Another Date to Remember

A great big thanks to Brian Johnstone, my favorite Border Scots, for reminding me of the anniversary of the Massacre at Sand Creek. This is the first paragraph from Brian's e-mail to me (sorry for printing it without your permission):

I felt the need, on behalf of my Indian brothers and sisters, to put out this little note which records that this date is without doubt a "day in infamy" and one of the most shameful of many, many bold-faced acts of aggression and slaughter perpetrated on the native peoples of the large land mass now know as the USA and Canada, which has been swept under the national rug for too long.

I heard some twit on NPR the other day say -albeit in another context- "We need to let go of these wrongs and move on", which is typical of the state of amnesia in dealing with the "Indian problem" and the double standard by which it is applied. Have the Jews forgotten the Holocaust (a.k.a. The Final Solution -sounds a bit like how the US military viewed the Indians and in fact which attitude was admired by Hitler and his ilk in "removing cultural impediments" to the supreme race?

On November 29, 1868, Colonel John M. Chivington, a Methodist minister, along with his Colorado volunteers, attacked the KNOWN peaceful encampment of Cheyenne and Arapaho, lead by Black Kettle. Black Kettle waved the U.S. flag and one of his chiefs waved a white flag. They were shot down. Women had their fetuses removed (so much for anti-abortion), and when parading around a local town with their war trophies, some of these alleged brave men used women's genitalia for hat band decorations.

Justice, their will be no justice. The Cheyenne and Arapaho will simply be told to get over it and move on. So, get over the Holocaust Jewish folk. Get over it and move on.

Happy Anniversary

If the Economy is Improving...

...then why aren't folks crowding the parking lots during this Christmas shopping season?

On the Black Friday of 2007, I worked as a driver. At about 4:30 am, I drove past Woodburn, Oregon where there are shopping outlets located right off the West side of I-5. There were so many cars that folk had literally created a parking lot off of the shoulder of the freeway in order to shop for the Black Friday deals. This was one of the most insane things I've seen done in a mass hysteria basis. I found out that the outlets opened at midnight and the crazy American populace was out there and ready to get them some stuff.

Last year there were signs preventing folk from parking on the freeway as in the previous year, but there were long lines of cars waiting to find a spot in the already overcrowded parking lot. I have never understood this behavior, especially when it leads to riots. Folk will riot all over the place to get a limited edition something for their kid, but they won't riot over health care which has a potential of killing their kid.

Since the economy is allegedly improving, at least for the wealthy bankers who were given $700,000,000,000 in our tax dollars, and with Dubai World billions of dollars in debt with the current economic upturn for the wealthy whom the U.S. government gives our tax dollars to, I wondered what the parking lot would look like this year as I headed to Eugene and drove past about 4:30 in the morning. Plenty of parking. Plenty. Good chance you would have not had to walk far.

Furthermore, on a prime shopping day, Saturday, Shusli and I went to Fred Meyer to purchase a few items. There were maybe 2-3 dozen cars in the whole lot. Fred Meyer used to be crowded especially on prime shopping days such as Saturday evenings between alleged thanksgiving and Christmas presents day.

So the government (who would NEVER lie to you), is propagating that the economy is on its upward spiral even with Dubai World coming out as billions in debt and their giving away $700,000,000,000 of our tax dollars to wealthy bankers, and with joblessness continuing to skyrocket and the loads of produce I now deliver a quarter to a third lighter than last year and being reduced to 4 days a week with no overtime, but the parking lot index says otherwise. The parking lot index shows there is more than ample parking even on what should be the busiest shopping days prior to Christmas presents day.

Without jobs, there is little money. With little money, folk cling tighter to what they have and purchase less. With less purchasing power, less profits for the corporations, further job losses, less money, etc. However, it is good to know that the bankers have our tax dollars to insure their continued way of life.

"Thanks, King."

I listened to Joseph Bruchac's biography of "Jim Thorpe: Original All-American," while driving around for work the last couple of days. For those of you who don't know, Jim Thorpe was probably one of the greatest athletes who ever lived.

Although I knew of Jim's athletic abilities and that he won gold medals in the Olympics of 1912, I didn't know that much about him beyond that.

Joseph Bruchac read the book himself on CD and he told it in novelistic form from the point of view of Jim Thorpe.

Jim was a Sac and Fox boy out of Oklahoma, born late in the 1800's. He was from the same band as Black Hawk, whom the famous 1830's war was named after. His parents figured it would be a good idea for him to get an education in this world, and shipped him off to Haskell, where he ran away some 9 times.

He wound up at Carlisle Indian School because his father didn't want him running away to home again instead of getting an education.

We get a good glimpse into what Indian school was like. The attempts at culture destruction, etc. But after Jim's parents died, he didn't feel like he could go home anymore, so he made the best of his schooling. One day some fellas were doing the high jump. Jim watched as they couldn't make it past 5'9". Jim asked if he could have a crack at it. The guys laughed because they were not only trained athletes and didn't know anything about Jim, but Jim was also in his farming clothes, overalls and such. They let him try and he cleared it with space to spare. He and his buddy ran off to do whatever they were doing. The next day he was called into the office of Pop Warner who was coaching the track and field team and the football team at the time. Jim thought he was in trouble, but he was recruited instead. Jim did, indeed, get into a lot of trouble, as the rules were so strict it was difficult not to, but he loved and excelled at athletics.

