity bashing. You know?  Like we are more Indian because we are right here on the ground while you are right there in the clouds! I don't think it is constructive or accomplishes much when we divide ourselves even more than we are.

It gets to the point as to how can we gain an edge in this society when we battle within ourselves?  A stronger front if we stick to the issue/problem. I know that is pollyanna way to thinking but there is some truth there.

I'm like all of you there, I see myself in a group. I want to belong. We all do. It gets to that we can be very judgmental of others if they don't fit in our "group", or what we perceive is our group. We may think that someone is not as good or is as not as kind or is not one of us because of their situation.  Give you an example. Mr Bill Wilson  is a very well known and outspoken First Nations man. He can never be thought of as an Apple.  He has made a career for being a strong Indian man who fights for Native issues.Mr. Wilson has been successful. He is an Indian. Could it be said that his children are not as Indian as him. After all they are the children of a "real" Indian, regardless of his financial or political status? His children presumably grew up different than he did, most likely in a well to do household? Are they less in tune with the Earth, the People?  I don't know?  See, that is what happens when we put more labels on ourselves. We can see the daughters of Mr. Wilson as privileged. Not really understanding the way it is for most of the Indian population in Canada. Being poor, being marginalized and so on.

However, at the same time we know that we can lose touch with our environment, our families if we stray to far. In our Reserve we have a couple that have won fifty million bucks. Can you imagine?  If it were me I would probably be in a far warmer climate. Not these people, they still are in the Reserve, go figure that one out? 

I am happy for people that make in this world, after all we have so much that don't. I am also grateful for the people with their feet on the ground. The warriors, the protesters, the workers, the Helpers, the Mom and Dads. Our Indian society has many different kinds of people. Even some of the wealthy can be Ogichidaa. Even the one with humble means can have a strong voice.



So go ahead people argue and take up for your friend, that is what friends are suppose to do, but try to keep the issue in the front of the fight. We only get side tracked by putting our cousins down. 

P.S. 

I think what the Grassroots people have done is necessary. Like I said in my early post, it is not about the individual it is much larger than that. It is about the long term future of our relatives, our children and their children. Nothing can get much bigger than that or nothing can get much more personal. 


Not sure how to label the protesters without using labels?  So I used the label grassroots. :)  Wild eh? 

Protesting of the Messenger: EX-Grand Chief Phil Fontaine and TransCanada Pipeline.

http://warriorpublications.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/former-afn-chief-phil-fontaine-hired-by-transcanada-pipeline-ltd/

Phil Fontaine, former AFN chief, has also worked for the Royal Bank of Canada, then one of the biggest investors in Tar Sands.

On its 4,000-kilometre path across the country, TransCanada Corp.’s Energy East’s pipeline would traverse the traditional territory of 180 different aboriginal communities, each of whom must be consulted and have their concerns accommodated as part of the company’s effort at winning project approval.
The Energy East plan is to bring 1.1 million barrels per day of western crude to eastern Canadian refineries and export terminals; it has been touted by politicians and its proponents as a nation-building exercise, and by industry as providing access to new markets for landlocked crude.
But native leaders want to ensure that they see some benefits from the $12-billion project and they could present a challenging obstacle to its completion if they feel excluded. On Tuesday, First Nations leaders gathering in Gatineau, Que., will launch an effort to devise their own national energy strategy.

 _________________________

 “We are disappointed and disgusted that he would actually work for the enemy, TransCanada, in terms of protecting the land and the waters and the future of our unborn. We are Anishnabe people of this land. We need to voice for her, for mother Earth.” Jo Seenie

____________________________

There is no doubt some people are angry. Some people are angry at the Women and men that held up banners, sang Traditional songs and interrupted Phil Fontaine's speaking engagement. Others are angry at Mr. Fontaine for his new job and responsibilities as an Aboriginal Spokesperson for TransCanada Pipeline.

There is a debate, actually it is more of a shouting match among Indian people about the University of Winnipeg speaking engagement. There are people angry that Phil did not get to speak and was shown disrespect. They say that the interrupters are protestors and they were there to create a disturbance.

The "protesters" say they are trying to protect the Earth from a monster, that monster being TransCanada pipeline.   They are thinking of the long haul, the big picture, i.e. The survival of the Earth. So their fight takes precedence over the feelings of one person. 

I think we need people to be loud. We need people on the outside with the goal of cease and desist. Stopping big companies from hurting Indian lands.  We have many people on the inside as well. Asking questions and trying to persuade the Big companies and government from with in the ranks. We also need people to be on the inside, to quietly but strongly  looking out for the people by offering advice to the decision makers. Two different approaches to working for the people.

Which is more effective?  I don't know.

I do know who gets more negative media. I do know that outsiders are always on the outside and that will not change.

Many people are upset that it was Phil that was challenged. They are upset because it "was" Phil! Phil that made many strong stands against government and Big business when he was leader of the Indians across Canada. So how dare people challenge him? Disrespect him?

I can see that being a bad thing, disrupting a well respected Leader, which is Phil. Many Aboliginal People see him as a sell out.

I don't agree that he has changed colours overnight as some state. No your values never change. Phil loves his people. He has worked his entire career for the betterment  for Indians. He worked on the outside of the government as a Leader of the Assembly of First Nations. His approach to how he worked is questioned and has been for years. "To cozy with government" was a slogan used by other Indians who wanted to be Grand Chief.   So his style was different from others, more conciliatory than confrontational. However, I do think attitudes change. Maybe Phil feels that working with the "enemy" is the way to get concesations for the people?  I don't know but maybe that is his logic. So that would mean his value of love for the people has not changed but rather the approach of who to fight for his people has changed. In other words his attitude of working on the outside to working on the inside has changed. So you can say that he is still for the betterment of Indian people even though he is working for the cannibal company, TransCanada Pipeline. Maybe he is trying to get TransCanada to not cannibalize the Indians? The way he sees how to do that is by being a voice inside?

 I think that Jo Seenie is true to the cause of saving the Earth for the next generations of people. I know Jo loves her people. Her values are consistent with many Indians; love of the people and the Creator. Her attitude towards the companies are not shared by government. She would sacrifice the short term gain of jobs for the long term gain of life.  A safe and good life for the people. Her attitude is that you must break the system because the system doesn't work for the people. Her way is to bring attention to the cannibal nature of Big business. The way to do that is to be seen and hear. How do you get seen and heard? You put yourself in a place that you can be seen and heard. In many cases it may cause some disruption. People will not like it. But for her the bigger picture is not for her to be liked but for her to be heard. And people are going to hear her.

Being heard may look like disrespect but if you look harder, than you will see it is not disrespect but it is commitment. Commitment to a set of values. That set of values is a deep profound love of the people. That means, lending a voice for the people.

So look hard when we see "protesters". They just have your best interest at heart.



Angry Protesters Force First Nations Leader Off... by tvnportal