AN OPEN APOLOGY TO THE FIRST NATIONS

WELCOME TO ONE HUMAN FAMILY
My intent with this blog is to open a forum where, from one human being to another, we can pour out our tears regarding the horrendous, inconceivable acts of unnecessary violence and inhumanity carried out by some Europeans against the innocent FIRST NATION, the MILLIONS of peoples living on the American continent when the English "discovered" this "new" land. It wasn't "new" to the peoples who occupied it, but it's a nice way to put it in the history books so that the white offspring of generations to follow have NO REAL IDEA of what went on in this country. I'm white and until I watched 500 Nations and digested what really happened to our darker skinned brothers and sisters, I just didn't really understand why I would get the cold shoulder by some American Indians. NOW I UNDERSTAND! Like the Tibetans in China, it is very very hard to swallow that your country was stolen by some stronger peoples, and that now you are living on the very fringes of society, barely surviving. Every day you visualize how life used to be, how it still should be, your customs, your beautiful streams and mountains, the ancient traditions of generations before you. GONE. LOST. DEAD. And now alcohol is killing what's left of it. And your one river is drying up. And you don't know how much more land will be taken from your children. It makes me seriously sick to my stomach to realize what our ancestors did, how they used and abused and lied and cheated and deflowered and murdered using their CHRISTIAN GOD as their excuse. They killed just to kill at times, just to kill...in the name of God...just kill the "heathens"! If I didn't know sweet, wonderful, sincere, loving Christian people I would HATE CHRISTIANITY! There is NO DAMN EXCUSE for what they did when they had other options, which was most of the time. It was just easier to erase them. These sort of white men make me want to erase them from the face of this world. They are the ones who should have gone down. There were other ways to settle here. We didn't have to wipe out so many tribes, so many innocent women and children. We didn't need to kill other human beings. We didn't have to have the best land for ourselves. We didn't have to take ALL the land, kill ALL the buffalo, take their children away from them to make them into little Christian Europeans. I cannot believe this took place only 100 years ago. I'm sickened and appalled. I am compelled to stay up all night to set up this blog, to apologize a hundred million times, which can never be enough. Please help me heal this wound in the hearts of the FIRST NATION. Please apologize here and now. We owe them at least that much!

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

AIM Treaties Fulfillment - They can help!


A Brief History of the American Indian Movement
by Laura Waterman Wittstock and Elaine J. Salinas
In the 30 years of its formal history, the American Indian Movement (AIM) has given witness to a great many changes. We say formal history, because the movement existed for 500 years without a name. The leaders and members of today's AIM never fail to remember all of those who have traveled on before, having given their talent and their lives for the survival of the people.
At the core of the movement is Indian leadership under the direction of NeeGawNwayWeeDun, Clyde H. Bellecourt, and others. Making steady progress, the movement has transformed policy making into programs and organizations that have served Indian people in many communities. These policies have consistently been made in consultation with spiritual leaders and elders. The success of these efforts is indisputable, but perhaps even greater than the accomplishments is the vision defining what AIM stands for.
Indian people were never intended to survive the settlement of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere, our Turtle Island. With the strength of a spiritual base, AIM has been able to clearly articulate the claims of Native Nations and has had the will and intellect to put forth those claims.
The movement was founded to turn the attention of Indian people toward a renewal of spirituality which would impart the strength of resolve needed to reverse the ruinous policies of the United States, Canada, and other colonialist governments of Central and South America. At the heart of AIM is deep spirituality and a belief in the connectedness of all Indian people.
During the past thirty years, The American Indian Movement has organized communities and created opportunities for people across the Americas and Canada. AIM is headquartered in Minneapolis with chapters in many other cities, rural areas and Indian Nations.
AIM has repeatedly brought successful suit against the federal government for the protection of the rights of Native Nations guaranteed in treaties, sovereignty, the United States Constitution, and laws. The philosophy of self-determination upon which the movement is built is deeply rooted in traditional spirituality, culture, language and history. AIM develops partnerships to address the common needs of the people. Its first mandate is to ensure the fulfillment of treaties made with the United States. This is the clear and unwavering vision of The American Indian Movement.
more
http://www.aimovement.org/ggc/history.html

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