What Have Learned This Past Year About Gluttony?

 Holy all that is holy, we have rich white men flying into the heavens on their steel seagulls. Billionaires, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Elon Musk have all spent incredible amounts of cash to get them a ride into the Earth's Atmosphere. The funny weirdness of it all is that the space trips are being celebrated. People are cheering the joy rides as the greatest thing since Ex-U.S. President Donald Trump's rise to the thrown. The absurdity of the joy rides seems to be lost on us mere pooget beings (pooget is Ojibwe for farts, implying we are nothing but a fart to those rich arseholes). The rich are enjoying life without regard for their offspring. I guess those rich folk are going to see who has the most toys in the cemetery when they die, not wanting to leave anything for anyone when they die. Unless they know something the rest of the humanity doesn't know? Like can money really buy immortality? In any case the world's human population is really messed up in their priorities, because they support the way things are.  Tornadoes, communities being burned to the ground, floods taking out major access roads, old growth forests being plundered to extinction, rich white woman with plastic arse-cheeks getting divorced, religious armies taking over countries and we get to watch it play out daily. We can even get to hear about when rich white women start their cycles. We still see the same politicians sucking-off the rich, and go speak publicly with cum still on their lips. We hear people say things have to change and will change after the pandemic is over. The politician comes out of the washroom still reeking of being bum-rammed and say we need to foster a business friendly atmosphere; "it's for the jobs, for the investment." Meanwhile these same rich folk are stashing their cash in the hopes to hide it. So much for creating jobs. It is the same old con game going on forever, "our rich need to be kept rich and private interests are our interests." 

We are living in times when the rich are becoming more and more obese with their gluttony over cash amassing.  The person who made the most sense about this situation is a despot, a control-at-all-costs individual. Xi Jinping has said "mutual prosperity"; "in a context of rising global inequality, China's common prosperity proposes a vision towards a more inclusive and equitable economic and social system."  This is a lofty idea, but one where the whole world should embrace. But why is it not a common thought? A friend of mine said, there should be a global law where you are only allowed to amass a fortune of 500 million. After this amount the rest is used for public service and goods. I think along the same way, limit the gluttony.  What is the end goal of accumulation? To have the most and then what? 

With the colonial expansion of Britain, their goal was accumulation. I read where colonizers where confused with the distribution of wealth, with goods by the Native populations. The "Indians" these white folk encountered didn't seem to understand the "Victorian" notion of acquisition. The Indians were always giving away their stuff. Those heathen Indians practiced serving for the public good. Serving the public good is so un-governmental. Governments are no longer pretending the role of serving the public good. Nope the pretending has been tossed, because it is out in the open, get the most for ourselves. The government is the proverbial "prison bitch" of the rich; the means to becoming more and more obese; feeding the gluttony of the rich. It is obscene and the stench is stronger than a full outdoor toilet in the Las Vegas heat. Government reeks of the most active sewers in Texas; burning the nostrils and watering the eyes shut tight. They are the butlers, the serving staff of the rich, that has what a government official has become. They will do everything and anything to keep the rich eating and feeding because they, the public servant will get to eat on the floor of the rich and they, the government officials, can eat the crumbs. Laws and policies governments create are ultimately for the benefit to the system, the rich getting richer. It is unlikely to change. We can write on their walls with shit all we want, there is no incentive for change. 

The answer to what we have learned is lost on the rich, the governments of the world and of course many human beings currently on Earth. It is really disheartening to think about our future, seven generations. Heck it's disheartening to even think about the next five years never mind about a generation from now. To think there was a time when white people, oops, I mean to say, Christians actually sold gluttony and greed as sin. Gluttony, and greed are not seen as a bad thing today. Being a gluttonous mass of putrid flesh is celebrated. We adore the rich, the greed, the selfish, the brazen, the vain, the unapologetically evil. 

Me this is what I learned this past year: 

Indigenous Peoples Keystone For Earth

 There are always "goings-on" happening in Indian country: Provincial Government of British Columbia sent RCMP to remove people from their land of Wet'suwet'en territory. RCMP went into a blockade against Coastal GasLink project to remove Hereditary Chiefs and supporters. The RCMP were heavily armed and in a fear mongering frenzy. Mi'kmaq people are being attacked over the fishing of lobster by commercial fishing industry.  Mi"kmaq are fishing as is their inherent Right and White Fishers don't like it. The white fisher folk don't like it so much they have been burning the boats and buildings of the Mi"kmaq. The Premier of Manitoba is trying to rally the racists against First Nations with COVID vaccine scare, basically saying there will be no vaccine because Indian's get it before them. Canada's minority Liberal government is wanting to make a law passing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). As we all know the devil is in the details. The City of Iqaluit in Nunavut has contaminated drinking water. Something many First Nations communities have been dealing with for years and years. It has been found out a racist RCMP officer was an influential Intelligence analyst. RCMP cop Tim O'Neil developed reports on Indigenous activity, issues for the Top Officials (The Brass) of the RCMP. It was O'Neil who used descriptions on Indigenous protesters who were trying to keep water clean as "violent Aboriginal extremists." O'Neil was administrator of a Facebook page which incited hatred towards Indigenous people and minority's. The page was an RCMP member page. O'Neil worked with CSIS and other police services. The amount of issues going on around and to Indigenous people are too numerous to really comprehend. The Indians are consistently and persistently linked to the Land; protecting, using, and living. Which each issue, the "powers to be" move to pry the Indians away from the Land, by either force, propaganda, and or public pressure. When these things fail, the government uses money to try pacify the Indian. The money thing is a tool they use to pacify a situation. The first attempt is of course is not to use money but to discredit the Indians. The government use of force is not new, nor is their tried and true method of divide and conquer. Governments are doing this in Lands of Indigenous people the world over. 

In Canada the thing about the federal government, the provincial governments is the fact their faces are stuck to the arsehole of big corporation. Corporation makes jobs and the government takes credit for those jobs. Fact is the jobs, the money corporations make are off the lands which are not theirs; the Land is Indigenous  peoples' land. So this is the trade off, government pays a little money to the First Nations to pacify them so long as the system keeps running. Corporations eat and eat, get fat, shit and then pass crumbs to the masses who lick up the groins of the corporations. Government is seen as smart benevolent because they let the corporation ram their butts so people can have jobs. Meanwhile the masses see the First Nations as wood-ticks stuck on their cash cows. Every once in a while the masses and the government put on a show for the masses. They cull a few of those pesky vermin wood-ticks. The wood-tick, Dermacentor variabilis is scary because they can make you sick. The wood-tick is of no use to their host. So it's best to get rid of them. While Canada (and the US, New Zealand, Australia) have been trying their best to eradicate the wood-tick through killing, assimilation. The best way to get rid of the wood-tick would be to kill them right away when you find them. A tweezers is a good tool but chemicals are fine as well. Trouble is there were lots of ticks and they were not that easy to get rid of. One of the best ways to get rid of ticks is to destroy their natural habitat, and oh yes, call and exterminator. The efforts to kill off the wood-tick has not been totally successful. There are some ticks that have become ill from all the efforts.  Some even will try to get rid of other wood-ticks for the sake of the host. Still the wood-tick is not letting go. They are part of the land, while the new hosts are an invasive species.  