I had always heard of Pop Warner Football, but not being into athletics growing up, or now even, I had never associated Pop Warner as the name of an actual human being. Carlisle Indian School also played football with many Ivy League Schools...AND WON MOST OF THE TIME! I neverknew this. Frank Mount Pleasant, the quarterback form many of those her 1900's years, I believe is said to have been the first person to throw a forward pass, even perfected it. More often than not, those Ivy League schools would have more players to choose from, often twice as many as Carlisle, but the Indians still consistently whipped their asses...I DIDN'T KNOW THIS!

I didn't know famous American poet, Mary Anne Moore, had her first teaching position at Carlisle and that her and Jim knew each other pretty well.

The Hopi's refused to send their children to boarding schools in those days, so many were arrested and put in prison and their children shipped off to boarding schools. Louis Tewanima and his fellow Hopis were rather scrawny but kept on watching the runners. One day Louis and the rest went up to Pop Warner and told him they wanted to suit up and run. He thought they were joking as scrawny as they were. He gave them a shot. They ran well for five minutes around the track...10 minutes...half an hour later they hadn't lost a bit of stride.

Tewanima won many races and was called at one time the fastest man for distances between 10 and 20 miles. In 1908 he was ninth in the marthon at the London Olympics and in 1912 won silver in the 10,000 meters and set an American record that wasn't beat for 52 years. I never knew that Indians contributed so much to sports especially in the early 1900's.

Here Louis Tewanima is pictured with, from L to R: Larry Sekaquaptewa, Grace Thorpe and her son, John Adler, with Louis on the right. It was taken in 1968. Louis left Carlisle after his 5 year sentence was up. You see, he did all that running as a prisoner of war living out a sentence at the Carlisle Indian School.

Jim Thorpe won the Pentathalon and Decathalon at the 1912 Olympics. The photo above shows King Gustav of Sweden placing the medal on Thorpe. After King Gustav gave Jim much praise and called him the greatest athlete in the world, Jim simply replied..."Thanks, King."

Jim Thorpe was married three times, had an unimpressive baseball career (some say he was held back), helped start up professional football, was the first president of what would become the NFL (I forget what it was originally called), lectured around the nation for many years, forced the U.S. government to let him join the military when WWII broke out (he was 57 and he became a merchant marine) and passed away from a massive heart attack in 1953.

His Olympic medals were taken from him to massive objections worldwide form major sports writers, athletes, and coaches, with even King Gustav putting in a few words, because he had played professional minor league baseball in the summer leagues, making $15 a month. Pop Warner who encouraged it, wrote up a confession that cleared him and any other official of Carlisle of knowing about it. Although I had admiration for Pop for what he did for the Indians during this horrific time in our history, he was also capitalizing off of what the Indians did for him and was now putting a knife in the back of Jim Thorpe, but Jim did as he was told, even though he had never lied in his whole life.

Besides being an excellent athlete, Jim was also known for other qualities that I admire: He was always kind to others and so generous he rarely had much money.

It was great getting to know Jim Thorpe and other Indians of the past like Gus Welch, Louis Tewamina, and Frank Mount Pleasant, whom I would have never heard of otherwise. Good job Joseph Burchac.

Roots

I still remember watching "Roots" as a kid, but never got around to reading the book. So, I did the next best thing when I saw it on the shelves of the Hollywood Library in CD form. I Love listening to books when I drive down the road for my work.

This was the 30th anniversary edition produced by the BBC. It is a novelistic approach by the late great Alex Haley to give the world a perspective, a history, of Black life in America rooted in Africa. From Kunta Kinte (born around 1750) all the way to Alex Haley, Alex traces his family history and recreates the characters of his family through his slave roots to the 1960's and '70's when he produced the book.

Kunta Kinte, the strong willed Mandinka turned into a slave, growing through his manhood years on the Waller plantatiion in Virginia and marrying Bell, his equally strong willed wife. Giving birth to Kizzy who is sold away when she is 16 to Tom Lee, a chicken fighting formerly poor white man. The birth of Chicken George who becomes a prize chicken trainer. His son Tom who becomes a blacksmith (which turns out the Kinte family practiced in Mali prior to moving on into Ghana). It is an amazing story that is told better through reading or listening than me reviewing.

The most amazing parts for me were near the end when Alex was researching the book. He wanted to find the record of the ship that brought his ancestor to America. He searched thorugh over a thosand documented voyages before he found the one he was looking for, 1767 heading to Annapolis, Maryland. Over a thousand ships around the year 1767 carrying slaves...over a thousand... It hit me like a brick when he said it, it hit Alex far harder.

My wife remembers a whole lot of her family history. Far back longer than I remember mine. Shusli's family obviously survived the holocaust beget upon the people of Northern California and Southern Oregon. She has a strong sense of who she is. I don't recall mine all that well, only being able to go back as far as my grandparents, Louis and Violet (Smith) Johnson. But everytime we drive through the Umpqua Valley, I know where I'm from. Everytime we go to the Rogue River, Shusli knows where she is from. We remember where our connection is.

