I don't have words today for everything happening.
So I'm going to share some lines from my new book #NativeBook that will name some of what is happening. #GeorgeFloyd#AmyCooper
America cannot know itself if it doesn't recognize itself.
So, here we go:
"Genocide of Indigenous peoples, the slave trade, masters proclaiming salvific dominion over other human beings through the power of whiteness--these are elements that have led us to a white supremacist/individualistic faith, and we are separated from truly practicing community."
"As Christians in America, we so often want a quick and easy fix, an answer that we can put in our back pocket to pull out when things get tough.
But that's not how it works, especially when it comes to groups the church has oppressed."
" 'I see your story. I see your experiences. They matter. Let's decolonize together.' "
I wish we'd say this more to each other.
"My spiritual liberation is tied up w/ the spiritual liberation of all my relatives who face oppression, whose bodies are policed and told that they are less than-- are we not working to be liberated together?" #NativeBook#GeorgeFloyd#icantbreathe
"...are our spirits not bound together to fight institutional injustices that have existed in America since its beginning? Everyone who joins in this space with us...is joining in the lifelong work of decolonizing." #NativeBook
"So many of us have forgotten the way home, the way back to ourselves..."
The deep call home calls us to name the truth of the violence and hate this nation was founded upon, and to continue to name it every day that it is perpetuated in our day and age.
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RESISTANCE COMMITMENT:
How do we resist?
We resist by breathing,
by gardening,
by telling the truth,
by reading banned books,
by singing love songs,
by grieving,
by trying again,
by not giving up on ourselves,
by challenging what we think we know...
...by knowing that love is always there,
by trusting future generations,
by drawing pictures,
by fighting ableism,
by petting dogs,
by telling your body they matter,
by sending flowers to a tired friend,
by reaching out when you might need flowers...
...by dreaming of an anti-racist world,
by meditating when things get hard,
by being patient with yourself,
by setting healthy boundaries,
by believing in solidarity,
by refusing to "other" your kin,
by writing in that journal,
by saying hello to Mother Earth every day...
“We tried to talk to them about the Religious Freedom Act,” Bear-Schneider said. “We tried to talk to them about our sovereignty. They didn’t want to hear anything.”
An officer can be heard in the video saying, “Sovereign stuff is not valid."
So, here's where we're at. A group of Anishinaabe/Potawatomi leaders gathering a group of people to teach them traditional ways of tapping trees, and police show up because they shouldn't "be in the park after dark," and threaten arrest if they don't leave.
In 1978, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed by President Jimmy Carter so that Indigenous peoples would have protections for religious ceremonies in the US--where are we today? It's clear that Indigenous peoples are a threat to what is "normal" in this nation.
It's that time again, when I get questions from parents about how to approach teachers/schools about problematic teaching regarding Indigenous peoples.
Here's a 5-step plan: 1. Name the problem 2. Share Indigenous resources 3. State your ask 4. Infuse with books 5. Stay invovled
So, step number 1: NAME THE PROBLEM
Tell teachers/administrators what's going on and why you're worried about it. Make it clear and name exactly why you're concerned. Don't shy away from the truth about America's history toward Indigenous people. Do research ahead of time.
Step 2: SHARE INDIGENOUS RESOURCES
What books have you read that shaped this discussion? Who are you learning from? Come with a list of names and organizations that the teachers/admin can use in the future.
So, the title of this article is super problematic, because it once again insinuates that we are nothing but those "merciless Indian savages" unless we learn how to cooperate with or embed ourselves into the settler-colonial government of America.
Will Haaland have some serious power in this position? Absolutely. But let's not perpetuate the stereotype that we are nothing without this government. It's been my personal struggle with voting and participation in democracy--how do we truly exist in this nation?
But the ending to this article also rings true: we want to be seen as people who exist today, and not characters in a western or people who somehow died-off like the dinosaurs.
We are very much here, and we need visibility and representation.
This morning I woke up just pissed at white American Christianity, at all the trauma and hate and death it's caused & the toxic individualism that continues to wreak havoc on our most vulnerable and our society's well-being.
That's it.
Today, I'm just angry, and I get to be.
All the shit we do in the name of God, in the name of Jesus, that is simply a tool to steal one another's humanity and sacredness. So much suffering, throughout history, at the hands of people who are sure they're doing God's bidding.
It's a damn shame.
I dreamt last night I went to a worship service-- singing the songs, kids dancing on stage with adults, a baptism following. I left the church, said, "This isn't for me anymore."
When I woke up, all these memories of trauma/horrific indoctrination just rushed in.