Good post. To put things into perspective, beyond's demographic (20-35?), their parents probably would have attended residential school (if native). My mom is early 50's and she survived the residential school system, same with her sisters and brother.Originally posted by frizzlefry
Putting the Japanese in camps happened a generation ago. Don't see the Japanese whining. My father in-law lost two uncles to camps in WW2. One was shot by Germans, the other starved by Russians. He does not bitch much either.
My father in law grew up in a communist Poland. He was taught that his relatives were traitors, that the Russians invaded to save them from Nazis (if you know your history a complete lie) and life generally sucked. The Russians took all their food, many people starved and everyone was poor.
He managed to escape (would have been shot if caught) and came to Canada. Eventually he snuck back into communist Poland and rescued my mother in law. This happened to him. Directly. Not some long distant relative. He never complains or says the Russians owe him anything. Guess what the current Polish government's stand on the re-education camps and genocide that the Russians did to Poland only 110 years ago and the political, religious and financial oppression that followed until 1989 is?
"Lets move on."
That kind of sentiment is commonly shared by leaders of profitable bands. The reserve system and treaties that idle no more wants more money thrown at is a system of oppression by charity. Only once they refuse the charity, leave the old ideas of reserve institutionalization (which, in contrast to Communist Poland, they are more than free to do anytime they want), pull up their britches and move on from their sense of entitlement will they be able to be truly help themselves and better their people. Period.
She doesn't "whine" as you put it and she never taught her kids to feel victimized by the system. She actually left that shitty upbringing behind her and obtained two university degrees and is a teacher.
Some of those "whiney" protesters were in the residential school system. And if you do some investigating you can find out the shit that went on there.
With that being said, I think for FN to move forward the message needs to resonate that in this generation of native peoples, we are not and will not be victims. Just like anyone who has experienced some kind of traumatic episode in their life, you need to move past it before you can move forward and be productive. And honestly, I think the youth are moving in that direction.
Here is a short video of Wab Kinew, I think he brings a fresh and positive attitude to the situation.
Edit:here is his tv series. An in depth look at some of the issues
http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire//2...-8th-fire.html
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Originally Posted by Yolobimmer