Although many folks are connected here, I can only imagine what it must feel to have your family history stolen through slavery. To have that history connected to another part of the world that has been stolen.

And here we are now, together. Many of us have histories where some part of us has been stolen. Blacks stolen from Africa. Indians stolen then their culture beat out of them and also enslaved as servants to white folks as what happened in the boarding schools.

And here we are together. Here we are, together. Here we are, together. Welcome.

Alex Haley also has Indian ancestry. I believe his great grandmother was half Indian. Her mother had been captured by the Indians and she married one. The whites killed the people of their village and enslaved his great grandmother (who was born with the Indians) and her mother.

And here we are, together...WELCOME!

Soft Targets 2

Urban Scout is under attack again.

Knowing Peter, I find him to be a very pleasant clear minded young fellow.

Folk in the community, especially alleged anarchists, really enjoy attacking him because, at least in my opinion, he gets more attention than they do. I could be wrong, but these folk who no doubt think they are brave are NEVER brave enough to come out in the open and discuss their understanding of the world with others and communicate openly and honestly. Coming out from behind the shield of anonymity does not seem to be the method of these folk. However, what does seem to be true about these folks, as well as the peace community and veganism, is that most will demand to be your king if they had the chance.

Take for instance the current attempt at an anonymous terror campaign against Urban Scout. Someone sends him a 23 pound rock using The Gap to pay for it (most likely EMPLOYED there). Scout files a police report, and all the ALLEGED anarchists now go on the attack of urban on his blog and on Portland ("We Don't Censor") Indy Media. They don't use their real names. They don't sit down with Urban Scout and talk and try to find common ground. They take the route of an attempt to terrorize him to shut him up. Terror? Isn't that a tool governments and other organizations enjoy using? Aren't alleged anarchists supposed to be against government and organization? Well, it is apparent they certainly know how to organize when it comes to terrorizing a single person.

Take, for example, what I've been hearing lately. Because of John Zerzan and probably others, there is a current campaign to go after Derrick Jensen...'s MOTHER! That's right. Many brave most likely anarchist types are attacking soft targets like Derrick Jensen's mother because Derrick Jensen refuses to see the alleged anarchists, or as the self-proclaimed great John Zerzan would put it, "anarcho primitivists" as his own personal savior. In other words, Derrick is garnering more attention and therefore must be attacked...through is mother...in order for folk like John Zerzan to be our great and glorious king.

One thing I NEVER trust is someone who tells me they have the only way to save the world, and John Zerzan has done that stating that the only way to save the world is if you are an anarcho primitivist, which he is, and is the king because he coined the phrase. Any time anybody tells me anything is "the only" way, I immediately know they are liars. There are many ways as there are people to save the world. Those ways may change at any moment. And quite possibly, ain't none of it gonna save the world.

Unite! Help one another! WTF! Those things won't happen until we recognize someone like John Zerzan as our king, or a vegan, or an alleged peace activist, or put your favorite ruler type here.

Vegans as well give themselves the great dictatorial right to rule over the lives of meat eaters. I'm told that many alleged anarchists are vegans, thus making them ultra holy by simple political ideals (which they often do not practice) and dietary choice. Vegans will often talk of the glories of millions dying because they eat meat. More directly, they often talk of meat eaters being killed. Mind you, like most American citizens, they won't do their own killing themselves, they'd rather others do it for them.

Here is a funny story about anarchists. Ward Churchill was talking on Genocide Cover-Up Day how he was approached by an anarchist. Of course, they got to talking politics, and Ward expressed his appreciation that the anarchists would be going after the new smoking ban (him being a smoker and all). Afterall, the government is targeting a specific group, smokers, and regulating their behavior, which goes completely against alleged anarchists principles. "Oh no!" exclaimed the alleged anarchist, "I like that rule."

Will we ever unite and help each other? I doubt it. There are just too many people who want to be our kings and are willing to terrorize others (not using the U.S. definition, but using the dictionary definition of purposely striking great fear [or attempting to] into the hearts of one or many) in order to gain a foothold onto their path of being our king.

Example, Israel used a lot of terrorism in order to become the nation state they are today. Now they continue to terrorize others to maintain that position. The U.S. uses terrorism all over the world in order to insure that any and all nations remain subservient to their master, the corporate owned U.S. government. Since terrorism is governmental, and this current attack can be alleged to be micro terrorism, wouldn't that make such folk who are going after Scout and Derrick Jensen's mom like the U.S. government?

Have You Seen This Indian?

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS INDIAN?

On the "Genocide Cover-Up Day" program yesterday, Russell Means mentioned that the day after alleged thanksgiving is "Native American Recognition Day." Russell said something like, "Just like America, giving the Indians the leftovers." I said something like, "Is Native American Recognition Day the day they identify the bodies."

Research be done, I found out that in March of 2008, the U.S. passed or at least thought about passing a bill calling the day after alleged thanksgiving "American Indian Heritage Day." There are no specifics about it, the whys and wherefores, but there you go.