The problem with this story is that it's all wrong. You see Indigenous people are not the wood-tick. They are in fact the Land. They are the Beaver in the water. They are the Raven in the sky. They are the Salmon swimming up stream. They are the Deer grazing along the forest edges. They are even the Turtle sunning it up on a rock sticking out of the creek. They are all of those things and more. While the Indigenous peoples the world over live with the land, the real vermin is the people, the many entities that feast off the land with no regard for how much is left. They are ravenous, they have an appetite of a worm. They are the colonial fold. The government, the corporation, the ultra rich capitalist. 

The King: "What is the secret of the grail? Who does it serve? Have you found the secret that I have lost?"  Percival: "Yes you and the land are one." This exchange in the movie Excalibur highlights the relationship between the Leader and the Earth. In this story the King is ill and so the Land is sick.  In the real world, Indigenous members are the land. They are consistently fighting for the protection of the land, because protecting the land is protecting people. Why the corporation, the main stream population doesn't see this is sad. If the Indigenous peoples are doing well, the land does well. If the land does well the world's population does well. Indigenous people are Keystone; Keystone in the ecosystems the world over. 

Keystone Species are vital to the health of an ecosystem. Like the Wolf is a key animal in the protection of the habitat and ultimately human beings. Wolves eat the grassing animals which can kill off vegetation. In Yellowstone National Park the Wolf introduction helped develop vast ecosystem of growth. So ensuring the Keystone populations are healthy leads to a healthier world. 

Indigenous people are being killed off for being Keystone to the planet. "In the Amazon one Indigenous Rights Defender is killed every second day." Why is it no one recognizes the Keystone Indigenous people are vital to the health of the Earth? With the corporations talking climate crisis, solutions, the Indigenous Keystone is ignored. The Amazon is being killed and no coincidence Indigenous people are also dying. 

We need the world to see us as we are, we are the Starfish.  

Your Stomach Churning? You Are Emotionally Invested That's Why.

Young white man takes an assault rifle to a protest, murders two people and wounds another. He is arrested, charged and gets out of bail. Celebrates publicly, goes to court and is found not guilty of any crime. Oh well, that's fine. A young white girl joins a protest to fight a pipeline which could destroy water ways, she is shot with a "projectile" by police and almost loses an arm. Oh well that's fine. People are working at jobs which barely cover daily living and yet some rich guys are building rockets to go for a five minute ride into space. Oh well it's fine. 

Feeling the anger? Feeling hopeless? Feeling sad? Feeling the rage? Well you are not alone. The football team you cheer for just lost (again) and it is upsetting. Your favorite 3-year old horse at the Kentucky Derby has not won the Triple Crown. You want them to put it down, that's how much money you lost, I mean that's how much the horse meant to you. You can't see them as a loser. The star of your life is WWE Sasha Banks and she just won the champion belt. You are beyond happy. Your joy is so high you jump up and down. You jump on to your coffee table and jump again, your head hits the rotating ceiling fan and cuts off an ear. After you wake up in the Ambulance your happy again (and it's not just the morphine). 

You are emotionally invested. When things go bad, or wrong with your investment you have negative feelings, negative reactions. When things go good with your investment you feel good as well. How invested we are of course may affect our reactions to how the investment went. Like me for instance, I am like the next person and I cheer for my favorite thing, person, sport, puppy in the Bud Super Bowl tv commercials and what have you. With the various items if things go the way I want (or not) the reactions will vary. It all depends on how emotionally invested I am. Like with entertainment it is not a situation where I will smash the television if my team loses. Nor will I run outside in the cold winter weather and strip off my clothes in a dance of joy. I see there are folks, people who live and die by their emotional investment with a team, an event, an entertainer or even a place. You see them literally wearing their emotional investments on their sleeves; team sportswear. There are people who like a team they wear foam Cheese on their heads, now that is emotionally invested. We sure love to share our "likes" and show how much we love those likes with a big thumbs up. 

There are many things we emotional invest in: our families, our friends, our community, our history, our jobs, our hobbies, our goods like our cars. I mean who doesn't like a nice car? Heck some folks name their cars? I understand naming your private "goods" (your penis, your vagina) but naming your car Bertha? We emotional invest in our lives whether things are good or bad. The boyfriend who punches you, picks you up and throws you against a tv and then again picks you up and throws on your baby's chair. The boss in our job we are emotionally invested in is a predator, a cobra, a slithery snake and just cruel. But we love our boyfriends, our jobs, even our bosses so we endure the pain. Emotionally investment has rewards and it comes with punishment as well. When we emotionally invest we are vulnerable. Vulnerable to having our hearts ripped out and squashed up into a ball of mush. 

Speaking of mush, governments, business and non-governmental organizations came together to discuss the climate change (crisis is actually what it is). The outcome of the gathering (COP global response to the threat of climate change) was a disappointment for many. There is a feeling, a collective feeling of hopelessness out there in the world. There is so much strife we don't know where to begin trying to make sense of the world. We love the Earth and people or at least we should, shouldn't we? The Earth is nothing short of a miracle that gives us everything. But do we care? Many of us have a very strong emotional attachment, an incredible emotional investment in the Earth. We wear it on our sleeves. There are so many souls who have emotionally invested with the well being of the Earth. People will try hard to show their love of the Earth: from spiking trees so loggers can't cut down old growth forests, to chaining themselves to trees and even going on hunger strikes to bring attention to the damage being done to the Earth. Most of those efforts are met with attacks. Business along with government support, resources and weapons will combat those individuals who emotional invest in saving their community, saving the Earth. It is still incredibly stupid how business and governments behave when it comes to resource extraction. The "Earth is shaking like a dog trying to shed its fleas" and still people ignore the signs. The Earth is burning and still there are people wanting to add fuel to the fire. This is why people are fucking upset, feeling hopeless, feeling angry, feeling rage. 

