You know you are a lackey …

Or incredibly  naive when…

You go along with the Conservatives’ tough on crime bill’ , being a member of an oppressed people & a woman to boot – in this case Inuit.

The fact that the so called justice system locks up Aboriginal Indigenous Peoples – Inuit,First Nations & Metis -  at  much higher rates than the general population -nine times higher, higher yet for indigenous women- seems to fly clear over Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq head.

She opines-with the standard  canard ,”if you do the crime you had better be prepared to do the time “. Because it’s that simple right…zzzzz. That said I do believe in self responsibility , individuals should expect to be held accountable for their actions.

The point being that when it comes to the issue of crime & justice  within Indigenous communities – & in general -  the issue(s) are much more complex. In that they are influenced by factors that disproportionately affect  Indigenous Peoples at much higher rates  than  the general population,e.g  poverty ,social exclusion etc...

Indeed many, many  of the injustices  faced by Aboriginal Peoples have been knowingly perpetrated  on Aboriginal indigenous Peoples by Anglo -settler governments . One need only look at the racist thinking and policies that are built into the  Indian Act . An act that denies First Nations peoples &  Metis people the most basic rights common to other peoples the world over.

Like really ,how can one possibly overlook that whole colonialism / settler state thing that Canada has going on ?

The irony is rich indeed when the very government -which is part & parcel of the very  system that perpetuates  & excuses these injustice-turns around and  talks of  justice & or taking responsibility for ones actions.

Context is everything.

 

Treaty Talks or Sham Talks ?

Silly me and  I thought treaty talks actually meant something…

HTG’s human rights complaint charges that under Canada’s Comprehensive Land Claims Policy, relied upon by the government since 1973 in negotiating treaties with First Nations, so-called “private lands” owned by the large timber, mineral and real estate development companies are “off the table.” The government refuses to negotiate over the return or replacement of these lands, and, under its land claims policy, will not discuss compensation at the treaty table.  HTG also charges that Canada refuses to consult with HTG, as required under well-established principles of international human rights law, before allowing the forestry companies to permanently destroy their lands and resources, with no benefits provided to the HTG First Nations.

Which begs the question what exactly is on the table or up for negotiations ? And why would any First Nation bother with “treaty talks” ? Indeed it’s like a big f@#k you  followed up with a , this is how it’s gonna go.

Further more  who is claiming who’s land , seems to me it’s the settler state with the land claims ,i.e it’s claiming other peoples lands. O, arrogance thy name is an Anglo settler state.

And so it goes, “the more things change the more they stay the same”.

Resistance is futile,you will be assimilated

Not…

I was deeply heartened to learn this weekend that in South Dakota women of the Yankton Sioux/Ihanktonw Oyate nation have revived the traditional Isnati coming-of-age ceremony for girls: four days after the onset of a girl’s first menses when adult women of the community nourish, bathe, teach, and rename girls and guide them in rituals of self-reliance like gathering their own medicines, making their own ceremonial foods, and erecting their own lodges. Young boys too play a role in Isnati, by keeping fires burning in the camps day and night.

After decades when traditional indigenous religious ceremonies were banned by the federal government or punished and disrupted by government boarding schools, the revitalization of traditional ceremonies and indigenous languages has been a key part of the agenda to restore indigenous well-being and sovereignty.

Read more

Canada Day,Bah Humbug…

My native bro- from another mother- “Canada Day is a white persons colonial holiday/celebration”.

Personally I agree,in fact I will “never” celebrate Canada Day.

That said…

The day Canada commits itself to  rebuilding its relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of this, the Northern-half of Turtle Island. I will be one of the   first waving the flag and shouting myself hoarse in support of Canada.

I like to think this is not wishful thinking on my part,after all there is a historical record of solidarity and mutual support.

Indeed if it were not for this solidarity and mutual support Canada might never have survived the expansionist efforts of America. Which arrogantly believed all of Turtle Island was by rights theirs for the taking.

Thankfully  the Indigenous Peoples-in this case the Mohawk/Iroquois Confederacy – and their settler allies prevailed during the War of 1812. Not only were the Americans sent packing,twice, the White House was burned to the ground for good measure.