American Indian Heritage Day that allegedly recognizes Indians. ...for what? Allegedly the bill is supposed to make the day after alleged thanksgiving a paid holiday for state and federal employees. How is that recognizing American Indian Heritage?

To be honest, the only way I have known the masses of Americans honoring American Indians, Native Americans, whatever the f*** you want to call us, is with racist imagery like that above.

Other than a paid day off for federal and state employees, what the f*** does "American Indian Heritage Day" mean? Will reservation Indians suddenly find themselves out of forced poverty? Will the U.S. government get their boot off of the necks of our economies? Will our health care improve so that we don't have the largest per-capita death rate in diabetes? Will our children stop committing suicide?

Until yesterday, I didn't even know there was such a day. I don't even know for sure if the bill passed in 2008 or if it passed at all. So all I have to say about is this...

BIG F***ING DEAL!

The Afghan Question[s]

Looks like Obama is gonna get his wish for increasing the death rates of Afghani's in the months and years to come with an increase in troops and bribes of Afghani war lords and war lord types. With this increased effort a few questions come to my mind: Will the corporate owned U.S. government be able to break the backs of the Afghani's and the Afghan Nation? Why does the U.S. wish to break the backs of the Afghans and the Afghan Nation? Could it be the Central Asian oil pipeline to get the oil to the markets so oil wealthy billionaires can have more money at the expense of thousands upon thosands of Afghans being murdered and a few American soldiers? With the U.S. economy in a potential free fall because of masses of debt both of its citizens and its government and the increased billions of debt this increase in slaughter will cause, how will it effect the economy here with job loss on the rise? When it is found that the Afghan backbone doesn't snap under the U.S. military might, and we still have a prolonged war, what will be happening to the people of Afghanistan? Hearing stories of U.S. troops being terribly demoralized in the Iraq and Afghan wars, how will this effect them and how will it effect them? When I wake up in the morning after a mass slaughter of Afghanis, will I find a raise in my paycheck and an increase in my hours back to a little over 40? Will I feel more free? Will the movie prices at Regal cinemas be cut in half? Will there be a lightness in my step? Will the jobless have jobs? Will the homeless have homes? Will those suffering from cancer whose insurance carriers refuse to allow them to have life saving operations suddenly find themselves under the knife and saved without any money coming out of their pockets? Will marijuana be legal? Will all the folk in prisons for marijuana offenses be released and find jobs? Will no Americans ever go hungry again? Will tobacco prices drop? Will breast cancer rates fall? Will Indian reservations receive funding for decent housing and development? Will the U.S. get their oppressive hands of of Indian economies? Will Indian suicide rates fall? Will Indian health increase? Will the Olympic committe and the government of Canada stay off of Indian land?

These are only a handful of questions I've been asking myself since hearing about the glorious increase of Afghani deaths about to be obtained by the Obama government.

The First Annual Thanksgiving in America

The First Annual Thanksgiving Documented

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION - JUNE 20, 1676

---

"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series
of his Afflictive dispensations in and by the present Warr
with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought
to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this
wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst
of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having remembered
his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for
our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion,
and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened,
and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with
many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them,
without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been
sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed,
It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies
are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the
Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his
returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as
not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading
him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions:

The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the
29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving
and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many
Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not
those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as diligent
to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as
a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council
doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people
of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same
Beseeching that being perswaded by the mercies of God we may all,
even this whole people offer up our bodies and soulds as a
living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."

------------------------------------

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation (June 20, 1676)

On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown,
Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express
thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community
securely established. By unamimous vote they instructed
Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of
thanksgiving, our first. That proclamation is reproduced here
in the same language and spelling as the original.

Articles 2 and 3 from the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Article 2

In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

• (a) Killing members of the group;
• (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
• (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
• (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
• (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Article 3

The following acts shall be punishable:

• (a) Genocide;
• (b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
• (c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
• (d) Attempt to commit genocide;
• (e) Complicity in genocide.

Thus..."Genocide Cover-Up Day."

Genocide Cover-Up Day

On November 26, from 8am to noon PST, tune in for another Genocide Cover-Up Day on KBOO, 90.7fm in Portland.

In studio will be Jim Craven, Louis Sowa, Dean Lookinghawk, and myself.

On the phone we will have David Boyajian to discuss the Armenian genocide and Russell Means to discuss the Native American Genocide.

It will be a phone in, of course.

The Yes Men Get Strangled in Bhopal

The Yes Men, Andy and Mike, in 2004, made a statement to 300,000,000 people on BBC that Dow Chemical, owners of Union Carbide, were going to liquidate Union Carbide and use the 12 billion in assets to help the people of India where Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide, got away with one of the biggest mass murders in history.

When it was found out that this was a hoax, the BBC chastised the boys for hurting all those Indians in Bhopal by getting their hopes up only to dash them on the rocks. Oddly, however, the media prostitutes did not say anything about mass murderer Warren Anderson, his killer corporation Union Carbide, nor the killer corporation that owns it now Dow Chemical, and the GREAT SUFFERING they have caused the people since the mass murder on December 3, 1984 (3,000 initial deaths with 15,000 more added on in the passing years). But hey, what do you expect from a bunch of corporate loving whores anyway.

