WE MATTER

WE Matter 

September 9, 2016

Reading books and learning my own history I’ve always known we (Native Americans) were at the bottom of the minority totem pole (no pun intended). We almost have to insert ourselves in every aspect in today’s society, and I catch myself doing it in classes, presentations, and other public settings when the speaker addresses the audience. I know they don’t do it intentionally but they’ll mention blacks, and Mexicans and sometimes act as if they’re the only two minorities when in fact those same statistics or information is roughly the same or worse for Natives. I guess that makes me angry in the sense that, that’s why we’re left from the media when if comes to pressing issues, and even when we are given coverage, it's biased.

Just this past weekend in North Dakota, a day after tribal lawyers and other people of importance filed motions declaring some parts of the pipeline sacred by the tribe, the oil company went in and destroyed these sites. Just bulldozed these sites as if someone’s ancestors weren’t laid to rest there. These sites are gone forever and it’s ridiculous that I have to see memes online comparing it to the Arlington cemetery for some because that’s how we put things into comparison these days. Some are outraged and others are showing true colors and making snide stereotypical comments to kick us while we’re down. We could lash out, but that will only make us look as bad as these people make us to be. We're a prayerful and knowledgable people who are one with Mother Earth and Father Sky.  I’ve had to urge some of my relatives to remain peaceful, and resort to prayer because I do have relatives located at camp in North Dakota. In the end, through prayer and unity and support from others that have come to our aid, we will come back because we are what our ancestors prayed for. The revolution has begun…