‘Manifest destiny‘ was stopped dead in its northern-expansionist-tracks

And some say that Canada is somehow beholding to the U.S for our defense,indeed for our very survival as a country…like please,lol.

All said the most important factor is the longstanding activism of Indigenous Peoples themselves.  Big strides have been made in the ongoing struggle to force persuade settlers/whites  to acknowledge &  recognize Indigenous People’s rights as Peoples. Rather than them being perceived, as being,  just another hyphenated-Canadian / ethnic minority (a convenient self-serving   perception/assertion that is still ,unfortunately, widespread among settlers/whites ).

The cause is just, the struggle is righteous,this is an undeniable objective truth.

Indeed the struggle gains momentum with every generation,and seems  to be intensifying as the native population  increases.  Indigenous Peoples being the fastest growing segment* of the population,on this the Northern 1/2 of Turtle Island.

The writing is on the wall,it’s in the treaties,it’s in the very fabric & history of this land.  Justice and morality demands that we settlers reacquaint ourselves with our history and re-build/re-new our relationships with the First Peoples.

Only then will Canada be a country worthy of admiration,only then will I personally celebrate my home on native land.

————————————————————————————————————————–

* The total Indigenous  growth rate, is 1.8% per year more than two times that of the overall Canadian growth rate. The Indigenous population is young,with a  median age of 27,compared with a median age of 40 for all of Canada.  49% of Indigenous Peoples are under  25 years of age.

The on-reserve ["registered Indian"]  is growing even faster, 2.5 % annually 40 %  being 20 years of age or younger,compared with 24%  for the overall Cnd population.

There are 615 communities[Bands],comprising more than 50 Nations.

The Second Gaza War…

A war tells a people terrible truths about itself. That is why it is so difficult to listen.

We were determined to avoid an honest look at the first Gaza war. Now, in international waters and having opened fire on an international group of humanitarian aid workers and activists, we are fighting and losing the second. For Israel, in the end, this Second Gaza War could be far more costly and painful than the first….@

From Mondoweiss…

As for the fact that elite Israeli soldiers can in one instant be portrayed as invincible and yet the next as hapless victims — that is a paradox that can be resolved only in the minds of Israelis...@

From Andrew Sullivan…

It staggers me to read defenses of what the Israelis have done. They attacked a civilian flotilla in international waters breaking no law. When they met fierce if asymmetric resistance, they opened fire. And we are now being asked to regard the Israelis as the victims…@

Need more be said ?..damn don’t ya all just appreciate writing that gets to the motherf#*@ing  point !

Obama : The more things change the more they stay the same

Change you can believe in, but actual change…

Well that’s just not going to be happening anytime soon. Like they say the prove is in the pudding.

And that prove was there for all to read with the release of the “National Security Strategy” by the White House.

Under the heading of , “Strengthen the Power of Our Example”:

The increased risk of terrorism necessitates a capacity to detain and interrogate suspected violent extremists, but that framework must align with our laws to be effective and sustainable. When we are able, we will prosecute terrorists in Federal courts or in reformed military commissions that are fair, legitimate, and effective. For detainees who cannot be prosecuted—but pose a danger to the American people—we must have clear, defensible, and lawful standards. We must have fair procedures and a thorough process of periodic review, so that any prolonged detention is carefully evaluated and justified. And keeping with our Constitutional system, it will be subject to checks and balances. The goal is an approach that can be sustained by future Administrations, with support from both political parties and all three branches of government…@

….”For detainees who cannot be prosecuted—but pose a danger to the American people” …what exactly does that mean ?

O, on second thoughts  I get it now…  its kinda like  what Dubya use to do, i.e , no-crime-no-proof-no-problem-lock-em-up,hell throw away the keys.

