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Location: Cloquet, Minnesota, United States of America
17 posts, read 16,763 times
Reputation: 58
I am an Ojibwe. I was born and raised in western Ontario, Canada. I would like to take a moment to thank PLondon, who had the courage and dignity to broach a topic that is normally glossed over. Thank you PLondon.
Canada is a difficult place to be Ojibwe. A very difficult place. A place littered with hypocrisy and double standards. In daily life we are despised, yet we are prime showpieces for the Vancouver Olympics. We are only wanted to be seen when we can be utilized to promote Canada's false image of a "multicultural" color-blind country. This policy is another corruption in a long line of them, all propagated in the name of "progress". I ask you to reflect on what this "progress" is. Do you respect mother nature? Do you respect your neighbors integrity? What is this "progress" that you speak of? We are all one. We are not defined by "borders", not by statistics, no, not even by the money in our pockets. Stop and ask yourself, what exactly defines you? We Ojibwe, we are people. We are like you. We have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. We love and we cry. You see, we are all one, yet we are all unique. I can not hate you because you are me, and I am you.
In 1991 at the age of 25 I immigrated to the United States. I now live in the state of Minnesota. Here I am judged by my character, and not my color. I can stand proudly as an Ojibwe and also as an American. Here, I have no shame. I am not a caricature manipulated for "progress" or "multiculturalism". I am no longer valued only to promote a false image of a people that care not for me. In America I am a man first, and a loving father second; a husband third, and an Indian fourth. In Canada the order is reversed.
Discussion of this type of topic is taboo in Canada. The usual response is an undue knee-jerk reaction denigrating the Americans. When the topic is actually discussed it is done in a way that allows Canadians to congratulate themselves for a mythical tolerance. Where is this tolerance? Canada is not a tolerant country. It is a country that ignores the inconvenient. Above all it is the refusal to examine the truths about Canadian society and history that is the worst facet of Canadian hypocrisy. Perhaps this makes for a better "multicultural" image to promote, since Canadians prefer to keep the dirt under the rug. But for those of us who live daily as an Ojibwe, or a Cree, or a black Canadian, the steadfast ignorance of mainstream Canadian society can drive us to the bottle. Nonetheless, there is no shortage of detractors who will claim that our people "brought it on ourselves" or that "Canada has done everything it could for them". It is a disgusting tactic to cover up the dirt, a tactic that is even more than the disgraceful "blame the Americans" tactic that is so ingrained into the Canadian fabric.
In America I am free to express myself. My friends and neighbors listen. We exchange perspectives. True "progress" is made. We do not need progress in the form of a government make wild claims of universal tolerance. We make true progress, amongst ourselves. We make progress at an individual level. It is one of many valuable traits that sets America apart from Canada. In America, I feel free to just be myself. No longer am I just an Indian. I am free to live my life as an individual. My neighbors are white, black, Indian, yet we are all one. I respect them, and they respect me. I love my family. I love my friends. I love the grass in my yard, and the squirrel in the trees. I love the snow that tenderly falls upon my face. You see, we are all one, yet we are all unique. The words "multiculturalism", "open-minded" and "tolerance" mean nothing. They are only words. They are not actions. Words without action are hollow. This is one of many severe problems with Canadian "tolerance" and "multiculturalism. They are only words. Repeating them does not engineer true "progress".
In the action-backed words of the great American peacemaker Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: "Life's most persistent question is what are you doing to help others"? Are you only speaking kind words when the cameras are rolling? Do only help others to improve your image? Or are you helping your neighbor, even when there is nothing for your ego to gain from it? This is the difference between Canada and America. It is also yet another reason why I will never go back to Canada.
Last edited by mlswift; 02-27-2015 at 07:06 PM..
Reason: Grammatical errors, spelling review
I've read that post over and over again and although it's beautifully, almost poetically written and edited none of the rhetoric rings true North American to me, it seems foreign, rather European in flavour and writing style. I know a good number of people in the Netherlands that are very much into all things "native fad" that adopt that writing style when expressing their thoughts about North American aboriginals.
In any case, it's a good effort but I personally don't believe that was written by a North American aboriginal person or that the person has ever lived in Canada, and possibly not in America either even though the bias is in favour of America. I don't think that person has any familiarity with or knowledge about the real lives of either Native Americans in USA or First Nations in Canada.
Awsmith, good post. I'm in full agreement with what you said.
Mainly that was directed at P London, who lives in another country and admits he's never been to Canada and doesn't know much about it. But he's seen a bit of biased news on sensationalist media and jumps on the 'outrage' bandwagon saying things like the following all based on guesses, apparently without doing any fact checking for himself. So, I'm of the conclusion that he's trying to stir the pot over a situation and people that he knows nothing about and doesn't genuinely care about at all. Otherwise, if he sincerely cared about the plight of Canada's aboriginals, he would have done some honest research first before starting a post about something that he's obviously clueless about and that I think he cares even less about.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoisite
I don't think that person has any familiarity with or knowledge about the real lives of either Native Americans in USA or First Nations in Canada.
