Believe What You Like But Know What You Must

People are free to be consumed with contemplating their existence, their origins, the origins of the universe, supreme beings, controllers of destiny or anything else. But solving "the Great Mystery" is neither a requirement of being Ohnkwe Ohnwe nor does it provide a path to righteousness. I maintain that spirituality does not require faith or the leaps that faith requires but rather awareness. If it helps to believe that "God has a plan" and we just must have faith that "He" knows what "He" is doing, then walk that path. My interest is in taking the mystery out of life by pointing to the obvious that is ignored everyday in the midst of fanatical ideology and the sometimes not too subtle influences of promoting beliefs over knowledge. I have said it before: “beliefs are what you are told, knowledge is what you experience”. I support a culture that prepares us to receive knowledge and to live a life with purpose. I am certainly not suggesting there is only one way to do that.

"Let's Talk Native..." on the LTN Radio Network

"Let's Talk Native..." on the LTN Radio Network
Click the LTN Banner above for a link to the "Let's Talk Native…" feed on Unity Stream
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

Donate to "Let's Talk Native"

Friday, June 12, 2009

OPP Brutally Attacks Peaceful Bocakade in Tyendinaga


Map showing location of Deseronto also known as Tyendinaga


Mohawk Blood


The OPP Tries to Wash Away Their Handywork






6:30 AM, June 12, 2009 In an early morning raid of the Mohawk blockade of the Skyway Bridge in Tyendinaga, swarms of OPP officers attacked and brutally assaulted demonstrators. The blockade was undertaken for a couple of reasons. One was to show of support to the Mohawk People of Akwesasne who are currently the victims of blockades by the US and Canada, having the access limited or denied completely to the portion of their community located on what is known as Cornwall Island. Another hope was to use this show of solidarity to encourage Canadian officials to engage the Mohawks of Akwesasne in meaningful dialogue to address the community's opposition to armed border guards being permanently located within the Mohawk community.

Early reports of injuries include broken bones and massive head and face trauma. Current reports indicate that 13 individuals were arrested and charged with "mischief". 3 individual were taken to the hospital, one of which was released back into police custody. 2 remain hospitalized.
Clearly the assaults were intended to be the deterrent against this type of peaceful protest rather than the charge of mischief. As long it is the police that dole out the punishment, the Canadian courts can make its claim to administer fairness and justice to Naitve People.

Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families.

9 comments:

Simon L'nu said...

How could the OPP do this?! This is insane. It was a totally peaceful protest. This is disgusting.

Anonymous said...

That's the man for you

Anonymous said...

law enforcement ... guns, clubs and tasers given to ignorant goons to prop-up political agendas. why aren't our people able to smash some police skull too? i'd love to read a news item stating: police storm peaceful protest and leave with a dozen officers in hospital with severe cerebral damage. i'd also like to see and hear from any one of our wanna-be new "national" chiefs - shawn atleo, john beaucage and the rest offer some direct HELP with this violence against our people as well as hear from patrick brazeau, newly appointed senator, as well as all our other national agencies representing our people. if i was there this morning at least one headline would've read ... peaceful protester defends himself and community: officer in critical condition.

Anonymous said...

These OPP Officers should be charged with attemted murder/manslaughter. That would be charges if it was the other way around. SUCH INJUSTICE & UNFAIRNESS, it will never F*CKEN END!!

Anonymous said...

Hannah Arendt, a German-Jewish political theorist, determined that the use of violence and force were signs of weakness. A truly powerful people would not have to resort or stoop to such needs. Our use of civil disobedience cuts at the core necessity of an opressive state; the need for obedience. We don't have to stand together to fight, only to resist, only to stop obeying the oppressors. Those among us that insist on preaching the rightness of US and Canadian law are only serving those that would do us harm and seek to eliminate us as a distinct people. Not one shot needs to be fired, not one punch thrown. In '97, it wasn't so much the violent confrontations as much as it was the potential for conflict that turned things in our favor.

The next road or bridge or train that is disrupted should not lead to injuries, to us or them. I hope the next time, our people dispurse only to reassemble later or in a different location. They are weak. They need the violence. Our strength is that we are home. We can kiss our kids, grab a bite, catch some Z's and come back to disobey some more. It costs us nothing and them millions.