Why the business, the governments are not emotionally invested in the Earth, their families, their communities is weird. It is like they have a greater emotional attachment to money than anything else. Isn't that pencil chewing crazy, bat licking crazy, eating out of a toilet bowl crazy? My friend was telling me about this very rich white man who died a couple of weeks ago. He said "You know what? He must be the richest one among those other corpses." Yeah all those rich people wanting to be the richest one in the grave yard. You know what is really toad licking crazy? There are many people who fully support those old white guys spending money to ride into space. People praise those Billionaires like they were Elvis or something. Guess what? Elvis had sex with a 14 year old girl. Still praising him? Still invested in his star? The thing is these rich arseholes have no absolutely no regard, no inkling of a thought about you, never mind emotionally investing in your well being, heck no. You might as well be a piss stain on their shorts, you mean that much. So why emotionally invest in a being who is only emotionally invested in cash? Are we rock in a pond of mud stupid? 

Let's take a moment and take stock of what we like, what we are willing to like, to feel good about and to love. I like people and when I see them hurting, it hurts me. I am emotionally invested. How about you? 

Chappelle's Closer Is About Who Is Hurting More And Has Power

 I will start off by saying Dave Chappelle is a funny smart comic. Okay so I am bias with respect to how I view him.  Dave Chappelle performed a Netflix comedy called the Closer. In Chappelle style, it was smart, fast, contentious and hilarious. With Chappelle style it is not just about the subject matter and the punchlines, but the education and the message needed but not necessarily appreciated. The Closer show has stirred up a lot of angry emotions. The Trans-community was discussed in the Closer comedy special. The Trans-community has taken offence to the Chappelle's jokes and voiced, quite loudly the disapproval of the comedy special. 

I know exactly why they are upset. They are upset someone is attacking their community, attacking them, making fun of them. I know exactly why they are upset. It is universal, we don't like "others" making fun of us. This is true for every community, every race, every demographic, every group. This is the reason, simple as that. There are folks out there saying "too sensitive," "too touchy" but it's not that. Sure the Trans-community, the Black community, the Indian community can take a joke, but only when it is coming from them. You see our communities know what it is like to be hurt, to be attacked so we have our radar on, when we hear our names. You can bet we are going to growl when someone says something we think is against our respective community. 

There is a comedic group called the 1491's. The 1491's are Indigenous (Indian) comedy group, who not only make fun of the stereotypical Indian, they use their comedy to promote discussion and educate. Their comedy makes fun of Indians in different situations. If non-Indian made these types of observations, I think it would be offensive.  We, the Indigenous community would be upset. We don't like others making fun of us. Deceased comic Ralphie May was attacked by Native comedian Tito Ybarra. Tito took offense to Ralphie May's joke about Native Americans. Tito made enough noise to get May's concert in Bemidji  cancelled. If you heard the Ralphie May joke, you would think it was funny, even for a White Guy telling the joke. I challenged Tito on social media about taking food from May's table. Tito got mad and responded with "well go screw him then" and "you probably hit your kids." Tito went on to block me on social media. The remarks made to him, in my opinion were not disrespectful. It's not like I made fun of his face or anything. Still Tito's actions seemed cowardly and a hypocritical.  Tito did to deceased comic Ralphie May what the Trans community is currently doing to Chappelle; trying to mute their voice. Meanwhile, the 1491's have been doing much harder comedy lines on Indian people than May could ever do. The thing is Tito Ybarra was even in some of those comedy sketches. We laugh and appreciate the humor of the 1491's because their stuff is fucking funny. 

So what I saw with the Chappelle show was a series of jokes about the Trans community but not truly at the expense of the Trans community. Rather it was a message. The message was "you have power and we (the Black population) don't have your power. So don't use your power to smash our people." This was the point of the Netflix Closer. This point was ignored by the Trans community. They had tunnel vision. Just like Tito Ybarra with Ralphie May, they didn't see, didn't hear, they shut their eyes, their ears and only heard one part of the message. The Trans community heard the only message in Chappelle's show, as "Dave hates us" and we need to make sure he doesn't do it anymore. For me I am not in the Trans community nor the Black community. But I listened and I did hear what I thought I heard, you hear me? 

The Truth is we take offense to anyone speaking about our community when it is not in a good light. Everyone feels that way. It is simple as that, regardless of the context, and the intent of the message. We take offense because we are part of specific group. Chappelle may love the Trans community but he loves the Black community more. This is where the context is coming from; the Black community has been hurt more so don't be adding more hurt to our community. Your community the Trans community has more power. Even though the Trans community may not see it this way. Thing is we see the Black community and our community, the Indigenous community being hurt as much and perhaps more than the Trans community. The Closer slit open the notion, like a sharp knife into a warm belly,  of who is hurting more, who is getting attacked more and the Closer unpacked who has more power in the marginalized community arena. 

Oh yeah, it is easy to jump on a Gazelle when a Cheetah already has its claws and teeth on it. 

The "celebrity community" taking bites out of Chappelle, because they see a feast starting. 

Oh one last thing to think about. You and your spouse have been in love since you were childhood sweethearts. You have been a couple for years now, have a good life, a beautiful family. One day your spouse says "I love you more than all the candy in Candy Land, but I have to tell you, I have been living a lie, I am not this gender. I will be moving towards my real gender. I hope you can still love me and be with me." So you do love them. You will stay with them because you love them. This is so cool and good for the both of you. Now tell me will you perform fellatio, or cunnilingus on your lover, since they have moved - transitioned? 

"...you know people that I love tell me I go too far sometimes, maybe I went to far but I did it, you know and plus, the only way you know where the line is, is to cross it, and I think what is life if nobody is crossing the line . You just want to be on the right side of history and sometimes what's going on in the immediate present is not as important as the long term. The Truths is permanent and then everything else falls by the way side." Dave Chappelle

Steph Stigma

"I'm a trans comedian. I laughed my ass off, was moved to tears by his message, and after applauding (too loudly for 4am) at my TV, I became very pissed off; because, Dave very obviously extended an olive branch and so many of my alphabet brothers, sisters, and inbetweeners missed the fucking point! I mean, shit, I must not be as autistic as my therapist thinks because even I could recognize the satire when he claimed to be transphobic and a TERF. He very clearly drew parallels between the struggles of the black and LGBTQ communities in an attempt at unity over division. I'm trans and even I wanna be a TERF after this whole infantile backlash. It's not like I don't understand what it feels like to be constantly misgendered, called slurs, get side-eyed when using the bathroom, etc...it can get exhausting and make one emotionally sore and raw, but by becoming so triggered by every perceived slight that you can't see the forest for the trees you are just othering yourself and essentially locking yourself into a cage away from society. I mean, I love a good circle jerk just as much as the next girl but these social media echo chambers are fucking up our civilization."

