Letters
Stop the ‘poor us’ attitude
When will the aboriginal people stop acting like a spoiled child? Take a good hard look at what you do have. What you do get. Stop blaming the past. Stop biting the hand that feeds. Quit your “poor us” attitude.
I think I can speak for many, our patience is running out. It’s time that you join the rest of us as Canadians and work together, towards a better future for all of us.
J.G. RYDER
Kamloops
menthelius says...
By the way "thinkly" I took your advice and googled your name and read some of your posts, you sound like a sad and bitter woman. I'm sorry life has not turned out for you the way you wanted it to, but it's nobody's fault except your own.
I too will no longer feed trolls.
menthelius says...
forum: place for public discussion
debate: 1. discuss or consider an issue from both sides, 2. participate in a formal contest of argument
attack: 1. an offensive action against a person or thing, 2. an aggresive speech or writing
Pull out your dictionarys boys and girls.
menthelius says...
For further edification of the masses, I believe in land claims, I believe the gov't MUST reach a settlement and sometimes wonder if it will happen in my lifetime!
What I don't believe in is being lumped in the category as a "fork tongued whiteman".
I believe in freedom of speech, religion, way of life and all those other good things that make a somewhat-democracy.
I don't believe in telling everyone else to shut up because they disagree with my opinion, rather I encourage the discusion to continue. As long as we're talking no one's killing each other are they? Half the problems in this world are caused by people who think their view of life is the only "truth" and "kill the unbelievers".
I actually have a number of native, chinese, japanese, and other ethnic-origin friends (mainly because I keep an open mind).
I try very hard to ignore the racism rampant with some people/groups, I try to keep a thick skin but it is difficult sometimes with certain people (you know who I'm talking about I'm sure).
I believe that the natives would have an easier time if they stopped alienating so many people. I support the land claims process, but few natives outside my circle of friends seem to understand that simple truth, prefering to stick to their own racism against the "thieving whitemen".
Finally, I used to love D&D, but there comes a point when most people grow up and leave childish games behind. Still enjoy reading some articles about the old game though! Still a bit of fun-loving child in me, helps to connect me with my own children (who don't play D&D).
menthelius says...
"thinkly" as for spell-checker, maybe you should reread some of your posts, those that live in glass houses should not throw rocks.
menthelius says...
Well "thinkly" google all you want, insult whomever you like, belittle whomever you want, it's a free country. Sorry if you think because I disagree with you that I'm attacking you, that's like the pot calling the kettle black. Do you understand what a debate is?
As for other posts that I have commented on, is that not what a debate is? You make your "point" and I make a different point. I think you just get upset because people don't always agree with you. Take a pill oh thin-skinned one.
I can certainly understand why you face "attitude" from other people, the key to an open debate is keeping an open mind, but I suppose many people are close-minded like yourself.
By the by, does this have anything to do with the story? It seems to me that your comments are personally directed at me, should I lie down and play dead for you? Honestly, I'm crying knowing that you don't like me. LOL.
Ross says...
Well thinkly,
He's got to do something when he's not play D & D.
thinkly says...
menthelius..if anyone googles your name, paired with the word kamloops, they will see you denying being on the attack....after doing exactly that to several other people on this site, responding to different posts... it's not made up..it has nothing to do with me or this particular issue.
You like to pick at people's comments then deny you did it...on the KDN comment forums. It's all recorded on the internet. NO DENYING IT. You like to argue and will defend any stupid point just to get an argument. Learn to spell. It'll make you seem less ...marginal. At least install spellcheck....and never ever again use the 'word' supposebly! Really bad English.
Sure bud. Racism is there, but the white people have done the majority of the really damaging aspects in North America.
Oh. And just because Native people don't like you doesn't mean they are racist. Maybe they just don't like YOU. They wouldn't like you if you were Native. You're unpleasant.
menthelius says...
"thinkly" sorry if you feel I was "attacking" you, my objective was to correct the false information you are putting out there, afterall that is the point of having a forum for discusion is it not?
I also have "analyzed" your comments, drawn conclusions from them, and responded to what I believed to be inaccurate or misleading points.
I think this is the same that you have done with regards to the letter writer, were you "attacking" the writer simply because you think he was wrong, or were you commenting on the letter? Same thing is it not? Double standards cut both ways.
