While I believe that Russel Means has a responsibility to the Indian
community for his actions, I also believe that often times there is really
very little a person can do to change the way another group views that person
or group of people s/he is connected with. People are always going to think
what they want to think about you anyway, no matter what you do! Everyone sees
everyone else through their own filters. So, I think its always best to let
your personal relationship with Spirit be your guide, both in your own actions
and how you judge the actions of those around you. I pesonally sympathize with
Russel Means and see his act as the act of a single man truly frustrated with
the lack of recognition the suffering of the American Indian has had among
the dominant culture. This is a big problem with the dominant culture in
general, NOBODYS suffering is recognized, not even their own. Suffering in
general is repressed and encouraged to remain hidden. This is a major trait of
a paternalistic society, all pain and suffering is trivialized. They dont want
to look at anyone elses suffering because they might have to feel their own.
So it takes an act that really upsets people to *make* them look although it
may make them angry for some time (no one likes being roused out of a deep
sleep). Im saying that Mr. Means act was an honest expression of feeling which
is the most valueable thing we humans have to share with each other and should
never be taken away. Thats one of the things that makes this country so great,
as Americans are so fond of saying to themselves. What a lot of them honestly
dont know is that it didnt take white Europeans coming over here to make this
land great, it didnt need to be *made* great, it was already great. To bad
more people dont realize the debt we owe to the original inhabitants and to
the Spirit of the land itself, but I really think this is just a matter of
education.
I really liked the term "sellabration" used by Peshewegunzh to describe this
columbus farce being planned, because I think that really nails it. I dont
think for one minute it has anything to do with pride in our history or
country, blah blah blah, it has to do with charging admission. Come on, no one
really cares about columbus. Im sure somebody is going to make a lot of money
somewhere off this, its just the American way, money just seems to be the
driving force behind so many stupid ideas. I think the type of "civil
disobediance" perpetrated by Mr. Means is entirely appropriate and so,
although you cannot force opinion on any group, the fact that it upset some
people just means to me that some of those people will start to ask why at
some point and maybe start to investigate. I have a lot of faith in basic
human nature and curiosity. For the majority of the people its just a matter
of educating them to the facts to gain their support. That hard-core group of
fanatical racists who will never sympathize are, I believe, in the minority,
and maybe will always be with us, but will never have any real power unless we
give it to them by adjusting our behavior to apease them. They are to be pitied.
Thats just what I believe and I am no authority on any of this.
Liz