.
And you do? Based on the things you wrote, you have nothing more than contempt for natives. You have the typical ignorant mentality that Canada has given them nothing but the best and that its their fault if they can't conform to the invaders standards....It's really ignorant, sorry but I have to call you out on the 1920's mentality. It sounds like you are the kind of guy he is talking about in Canada. Natives are treated like ****, stop trying to whitewash it.
And you do? Based on the things you wrote, you have nothing more than contempt for natives. You have the typical ignorant mentality that Canada has given them nothing but the best and that its their fault if they can't conform to the invaders standards....It's really ignorant, sorry but I have to call you out on the 1920's mentality. It sounds like you are the kind of guy he is talking about in Canada. Natives are treated like ****, stop trying to whitewash it.
If you go back and read carefully through this thread you'll see I have written nothing about natives and have not expressed any opinion about natives. So, you don't know anything about my "mentality" about natives and are just jumping to conclusions. Maybe you should pay more careful attention to what people are really saying in their posts.
For your information I grew up with natives and I married into a native clan so I'm neither ignorant nor contemptuous about natives. That doesn't make me a born native but I think that makes me more informed about native affairs and native mentality than you or anybody else who has participated in this thread and that includes the flowery languaged person that I believe is falsely claiming to be a native.
I am an Ojibwe. I was born and raised in western Ontario, Canada. I would like to take a moment to thank PLondon, who had the courage and dignity to broach a topic that is normally glossed over. Thank you PLondon.
Canada is a difficult place to be Ojibwe. A very difficult place. A place littered with hypocrisy and double standards. In daily life we are despised, yet we are prime showpieces for the Vancouver Olympics. We are only wanted to be seen when we can be utilized to promote Canada's false image of a "multicultural" color-blind country. This policy is another corruption in a long line of them, all propagated in the name of "progress". I ask you to reflect on what this "progress" is. Do you respect mother nature? Do you respect your neighbors integrity? What is this "progress" that you speak of? We are all one. We are not defined by "borders", not by statistics, no, not even by the money in our pockets. Stop and ask yourself, what exactly defines you? We Ojibwe, we are people. We are like you. We have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters. We love and we cry. You see, we are all one, yet we are all unique. I can not hate you because you are me, and I am you.
In 1991 at the age of 25 I immigrated to the United States. I now live in the state of Minnesota. Here I am judged by my character, and not my color. I can stand proudly as an Ojibwe and also as an American. Here, I have no shame. I am not a caricature manipulated for "progress" or "multiculturalism". I am no longer valued only to promote a false image of a people that care not for me. In America I am a man first, and a loving father second; a husband third, and an Indian fourth. In Canada the order is reversed.
Discussion of this type of topic is taboo in Canada. The usual response is an undue knee-jerk reaction denigrating the Americans. When the topic is actually discussed it is done in a way that allows Canadians to congratulate themselves for a mythical tolerance. Where is this tolerance? Canada is not a tolerant country. It is a country that ignores the inconvenient. Above all it is the refusal to examine the truths about Canadian society and history that is the worst facet of Canadian hypocrisy. Perhaps this makes for a better "multicultural" image to promote, since Canadians prefer to keep the dirt under the rug. But for those of us who live daily as an Ojibwe, or a Cree, or a black Canadian, the steadfast ignorance of mainstream Canadian society can drive us to the bottle. Nonetheless, there is no shortage of detractors who will claim that our people "brought it on ourselves" or that "Canada has done everything it could for them". It is a disgusting tactic to cover up the dirt, a tactic that is even more than the disgraceful "blame the Americans" tactic that is so ingrained into the Canadian fabric.
In America I am free to express myself. My friends and neighbors listen. We exchange perspectives. True "progress" is made. We do not need progress in the form of a government make wild claims of universal tolerance. We make true progress, amongst ourselves. We make progress at an individual level. It is one of many valuable traits that sets America apart from Canada. In America, I feel free to just be myself. No longer am I just an Indian. I am free to live my life as an individual. My neighbors are white, black, Indian, yet we are all one. I respect them, and they respect me. I love my family. I love my friends. I love the grass in my yard, and the squirrel in the trees. I love the snow that tenderly falls upon my face. You see, we are all one, yet we are all unique. The words "multiculturalism", "open-minded" and "tolerance" mean nothing. They are only words. They are not actions. Words without action are hollow. This is one of many severe problems with Canadian "tolerance" and "multiculturalism. They are only words. Repeating them does not engineer true "progress".