I'm glad that you realize that racism is universal and NOT limited just to the whitemen of the world.
thinkly says...
I wasaddressing the 'points' in the letter, sparse as they were and analyzing them as best as I could. That is allowed. It's more relevant to the comment section than to attack the posts of others with contradictory and sarcastic remarks...
The content of my comments was inspired by the letter. I didn't write it. I merely responded. As did many others, who you have not personally attacked.
I never once said that racism doesn't exist the world over, or Native people are never racist. I am as white as white can be, and have experienced racism from a few Native people, Chinese people, Middle Eastern people, Italian people an so on, but it's been bearable and uninvasive. I've had far more attitude from white people.
menthelius says...
Well "thinkly" your comments are interesting, if not entirely factual, many of us "privledged" whites have worked for natives AND experienced that racism you mention that supposably does not exist coming from natives.
If the BRITISH had employed the same methods that were used by their COLONISTS to the south of us, then this conversation would be moot wouldn't it? The practice of genocide against the natives in the US is a fact, although I'm not saying the later CANADIAN government has been entirely truthful or upfront with natives (or any other race for that matter, including whites), but the Canadians have at least tried to be more honest which you cannot say about the original European colonists.
The rest of your rant seems to be mostly made up, I read the letter as well, you seem to be able to form whole essays from between the lines. Perhaps you should comment on what was writen rather than your inflated sense of personal persecution.
Native heritage is something to be proud of, but PLEASE stop ramming it down everyone else's throat as if nobody understands. Do you honestly believe the natives are the only race to be marginalized and abused by a government? Open your eyes and look at the suffering around the world!
thinkly says...
The ‘topic’ is J Ryder’s inability to see that his remarks are just revamped racism.
He complains that he is tired of Aboriginal people ‘complaining’, saying there is no basis for mentioning the injustice that has been done. His inflated sense of privilege allows him to whine about other people’s business. In the past he could have just said he didn’t like Native people. Now he has to say he doesn’t like what they do, but it’s the same old racist trash. To generalize upon race is racism. No matter what sort of spin it is given.
The bitten ‘hand that feeds’ must be the Canadian government, Payments to Native people, are considerably less than what would be owed if First Nations people had been as savvy and ruthless about money and property rights as white people, when they settled on Native land. The payments are NOT MORE than what could have been owed. Not by a long shot. Spoiled implies abundant wealth and privilege, and always getting your way. That is not what Aboriginal people have lived with. The ‘spoiled child’ is J Ryder.
‘What you do have’ must refer to the generally infertile reservations they were confined to after they were relieved of their land. Those were essentially prisons they needed a pass to leave until 1960. Not many economic opportunities or invitations to ‘join in’ with the rest of Canada were to be found there. It may take a while to gain trust and belief in the ‘good intentions’ of former oppressors.
The ‘poor us’ remark can only stem from people speaking the truth about what has happened. Verbal attack upon those disclosing abuse is outrageous. Speaking about abuse is part of the healing process. Ryder likely does not want to be ‘reminded’ of the dark side of Canadian history.
Aboriginal people naturally want something for the resources they shared. This cannot be achieved without talk, effort and sometimes drama. If it is necessary for them to vigorously vocalize the need to the settle land claims, imagine how they must feel. I’m sure they want it over with too.
Someone who has enjoyed unearned privilege based on race has no right to criticize people who were systematically abused for generations. White males hold an economic advantage that is not necessarily based on ‘worthiness’, but on racial privilege and the tendency to favor their own kind.
Perhaps if white men in positions of power were to experience racial slurs and discrimination for even a year or two, they’d see that it’s not easy to forgive and forget. Breaking through old conditioning takes a long time. Patience is needed.
My intentional and somewhat facetious racial slur against white males demonstrates the unpleasant nature of racism, for those who rarely see if from that angle. While it contains irrefutable truths, it is a generalization based on race that puts a bad light on even the good people who resided with the bad.
menthelius says...
Hey "thinkly" what if the sky was falling? What if aliens landed tomorrow and tried to take over? What if everyone suddenly disappeared from the face of the planet today? What if? What if? Hey Chicken Little the sky is not falling!
Darrell Ward says...
Me thinkly thinks you're getting a little off topic . . .
thinkly says...