God Send Us a Message, We are Greedy Bastards

 I read the COVID Stimulus checks (we spell it cheques in Canada) handed out in the United States were to be given to people who needed help with financial hardships. It was quite interesting and quite funny to find out some of those people with financial hardships were billionaires. Can you wrap your head around that one? Billionaires, 18 of them, plus hundreds of "ultra-rich elites" received cash which was to help those struggling. It seems through the tax system, these rich (sleazebags, slimeballs, vermin, scuzzballs, maggots, cretins, lice) folk are living with negative balances. It seems they are millions in the hole. So they are poorer than those who are broke. So I wonder who is hiding all the money in those off-shore places?  One thing is for damn certain, those are some real greedy bastards. It makes me wonder why these people are not feeling the wrath of Khan, or God(s)? Shouldn't there be some kind of sign to let them know greed is a big no no? 

It has me thinking about signs, greed, the Universe and all the gods out there. There is a climate summit happening ( COP - climate summits always going on with nothing concrete coming out of them) with many elected leaders and big business (capital B) in attendance. Lot of back slapping, moral out rage, pleading, rationales, excuses, and money deals happening at the summit. The public display of "let's save the world" is nauseating. Canada the big grifter is promoting themselves as the lead in being a climate warrior. The real climate saving folks are saying all these public figures and statements are just "Green-Washing: the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound. Greenwashing is designed to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is." This is what has been happening for a heck of a long time now; folks keep lying. The Earth is burning up but, "hey it's not too bad, we are fixing it." The climate saving activists are saying "wake up you shit heads, the Earth is dying!" The business elite are saying "we don't see it, don't you think we would have seen ti by now?" I guess god hasn't sent any messages yet? God for heck sakes, send us a message.

God: "Okay you fucken spoiled ants, we'll send you a message alright." 

Since the big wigs started meeting about Climate Change, the world has been receiving all sorts of messages from the gods, since 1992: 

•  9.5 Trillion tons of glacier ice gone. 
• 36 Trillion tons of Sea ice gone.
• Alaska temperature rose by 1.4 degrees (Celsius).
• World temperature rose by 0.6 degrees (Celsius).
• Sea level rose by 95 millimeters.
• Average of 7.5 million acres of forester burned a year.
• 8,000 global climate disasters killed 563,735.
• 281,000 heat deaths.
• 885 billion tons of carbon dioxide released into the air from fossil fuels/cement making.

Even with these messages about being greedy and how it is killing us, by hurting the Earth, we still are not sure of the message. We are greedy bastards. One of the people floating around in space spoke to the French President and said the Earth was a Sad sight. The Astronaut claimed he could see the fires burning in Canada with his own eyes and California was covered in smoke. Mr. Thomas Pesquet from the International Space Station said, "Through the portholes of the space station, we distinctly see Earth's fragility, We see the damaging effects of human activity, pollution of rivers, and air pollution."

It doesn't seem to matter we are receiving messages, we are not believing the signs.  There are fires everywhere. Australia burnt up, Canada burnt up, California burnt up, much of the world is drying up and yet the Capital B is still drilling into the ground, cutting every tree they can see and people are praising them, like they are gods. "Oh they give us jobs." What a narrow vision of the world. God is sending signs and we are blind. We are Greedy Bastards. 

So what about those ultra rich folk I first mentioned eh? You see these are the puppet masters of our societies; from Nairobi to Wuhan, from Rio to Bakersfield, from Toronto to Tetovo. These masters don't believe in anything but the need to accumulate. They operate in any town, any city, any country, in any dirty sewer, as long as they make money. What a cockroach way to live. They are the folks saying you are at fault for the water being poisoned, you don't recycle enough, you waste too much water by taking baths,  and still they tell you, "you aren't buying enough stuff." We are so muted we let the voices of the leaders speak for us. They say follow me. 

It is funny, whenever something happens, we all agree the world will change. Time and time again, we witness the change is not coming: Bhopal 1984 gas leak, 2005 Jilin Chemical explosion, 2008 Tennessee Coal ash spill, The Sidoarjo Mud Volcano, The North Pacific Garbage Patch, The Gulf War spill, Deep Water Horizon spill, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, Guiyu E-waste Dump in China, The Baia Mare Water Cyanide Contamination, Chernobyl, London's Great Fog, Minamata Disease, The Libby Montana Asbestos Contamination, The Love Canal Toxic Landfill, The Centralia Fire, The Door To Hell, The Death of the Aral Sea, and the list goes on. This list is short list of ugly events caused by humans; meaning the Capital B and governments.  These events were just greed based. What greedy bastards, they are. 

Have you ever asked yourself:

“How did society get so damn greedy and soulless?”

Bernie Sanders

@BernieSanders

·

400 richest Americans' wealth in 1991: $288 billion 400 richest Americans' wealth today: $5.3 trillion Americans unable to afford to fill their prescriptions today: 18,000,000 Who is our economy working for?

 

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We Never Know the Connections They Had

 When you are dead, your friends family will never know your secrets. They will never know every road you traveled, every person you encountered. Even if you write a biography, a memoir, your full path will never be known. Secrets sounds so dirty but it could be not a secret but just an experience you had and it is just part of daily life experience; nothing secret about it, or nothing dirty about it. It is not a secret by design but just a part of their experience where you were part of and folks are not part of the experience. So when you are giving the Eulogy of the person lying in the casket, all done up with make up, dressed to the nines and filled with some kind of fluid, you will maybe touch on one minute of their whole life. Don't feel bad. No one can know everything about everyone. 

