WUN FEATHER -- Rather than spend my entire life carrying the burden of racial feelings towards others, I put my best foot forward, and I insist that All Canadian Lives matter equally
They say that the older you get, the more you discover about yourself.
Well, my friends this could be a deal breaker for many of you who think
I am a straight-shooting guy. I think that I am actually a racist.
Yep ... I know that it comes as a surprise to me too!
I have never felt this way before, but as more and more of the virtue
signaling people tell me that I am wrong when I say #AllLivesMatter, the truth
comes out.
Here it goes, for what it is worth.
I am a status Indian from right here in Canada. I have an Indian
Status card, have a brother who is an Indian Chief, and I belong to an Indian
Reserve in BC.
My mum was one of the worst abused Indian children who attended St Mary’s
Residential School in Mission BC. I myself, went to three different Indian Day
schools. This is all documented, and can be verified.
Not only have I personally had to endure discrimination and so have many
of my family members. In addition to all of that, I have a minimum of five
relatives who are amongst the Missing or murdered Indigenous Women.
So, when someone says to me that Black Lives Matter -- more than my life
-- or my families lives right here in Canada -- that's when the sad truth comes
out. I do my very best to keep these feelings to myself.
Rather than spend my entire life carrying the burden of racial feelings
towards others, I put my best foot forward (Or I think I am putting my best
foot forward, anyway?), and I insist that All Canadian Lives matter equally.
Sorry about this, but I need someone to explain to me why Black Lives
Matter more to them than the lives of my people. You know ... the ones who were
here for thousands of years on this continent before everyone else came over on
those big boats.
Don't get me wrong. Even though my people have been through pure Hell,
and they are still struggling today due to the injustices dealt them in the
past, I personally, do not go around blaming anyone who is alive today. OK,
well maybe one or two of our politicians could get a smack on the side of the
head, but no.
I refuse to discriminate against any race, religion or gender because my
ancestors were dealt a bad blow, and the aftermath has its grip on my people to
this day. I totally support any movement that deals with injustice or brutality
to ANY Race, Religion or Gender.
And if it means that I am a Racist when I say All Lives Matter, then at least I came forward and let you all know it. There go any aspirations that I have towards a political career, when I decide to retire.
This is the kind of skeleton I don't need hiding in my closet, but it is there for all of you to see.
I respect all Canadians equally, even though some of us have been through some pretty bad experiences.
You don't need to come forward like I did. It isn't an easy thing to do.
About Wun Feather ... I am one of the last of my
generation to have actually attended residential and Indian day schools. I have
lived on and off reserve, and have seen the benefits and the hardships of my
people in both situations.
My
parents taught me that any time I fell down physically, or emotionally, I just
needed to pick myself up, shake myself off, and continue in a forward
direction. So, I cannot claim that I did it on my own; I had great Elders.
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