Here's a thought. What if the country had not been occupied by First Nations people when the 'settlers' came, but a bunch of white bankers or worse yet, a pack of corporate lawyers. If the settlers had been greeted with money hungry men, deed in one hand and a constantly increasing bill in the other, it would have been a different story. Those white guys would still be holding a lot of those deeds, we'd still be paying, and they'd be rich as stink. Nobody would have dared to complain about paying forever.
If the government pays money to the Native population it's because they know it's owed. They are the last people to give out free money for no reason. If someone doesn't like it perhaps they need to stage a rebellion against the government.
I weary of 'the old boys' who want to stay trapped in the 1950's and complain about how Natives and women and immigrants want rights that used to belong exclusively to white men. I think it's time to welcome them to the twenty-first century. Some of them don't even want new white people from other areas to move here. I've been told this, as an outsider, more than once.
I have encountered older white males here who get paid high wages, drive new trucks, own land and toys and so on, merely because they are male and local apparently. Some of these men can barely speak English as a first language, lack basic social skills, and seem to have contempt for personal grooming. I won't even go into the prevalence of alcoholism and domestic violence perpetrated by this sort.
They are not superior by any stretch of the imagination. BC has grown up with these 'roughnecks' being the big money makers and 'founders' of the province. These are the kind of people who give the white race a bad name. They tend to be the ones who whine the loudest when anyone else is given a hand up.
Racist and sexist bullying has taken place far more recently, and continuously than the defenders of racist j ryder care to acknowledge. Since they are not legally allowed to practice their institutionalized bullying any longer, they may think that the whole thing no longer exists. There is still active discrimination against newcomers, Natives, and other visible minorities. The process of change is slow, but inevitable. A day will come when a letter like this will be thrown in the garbage, instead of printing it in the paper.
average canuck says...
WOW, Ryder opened up a can of worms, is getting feed back, and it gets me thinking. What is fair? On who's terms? A lot of you guys are throwing labels around, stating stereotypes, maybe we should step back, put race aside, and look at the big picture. The natives got a raw deal, land taken, residential schools etc, etc. However, I did not do this, nor do I think it is right. That being said throwing money around isn't getting anyone anywhere, I visit reservations daily, it's the same as any town in B.C. you have the wealthy and the poor. The nice homes, yards and the "gettos" so ask yourself honestly, why? Here's MY opinion, Politicians generally speaking are in it for themselves (NO MATTER WHAT RACE) tax who they can, as much as they can, and throw a few bucks to the natives to shut them up. The native "politicians" (chiefs, band leaders etc..) disperse funds as they see fit. Now look at how the politicians live on either side of the argument, new diesel truck, maybe a denali, nice house, good clothes, well fed, all the comforts, while some of their people are literally living in poverty right next door.
The point is this while we are all "whining" "lazy indian" "stealing shuma" nothing is going to change. Imagine if we all, average native, average white or whatever got together, as one equal group of canadians and said "no more" to our leaders. Until that happens, we'll keep complaining,fighting and being distracted, while our leaders are robbing all of us blind and laughing about it. Where did my pay check go? The government. Where did my government money go? The band office/chief or whatever. So who is really to blame?
Joey Jack says...
Dear Editor,
In response to JG Ryders letter of Feb 2, I'd like to extend an apology to them on behalf of all of us sniveling whiners.
I am sorry that during pre-contact times we did not clearly map out and mark our territories. You see, back in the day, the concept of "owning" the earth was literally a foreign concept. Modern greed is something that came with the HBC blankets and firewater.
I am sorry that we didn't have more stringent immigration policies. We weren't sure how long the people were staying. Perhaps we thought after all the gold, beavers, and trees were gone the non-natives would have left.
I am sorry the governments in power at the time did not negotiate treaties. I have read about how treaty Indians still get their 1 dollar per year (5 for the chief) and a bag of beads per year! I realize that by the time BC was colonized the people here were not needed for exploration/exploitation.
I am very sorry that the Indian Act was successful in assimilating the people here. Our languages are nearly gone and the traditional way of life doesn't really jive in modern society. I have 4 beaver pelts...will someone trade me for an iPad?
I am sorry that there are still people who mourn the loss of the culture and self worth. It is something that each individual needs to work out on his or her own. I suggest education as a remedy. Knowledge is power!