When my Son hanged himself, did the suicide, I was really messed up and a mental wreck. It was not a good time and friends saw me. My friend took me to a Monastery in Abbotsford, British Columbia. My friend, a Romanian who left Romanian during the Communist era) was friends with the Archbishop at the Monastery. The Archbishop of the Orthodox Church at the time was Most Reverend Lazar (Puhalo).  My friend is not a holy roller or anything like that but the Rev. Lazar was there for my friend Sorin when his wife got Cancer and died, September 11, 2000 (one year before the infamous 911 attack, so a date which is very public every year). My friend developed a friendship with the Archbishop. Lazar is one of those priests who is not just holy roller, and continuously spreading the "word." He published a number of writings of scientific and sexual topics. So he goes beyond the "normal" Biblical readings and discussions.  Lazar went against the main church regarding sexuality. We went visit him one afternoon and I had the chance to sit with him. He told me about his Son, Junior ( I found it strange a priest had a son). We sat in Lazar office and he told me: "Junior came here in the office, kissed me on the head and told me he loved me. He walked out of the office and I heard a shot. I went out and held my son as he was dying." Lazar told me, "we are so arrogant to believe we were the only ones to have influence on our child's life." The reason he said this (I think) was because I told him that it was me who killed my son. It was my ways, the way I brought him up and everything else I must have done to him. It never occurred to me my son had many interactions, many experiences and many life connections. So I will never know all the factors involved in my Son's life and the effects it may or may not have had on him. I will never know and always ask why? The connection I had with Lazar is one I remember but whether or not he remembers is not in my control, or my business. Lazar gave me the last Cross his son had made while at the monastery. It is a little wooden cross with the extra cross in it. I still have it. 

I told my Mom about the visit I had with the Archbishop while I was in British Columbia. My Mom mentioned to the Reserve priest this one time about my visit with an Archbishop. My Mom's was in the hospital for Cancer. Our family went to visit her there and the Reserve Father  came as well (Catholic Priests are referred to as Father). I was in the hospital room with my Mom and I told her, Father (Filipino)  was there to see her. I came out of the room and told the Father "my Mom wants you to come in and do your Holy stuff (as I made a cross in the air with my hand)." The Father went into the room and I followed him in. My Mom told him "this is my boy, he met the Archbishop (although it was Orthodox Church). My Mom was proud of me. I looked at the Father and said "Me and God are like this (I crossed my fingers)." The Father said "I'll ask him." Connections we have so many. 

I watched a video clip of the comic actor Billy Crystal giving a sermon, a eulogy for the Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali. Can you believe it? Billy Crystal had connections with Muhammad Ali. A Jewish comedian, a white guy had a relationship with the Greatest of All Time, a Black Muslim Boxer.  His connections were brought into the public view when Crystal spoke about their relationship. When I first saw this video I was a little skeptical but then who the heck am I to doubt a relationship I have no idea about it. The doubt of someone's connection to other's is an attack. Why do we do it? Do we not want someone to have something we don't or do we only want it for our own? 

I have been thinking about friends, acquaintances who I have connected with throughout the years. Quite a few of them have died. Many of those I had a small connection with while others I shared a friendship. There are secrets we shared, well not really secrets, but rather they are  connections only me and those dead people know about. Anyway they are dead, so now only I know about them. I am finding as I grow older I reflect more and more on the connections I have had. I wonder when I die if there are going be those who had connections with me? Connections that maybe I have forgotten or don't reflect on?  

If we had a connection I sincerely hope it was a good experience and not one where I am a jerk in the recollection. Still life is like that, we made good connections, ugly connections and some connections where it meant nothing. 

Gabby Petito: "She Touched The World." Others Not So Much

 Gabby Petito has been found! 

Thank the gods she has been located. Well her body has been located. The family can at least have that much. Still the boyfriend needs to answer what happened. The incident is not a good one; girl goes missing and last one to see her is the boy friend. The boyfriend being cagey. The media gets a hold of the story.  There are pictures being painted daily by both the main stream media and the social media universe.  Gabby is shown to be a happy full of life woman who may have been with a shallow controlling boyfriend. The last picture we see is a distraught woman dealing with an abusive possessive traveling companion. The Parents of Gabby reported her missing on September 11.  Numerous stories came out and helped lead to the successful find of her dead body. People took a deep interest and made it personal.  Some reason the masses connected with Gabby and her family. It is the one redeeming aspect of the tragedy, people showed that they care. The search result is not what anyone wanted. The family is seeking to grieve in private after the news of Gabby's found body. 

Gabby represents the ugly in what can happen to a young woman.  She was vlogging and sharing her life with the world. She went on a hiking trip with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend is missing (I expect them to find him dead at his own hand, but time will tell) and believed to be in the bush somewhere in Florida.  She represents the young, the possibilities of life and all what it can offer the young population. Her death is awful and there are many who mourn for her and her family. 

So why am I writing about a story when it is so wildly covered? It is precisely for the reason, everyone is talking about it. I want to jump on the train as well, who wouldn't? The story is compelling. You have a mystery, the anticipation of what is to come, some hope, a villainess twist, a distraught loving family, a fair maiden, you can feel empathy for the characters in this tale. How can you not? We have daughters, sisters, friends, friends of friends who could star in this story. A GoFundMe page is likely to be set up (one was set up for the search) for the family. The woman could be someone you likely know. This is what seemingly gravitates folks to a situation, a story; the connection it has to us, the familiar, Gabby could be someone you know or Gabby could be us (really you). Her parents could be you, or someone you are close with. It all comes down to us (me). 

This is why I think all the other Women, girls are not thought of, because they do not resonate with you. They are not the girl next door to you, the neighbour, the friends of yours. The media doesn't recognize them as the Gabbys of the world. The main stream audience doesn't affiliate with them, doesn't empathize with them, can't understand them. The media also does a weird thing when the "other" women go missing or are murdered. The media doesn't paint a nice picture. The woman is not pictured as an angel with a full life going on and ahead for her. Nope, the "other women" are not angels, in fact, accordingly to the media,  these Women could have been seeking their own demise. Who are these "other women" and why are they not being found? Why is there no media blitz, no social media frenzy? Why is there no search?  As Joy Reid said "No one is looking for us." 

The "other Women" are the Native Women, the Black Women, Asian Women, Latino Women, Trans Women, Gay Women, Women of Colour and Poor Women. 

No one wants Women to go missing, to go be killed, no one. The Gabbys of the world should be looked for, should be spoken about, should be grieved. The same could be said of 18 year old Jennifer Catcheway a beautiful young Woman. The Jennifers of the world should be granted the same attention, the same empathy, the same concern. Thing is, Jennifer is Indigenous. 

