Believe What You Like But Know What You Must

People are free to be consumed with contemplating their existence, their origins, the origins of the universe, supreme beings, controllers of destiny or anything else. But solving "the Great Mystery" is neither a requirement of being Ohnkwe Ohnwe nor does it provide a path to righteousness. I maintain that spirituality does not require faith or the leaps that faith requires but rather awareness. If it helps to believe that "God has a plan" and we just must have faith that "He" knows what "He" is doing, then walk that path. My interest is in taking the mystery out of life by pointing to the obvious that is ignored everyday in the midst of fanatical ideology and the sometimes not too subtle influences of promoting beliefs over knowledge. I have said it before: “beliefs are what you are told, knowledge is what you experience”. I support a culture that prepares us to receive knowledge and to live a life with purpose. I am certainly not suggesting there is only one way to do that.

"Let's Talk Native..." on the LTN Radio Network

"Let's Talk Native..." on the LTN Radio Network
Click the LTN Banner above for a link to the "Let's Talk Native…" feed on Unity Stream
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

Donate to "Let's Talk Native"

Friday, August 27, 2010

More Provocation as the Deadline for the State's Interference in Native Business Nears

This sign hangs on a front lawn of a residence on the Territory of the Tonawanda Senecas. Last week two New York State Troopers Pulled up to the sign, got out of their car, pulled their weapons and posed for each other to take pictures of themselves with the sign behind them. They packed up and sped off when they were approached by residents. Real brave, guys! The property owner called the Trooper barracks where the Major assured her he would look into it and deal with the officers appropriately. He also suggested that they keep this between them so as to not make too much of it. A couple of nights later as some women were enjoying a quiet Tonawanda night when a New York State Trooper car sped by the same residence with engine racing and gravel flying as they cruised down Bloomingdale Road.
The rural nature of Tonawanda alone make a State Trooper presence unnecessary. There are only three reasons to go to Tonawanda; you live there, you have friends there or you shop there. State officials do not live there, they have no friends there and their business is not welcome. The sign could not be clearer.
The only thing as clear as the sign is the intent of some of these cowboys to participate in the State's on-going provocation of Native people. Invariably as tensions rise intelligence falls. You see and hear it in the words of prominent political figures like Mike Bloomberg suggesting the brandishing of shotguns to show who's boss or comments from the State governor acknowledging the potential for violence and even death but quoting for the newspapers, "There will be quite an uprising and protest to this but I am going to maintain this policy." And now, almost like answering the call to Bloomberg's call to "cowboy up" against the Indians, certain Troopers are willing to show their ignorance.
The best way for both the Native people, who will be sure to respond to the State's aggression, and the State Police, who will be used as the State's pawns, to ensure their own safety would be for them to form a somewhat unholy alliance where both sides agree to make as big, as spectacular and as expensive, while entirely peaceful, a demonstration of the State's futile efforts as possible. Everyone with their Warrior shirts and flags; flex your muscle and show your strength and resolve while you boys in the blue cars; bring entirely too many of yourselves to our reservation borders, collect your overtime and "hazard" pay, spend every dime of your State paid per diems and let's let the fools in Albany wallow in their stupidity.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The sign is very clear, and yes it is clear that the cowboys are messing with the Indians!!!!

Anonymous said...

Cowboys should not mess with Indains!!!