I am sorry that your rant very blatantly exposed your inability to learn, absorb, and regurgitate any knowledge of facts relating to the history of BC, BC First Nations, and Canada as a whole. Its initial lack of context gives is a certain inarticulate madness and the ironic fact that you're complaining that native people complain too much actually made me laugh out loud.
Finally I'm sorry to point out that it was non-natives telling us what to do and how to live which got us into this mess in the first place. So I'll give J.G and all those on both sides of the coin some advice:
1. Stop your crying
2. Stop your whining
3. Educate yourself (become lawyers and use the courts)
4. Build a bridge
5. Get over it
j2
Darrell Ward says...
It's not surprising that this short letter created such emotional response. I agree this letter could have been written in a way to be less offensive, but we must keep in mind we are not professional writers, and some of us just call it like we see it.
I said in a recent post that history is filled with injustice to many races and religions. In some cases, a win-win situation has been reached, obvioulsy the best for everybody.
My time machine is broken so I don't have the ability to go back and slap my ancestors upside the head. I also have no way of REALLY knowing who said what or who agreed to what.
What I DO know is - if you are a soldier in Afghanistan, they don't care if you're black, white, first nations, chinese - if you're from North America - They'll try and kill you because THEY see us as one. Ironically we don't.
So with that being on my mind lately, plus the fact that we are foolishly toying with our environment; I focused on the last sentence of the letter, "...work together, towards a better future for all of us." This letter could apply to more than First Nations people.
ibuprofen says...
I’m racist against lazy people. It doesn’t matter what colour, nationality or excuses you might have.
Get a life! I’m tired of feeding you and spawns.
menthelius says...
Okay, granted the letter writer could have been more "politically correct" in writing the letter, but the frustration and aggravation are real all the same. I don't speak for masses and masses of people, I speak my opinion which is not always going to appeal to everyone. P.T. Barnum is attributed with the slogan (although he admitted it was never actually his), "You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all the time". My opinion is that many of the natives are looking for a free handout, I grew up in Prince Rupert surrounded by natives, I personally have been accused of stealing the natives' land by some natives that were my friends?! Name calling aside, race issues aside, what I want to know is where is the land I stole? I could really use the money from selling it! I steal from no one (the gov't hates competition), yet many natives seem to think that every whiteman is a thief. Talk about racial profiling! There's lots of talk about tolerance, thanking the natives for living on their land, etc. It works both ways folks, you want respect, you have to give respect. There's more story there, but I think that's enough on this sad topic, the reality is that land-claims are a long way from being settled and the natives are not making a lot of friends by being aggresive, violent, and belligerent to regular Canadians. I was born here, how am I any different from natives today? Skin color? There's a big can of worms for anyone wanting to open it!
Taktanka says...
Although it is true that most of BC was not taken by force they were several small wars in Bcx by some of the nations. I do not disagree with the rights of Natives to seek treaties and land claim agrements and feel that they should continue in their current course of using the legal system to come to these agrements. One thing though that is often forgot in all this is that until europeans came to North America the natives had no concept of land ownership. A great chief from the nez peirce nation once said " how does one own the air and sky, we live here in harmony with nature" . Land claims hsould continue and treaties should be signed. The natives for the most part that you she doing these protests don't have job or are lawers or nurses. These are people that continue to live of government hand outs and think they are real warriors for their people by doing these protests. The cief of the Osoyous nation got alot of flak for a bill board he put up years ago, his band is now one of the wealthiest and most stable reserves in Canada. That billboard said "Real warriors have jobs" Are the natives or the metis or the inuit ever going to get back fully what they lost no but they might get more and farther if the stopped playing games and went after the government in court with a united front. Togther we are strong, seperate we are weak and ignored.
noidear says...
Horrid letter. It's at least offensive but it also has all the earmarks of racism and intolerance, and, no, the writer does not speak on behalf of this Canadian. That letter should not have been printed and I suspect it was merely to incite a flame war.
browneyedgirl says...
while we could stoop to this sad little man's level and start with name-calling and finger pointing and bigot remarks we will just state some facts. And since redneck has been stated enough i will leave that out too. perhaps you should come visit some first nations offices and see how we are trying to improve the quality of life on reserves. yes there are some natives that do whine and complain about what they do have, but then again there are many people of other races that do this as well. look around and you will see poor people living in third world conditions all over the country. if you would look a little closer at the successful aboriginal population rather than just focusing on the less fortunate ones. aboriginal people were once a thriving society that did not waste anything nor kill the environment, until of course, we were ravaged, hunted, bleached, infected with disease by early settlers. it's a slow process but we will once again return to that respected way of living. Has everyone forgotten that aboriginal(Native) people were the first people who lived in North America, that is why Canada(also named by the aboriginal people - Kanata) is called "Our Home and Native Land!!" Maybe we are not proud Canadians if we still choose to discriminate against other people who are less fortunate or of a different race! This is the 21st Century people, we're all human! Let's all grow up already.