Being Nice Should Be Announced To The World

I was hanging around with Ceremony people in Vancouver a number of years ago. There was this one fellow telling me about his efforts at Ceremony. He is what we called a Skhabay (Oshkaabewis is the proper way to say it in Ojibwe), a Helper. He wondered how come he didn't get things. There are gifts given out but usually the gifts go to the "head people;" people who conduct the Ceremony or have a good title. He felt unappreciated and not recognized for his work. After all, many of the Ceremonies are set up by the Helper. The protocol followed by people is to present a gift to the Elder, Medicine person when you seek their help. The Helper is important to the Ceremony but is not always acknowledged. This is not always the case as the Give Away is a Ceremony where people are acknowledged. The Give Away is exactly that, a give away of gifts. Ideally everyone in the crowd of a Ceremony (like a Sundance Give Away, Powwow Give Away, a Memorial Give Away, a Birth announcement Give Away, etc.) is given something. The type of gift is not the significance, it is the gift and what it represents and how the receiver of the Gift acknowledges the Gift Givers. For the fellow sharing his frustration with me, it is a normal feeling. We all need to be recognized once in awhile, to be acknowledged. Sometimes we need to speak up and let others know we are working hard, and should be acknowledged. I realize it is not always acceptable to talk about ourselves, but asking for validation is not a bad thing. The Helper hit me up for one hundred bucks, he borrowed. I never did get the hundred back (smiling as I remember this).

Three things I know I don't like: getting the middle finger, someone who lies to me, being called cheap. I find giving someone the middle finger is an ugly gesture and is actually worse than telling someone to go "F-themselves." The anger I feel from being giving the finger is visceral and immediate. I just want to pull out a defender shotgun (the short barrel black guns) and shoot at a concrete wall, and that is how much it upsets me. Why it brings such a reaction is beyond my understanding.  The second thing I don't like, being lied to, it is insulting. The lie breaks your trust. Lying to someone to make yourself look better is just not right. I am not a fan of the lie. Not the story lie (aka the bull shit story), but the lie to excuse your behaviour or actions, that lie is no good. The lie doesn't make me angry, it makes me sad. So sad that I want to take out a sharp bowie knife and cut up the laces on my Kirkland (Costco brand)  running shoes. Makes me want to have my shoes fall out of my feet as I am walking in silence.  The third thing I dislike is the cheap label. I'm not referring to the something is cheap, inexpensive label. If you can get something on the cheap good for you. I am talking about the person who is selfish, greedy and not willing to share. There are different kinds of cheap. There are people who hoard things. I am like that, I like things but end up giving things away. I do not agree with those who are cheap, not willing to share, the person who hoards for themselves. I know many people who are very generous. My Dad was one of those people who didn't know how not to share.  I also know people who begrudge others; begrudge them of having a decent job, of having a decent vehicle, of having a good partner in their lives and a host of other things. This person is the one who is truly cheap. They are insatiable with their want of things and begrudge others who may have a little bit of something. These three things should not be celebrated. Some people will say, "I'm forthright and honest" but in reality they are just being arseholes. Yet they announce their actions to the world like it is a good thing. 

There are things I like, it is the good deed, the unselfish act. Even when someone is not looking they do the nice act of giving, of sharing and being kind. The person who is working all day long in a difficult job but has the time to give a couple of bucks to the "down-on-their-luck-with-their-hand-out" individual. They are tired, maybe not having the best day but it doesn't change who they are; nice people. Then there are those who go on social media and complain: "Lorrie Steeves is really tired of getting harrassed (sic) by the drunken native guys in the skywalks. we need to get these people educated so they can go make their own damn money instead of hanging out and harrassing (sic) the honest people who are grinding away working hard for their money. We all donate enough money to the government to keep thier (sic) sorry assess (sic) on welfare, so shut the f**k up and don't ask me for another handout!" I am not sure but this doesn't sound much like being nice? Maybe I am missing something here. If we can go announce to the world we are not nice, shouldn't we be able to announce to the world, we are nice? 

I get it, if we tell the world how nice we are, it takes the "nice" out of being nice. It seems we are tainting the good with the message that we did good. It confuses me a bit though. I mean why is it so normal and accepted to say all sorts of nasty mean things? Yet if we say something nice, something charitable, something thoughtful, it is not looked at as a good thing? We are quick to condemn the good announcement of a good nice deed. I want to tell you about the things we have done and how they are nice things. Convention dictates it is not kosher to announce the nice things you do to the world. We should announce the good things; either some else's good or our own good. 

There have been many initiatives to showcase role models (we automatically assume role model to be good, right?) and good things happening around the world and in our community. So why can't we announce our own good things, good deeds? I am sure you are doing some good stuff and no one but you knows. I guess it is to be humble and I get that. Still be brave and let the world know you have done good and you hope to inspire others to do good as well. 

Let me start: My friend called me last night and ask to sleep over. After getting the okay from my wife (her permission to say yes), I said sure to my friend, "sure I can let you sleep at the house," and my wife sent me to pick him up. How's that for a start? Now you, please. 

I am good eh? 

See My Scar? Where is Your Scar?

 "Hey, don't you worry about it Chief, Its not permanent. You want to see something permanent? Ba-ba-boom, Heh heh heh."  The movie Jaws has Quint and Matt Hooper comparing scars as the Police Chief Brody doesn't have the scars that measure up. 

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This the world we live in, we are always measuring who has the biggest or most scars. We do it with all things: our physical wounds, our battles, our income, our family turmoil, our historical wrongs, our psyche, our spiritual wounds, our grief, our internal damage. Who has the biggest scars? The Japanese sure have some big scars, after all they had the bomb dropped on them. Not just the bomb but two god-damned bombs. Can you imagine the scar that has been left? The Jewish population has at least 6 million scars and no one can deny that is a huge scar. The African Nation has some big scars as well; from having people stolen and sold in slavery to having their lands raped by greedy colonizers. What a large number of scars there for sure.  We hear the stories and are shown the scars. 

There are whole nations with so many scars, and there are individuals with many scars as well. There are the people who have faced violence, been raped, been tortured - physically - mentally - spiritually, have been killed. They have scars. So with all the scars, who has the most? Who has suffered the most? I think it depends on who is showing the scars. With Chief Brody in the Jaws movie he tried to look at his own scars when the fisherman Quint and the scientist Hooper were busy outdoing each other with showing their scars and the stories that went along with those scars. I share my scars and measure them against other people's scars as well. With grief; the loss of a Mom, a Dad, a Brother, a Son is a scar. We measure our grief against the grief of others. All different types of scars are measured. We see other folks with scars; the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. The Black population being killed over and over again by the police force. The many people who are seeking refuge in the United States, in Canada and in Western Europe; they will show you many different scars. The 26 million refugees that exist right now throughout the World, will show you different scars. 

Today and the following days we will be bombarded (no pun intended) with stories about the scars the United States of America has to show. The US is reminding the world about how seriously they were wounded and they have the scars to prove it. They will show you and tell you how horrible it was to get the scar. They will also tell you they have come out better because of the wounds and the scar will always remind them of how strong, how tough they are. 