In the action-backed words of the great American peacemaker Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: "Life's most persistent question is what are you doing to help others"? Are you only speaking kind words when the cameras are rolling? Do only help others to improve your image? Or are you helping your neighbor, even when there is nothing for your ego to gain from it? This is the difference between Canada and America. It is also yet another reason why I will never go back to Canada.
I'd like to see more posts from you. But may I ask surely the US has problems with race (famously so) I do find it strange hmm. But I guess the US tackles its problems head on.
Quote:
Originally Posted by modernrebel
And you do? Based on the things you wrote, you have nothing more than contempt for natives. You have the typical ignorant mentality that Canada has given them nothing but the best and that its their fault if they can't conform to the invaders standards....It's really ignorant, sorry but I have to call you out on the 1920's mentality. It sounds like you are the kind of guy he is talking about in Canada. Natives are treated like ****, stop trying to whitewash it.
I'd like to see more posts from you. But may I ask surely the US has problems with race (famously so) I do find it strange hmm. But I guess the US tackles its problems head on.
Excerpt from above link: "Canada faces the same issues with its 630 bands—as tribes there are called—but thanks to the effort of a dogged reformer, there’s a push to allow reservation land to be privatized. Manny Jules, a former chief of the Kamloops Indian band in British Columbia, is lining up support for the First Nations Property Ownership Act, which would allow bands to opt out of the government ownership of their land and put it under tribal and private ownership. Reserves would become new entities that would have some of the powers of municipalities, provinces and the federal government to provide schools, hospitals and other services, and to enact zoning laws. He expects that the bill will be introduced in Parliament early in 2012 and is confident of approval by the end of the year. What’s forcing the issue is an acute housing crisis on the reserves. Without private property rights, little housing is being built even as the Indian population grows, and the Assembly of First Nations estimates that the reserves need 85,000 new houses immediately; the government is building only 2,200 a year.
“Markets haven’t been allowed to operate in reserve lands,” says Jules. “We’ve been legislated out of the economy. When you don’t have individual property rights, you can’t build, you can’t be bonded, you can’t pass on wealth. A lot of small businesses never get started because people can’t leverage property [to raise funds]. This act would free our entrepreneurial spirit, but it’s going to take a freeing of our imagination. We have to become part of the national and global economies.”
But even if Jules succeeds, there is no reformer like him in the U.S. to lead the charge here. Any effort at land reform must go through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. But the bureau, originally part of the War Department and one of the federal government’s oldest agencies, isn’t about to pave the way for its own demise by signing off on an effort to privatize reservation land. The bureau faced this situation before: Under the 1887 Dawes Act, land could be allotted to individual Indians, but by 1934 so much land had been privatized that Congress reversed course and communal tribal property was back in favor. “Allotment threatened the bureau so it had an incentive to end the process,” says Dominic Parker, an economics professor at Montana State University. In any event, tribal councils wouldn’t be keen to give up the patronage and power that controlling vast amounts of land gives them. And the $2.5 billion a year that Washington spends on programs for Native Americans is a powerful deterrent to change. “For the bureau and other narrow interests, staying with the convoluted system of land ownership is safer than improving property rights,” he says. The bureau declined to comment."
And of course you'd give a thumbs up to a fellow traveller.
Location: Cloquet, Minnesota, United States of America
17 posts, read 16,763 times
Reputation: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by P London
I'd like to see more posts from you. But may I ask surely the US has problems with race (famously so) I do find it strange hmm. But I guess the US tackles its problems head on.
Thank you for your reply. First, I would like to write that the United States has many problems regarding native peoples. What occurred in Canada also occurred in the United States. That being said, American society is more willing to deal with problems of race and heritage openly. White Americans generally acknowledge the mistreatment of Indians. The general response to the suggestion of poor treatment of Indians is something along the lines of a genuine apology and an inquiry into what can be done to remedy the problem. Although this brings the problem to a head, Americans are generally not occupied with how "racist" they appear on the world stage. We openly acknowledge these issues as the world looks on. I use "we" because although I lived the first 25 years of my life Ontario, I firmly identify as an American, and call this land my home.
In Canada the suggestion that there is any issue involving treatment of the (and I will use quotes here) "First Nations", or any other minority, is quite often disregarded as hyperbole. This is something you appear to be uncovering yourself. In Canadian society these types of problems are readily refused by a large segment of society and are unlikely to be discussed on a wider scale. Where American society grapples with problems on an individual level, Canadian society places the burden on the government to find a solution, if they even acknowledge that there is one. The problem with this is that an Ojibwe such as myself never really feels "Canadian" because on an individual level we are still generally seen as "other". The government can only do so much. The value of individual involvement can not be underestimated. This doesn't even touch on the outdated philosophies of the Canadian government when dealing with "First Nations" peoples.
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