sad angry and uncertain
It's been a busy week or more. Stuff that I don't really feel like writing about right now, mostly. Now I am sitting here in this house that Jen and I live in. Snow seems to be melting a bit. I think I'll drink tea.
The weekend was busy with Unconventional Action planning for the DNC (UA is an anarchist/anti-authoritarian response to the DNC and RNC--and, more broadly, the two-party, corporate electoral system and capitalism). There were some long, long meetings in which much was hashed out. I think the weekend was really productive.
That's about all I really feel like writing about right now. I checked email for the first time in awhile and was pleasantly surprised to hear from a few old friends that I haven't communicated with in awhile. It felt good to read their thoughts. I haven't responded yet, though. Maybe later.
I guess I am writing a bit more--here in Colorado, in Denver, we have learned that the city (which is simply an extension of the state) wants to indict and punish people in anticipation of some perceived future actions. There have been some ongoing trials for some people involved in this last October's Transform Columbus Day actions. Yesterday, they were found guilty of some minor misdemeanor charges. During sentencing, the prosecuting city attorney asked that they be punished in such a way that prevents them from taking similar actions during the DNC and this year's Columbus Day, as well as in a way that sends a clear message to other activists that if they take similar actions, that is--peacefully and nonviolently protest, in Denver they will go to jail.
The prosecuting attorney asked for one or two years suspended jail and a $999 fine--the suspended jail sentence would mean that if these individuals were arrested during the DNC or this year's Transform Columbus Day, they would spend the year in jail (in addition to whatever sentencing they received from this hypothetical future conviction). The fact that the city explicitly and overtly said this was really about quashing future protest, dissidence, and activism was really shocking to me.
The defendants did not get jail time--the judge demanded fines instead. It was sad. Not because of fines or punishment but because of what it means in the wider scope of things. Basically, honoring a slave-trading perpetrator of genocide is still a fine thing to do. Which really means that this culture still embraces the legacy of Columbus, manifest destiny, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the continued threats to indigenous people in this continent and the world.
It was sad because I watched and listened to the defendants and witnesses talk about what this legacy means. What it means today. Not in 1492 but in 2008. These people put so much of themselves out there during this trial and were not heard. One statement concerning one of the charges stands out in my mind. It concerned the charge of "disrupting a lawful assembly" (which was specifically drafted and implemented after and as a response to the 2004 Transform Columbus Day actions in which about 250 people were acquitted in Denver). The law states that the "lawful assembly" (in this case a Columbus parade) must be "significantly" disrupted for the charge to stick.
The comment, paraphrased, was something like this: "I don't know how you (the jurors) define 'significant.' 15 million native people slaughtered in North America from 1492 to 1890. That's significant. 25 million native people slaughtered in Mexico from 1492 to 1890. That's significant. The destruction of your culture, your people. That's significant. The theft of billions of acres of land. That’s significant. The lowest life expectancy in this country. That's significant. The highest suicide rate in this country. That's significant. The delay of an hour of a celebration of a slave-trading perpetrator of genocide; the minor inconvenience of an hour--that is not significant."
The city attorney said that people are free to hold a sign on the sidewalk, that if they have issue with something they can simply do this to be heard. One of the defendants, who has been working on this issue since the 1980s, said that he (and others) have met with four mayors, the governor, senators; have written letters, articles in the paper; have worked in the schools; have proposed and drafted legislation to address this (which was never even introduced or read by the state senate); have set up numerous meetings with the pro-Columbus organizers (who have said "you lost. Get over it (concerning the destruction of Indian people)."); have brought in mediators to help come to some equitable solution that is positive for everyone involved and the city, the state, and the nation (the pro-Columbus organizers haven't shown up for the mediation sessions); have held teach-ins, lectures, and various educational programs to help the community learn why this is such an important issue; have held signs on the sidewalks, held rallies in the park, all that stuff. And have found no answers and no voice that others will hear.
The city said that the defendants thought this was a game. And they needed to know that it wasn't a game (hence the desire to convict and sentence with jail time and large fines). One of the defendants, one of the respected leaders within the Indian community here, said (as he did on the witness stand earlier) that this was no game to him or to others. That it is no game to have culture assaulted, your resources continually stolen. That it is no game to have young Indian students call you after Columbus Day and ask why the kids at school make fun of the Indian kids. He said it is no game and that is exactly why he and others took the actions they did.
