Re: Canadian Indian women "are tired of what's happening"

[alan maki <vavbred@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mr. Proycet, rather than answering the questions I
have raised; in a last ditch futile effort to avoid
answering these basic and fundamental questions I have
put to you which for which you apparently have no
answers; instead you say of me:
>
> I have a feeling that I am dealing with cognitive
> dissonance here.

This may well be Mr. Proycet, since I don't even know
what you are talking about.

But, the fact remains, many people now want to hear
your answers to these very simple and basic questions.
Certainly such a brilliant and dedicated revolutionary
can take the time to answer just three of these
questions.

And, I remind you and several others, I never said the
problems mentioned don't exist at all, I simply took
issue with whether or not the article from the New
York Times was a true portrayal of the real situation
and struggles. I stand by what I originally wrote one
hundred percent.


Well, Mr. Proycet... you and Mr. Craven set the tone
for this discussion, the name calling, etc.

Judging from the e-mails I have been receiving on this
issue it appears a lot of people would like for you to
answer the questions that I have posed to you and Mr.
Craven... please let me restate those questions very
clearly without any condescending language towards
either of you because it is quite obvious that you can
dish it out but can't take it:

1. What Native organizations in Canada represent
Native people?

2. Do you know of any chiefs who are not corrupt?
Please name a couple.

3. Do you advocate the complete dismantling of tribal
councils? And, if so, what will replace them? How long
will this process take? Who and how will Native people
be represented to deal with the government,
corporations, and yes--- even universities regarding
rights and demands for equality and an end to racism
in admissions and hiring?

I might also remind you that Native people have had to
fight like hell for everything, every single step of
the way... And I would like to see how your position
would hold up in front of Native people who only in
the last ten to twenty years have had homes,
electricity, running water where none of this existed
before... and there are still many communities that
don't even have these things that most people in the
United States and Canada take for granted.

I would also point out, that like everyone else Native
people have no "monolithic" political ideology...
among the population, the chiefs and tribal councils
there is a broad array of political thinking---
including, but in no way limited to: Traditional,
Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Communist, Socialist,
Anarchist, etc. And while I do not agree with many of
these political viewpoints this does not mean that
every chief or tribal council member who is say, a
Conservative, is crooked and corrupt, no more that it
can be said that every Republican politician is
crooked and corrupt. People develop political views
out of their life experiences, class backgrounds, etc.


Just as no worker is, or would be, or could be
excluded from the class struggle or prohibited from
joining the union in her or his place of work because
of their Republican Party membership or voting record;
by the same token you don't exclude anyone from the
struggle for equality-- which you are doing. As a
matter of fact, I have worked with a number of workers
who say they are Republicans, but get them out on the
picket line and they fight just like the rest of us
for basic human dignity.

Unfortunately, Mr. Proycet, you are so narrow and
ridgid in your thinking and so eager to condemn that
your views become rather meaningless because there
aren't too many people in this world you consider
worthy of your working with for anykind of social
change. I think this is sad.

And as for Mr. Craven, I would ask him: whose interest
does the university he works for serve? Does the
university serve the interest of Native communities or
corporations? Is there a struggle for more Native
admissions at this university? How many Natives attend
the university and go back to be employed in their
communities at decent salaries and wages? Is the pay
they receive the equivalent of what it would be
outside of their community? For instance: nurses,
doctors, lawyers, building contractors, engineers,
technicians, plumbers, electricians, carpenters,
bricklayers, secretaries, etc? Should the university
be playing a role in eliminating poverty, hunger,
sickness in Native communities? Does the university
that Mr. Craven works for do any of these things? I
might point out that it wasn't too long ago that it
was almost unthinkable that a Native young person
could have even the expectation of going to
university--- what organizations helped to begin to
turn that situation around? Quite frankly, I have to
wonder, if it were not for organizations like the
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Assembly of First
Nations and many other organizations that Mr. Craven
and Mr. Proycet condemn, if not for their activities
perhaps Mr. Craven himself would not have had the
opportunity to attend university, let alone teach in
the university?

Please, you initially raised this issue by posting the
New York Times article, can't we have some answers?

Alan Maki



=====
Yours in the struggle,
Alan Maki
cell phone: (757) 404-2478
Make the "United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights" a living 
reality for
all working people!