Thread by @DeadDogLake

Today is the anniversary of The Bakers Massacre and here on the Blackfeet Rez we have an open discussion of the trauma colonial violence left us with. However, it isn’t just us who suffers this trauma... white america suffer from this trauma, too... albeit in a different way

It is unhealthy the way america glorifies violence and sings songs of being ‘land of the free’ without taking any time to examine the negative toll that comes with raping and murdering an entire continent

This young soldiers who were directed to stomp on infants in order to save bullets did not come out of these massacres unscathed. They went home with anxiety and PTSD. Many, I’d wager, went home and beat their kids and wives and created a cycle of violence

And they repressed this because it was seen (and still is seen) as a sign of weakness to recognize your personal pain/trauma. So, instead, those individuals blamed indigneous people for existing, blamed us for existing... if we didn’t exist they wouldn’t had to massacre us...

They wouldn’t of had to take orders from other violent white men they ultimately gave them trauma.

One thing that is obvious is that white America is not ok. They are the only demographic (I believe) that consistently votes *in the majority* against their own interests, akin to accepting orders from a POS general that ultimately gives them their trauma

It’s a cycle that needs to be broken and white people need to start healing from the violence their ancestors committed. This applies to white peoples who immigrated even after the ‘Indian Wars’ for the USA doesn’t necessarily embrace cultures, it embraces whiteness

So, today I’m reminded that *3* kids survived The Bakers Massacre but how many soldiers survived it? All of them, I’m sure... and they lived with it... they lived knowing they did a horrid thing and they bottled it and it turned into trauma. This is the American legacy I see

So, white peoples (particularly those in MT) today is a day of healing, of self reflection, and understanding. Admit it, white america is traumatized. Now take steps to better this place

not trying to rewrite anything and paint these violent massacres as moments we need to have empathy for the soldiers killing my people... I’m just merely trying to make the argument that colonization must have been involved creating the white trauma and none sense we see today

I didn’t touch on the historical trauma of my people in this thread because we talk about it with each other. We don’t pretend it’s not true... we dedicate a lot of spirit to healing and growing... white america needs to learn a thing or two from us... as always lol

This is also in response to how the GOP talks about ‘healing’. You don’t heal when you don’t face your trauma. It’s just gets worse.