There was lots, lots more. But that is enough for now. Maybe it gives some picture of it.
There are other things, big things, going on that are important, excruciatingly to those directly involved--like the continued siege of Gaza. But what can I say…..who the fuck is surprised?
Ghost Dance
Two hundred seventy
Ghost Dancers
Died dreaming a world where the white man would drown
In a worldwide flood of their sins.
Where the earth,
Renewed
Would reclaim their
Cities and towns
Leaving only
The Ghost Dancers
Who lived by her laws.
History books tell us
The threat is gone.
The ghost dance
Died with the ancestors
Wovoka and his sacred dream
Destroyed.
Each time it rains
I go out to the sidewalk
Where tree roots have broken the concrete and listen to the water's
Whispering
"It is coming soon."
--Sara Little-Crow Russel
The weekend was busy with Unconventional Action planning for the DNC (UA is an anarchist/anti-authoritarian response to the DNC and RNC--and, more broadly, the two-party, corporate electoral system and capitalism). There were some long, long meetings in which much was hashed out. I think the weekend was really productive.
That's about all I really feel like writing about right now. I checked email for the first time in awhile and was pleasantly surprised to hear from a few old friends that I haven't communicated with in awhile. It felt good to read their thoughts. I haven't responded yet, though. Maybe later.
I guess I am writing a bit more--here in Colorado, in Denver, we have learned that the city (which is simply an extension of the state) wants to indict and punish people in anticipation of some perceived future actions. There have been some ongoing trials for some people involved in this last October's Transform Columbus Day actions. Yesterday, they were found guilty of some minor misdemeanor charges. During sentencing, the prosecuting city attorney asked that they be punished in such a way that prevents them from taking similar actions during the DNC and this year's Columbus Day, as well as in a way that sends a clear message to other activists that if they take similar actions, that is--peacefully and nonviolently protest, in Denver they will go to jail.
The prosecuting attorney asked for one or two years suspended jail and a $999 fine--the suspended jail sentence would mean that if these individuals were arrested during the DNC or this year's Transform Columbus Day, they would spend the year in jail (in addition to whatever sentencing they received from this hypothetical future conviction). The fact that the city explicitly and overtly said this was really about quashing future protest, dissidence, and activism was really shocking to me.
The defendants did not get jail time--the judge demanded fines instead. It was sad. Not because of fines or punishment but because of what it means in the wider scope of things. Basically, honoring a slave-trading perpetrator of genocide is still a fine thing to do. Which really means that this culture still embraces the legacy of Columbus, manifest destiny, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the continued threats to indigenous people in this continent and the world.
It was sad because I watched and listened to the defendants and witnesses talk about what this legacy means. What it means today. Not in 1492 but in 2008. These people put so much of themselves out there during this trial and were not heard. One statement concerning one of the charges stands out in my mind. It concerned the charge of "disrupting a lawful assembly" (which was specifically drafted and implemented after and as a response to the 2004 Transform Columbus Day actions in which about 250 people were acquitted in Denver). The law states that the "lawful assembly" (in this case a Columbus parade) must be "significantly" disrupted for the charge to stick.
The comment, paraphrased, was something like this: "I don't know how you (the jurors) define 'significant.' 15 million native people slaughtered in North America from 1492 to 1890. That's significant. 25 million native people slaughtered in Mexico from 1492 to 1890. That's significant. The destruction of your culture, your people. That's significant. The theft of billions of acres of land. That’s significant. The lowest life expectancy in this country. That's significant. The highest suicide rate in this country. That's significant. The delay of an hour of a celebration of a slave-trading perpetrator of genocide; the minor inconvenience of an hour--that is not significant."
The city attorney said that people are free to hold a sign on the sidewalk, that if they have issue with something they can simply do this to be heard. One of the defendants, who has been working on this issue since the 1980s, said that he (and others) have met with four mayors, the governor, senators; have written letters, articles in the paper; have worked in the schools; have proposed and drafted legislation to address this (which was never even introduced or read by the state senate); have set up numerous meetings with the pro-Columbus organizers (who have said "you lost. Get over it (concerning the destruction of Indian people)."); have brought in mediators to help come to some equitable solution that is positive for everyone involved and the city, the state, and the nation (the pro-Columbus organizers haven't shown up for the mediation sessions); have held teach-ins, lectures, and various educational programs to help the community learn why this is such an important issue; have held signs on the sidewalks, held rallies in the park, all that stuff. And have found no answers and no voice that others will hear.