No one is perfect, so J.G., sorry to say, neither are you.
Marquis says...
This is in response to J.G. Ryder, “Natives can stop the ‘Poor Us’ Attitude”, Daily News, February 2, 2010, Opinion Section
Re: Ryder’s Rant
J.G. Ryder expresses a rant commonly heard around the water-coolers, lunch rooms and coffee shops of the nation, from a majority of non-natives who are largely misinformed with respect to Canada’s historical past, particularly as it leads to contemporary conditions. Ryder is indeed in good company with comments like “Aboriginal people should take a good hard look at what they do have”…and should “stop biting the hand that feeds”. These are comments that illustrate a national ignorance of the underlying facts, and the existence of a persistent colonial frontier perspective. There are still erroneous conceptions being fostered in the public system that perpetuate the notion that Aboriginal people are undeservedly in receipt of goodies, hand-outs, and benefits that no one else receives. With respect, we bring your attention to the fact that Aboriginal peoples on this continent have already paid—they paid with the loss of their homelands, the decline in their languages, population, and culture—there is yet a debt to be resolved according to the contracts made by colonial and contemporary governments.
It matters that everyone in this country has a constitutional right to express their opinion; the quality of that opinion, and thus, the degree to which it is respected or supported depends on its basis in factual knowledge. Unfortunately, for the Ryders of the world, the rant tells readers more about Ryder, et al, than it does about the issues at focus. By submitting a mewling, uninformed tirade, Ryder is guilty of behaving much the same way as those he accuses. Mere juvenile finger-pointing lessens the value of the message; however this level of exchange has not changed appreciably in over 100 years. Could “Ryder’s Rant” be a yard-stick that illustrates how badly the public education system has failed its consumers? That Ryder may “speak for many” is a frightening notion in 2010 when the facts, based on scholarly research are so readily accessible. Having said that, however, we agree that some people, both native and not, can act inappropriately in ways that undermine the more comprehensive approach in resolving outstanding matters. The manner in which protests against the status quo are enacted can enhance or diminish the impact they have on the public perception of an unresolved conflict, and, unfortunately, many of the most visible protests are poorly conceived, ineffectively conducted, and often unrepresentative of the peoples they claim to represent.
Ryder admonishes Aboriginal people to “join the rest of us” but does not offer an explanation as to why that is a good idea, nor even how such a phenomenon could occur without catastrophic results. If Ryder and company were more properly informed, their “patience” and other energies would be better invested, and would likely result in more productive, appropriate and effective exchanges about both native and non-native concerns. It behooves the general public to seek a more informed and comprehensive understanding of how the past has led to the present, and that the sacking of Aboriginal identity to become assimilated into the cultural melting pot is not an option. As a Canadian, you are responsible to educate yourself and your children about our Canadian histories and the long relationships (good and bad) upon which this country is founded.
Jacques, M.A., Métis, and Marquis, M.A., Anishnabe
O.P. says...
This is a terrible letter from an ignorant and pompous individual. All of you who agree with it should be ashamed of yourselves.
Ross says...
The return of investment is called Canada and all of its resources. I think we made out like bandits, literally.
For those complaining about First Nations taxes, etc. Are you sure that you wish to trade those items for all of the land?
Because that was the trade off.
*Sunshine says...
commonsence made an AMAZING point:
"How about fairness across the board. Same tax rate, same access to services, sames schools, same land claim rights. Same Everything. Racism will exist as long as one group of people is separated out with special privileges from another."
If this happened, no one would have anything to complain about. Until this happens however, this battle will rage on. I think that it is time to put this whole idea into practice.
JM7 says...