So, Andy and Mike went to Bhopal India to meet the survivors. As they sat innocently before a large crowd of Bhopal Survivors chants of "STRANGLE THEM! STRANGLE THEM!" were screamed by the crowd. The boys apparently didn't understand as they did not speak the language, and they were promptly strangled by the people.

Actually, Shusli and I went to see "The Yes Men Fix the World" yesterday which is playing at Cinema 21.

These two hoaxsters manage to get themselves invited to some heavy hitting places where they put themselves off as corporate execs then say things that corporations should be saying. Their hoaxes are ways of bringing attention to things that folk don't really pay attention to using humor. Folk no longer care about the survivors of Bhopal, Katrina, nor global warming. These fellas have pulled off some elaborate hoaxes that brought the focus back on to folk still suffering by the actions of the like of mass murderer Warren Anderson.

It is a must see film. Shusli and I had a wonderful time, but since we were foolish to eat at Laughing Planet just down the street prior to seeing the film, we barely had enough room for the popcorn and soda.

Hoaxters don't harm people, CORPORATIONS HARM PEOPLE!

Ack*uh*DUMMY* uh

Jim Craven, a friend of mine, has authorized me to write about a case he is currently going through at Clark College where he is the Economics Head.

Jim has recently been sentenced to some two terms off without pay or health care. But wait, there is more. Today is the hearing, even though he had already been convicted and the sentence passed down. I know what you're thinking out there dummies: How can he be sentenced and convicted BEFORE HE HAS EVEN HAD A HEARING? Simple. That's Acadummya.

Jim has been teaching for thirty years now. He has a Ph. D. in economics and has been at Clark College for 17 years. Jim Craven is a fully tenured professor.

A few things about Jim. He was on the Lewis and Clark committee back in 2002 prior to the big celebration of the commemoration of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Jim, who is also the Blackfoot Solicitor General, in his five minute speech to the council Jim stated that what followed Lewis and Clark was genocide. The council promptly had him kicked off. Honesty has no place in the celebration of the point men for genocide.

Jim has also taught economics at Xinhua University in China to Ph.D. students. He has been offered a rather high position to teach at Xinhua (sp?). It is a position offered to only 4 persons in the world annually. You can't be just some chump off of the streets to teach there (a fore shadowing of statements to come).

Jim is also listed in "Who's Who." At one point he had tried to get himself de-listed because he couldn't stand being mentioned in a book with genocidal maniac Henry Kissenger, and others. They wouldn't de-list him, so he uses it as a tool to get into doors where folks would rather not have him.

The reason Jim is getting shit at Clark College is because he exposes corruption. As a fully tenured professor, he is an employee of the state and is required by law to expose any crimes being committed by the organization for which he is working. He has exposed professors getting hired without the proper vetting, pedophilia, and other crimes. The members of academia don't like to have their criminal behavior exposed because they are trying to protect their "phoney baloney jobs." They make damned good money at the expense of students for doing LAZY work. Example:

A fella was hired in the economics department to teach economics. The academia of Clark College bypassed the process of the teacher being vetted by the head of the department, James Craven. Vetting is the process of making sure that the teacher is qualified in the subject for which he has been hired to teach. In this case, the man in question has a degree in Human Resources and has been hired to teach advanced economics to students without having been properly accredited. That means that a second rate teacher is teaching students a subject he is not qualified to teach. This is NOT unusual in academia. Jim has never met this man nor does he even know what he looks like, but the fella is documented and has admitted to having had two conversations with Jim and has stated that he "doesn't want anything to do with that Indian!"

The academia of the college has also admitted to a documented statement that "Morale at the college will improve when we get rid of Jim Craven." What that proves is conspiracy. The college has not enjoyed Jim's honesty and concern for students instead of them just raking in money and prestige for themselves at the expense of the students. What the hell is Jim thinking? Oh, yeah, he is thinking of the students and the quality of their education.

Jim is also the Blackfoot Solicitor General to the traditional government and has written the Blackfoot Constitution and the indictment of the United States and Canada for the crimes of genocide against the Blackfoot nation. He also speaks some 8 languages which and is currently adding Mandarin Chinese, I believe he said Mandarin. A Chinese dialect anyway.

Speaking of students, and Afghanistan war vet who was wounded twice was going to college at Clark as well. He has a lawsuit pending against the organization. Clark has expelled him because of his lawsuit.

This type of behavior is not unusual in American academia. This is NOT the only college that behaves in such a manner.

I asked Jim yesterday where one can get the best education. He said China. The reason being is that there are limited spaces for the masses of the population that want to get a higher education. Thus, they don't f*** around with BS as their students have to be on it, instead of getting drunk and partying regularly, going to sporting events, behaving criminally, etc. The education has to be top notch there and the students have to be on it.

Maybe it's time to learn a new language.