So I say go ahead block the hi-way and when their fifty cruisers show up, go home and take a nap. We'll see you later at the next one.

john_van_v said...

Sadistic cops!

John Kane said...

"Whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they are rightfully troubled. I think it would be wrong for me to be silent"; Barack Obama, June 15, 2009.
No don't be silly, he wasn't talking about us. Of course he can be silent when Native People are getting the shit kicked out of them for peacefully demonstrating. The American and Canadian agenda is to preach democracy and human rights to incite resistance against oppressive regimes except when and where they are the oppressive regimes.

Windtalker said...

To me the opp were trespassing that was indian land also yes they should be charged with assualt also kidnapping for they say arrests i see kidnapping.It took me along time to ease my heart after that assualt,i even almost came out myself and still might to join the cause out there.it was unjust on their part a day or two later the Thunder beings showed Ontario their displeasure also many things have been happening here in Canada our ancestors are greatly displeased with how the Canadian and American governments are treating us.Both countries have been being punished for the insolence like hundreds of thunder storms,drought,flooding, earthquakes the list goes on and on.No our powerful ancestors are pissed for this mistreatment and both governments have much to make up for.I look forward to seeing what they do,for as long as they stay insolent towards us nothing but bad luck and calamities will strike both countries.I pray they heed.PEACE AND POWER!!

Billy Douthwright said...

It might seem this comment is adding to the discussion about this incident rather after the fact! I'm actually responding now that I've heard that the Tyendinaga protesters were given sentences in an Ontario (Province of Canada that is) court & what I want to say about this & THIS IS INTENDED TO BE HEARD BY SEAN BRANT IF HE CAN HEAR/SEE?!- that this does sort of- or more than sort of- confirm to me that he-Sean Brant & his fellow protesters really do not know their rights. Maybe I'll be overstating this though I don't think so & even if then it should be taken as to promote/provoke thought about our natural rights... Basically while I 'feel' supportive of Sean Brant's motives and expressions of discontent that are completely appreciated, it really does bother me - a lot - that they are as unaware of their rights & who they are as Mohawks, that they would even consider even listening to the protestations of OPP officers or any kind of 'Canadian law enforcement', who have absolutely no business even speaking to us about 'Canadian law, and etc.'( This isn't to say on my personal part that I'm not at all interested in 'Canada'~ I might be, but I also might not be) the point is that all Mohawks are the sovereigns of this territory & that's all there is to it... yes there exists the two-row= fine, it exists & for a purpose though whatever it is all about in its entirety it does not lessen our sovereignty one iota, and my point, as much as I support Mohawk protesters, is that I do want to also see them understanding their rights more fully and thereby following through fully if & how they choose to stage peaceful protests.
Another aspect to this, that I see as being a more fundamental problem and causation, having to do with the nation, that is perhaps my real reason for commenting on this particular incident now, is --how to say this as gently as I can? I guess I'll leave aside any accompanying adjectives I could add to the word appalled--, but I am appalled (at least!) that the Mohawk nation apparently does not have its own act together in having NOT taught these rights to the generations currently living. We should all have knowledge of what course of action we each can take as individuals to protect our rights & have our rights protected by our nations' lawful institutions... what should have happened is that the Tyendinaga protesters staged their protest with the full knowledge of their right to do so & they should have had the backing of NOT A TYENDINAGA MOHAWK COUNCIL OF SOME KIND OR ANOTHER but the support of the Mohawk Nation, which I have to guess may include venerated Hoyane & Clan Mothers amongst the Tyendinaga community (But I don't know that so I can only conjecture the possibility), and, with this support the protest would have been clearly & properly sanctioned & no-one would have ever dared to draw the protesters' blood (I have to say I'm actually in disbelief that that could have happened)-(but if it did?..), and with reports that the 'OPP' acted violently then they would have been rounded up by the Mohawk nation and tried accordingly... You know, really, do you know that the Mohawk nation is a sovereign nation? I do wonder if you do know when things like this can occur!