Grouchy, sorry I realize we have gotten off topic here but my point was in part to illustrate that First Nations are acting Canadian by pursuing their legal and Constitutional rights to Aboriginal Title through our Canadian legal system. Just like you or I would exercise our legal rights and take legal action if someone infringed on our property. I think it is not so easy for Aboriginals to drop their status and become “Canadian” per say because of the fact that they do have Aboriginal Title as recognized by our Constitution. I do think that the Indian Act was wrong and so did the government which is why I think the government amended it to make it “better”. Also the tax breaks etc are a band-aid approach of previous governments to try make the problem go away. I also think that was the wrong approach and I think they realize it too. We aren’t going to solve this by throwing money at it. I too would like to see the government dropping the need to identify them as status or not. However I think they only way that First Nations will accept this is if the crown compensates them Aboriginal title and possibly self governance of their own affairs. Right now their status is all they have to legally show their title. They are in a different boat legally than us in terms of having a separate ethnic title because they did in fact have some form of sovereignty over the area before us. They may have lost their sovereignty over their land to the Crown in the past and some would argue that ends their title to the land, but the Canadian way and the Canadian legal system allows them to fight for their claim. I don’t see anything un-Canadian about the way First Nations are going about seeking their claims.
Stone Cold your comments are full of ignorance and your allowing your emotions cloud your rationality. I don’t know how many times I have to say it but B.C. was never “Conquered”, we just moved in. I think the real question should be where is the First Nations return on their investment in Canada. They have sacrificed a lot more than more than most to this Country (and yes they participate in our Armed Forces). And yes, the Reserves do look like a ghetto. Everyone knows this. A ghetto by definition is a place where people have been forced to live because of social, legal, or economic pressure. I think that description suits the Indian Reserves to a T. They are ghettos as a result of our governments poor and discriminatory decision-making in the past. I don think cheap cigarettes, gas and lower taxes are a good trade off for living in such a state. You are obviously not the one that put them there, but if you have any decency you might feel entitled to help those in need get out of the ghetto state instead of driving through it in anger.
StoneCold says...
The sense of Entitlement by Natives is never shocking. How much do they need before reparations are paid? Natives or First Nations or whatever the PC term is have economic advantages anyone else would love to have, and you can see the results on every reservation I've ever been to in Canada. Run down beat up houses, yards full of broken down scrap heaps, they're ghettos. I'm glad for the few percent that have been mentions that are doctors, teachers, athletes etc, but this is how the masses represent themselves. Want more land, make a land claim. A First Nations person was probably there once right? The local band runs the band like a business? Canada's government's a business, what's the Canadian TAX PAYERS return on investment on Native culture? Sweet F All. While I can appreciate arrow heads, bannock and dreamcathers hanging from rear view mirrors, it's not exactly inventing the wheel or inventing printed type is it? The bill for Conquering North America has been paid in full.
justanothercoyote says...
Great posts thinkly and JM7, hats off to you!!
MM says...
Wow, racism is alive and well in 2010. I can't believe that Kamloops Daily News would even post such a racist comment. ALL natives have a poor me attitude? WOW. Everyone one of the hundreds of thousands of First Nations has a poor me attitude?! - All of the FN doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, social workers, athletes, scientists, researchers of this country? Brilliant observation J.G. (sarcasm).
P.S. Great post "thinkly"...
lrem22 says...
Although I don't agree with the wording of the letter, I do agree with the context. It is time for the aboriginal peoples of this country join the country. As long as special privaleges are allotted to them, then the generalization will continue. As long as they continue to lay claim to lands across the country, then the resent towards them will grow. The aboriginal leaders need to stop the cycle of failure and start a cycle of success. They could do this by being proactive, and not reactive. Protests and digging up ancient history just isn't working. They could take a lesson from Nunavat. It took almost 20 years, but by following the proper channels they gained a shared control of crown land and a territory where whites and inuit serve in the assembly, they abide by laws, pay taxes and have no special status.
Grouchy says...
JM7 and Ross, I think you are missing the point.What is being said is that Native Canadians should start acting like Canadians, not expecting special treatment because of who they are.Nobody is saying that they should give up their heritage, they are saying that we should not have to keep paying for the sins of our forefathers.Many bands are starting to invest in and create businesses . More power to them. They own land outside of the reservations now also. It is time for the Indian act to disapear and for Native Canadians to be put on an equal footing with the rest of us. That means paying taxes like we do also and no special deals on tobacco and alcohol.
Ross says...
Well put JM7!