The United States of America suffered a major wound in September 11, 2001. The wound came by way of an attack from the sky on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville. There is a song written about the Attack, entitled "where were you when the world stopped turning?" The message is of course about the scar and it is quite possibly the worse scar ever to have happened. It is the biggest scar from the modern United States population's point of view. Now ask an Indigenous person who has had their land occupied by the Americans and they will tell you about and show you different scars. Ask the African American and they may have different stories and scars to show you. I mean 400 years of being whipped, chained, punished, raped and owned could do that. 

There is no doubt the Twin Towers collapsing and the death of 3,000 people was tragic, horrible and awful. Is the biggest scar in the world? We all have our own scars and measure them with our own scales. We can appreciate their pain when they are showing you the scars. We hope they also understand there are many people out there carrying scars as well. We are in a battle of who has the most scars and the one who is winning is the one who has the biggest media presentation. 

I Need Validation. Please Give Me Validation

 I'm sad. Sixteen years ago today, my boy was sitting in the closet at this Mom's dead. He hanged himself. We didn't get into the apartment until the afternoon the day after he was dead. He couldn't cope with life anymore, the addiction and the sorrow of life. This was the day I prayed in earnest. I prayed so hard hoping, wishing for his death not to be true.  For him to be alive. I am crying right now. I live with the loss of my boy who was 20 years old. The praying didn't count for anything. My boy was dead. He his tongue sticking out of his mouth, black. The apartment stank of death. The way we found him was through having the police open the door. We stood outside the door like we were intruders. The cop standing tall by the door as a guard. My boy in a body bag with just his head sticking out, dead. It is called suicide. I think it was escape for him. He must have been suffering so much. And what did we do? We neglected him. We enabled him. We shamed him. We scolded him. We loved him. I need validation. 

My ex-sister-in-law, her husband, my ex-partner (the mother of my boy), my wife, my brother, my cousin, My cousin's wife, the cop and the medical examiner were there in the little apartment. My boy's mom asking me to help look for a note. I saw my boy's suitcase in the bedroom. All of his life in that one suitcase. I have the suitcase in a closet in the basement. I have yet to deal with the contents. I had given my boy a nice Homburg hat before he had died. I picked it up in Gas-Town Vancouver. I thought it would be nice for me. It was interesting he kept this hat. Because I would take him to buy baseball hats. He would take great care in selecting a hat and making sure it fit. The sad thing is, much, even almost all of his possessions went to the dealers of dread, the drug dealer. Can you imagine how a person feels to give away all his possessions just to satisfy the addiction? The hopelessness of it? My ex-sister-in-law, and ex-mother-in-law never liked me. As my daughter has said to me, "do you blame them, you were mean to their sister, their daughter?" So it was strange to have them there at the bleakest worse time of our lives. They were there for my Boy's Mom.  I need validation. 

The next morning after I got up, I walked into the living room sat at the edge of couch, fell to the floor crying; "no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." No amount of crying, no amount of pleading with god, to make it not real, did anything to make the truth disappear. I am not sure what happened next. The steps of funeral arrangements were taken over mainly by my ex-partner's sister. They made the choice to have the Wake at their house. Despite the fact they had no relationship with my boy. I just went along with everything which took place. I had no mind to think about anything but my Boy's death. It was early in the death truth and of what suicide did to us. My Boy was buried in the same grave site as his cousin. Sadly his cousin had taken his own life years before; the son of my ex-sister-in-law. I was not helpful in the services or planning. I was just there. My friends came and helped out. I need validation. 

 I have been a bad father. I have been a bad son. I have been a bad partner. I have been a bad friend. I have been a rotten person. I did try to be a good person but failed and failed much. I tried to be kind. I tried to be generous. I tried to be thoughtful. I tried to be loving. I tried a bit of loyalty. I was a human being. I need validation. 

So what do I do now? I mourn my boy everyday. I don't mourn my parents or my brother or my friends that way I mourn my Boy. I do miss them and think of them ever so often. Many of the times are filled with a memory of good things about them. With my boy it is filled with dread and the end of promise. I feel that our kids, my kids, should be better than me in all aspects of life. That is what I want for my kids, my grandkids, to be filled with contentment, with happiness and a good life. My Boy can never have that. I want my Boy to be remembered. To be thought of with good feeling. I want people to know my pain. I need validation. 

There are so many people I have tried to be good to; I have lent money, provided gifts, praised them, helped them, visited them, just tried to be happy for them. It means nothing. Either I do it because it is good to do or I do it because I want them to be nice to me, which is not right. No amount of people being kind to me back is worth anything. Either they like me or they don't, gifts mean nothing. So when they ignore me, it is because they know me and I am no good. I have done much wrong in my life. It has cost me. My Boy took his life. I know I had a hand in it. I didn't tie the rope, but he went through much in his short life and I am to blame. So I can blame the drug dealers, the drugs, the monster of addiction but still I have to bear the blame as well. My words, my talks with him, which I thought were words of wisdom were empty. Cliches maybe, I don't know. I just know he didn't hear or maybe I couldn't have said the right things.  I need validation. 

Life is a weird, hard, fun and dreadful road. I can say all sorts of things, which should make sense of the situation: "We have no control over anyone. Choices are individually made." It matters not.  I miss my Boy. So much I think about joining him. Just when will I chose to go be with him? I need validation. 

Dave Courchene Jr: It is about Identity - It is about Spirit.

"Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini addresses the importance of understanding and knowing one’s identity, history, and ancestral teachings. Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini shares the Seven Sacred Laws of the Anishinaabe People, and highlights the importance of rites of passage and going to the land in healing. The Turtle Lodge International Centre for Indigenous Education and Wellness has partnered with the Sagkeeng Mino Pimatiziwin Family Treatment Centre to share teachings and provide guidance on how to heal from addictions.

The Turtle Lodge International Centre for Indigenous Education and Wellness is a place for reconnecting to the Earth & sharing Indigenous ancestral knowledge, founded on the 7 Sacred Laws. Visit our website at www.turtlelodge.org to learn more."