A Monkey Story

At the end of Ishmael Beah's book, "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier," he relates an interesting story that he and all the other kids were told by a story teller:

A hunter was hunting monkeys in the forest when he spotted one sitting in a low branch with his back to him eating some food. The hunter walked slowly and quietly, not snapping any twigs or rustling any leaves. He was amazed that the monkey was sitting in a low branch, but that didn't concern him much as it was an easy target and would be good food. He managed to get fairly close to the monkey, which still had its back to the hunter and was still eating. The hunter raised his gun, got a bead on the monkey, and was just about to pull the trigger when the monkey spoke.

"If you shoot me," the monkey told the hunter, "your father will die. If you don't shoot me, your mother will die."

"...and the Red Red Crovvy Poured Out Like an Old Friend."

I haven't been writing much lately. I haven't been as inspired to write as I have been to read, listen to books on CD, and watch movies with Shusli. I haven't even been reading much news lately. Must be the new move. I really Love this new home we live in.

Our friend Chuck let me borrow a whole bunch of his movies. He had a Tennessee Williams collection. Shusli and I watched "A Street Car Named Desire" and "The Fugitive Kind" all the way through together. Shusli has seen all but "South." I have seen bits and pieces of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman are HOTTT! together!), "The Sweet Bird of Youth," "Night of the Iguana," and "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone." All of these old movies are great, but I'll tell a little of the two I saw all the way through.

"A Street Car Named Desire" seems to really have been the stresses of the world driving a young woman insane. Tennessee has a way of describing sex in his plays and movies that is extremely hot and steam without porn like qualities. Vivien Leigh, who plays Blance du Bois moves in with her sister and brother-in-law under extreme duress and the guise of just staying for a few days. Doesn't happen that way, and we watch as she gently goes insane under the weight of the reality of her world. The famous "STELLA!" scene...HOTT!

The other night, Shusli and I watched "The Fugitive Kind," also with Marlon Brando in it. He plays a night club musician trying to stay straight and out of trouble. He moves to a small town to get a job and two women try to seduce him. This film deals with the raw racism of the South at that time. It is a beautiful and ugly story at the same time. Tragic, and so human. SEE IT!

"2012" SUCKED! Shusli and I went to see "2012," and it sucked. We are, however, into the doomsday stuff and the special effects were fun and took away from the cliche and formulaic and rather uncreative story. Woody Harrelson was a fun part of the film as well. His gloom and doom crazy character kinda made the film for us. It is a fun film, but really, all in all, a piece of shit. Shusli pointed out that the end of the world in the film is not at all the fault of humans and what we have done to the earth, but because it is 2012. Mayans hear 2012 stuff like tall men are asked if they play basketball and like folk joke with me about going to Eugene. "Eugene to Eugene, funny, huh huh."

"Paranormal Activity" gives you a few good startling moments, but there again, the plot was pretty predictable and you get the same effect if you watch "Doom House" on Youtube. It seems to be getting much praise in the press and with reviews, but really, POS.

"Midnight Cowboy" was a well acted and odd film. It is about a young man who goes to New York in '69 to work as a cowboy gigalo. He becomes friends with Rico Rizzo who is living in a condemned building, and they have a crazy adventure in the big city. It is a movie of friendship and caring for one another. A classic which came out in '69, I can see why it is still talked about and watched.

One of the books I listened to on CD is the classic, "A Clockwork Orange," by Anthony Burgess. It had an intro by Anthony about why he hates the work so much because it constantly haunts him and shadows all of his other work, much of which he considers much better. It was written in 1961, if I remember correctly, and in the U.S. and only in the U.S. (as well as the Stanley Kubrick film) the last chapter, chapter 21, was left out. Why? Becuase the main character becomes bored of violence. He grows up. I thought it would be kind of a cop out, but it actually seemed more an inegral part of the story. The book is about raw violence of youth gang members and follows the life of the main character, Eric (if I remember correctly), and three of his droogies through the violence they enact upon their community for fun. They rape, beat, murder, fight other gangs, rob, etc. Eric gets caught and goes to prison. He goes through a program that makes him sick anytime he even thinks of violence. (The funniest part to me was when he tried to read the bible after he was cured, as it were, and he got sick from all the violence.) A great book on CD, and listen or read it with the last chapter in.

"A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" is another book I listened too recently. Ishmael Beah was a boy soldier in Sierre Leone. I read the book a few years ago and interviewed Ishamel twice, once last year. If you read the book, and meet the man, you would be amazed at the transformation. As a young soldier, he killed many people and was wounded many times. He first ran from the war until it was fight or run for the rest of your life. Then rehabilitation, then UN Conferences about children in war. Then back home. Then war catching up to him again. He finally made his way out of the country in a rather dangerous journey to Ghana. Having met the young man and hugged him, he seems rather tiny, but you can feel the toughness. But he smiles, his joyous smile, a young man who lost his whole family, who witnessed so much suffering, who was used as a tool for war, a child. READ IT!

"I Like You: Entertaining Under the Influence," by Amy Sedaris, was very funny. How to entertain guests in your home by Amy is funny. This how to book is HILARIOUS! How to entertain the elderly, drunk and disorderly, out of town guests, alcoholics, etc. She knows it all, and if you have questions, go to her book.

I am currently reading three books at once, almost done with two, and half way through one.