The city said that the defendants thought this was a game. And they needed to know that it wasn't a game (hence the desire to convict and sentence with jail time and large fines). One of the defendants, one of the respected leaders within the Indian community here, said (as he did on the witness stand earlier) that this was no game to him or to others. That it is no game to have culture assaulted, your resources continually stolen. That it is no game to have young Indian students call you after Columbus Day and ask why the kids at school make fun of the Indian kids. He said it is no game and that is exactly why he and others took the actions they did.
There was lots, lots more. But that is enough for now. Maybe it gives some picture of it.
There are other things, big things, going on that are important, excruciatingly to those directly involved--like the continued siege of Gaza. But what can I say…..who the fuck is surprised?
Ghost Dance
Two hundred seventy
Ghost Dancers
Died dreaming a world where the white man would drown
In a worldwide flood of their sins.
Where the earth,
Renewed
Would reclaim their
Cities and towns
Leaving only
The Ghost Dancers
Who lived by her laws.
History books tell us
The threat is gone.
The ghost dance
Died with the ancestors
Wovoka and his sacred dream
Destroyed.
Each time it rains
I go out to the sidewalk
Where tree roots have broken the concrete and listen to the water's
Whispering
"It is coming soon."
--Sara Little-Crow Russel
posted by matt iv at 9:48 AM
4 Comments:
This pisses me off as well. It also reminds me of the UND "war" that is going on with the logo right now.
Anyway, your post and the one that is more recent than this remided me of this Russian proverb:
"The tears of strangers are nothing but water".
I'm constantly amazed at the inability of people to understand the pains and concerns of others.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wow. That really says it--"The tears of strangers are nothing but water." I will remember that and mention it when talking to others about these sorts of things.
Like the Indian mascot/logo stuff. I'm glad you bring that up. I have a really difficult time understanding how so many people fail to even try to understand something from someone else's point of view.
In the case of Indian mascots, it just isn't, or shouldn't be, that difficult. Listen to the people who are supposedly being "honored" (that's usually the excuse that white america uses, right?).
What is really missing in the understanding of this situation is the whole concept of conquest. Imperialism, colonialism, genocide--that's what underlies the problem here.
It seems to make sense that when a people, a government, a nation actively tries to destroy a group of people--their culture, lives, language, identities, resources, land, etc.--that group of people usually understands that. Nobody's fooled. After taking away so much, to then appropriate even more is not seen as an "honor." It is seen as a continuation of conquest, colonialism, imperialism, genocide.
So, to me, it just doesn't seem like it should be a difficult thing to understand. But it is for some folks.
Have you ever seen the movie "In Whose Honor?" If you haven't, you should really check it out. It's available through the libraries here--maybe you can find it that way. It's a documentary about Indian mascots and follows the attempts of a woman named Charlene Teters as she tries to get the college that she was attending to change the mascot.
I want to show it to people I know who can't seem to get their mind around how these images and actions are offensive (and, like Columbus Day, are actually cultural reinforcements of hegemony and white supremacy, as well as means of supporting and maintaining the system of privilege that has come from genocide and colonialization--in my opinion).
Anyway, thanks very much for mentioning that proverb. I too am amazed at the inability of people to understand the pains and concerns of others. I have learned that if I just listen, those other people will usually explain their pains and concerns.
"In the case of Indian mascots, it just isn't, or shouldn't be, that difficult. Listen to the people who are supposedly being "honored" (that's usually the excuse that white america uses, right?)."
I couldn't agree more with this statement.
I wonder how the same people who defend the other thinking would feel if a college had for their mascot a disgusting,drunk, dirty, ketchup stained/sweat stained white teashirt wearing white guy holding a booze bottle. - and then when the controversy comes up they say it is honor of white people!!
I know that is quite dramatic, but I think its funny.
I hope that somebody will be able to understand what I'm trying to get at there.
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