Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence said,“First Nations leadership need to take charge and control of the situation on behalf of the grassroots movement. We need to re-ignite that nation-to-nation relationship based on our inherent and constitutionally protected rights as a sovereign nation. We are demanding our rightful place back, here in our homelands, that we all call Canada.”
More at APTN National News:
http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2013/01/02/attawapiskat-chief-spence-urges-idle-no-more-to-unite-with-leadership-says-chiefs-ready-to-humble-themselves/#comment-753038169
By John Kane, Mohawk
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com
I could not disagree more. I have listened to this bullshit about "nation-to-nation" relationships all my life. Our sovereignty is not vested someone's idea of what a "nation" is. Our sovereignty is a birthright; it comes from Creation. It is our right and authority to carry ourselves. This notion of nationhood came from the white man. So did the idea of individuals vested with power over their people. Our sovereignty is not vest in some man-made institution, a band chief, first nation, federally recognized leader or anyone else. It is an individual right, power and responsibility. None of the words we use to describe ourselves translate to anything close to "nations". We are simply the people.
Theresa Spence is no more a nation than the smallest child stomping out a round dance. Those that claim to be the "First Nations leadership" should settle in behind and among the people and stop trying to be what the white man created. This bogus leadership is the reason the people will be Idle No More.
My message to Ms. Spence is to grab a sandwich and stand with your people. A thirty day attempted suicide makes a sensational story and draws plenty of sympathy but it undermines what the people are rising up for. No one individual is the face of this movement and no individual act symbolizes the movement or passion. For any of these "leaders" to now claim to be "Idle No More" only begs the question as to why the hell they have been idle till now. The sovereignty and power is in the people.
Ms. Spence still seems to be missing the point. A request for Idle No More leadership to join with the chiefs reflects a lack of understanding. It is those who have sat separate and above their people that need to stand among them. Even the very singular act of this drawn out threat of self imposed death demonstrates a certain level of narcissism.
Stop this real or staged suicide mission and join the people. Glorification of such an act is the last thing our young people need. Humble yourself and stand equally with everyone else and quit the quest for martyrdom. If you believe creation placed you on this current path then perhaps you need more education about what is real and what is imagined.
John Kane, Mohawk, is radio host of Let's Talk Native Pride
http://letstalknativepride.blogspot.com/
6 comments:
Let's not critisize our women. We've been through this enough already. We've been beat up by some of you men, raped by some of you men, stepped on, verbally attacked as what you are doing now, STOP it Mr. Kane. Let Chief Teresa Spence do this as she is doing this for new life. Support her. Where is your compassion for people. If you have ever fasted in your life, you wouldn't be saying this about Chief Spence. I'm ashamed of you Mr. Kane. Maybe that's what you are feeling is shame because a women is out there toughing it out when it should be you, the man, out there. I am a Grandmother, a pipecarrier, a Veteran's Eagle Staff carrier, a mother and I speak up for all women. NO MORE ABUSE FROM YOU MEN.
I disagree with you Mr. Kane about Chief Teresa Spence picking up a sandwich. You are causing disunity by your words. Chief Teresa Spence has every right to do what she is doing. If you have ever fasted in your life, you would not be saying this. I am a Grandmother in my 60's, I carry a Grandmother's pipe, I inherited a Veteran's Eagle Staff from my late father who was a WWII veteran and I have gone out there to sit with our Mother the Earth for 7 days without no food or water. How dare you tell Chief Spence to pick up a sandwich.Don't cause any disunity amongst our people by your TV station.
FINALLY, ONE emerges with the TRUTH!! Thank you Jonh Kane for your brutal honesty. There is ALWAYS more to the story, more than the eye can see and more which our so called chiefs do not share with the PEOPLE
I have fasted, I have fought and I have defended women. How dare you accuse me of abusing anyone. Shame on you for encouraging this suicide mission. Who is the compassionate one? You, who want this attempt at martyrdom to risk her life? Or I, who simply want her to stop this individual act and stand with her people? What is so insulting about that? I am a Grandfather to six grandchildren, two of them granddaughters. I raised three children, two of which are daughters. I have been married for over 30 years and continue to be so. For you to interpret my words as an abuse against this woman is pompous and shameful. I stand in unity with "Idle No More" but as a Kanienkehaka, I have NEVER been idle. Perhaps for some of you looking for someone to worship, you need a new slogan; "Idol No More"!
the only one who doesn't get it, besides harper and the other FN "leadership", is you. When speaking of sovereignty any which way, it is a human construct, a LEGAL human construct. Now if you want to say that your birthright by creator is the right to life and to exist without extermination then that is a spiritual idea. You can't have it both ways. Trying to have it both ways is part of what has created paralysis, the opposite of idle no more, to act in unity for ALL . . . not to act for self interest of a few, for a few. There are human LAWS that have bound the FNP and the canadian gov through treaties with the queen of england. These laws were created in order that the FN people could maintain a connection to the physical land. It's the spiritual connection to the physical land that forms us as spiritual beings of mother earth, and allows you the thought that our very right to life is a spiritual right. Without the land, the human is without being. Maybe you need to be the one to put down the sandwich you are eating and join Chief Spence in her, and your, ancestors' ancient ceremony to bring about visions for how to proceed further on this physical path of laws that are suppose to guarantee free access to the land, and to self determination on the land, in order that firstly spiritual life may continue and secondly that physical wellbeing may be maintained.
From Haudenosaunee19@gmail.com
John is a man who takes his duties seriously. He cannot let a woman kill herself, no matter what. Free will goes only so far. The Great Law provides that we must fight until we win, not until we die. Let's hope suicides among our people do not rise.
Post a Comment