Hi, dear Mikey;
my sincere apology for having doubted you. I'm sorry...please, forgive me.
I was born on a reserve near Belleville ON. I was immediately adopted (age 3) by my uncle and his new wife.
Bellville rings a bell :lol: in my memory... isn't it a town east of Toronto, perhaps even on the 401? ...Oh, wait a minute! Wasn't there just very recently some kind of protest by the Natives? Do you still live there now and were you part of it? What was it actually about? My memory is a little leaky.
You're ready to draw comparison between native experiences in North America to those of Palestinians and Afghanis and perhaps other Arab tribes as well and although some remarkable similarities, or at least comparative dynamics exist, the thing to remember is that time moved on....
Yes, time has moved on... you are right there, BUT a lot of people's minds do not keep pace, and that not only on the side of the Muslim/Native people, but also of the American/ British side. We, the American and British plus a bunch of other Europeans, still try to exploit the weaker and less developed nations!!! That is still going on to this day in Palestine, Irak, now threatening Iran and Pakistan, plus a host of other South-American and African nations! Greed for power and wealth is still the driving force of mankind, and I don't see it will change in the near future... perhaps if we get decimated through the will of God and have to start over! Even then, we will soon be like Kain and Abel again!
When the Europeans came to North America and imposed their culture and their systems of religion and law on the natives living here, injustice followed that event, but we now live in the 21st century and it's time to (make sense, regardless of passed wrongs) to deal with the situation as it is today.
Are these the wise words of a true Native, Mikey? Then, indeed you are an advanced human being! BUT... from my observation I have concluded that todays Natives are still not happy with their lot nor with the white ruling people. Your people are just trying hard to put up with whatever has been dealt to them. In your bones still seems to fester that century-old hurt, and it almost doesn't seem to matter what opportunities get offered you, you don't make anything constructive of it. The example I saw in Southern Alberta, where the Natives received a lot of money from the Government... what did they do with it? They brought it to the nearest car dealers and got themselves a truck for it!! Now these trucks don't run anymore and sit around and rust. The Natives were given proper houses to live in, but they made shacks out of them with boarded-up windows, weeds growing all around = total neglect!! Why, dear Mickey, why do they drink and live on Gov. handouts? Why don't they integrate?
I think they are very unhappy inside, they are depressed! They are simply a different kind of people who are not living to acquire wealth more than they need. They got brutally ripped out of their way of life and were forced to adjust. They can't... it is not in their genetic make-up!!
If you feel like discussing this at all, then, please, give me a few of your honest insights, your opinions either via PM or open a new thread. I would be most interested to listen to your side of the divide.
A Palestinian or Arab or any other person coming to Canada to live and raise a family wasn't a member of the culture/society that experienced the same series of events as did the natives of this continent. Their experiences are their own and come from a religious and legal system that is mired in tenth century mysticism and legal structures that emerge from both... that religious morass and the great imbalance produced by wealthy societies buying petroleum from the potentate or king of Arabic nations who have kept their people in fear and poverty.
Hold it here for a moment! I agree that the circumstances for the Palestinians and other Arabian People are different from the Natives of North-America, but at the bottom line they are also similar, in that they both have been and still are being exploited, either by their own Governments or a foreign one (Israel). When these Arabs come to Canada, they must be very much aware of their backwardness! But they cling to each other for comfort, I imagine. They don't make the necessary effort to integrate and accept the new culture and the laws of their new homeland easily, leave alone eagerly. I'm generalizing here, not all behave like that. But let us also be frank, we ourselves, who have lived here already for a few generations have a difficult time to show them genuine welcome and acceptance. So, it is a two-way street. We, the common people, could and should do more. Language is of course a great barrier, and there THEY have to make the conscious effort and learn the language of the land!!!
Since Canada protects the right of the individual, they make full use of it, and some of them like to go even beyond that and want to have their own old laws recognized. (Scharia!!!!!)
I don't mind if they like to wear their particular clothe and distinguish themselves as separate... that's their business, at least they give me a warning with whom I'm dealing!!;-)
There's little doubt in my mind that the administration of George Bush lied to the American people ...[/quote
I agree! That's a tactic most Rulers practice.
...and the trillions of dollars going from the people to Bush's friends at Carlyle...
Not quite that drastic, Mikey! Sure, it is mainly a business of the wealthy oil and gas companies... don't forget to include Cheney with Haliburton and Condi with Exxon... but it also pays thousands of soldiers and thus supports their families back home. Imagine, if all these soldiers didn't have to fight anymore and came home!!! What a devastating pile of unemployeds they would have! Perhaps the money that congress now allocates for war efforts could then go into the social system. As long as the money moves the economy flourishes.
won't do much to ameliorate a situation that the wealthy whites of North America were happy to tolerate for decades.
That's the way it goes!! And we poor suckers will always begrudge them that prestige!! At least we have the opportunity to learn and study and thus improve our lots... if we really want to make that effort. That's what I like about our democracy.
These circumstances don't exonerate the few who came and brought their law and their beliefs with them....
Like I said before, if you want to live in peace with the people of the nation that have accepted you into their societies, the responsibility is yours to make the effort to integrate.
I do agree whole heartedly! Otherwise that nation gets segregated and chopped to pieces and the unity disappears. It's already difficult with the Quebecers... how we have to woo them to stay within the constitution!!
If you can't then you should leave. If you won't then perhaps you need help leaving.
This coming from a Native person it sounds a little warped, pardon my expression. You are not the boss in your own country, only a tolerated species the ruling class tries to humor. How can you say to an Arab or other immigrant he/she should accept the rule of the land? You
must have become a Non-Native, Mikey. Explain, please.
On the other hand I can't see it that simple ... black and white!!! In a democracy like ours it
isn't that simple! I truly would like to see the
crooks and criminals leave because we already have enough of our own ... see the latest in the news!!!!
It was very nice hearing from you, Mikey, and I hope, although we veered a bit into private waters, it will still be accepted as part of the theme.
Kind regards;
dancing loon