The fact is the property that makes up the province of BC is legally First Nations land, with some exceptions due to recent treaties. All of the bands are well within their ownership rights and if they took to court would be awarded their rights. Legally, we are buying and selling their property.
However these people that some refer to as lazy, childish and whining are kind enough to not force this legal claim, yet. They wish to coexist and come to a equitable settlement. How much is BC worth?
I say much more then they have ever received.
Is anyone willing to give trade a province because of perceived advantage?
Next time you see a First Nations person, thank them for letting you live on their land for free.
JM7 says...
Taktanka the problem is that in B.C. there was no war. Nobody was attacked for their land, and no deals, treaties, or trades for such land was ever established or recorded. The only recorded "purchases of land" occurred on Vancouver Island for some Hudson Bay blankets. This is why legally the First Nations of B.C. still have a legitimate legal claim to the land. A legal claim which is validated by our own English common law system and by our own Constitution Act. Yes people in the past, although usually in war-time, appropriated others land. B.C.'s case is quite different and if you believe in "one law for all" in this country then you unknowingly recognize some form of Aboriginal title.
Taktanka says...
Being of a Metis background I have seen both sides of this issue first hand. While it is not true that all natives run around with the poor us attitude a great majority do. Try being a white man on the reserve than talk to me about rascism. History is filled with people who have been attacked and their land taken away starting all the way back to rome and before, hell the natives own history is filled with one nation driving off another and taking their territory. Nobody ever gives it back. It's time for the elders to stop putting this into the young peoples minds and to move on help them stay in school, away from drugs and alchohol and learn about their past. Most of the natives doing the protesting don't know anything about their traditions or history. They have been alllowed to act like children and it's time for them to gorw up.
commonSense says...
How about fairness across the board. Same tax rate, same access to services, sames schools, same land claim rights. Same Everything. Racism will exist as long as one group of people is separated out with special privileges from another.
thinkly says...
The Aboriginal people act like 'a spoiled child'?
That statement alone epitomizes a totally negative attitude based on race. Not ALL Native people behave badly. This generalized anger verges on hate mpropaganda. He then says "OUR patience is running out"..again a generalization based, presumably, on race...He may just as well have stated 'Our kind don't like your kind'.
Simple minded yet vaguely belligerent.
The writer seems more interested in mocking an entire race than making a real point. Weaknesses that plague the Native population have much to do with the historical state of severe intolerance that was practiced and enforced by law for many years. I know people here (not friends mind you) who are quite racist and who would likely never hire a Native person, no matter what their qualifications. Both Native and white people have to heal from the horrible practices of the not too distant past. And they were horrible. It's not something that is made up. Neither is the Holocaust buddie.
The healing is not complete in this writer, and he doesn't realize that he too needs to heal himself. He still regards all Native people; the women, men, teens, children, construction workers, lawyers, teachers and business men, athletes, University students, social workers and Fire keepers for the Olympic torch included, are all ONE WHINY CHILD.
That is absolutely racist. Just like it would be if I said all white guys are sexist pigs. It might SEEM that way to me sometimes, but it isn't true. So I don't say it. I just wish it didn't seem true.
I'm surprised the newspaper would print something that would fit well in a white power pamphlet.
The local band runs their band as a business and are pioneers in doing so. I'm surprised this is not seen as joining in the make a better future.
His racism is probably a compensation for being an inferior fellow..He should try to grow beyond his negative conditioning and try to help make the world a better place.
menthelius says...
Reading the comments always amuses me, how some people just naturally ass-ume that other people have no idea about what a hard life consists of. I grew up in a poor family, but my parents always drilled into us kids that education was our liberation from the poor masses, that hard work and strong ethics were the lynchpin of a successful life. I'm a tradesman now, thanks to education and hard work, not by holding out an open hand and whining about how unfair life is! For all of the "whiners" out there, GROW UP! Nobody ever said life was fair, if they did they were lying! What LIFE is, is what you make of it. It's not society's fault that you failed in life, that's the way it goes sometimes, we don't always make the best decisions in life either, but again sometimes s**t happens! Get out there and make your life a better place, don't whine and complain about how people aren't giving you enough! Just another thought.
Billy The Three Toed Tree Sloth says...
I knew it wouldn't take long for that other shoe to drop. One can only be a whinihg redneck racist if you are a white,christian, heterosexual male. No others need apply. Canadian Natives are probably the only people in the history of the world that ever got a raw and unfair deal and there are plenty of trendy, white, politically correct, liberal elitists to tell us so.
