“…injustice is met with silence. The unacceptable is accepted.”*
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who will stand with First Nations peoples.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who will march with First Nations peoples.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who cheer on the leaders of the First Nations peoples as they speak to us of asserting their rights to full and effective enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who nod and applaud as the leaders of the First Nations peoples talk about both collective and individual rights for First Nations peoples, – including the right to self determination, without hindrance or adverse discrimination, as recognized in international law and in section 35 of Canada’s own Constitution Act, 1982.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who weep when we are reminded of the suffering that First Nations people have endured and continue to endure because of the intentional cruel and barbarous policies of our governments.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who sing with the First Nations peoples as they sing of reclaiming their lives and their lands according to the treaties that my ancestors made with their ancestors. Treaties that have never been honoured.
On June 29th, I will be among the people of this country who will have made new friends by day’s end with many good hearted people from many different races and nations.
And then, we will go home.
And I wonder if anything will change.
It is not enough to just show up for one day to stand, march, cheer, nod, applaud, weep, sing and make some friends. It is good and it is important. But it is not enough.
We cannot return then to our homes and be silent! We must at every opportunity, at ever turn demand and work for change alongside the First Nations peoples of this land. They are taking the lead, and we must as good and moral people support them.
On June 29th, I believe that we will hear ways for us to do that. We will hear the plans that First Nations people have for moving forward with their lives, even as we continue to live on their lands. I say this with confidence, because they have been telling us these things from the day my ancestors arrived on these shores.
I am listening, and I am prepared to support the actions of the First Nations peoples according to how they want us to support them. I will act and not stay silent – on June 29th, — before that day, — and for as many days and years after as it takes!
What about You? What about you good people?
We must no longer meet injustice with silence. We must no longer accept the unacceptable!
*The quote about silence and the unacceptable is part of a statement issued by The Assembly of First Nations at Gatineau Quebec on May 23, 2007. For the full text see http://www.afn.ca/nda/callonall.htm
Janette Watt is a proud-brazen-instigator, a value-driven political thinker, a social critic and an aspiring dissident writer. Her writing and her presentations are informed by her life experiences as an activist lawyer, an activist educator and active member of the human race. She is the owner/president of Watt Communications. Read other posts by Janette Watt.