"Gulag: a History," by Anne Applebaum and winner of the Pulitzer Prize is a detailed history of the Gulag system in the Soviet Union mostly under Stalin. Anne goes through all the details, male prisoners, female prisoners, executions, rapes, freezing, starving, shock workers, system changes, arrests, all of it. She covers all of it. I recently heard some interviews with Russians who miss and admire Stalin, young Russians, on NPR. They excuse Stalin at worst because he brought Russia to a modern age. I do not agree. Stalin was cruel and unjust and did not NEED to be in order to bring Russia into a modern age. In fact, by Anne's assertions, it probably would have progressed quicker and better without all the cruelty. But what do I know? I'm not Russian. I do know that U.S. cruelty against Indians has held back progress on our reservations, however. A must read especially since the U.S. is starting up a Gulag system of its own.

"A Farewell to Arms," by Ernest Hemmingway is a Love Story during war time. Set in Italy during the first world war, an ambulance driver falls in Love with a nurse whom he first just wants to get in the sack. The culture of that time is interesting to read. Love is always sweet and juicy when experienced. The adventures the two go through is sweet and exciting. The descriptions of the war are rather disturbing. Lots of dialogue, and it is interesting to listen to the relationships between friends and Lovers and compare them in my mind to the culture of today. My favorite line come from pages 224-5. The set up is during the big retreat from the Austrians and Germans. The masses of people are crossing a bridge, civilian and military alike. Guards that had been set up on the far end of the bridge are pulling out any officers, questioning them, and killing all who are major or above pretty much instantly. "Why are you not with your men?" "It is your fault we are retreating." But that line amongst this cowardly style of killing is this: "The questioners had that beautiful and devotion to stern justice in men dealing in death without being in any danger of it." It is one thing to fight, another altogether to murder.

"Alice in Wonderland," by Lewis Carroll is an excellent psychedelic children's classic. It is indeed a fun book with many odd twists and turns to keep not only the interest of a child, but my interest as well. Fun!

Soft Targets

The recent shootings at Fort Hood will not doubt spark backlash from racist American's looking bravely for soft targets to kill. Many already believe that the reason Hasan killed those people because he is a terrorist. BULLSHIT! Besides being harassed regularly for being Muslim, not doubt from the Christians, his brother mentioned the following which I gleaned from Democracy Now:

MOHAMMED HASAN: About a week before the incident, he hired a lawyer in order to leave the Army, get married, and live his life. But they rejected his request and asked him to go to Afghanistan. This was the biggest shock for him. So, there’s another reason why he did what he did, not just because of the harassment of the soldiers. There is another reason.

America Loves soft targets. Insurance companies get away with killing thousands of people across this nation, and your average white male racist isn't gonna take up his gun and start shooting insurance company execs. They have security guards and people who will fire back. The court systems protect wealthy folk who kill and not the poor bastards who should be killing them. Too much bravery required for that action. Best to kill blacks during a hurricane like happened in Katrina. Best to attack Muslims who don't have guns.

Instead of looking into what really happens in the world, such as the U.S. government illegally slaughtering millions of Iraqi's and Afghani's. The U.S. military oppression of said peoples. The U.S. military male raping his female comrades, and Iraqi children like Abeer Qasim al Janabi.

But the U.S. honors folk like Phil Sheridan who stated about us Indians to "kill the women and children first, they are easier to kill and it strikes terror into the hearts of the men."

So, as the stupid stupid stupid americans find more soft targets to hit, what are we gonna do about it? Me, I'm brining attention to this. Stupid Stupid Americans are gonna kill and oppress easy targets to prove to themselves, and themselves alone, they are allegedly brave. They will not bravely fight hard targets, like insurance companies. They won't take up arms and join the military, they would rather other folk do their killing for them because, really, they ain't nothin' but racist chickenshits who would NEVER go up against a target bigger than them. It's a little difficult to rape a 250 man on steroids, got go after the easy ones. Then go home and praise themselves up for the brave glorys of hurting unarmed or undefended folk.

Still, insurance corporations are gonna continue to kill Americans at approximately 100,000 a year. GET 'EM RACIST SOFT TARGET CHASING TYPES... I didn't think so. Ain't so brave afterall, are ya, ya racist types?

I Love Our New Neighborhood

"...of men and women, of women and men...

...and that thought makes me smile again
because you and I are 99% alike,
you and I are 99% alike."

--Sherman Alexie from his poem "99% Alike."

I have just finished listening to Susan Faludi's book on CD, "The Power Dream." The book discusses the attacks on feminism after the 9-11 attacks, many MEN placing the blame on women for what happened because, as they allege, women have emasculated their men and thus made us innefectual in our roles as brave protectors. Susan goes through the history of this male fantasy of the male and female roles in American society, then tears them apart using such crazy things as...FACTS!

According to the American male fantasy of gender roles, men are to be the protectors of women and women are supposed to be the domestic fragile beings whose main desire is to have a male protector (pardon me, but I have to go vomit now... Back in a minute).

