AM>Do I sense a trace of hopelessness in your tone, John? I'm
AM>writing from Vancouver, BC. I'm white, if that makes any
AM>difference to anyone.
Not me... I'm only 1/8 Iroquois and 7/8 Celt (Irish as the hollow hills
as my grandmother would say).  I've been trying to learn both sides of
my heritage in the past few years and I've got to say they've got more
in common than I would ever have believed possible.  The hopelessness of
dealing with Uncle Sam in my tone... well... I've had more than I want
in exposure to his ways.  If I had not promised as a soldier, not to
take up arms against the U.S. gov't or advocate it's violent overthrow,
I would do the same thing to them that they had me do to others...
That's a great deal more than shooting out their tires.  But my word is
worth my soul, and my soul is all I have that no one is capable of
taking from me.
AM>In Canada the First Nations activists are quite noticeable. Once
AM>in a while they blockade roads and railroads, flash their guns,
AM>shoot out some police vehicle tires, and there is a helluva
AM>brouhaha with the RCMP. When their national representatives elect
AM>a new National Chief, it's front page news. When the provinces
AM>and the feds have a conference, the First Nations representatives
AM>are usually included and, when they aren't, they raise a helluva
AM>stink in front of Parliament in Ottawa and elsewhere.
Here in New York things were getting to that point when the state gov't
decided they were going to push their weight around on the local
natives.  I've no pity for people who go back on their word.. so I'm
rootin' for the natives.  If it got bad enough, I think I'd fight for
them too... and I've a lifetime of good experience at that sort of
thing.  It's just that violence should ALWAYS be the LAST resort.
There's a lot of wisdom in these people (and a little foolishness... but
I see that in BOTH sides).
AM>Perhaps if you, Native Americans, cooperated more and raised the
Key Word: "cooperated"... ah!  There's the rub... someone makes you a
deal in perpetuity, and you agree to it... then they want to change the
deal, or go back on it entirely (talk about your "indian givers"!)  But
you had a deal... but it's now worthless, and they want more of your
hide than they've stolen from you already... You should "cooperate"
MORE???  Those shoes don't fit these feet, they must be someone else's.
AM>occasional stink about the way you are treated, the TV cameras
AM>would notice you, and the Washington Establishment would prick up
AM>their collective ears for a change.
Yep... there goes those heathen savages again... the press can be a bad
thing as anything else, depending who has the wind to make it bend where
they wish.
AM>Just my two cents, for what it's worth. :-)
AM>Kind regards,
Kindly accepted, Andy.  It was nice to get a little of that off my
chest.  I wanted to talk about it, rather than stew in it, and you
gave me the opportunity.  Your two cents couldn't have been better
spent. ; - )
                               -Stormm
 * SLMR 2.1 * I plan on living forever..........so far so good.
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