Or as  Glenn Greenwald states…

…of course we’ll provide a fair tribunal for proving your guilt — as long as we’re certain we can convict you — otherwise, we’ll just imprison you indefinitely without charges. ..@

Welcome to the one party state of A-merry-ca

Some peoples kids;Doing the folks proud

Hyenas cackling over the spoils…(click on pic for the full affect)

A Palestinian woman whose house has been occupied by Jewish settlers argued with Israelis who came to celebrate Jerusalem Day in the mainly Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, Wednesday…@

According to Cnd author & journalist Terry Glavin this is just part of the process of … “normal urban development“…

I see no particular cunning either right wing or otherwise in the normal urban development of Jerusalem…@

Normal you say …

My,my is there no limit to the level that some will  not stoop  too, in order to justify their support for the  racist ,nationalistic and colonialist policies of the settler state of Israel ?

For more  on the issue of Palestinian home demolitions in the occupied territories ,over 24,000 to-date, check out the following  interview with Israeli activist & author Jeff Halper(Jewish), Coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)

Unmasked;The “diverging” interests of the ‘left’ & of the ‘right’

A spectre is haunting Canada, the spectre of idiocy…

Seems self described  human rights advocate/ law-suit-instigator extraordinaire, Richard Warman (god-bless his heart) has  unleashed his paternalistic self-righteousness,yet again .

His target this time ,  anonymous commentators,specifically those that comment  on web sites that he has a particular “fondness” for.

In a nut shell Warman wants the state to pass a law,which would  force website owners/administrators (without first having to show cause) to disclose the names and IP addresses of those who would dare say bad/rude things about others,in particular himself.

Remember we are talking  about comments here,not actions.  Comments made  during on-line conversations & debates. Usually on personal blogs & websites discussing political & social issues,subjects that can very easily go from passionate (but respectable) debate to juvenile name calling. Jeez…welcome to life.

Again, the person(s) claiming injury do not even have to first show cause,i.e how their life/well being  was/is being negatively  impacted by the comment(s) …

In a case with implications for online privacy and free expression, a panel of Ottawa judges is considering whether websites named in libel actions should be required to identify people who post anonymous defamatory comments.

Their decision could chill whistleblowers and others who use pseudonyms to post controversial comments, say civil libertarians…read @

Hummm, give the state even more power to monitor & regulate the personal behaviors of  individuals ? Sounds like the “perfect way” to protect freedom of speech/expression.

Ye shall not be rude,off with their heads I say …

On second thoughts, what’s the “big deal’… the state already regulates what people can wear.

Indeed in some parts of Canada (Quebec) ,as in Iran and Saudi Arabia ,the  clothing police are busily ensuring that persons are ‘properly’ attired. Although in Canada rather than being a religious issue, it’s  one  of immigrants, usually of the brown skin variety.

In this particular case a handful of  niqab-wearing Muslim woman (approx 25 in Quebec where this law was dreamed up and enacted Mar 24/2010 ,that said 4/5 of Cnd’s also support the Quebec’s banning of the niqab ), who’s mere presence some how represents a threat to Quebec & Canadian culture,go figure ?

Three days later, two Immigration Department officials turned up at a West Island centre that offers the free French classes and told an Indian immigrant that she would have to follow the rules or leave her class.

Unwilling to remove the Islamic face veil, the distraught 25-year-old woman left the centre in tears.

“She was one of the best students, she wants to learn French, she participated in class and worked with men,” said Joanie Lavoie, co-ordinator of the Centre d’intégration multiservices de l’Ouest de l’Île, which offers French courses to help immigrants integrate into Quebec society.

The student is the second niqab-wearing Muslim woman to be forced out of her French class after refusing to remove her face veil ….read @

Damn it ! quit crying girl you are being set ‘free’ ,even if you don’t  know it,got it …the peanut gallery &  big daddy the state have so decreed.

Just ‘one’ more law  and all will be well…soon us citizens children won’t even have to think for our selves anymore.

Update...more laws/personal behavior regulations  to keep the “children” in line

Big daddy has spoken yet again, smokers in Vancouver are banned from parks,beaches and playgrounds. Damn nothings quite as irritating as a pompous-self righteous-idiotic-busy-body-do-gooder ,never mind a crowd of em.

Enough already… find another issue/group of people to brow-beat to death, better yet get a f#*king life…

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