 "We are the people of the Bear... We were born of the Bear... We came in the most natural way... The Creator had a vision of the Earth... As people we are connected to Spirit because that is where we came from... We are born of Spirit... We understand the realm of Spiritual through Ceremony... We understand the  relationship we have with our Ancestors... In the Spiritual Realm the Prophets... try to find a way to reach us... to help us out of the deep darkness in today's world... that have been created by negative values... one of the most negative values is that man can control the earth, that he can control nature, can do whatever he wants to the land... we see everyday where man is out of control with this greed... thinking and not knowing that Mother Earth is alive... That is the understanding we have that Mother Earth is Alive... Many of us have a close relationship with the Bear... What an awesome gift to have a relationship with the animals... 1st Teaching is Respect, the Buffalo - Respect means to give and give and give... bring love and kindness into this world... the Eagle is the symbol of Love... people don't know the real power and essence of love... everything we have been given out of Love... we need to love ourselves... who we are - we can go in the morning and see in the mirror and say I am proud to be Anishinaabe... You can not intellectualize who the Creator is... GrandFather help me I am weak here... What the people need is hope... that help is there... The Spirit gives us help... The Teaching of Sabe - be honest to the Creator, to yourself, how you feeling... The Law of Wisdom represented by the Beaver... to know Wisdom is to know your gift and to use it to serve the world... The Wolf Humble... We are connected in the same way of the Creator... The Elders of our people are with the people... We live in the world today filled with so much arrogance... Turtle, this is a place of our people... Grandmother Turtle was there when laws were given... Turtle carries the memory of the Teachings... We should be and can be the leaders of our own lands... Our own people have to be in position to share knowledge... We have to be strong enough to walk the way the Creator gave us... Everything is there is to have what the old people told us that we have a good life... "

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"I Gave Him Tobacco, the Highest Honour You Can Give."

 Just what is the highest honour you can do for someone? Is it naming your child after someone, or is it something else, some grand gesture? A lot of years ago I had a disagreement with a relative. He was the first cousin of my Mom. The gentleman was about 12 years older than I was. The disagreement was in how I saw his disrespect of my Dad. He and my Dad were on Council in our Reserve. My Dad at the time was still an active drinker while the cousin was not. So I can see his reluctance to work with my Dad. Still I think the cousin didn't do right by my Dad. When they were suppose to go to meetings out in the City, the cousin would tell my Dad, "I'll be by to pick you up." He didn't pick up my Dad and Dad would be waiting all day for his colleague to pick him up. Meanwhile the cousin would stop and pick up his friend who was not on Council and take him to the meetings rather than take my Dad. I guess maybe the cousin felt my Dad would drink while in the City. I am only guessing but I imagine that is why. I didn't know this about the cousin until I started working with him and my Mom warned me about him. So I went for a ride with the cousin and I asked him about it. I told him "I don't really like people disrespecting my Dad" and brought up his past conduct with my Dad. So the cousins response was this, "I don't know if you see this but I gave your Dad the highest respect, highest honour, I gave him Tobacco." For me this was just wrong. I know the meaning of Tobacco as the first medicine and the respect you give people when asking, gifting them. Still I felt this was hollow. Not that the cousin didn't honour the Tobacco, he was a man of great knowledge and Teachings. Maybe in his mind he did show respect to my Dad. For me I look at his other actions and didn't think he really showed respect. I think like all of us, he was just a Human Being capable of great things and also of wrong. 

There are so many ways to show honour to someone and it is done everyday. There are streets being named in honour of an athlete; a day in honour of someone; a medal given to a singer by the government and statues that have been erected in honour of someone. How do we measure the highest form of honour, of respect? In the Native community Giving is part of their lives. Indians are always giving and honouring people. Reminds me of when we were kids playing minor hockey in the Reserve, we had a team called the Fort Alexander Jets. It was a kids team coached by the late Jimmy Fontaine and others. The City of Winnipeg had a professional hockey team called the Winnipeg Jets. I think this must have been in 1972 or so. The community lead by our Chief and others reached out to the Winnipeg Jets to have the kids meet the team. So a big event took place (in our eyes) at the Winnipeg Arena. The Fort Alexander Jets skated before the National anthem and stood at the blue line to shake hands with the professional hockey players. The kids gave each player a beautiful beaded medallion. The Winnipeg Jets gave a game day handout and a small patch. The Chief of our community gave the coaches and management Beaded Buckskin Jackets. You have to understand it was a very big deal for this group of Indians from a Reserve to be at the event. It was an honour for the kids to be skating (even though it was one time around the rink) and for the community to take part. So our Chief, our community honoured the Winnipeg Jets with gifts. I wonder if anyone of those hockey people involved with the Winnipeg Jets at the time remember the event. It was most likely just a blip on their hockey experience. I hope they do remember the day all those years ago. 

It is part of the life of our people to Honour others. I really like that about Indigenous people. Honouring is not limited to Indigenous folks, I imagine all cultures honour people. Honouring is not limited to the deserving person. Nope, honouring is done for almost everyone. Just a little while ago, infamous rapist Harvey Weinstein had his Appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire stripped away by the Queen. Prior to his being jailed for being a raping monster, Weinstein was celebrated, was respected and feared for his power in the entertainment industry. Many folks were under his spell of power. There are many others honoured who should not be respected. Suspected rapist and known racist Donald Trump had reached the highest honour in the United States by being selected as their leader. Is that the highest honour, to be selected to lead people? It is an amazing show of respect I imagine. People believe in you so much they make you their voice, now that is honour. 

There are so many examples of honouring in society; having a Day in your honour (Columbus Day), a month named in your honour (Black History Month), a vehicle named in your honour ( the Pontiac), a helicopter named in your honour (Apache), a US Military operations for assassination  named after you (Geronimo), and naming a sports team after you (Washington Redskins). The honouring of someone can be subjective, I guess? There are more personal signs of giving the highest honour: naming the baby after someone. You ask someone to be the Godparent of your child. These Godparents will look after your child should some horrible event happens and you die an agonizing death.  You decide to have your girl-boy friend's name forever imprinted on your arm by way of getting stabbed with a needle dipped in ink, the tattoo. There are so many ways in which honour is bestowed. 

Honour Song For Dad

Indigenous people are always doing an honouring of someone or something. Go to any big Indian event and you will see someone being gifted. They could be getting a Blanket put on their shoulder. You will see someone being presented with an Indian name. Someone being honoured with a Song. Some Dancer at a Powwow will honour the Drum with a Whistle. It is part of who they are as a society, they honour lives. So there are many ways to give honour. Sure I give Tobacco as well and it is indeed a sign of Respect as Tobacco is Sacred. The act of passing Tobacco is an honourable practice and is done regularly in Indian country. 

For me I think the highest honour you can give to someone is to be kind to them. To treat a person in a good way, caring for them is the highest honour anyone can do. It is super easy to be cheeky, to be sarcastic, to be rude, to be indifferent, to ignore someone, but being kind is showing them they are special, that they matter. Being kind, being good to someone, keeping your word to someone is the highest honour you can give. 

Zhawenjige