Billy The Three Toed Tree Sloth says...
THUD,and there's that other shoe. The only legal target in a politically correct Canada is a white,heterosexual, Christian male. All others are off limits. If it was the aforementioned standing up for their rights,it would be called whining, right? I guess in the history of the World,Canadian Natives are the only people who have ever gotten a raw deal somewhere down the line. Whoops, now I'll be labeled as a redneck racist by the trendy white left. Woe is me.
JM7 says...
I think it is pretty ignorant and racist to label an entire race of people as "spoiled children, blaming the past, and biting the hand that feeds them".
Yes, a lot of the oppression happened in the past and you likely aren't responsible for it. However, if you segregate a race of people into reserves and discriminate against them for generations, its likely the generations that follow will feel the after shock for time to come. So perhaps some of the First Nations people today are in their social-economic position because of the position their parents, and their grandparents, and their great grandparents were in. If you came from a poor uneducated family I am sure you would find yourself statistically turning out worse than the average in life.
Also the past everyone speaks of is not so distant. First nations people didn't get the right to vote until 1960 and the government didn’t amend the Indian Act to remove the discriminatory provisions until 1985. I don't know about you but I was alive in 1985.
There are many hard working successful first nation people in this province. I think the historic Kamloops Senator first Native Senator of Canada, Len Marchand, would be quite upset with what you have written here today. But I’m pretty sure he has accomplished more than you ever will in life.
So think twice before labeling a whole race of people based on your very few life experiences. That is what we call ignorant and racist. And before your call First Nations spoiled id like to ask you, if they are so spoiled, would you like trade places with them? If you want Canada to work together then stop writing letters like this one. You are more destructive to our future than anyone.
P.S. Did I mention I am a white male? Should I even have to?
Ross says...
Since when is standing up for your rights and demanding fairness ever whining or lazy?
Unless your a racist redneck.
JM7 says...
I think it is pretty ignorant and racist to label an entire race of people as "spoiled children, blaming the past, and biting the hand that feeds them".
Yes, a lot of the opression happened in the past and you likely aren't responsible for it. However, if you segregate a race of people into reserves and discriminate against them for generations, its likely the generations that follow will feel the after shock for time to come.So perhaps some of the First Nations people today are in their social-economic position because of the position their parents, and their grandparents, and their great grandparents were in. If you came from a poor uneducated family I am sure you would find yourself statistically turning out worse than the average in life. So I
menthelius says...
Kudos! While natives should be justly proud of their heritage, that heritage did not involve sitting on their butts whining about the evils of white men. European settlers to this land brought many improvements to the natives' lives, as well as, increased lifespans, lowered death rates, increased child survivability during birth, etc, etal. The natives have had their lives and lifestyles vastly improved, yet all I ever hear is the whining about the evils white men do! I grew up around natives, ate at their homes, played with their kids (my friends), and while some are decent people who accept me for who I am, others are racist and bigoted because I'm white. I even had a native man blame me personally for the residential schools' abuses, of course I was not alive when it happened, but why let facts stand in the way of a good hate on, eh?
Billy The Three Toed Tree Sloth says...
Wait, I hear another shoe dropping.
Grouchy says...
Great letter J.G. I think you speak for many Canadians.
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Again, off topic. It's interesting that a simple letter can ignite so much angst. Obviously a lot off unearthed "stuff". thinkly, you are obviously entitled to your opinion and make some good points, however you appear to be stereo-typing and making some generalizations that weaken your argument. You don't KNOW who has "unearned privilege" (in fact to some, that may be downright insulting as there are MANY people - men and women who have busted their butts to get what they have). You can only speculate what would have been or could have been with what-ifs. You're critiquing the original letter as being racist because he used the term "all". If you seriously believe he literally meant every single native person, then it's not really worth debating because you don't seem to want to even consider the argument that J.G. is simply tired of hearing the "us against them" crap that we read in the news. You totally ignore the comment of all working together for a better Canada. "Take a look at what you do have" is often good advice. Looking at what could be instead of what isn't, gets you out of the victim point of view. "If you always see yourself as a victim, you will always be a victim."
Posted on February 7, 2010 @ 11:21 am PST | Report post to Editor | 3224160