Daniel Boone, the American male fantasy man, was supposed to be a strong, powerful, all knowing, wise, male protector and provider figure, and his wife, Rebecca, was supposed to be the fragile damselle in distress unable to do much of anything other than cook, sew, and spread her legs for her man. In truth, Daniel was a failure in many things, killed (and regrettably so) only 3 Indians in his life, and though a good hunter, his wife, it is alleged, was even better. Daniel wasn't pleased to hear how his wife was put as least supporting actress to his lead in the story, but the authors of the fantasy didn't care. These were roles assigned to them, the reality (probably much more fascinating than the lies) was not conducive to the American male fantasy of the gender roles.

Hannah Dustin, a woman who was captured by the Abenaki Indians, escaped with her fellow captors by killing 10 Indians, 9 of which she killed; 2 men, 2 women, and six children. In more current efforts to bring her history the the forefront of brave historical women have been shot down repeatedly. However, a town just west of Portland, Oregon, is called Sheridan. It is named after Phil Sheridan, a well known white male American baby killin' machine who is said to have coined the phrase, "Kill the women and children first, they are easier to kill and it strikes terror into the hearts of the men." This genocidal maniac is celebrated annually with "Phil Sheridan Days." Phil is also in part responsible for the decimation of the buffalo. Why is Phil celebrated and Hannah not? Could it be because Phil has dangly bits while Hannah's bits are tucked away neatly inside? Can it be because Hannah doesn't fit her preconceived role as a woman?

Susan also talks about the Jessica Lynch fantasy, including the fantasy male rescue of said damselle in distress. When Bragg wrote his books about her, he made allegations that she was butt raped. Turns out to be a complete fabrication even with Jessica's own admissions. Jessica was asked about her admiration for her unit and if she thought they were heroes. She stated the person she admired most in her unit was Lori Piestewa, her Dine roommate and friend. She mentioned how in Iraq her humvee broke down and everyone in her unit just passed her by, except Lori, who picked her up. All the rest would have left her to die. Hows that for the American Male Fantasy of rescuing the damselle in distress. In reality, they could have cared less.

Let me tell you a personal story of bravery. Shusli and I went to one of the annual anti-war protests here in Portland several years ago. At the end, a large group of young folk were confronting the Cops who were dressed bravely in their military riot gear, creating anonymity for themselves, heavily armed, facing all these unarmed youth at the park in front of the federal building. Shusli, being the glorious anti-authoritarian that she is, drove the car around to the other side of the park and we joined in. I was scared at first. The Pigs had us surrounded and were all heavily armed and would definitely get away with any crimes they decided to commit against the people. Shusli did not drag me into this fracus, she lead me. She taught me bravery that day, a bravery I wasn't aware was within me. I have done some brave things in the past, but not face an immediate threat to my personal safety such as this. I did not feel emasculated by her bravery, I admired her bravery. I admired her as a human being and a WOMAN, and I stood beside her in the middle of a dangerous situation where many unarmed peacenecks faced a heavily armed military force ready and willing to silence them.

Part of the American Male Gender Fantasy is the RAPE FANTASY. Women have to be so vulnerable as to be regularly raped by non-American (non-white) males and thus their virtue also has to be protected by the white American male. Even historically this has been proven a fantasy. Heck, the reason why Hannah Dustin was captured was because her husband RAN OFF and abandoned her. Subsequent fantasies of Indian capture of women are that women in their fragility were supposed to be raped or forced married by we red nigger types. Oddly, however, none of this has ANY historically substantiated merit. All the FACTS state that no women were raped or FORCED to marry their red nigger captors. But the wild west fantasy of the Bush administration propagated (even using the alleged news and media conglomeates) that the masculine American Man is supposed to protect the fragile domestic American woman. Odd, because as posted previously, we all know that 30 Republican U.S. senators state it is fine for employees of corporations contracted by the government to rape women with impunity and not have to face any form of justice for their crimes. The recent gang rapes (one in California, one in Australia) many are blaming on the women victims for being promiscuous (or put whatever bullshit excuse you want to here). Men aren't responsible for their behavior (another excuse for bad male behavior, as Shusli pointed out, is that we can say we are only 12-years-old). Men in the military are regularly sexually harassing and raping their female comrads in arms. Men in the military raped Abeer al Janabe (13) and murdered her whole family. Obviously men aren't gonna protect women from rape, they're gonna rape them. Who are currently protecting women from rape? Other women. We as men have left it up to women to deal with our BULLSHIT BAD "I'M ONLY 12-YEARS-OLD" BEHAVIOR!

I have shown here that Shusli, my wife, is a powerful and brave woman. She is also vulnerable, sweet, kind, and amazing. She can be a fierce opponent if you confront her and try to tell her what she can and cannot do. I am brave, vulnerable, kind, etc., like Shusli, even more so because of Shusli, my wife. I am not her bodice ripping red nigger sex god protector, and she is not my fragile domestic red nigger wife. We are human beings together in a crazy and insane world who teach each other about life and live and love together and live and love life together. Mothers fight fiercely for their children. Men often turn and run, like Hannah Dustin's husband.

In Susan Faludi's "The Terror Dream," she also describes how men and women came together as human beings because of their mutual vulnerability. Shusli and I are powerful and vulnerable together as human beings who have chosen to walk through life together, who have chosen to stay and fight.

What I'd like to do here is open up a discussion about women and men, fantasy and reality.