The Committee's subpoena to Donald Trump to testify resulted in the 45th President failing to comply and suing the Committee.
Former integrity chief Jack Smith, has been appointed by the Attorney General as a special counsel to "oversee the Justice Department's criminal investigations involving Donald Trump" as NPR describes HERE
QUESTION: Will the Committee's final report rightfully include findings about all involved in the January 6th seditious activities in addition to those of former President Donald J. Trump -- the Congresspersons, Government law enforcement departments including FBI, Secret Service, other organizations, any religious entities, possibly any corporate and private financial backers?
UP WHERE WE BELONGsung by Buffy Sainte-Marie
This is the composer's version of the song which is best known from the movie, "An Officer and a Gentleman" sung by Joe Cocker. "Buffy won an Oscar for this song with Jack Nitzsche and Will Jennings."
PERSPECTIVE
How we view life's experiences is all a matter of perspective. Buffy Sainte-Marie, now 81 years old, recalled in her youth being taught in school that in 1492 Columbus discovered America, but as an indigenous native Canadian American Cree Indian she knew that wasn't true. She said, in 1492 we Indians in America discovered Columbus.
Buffy expressed a variety of thoughts in her music's lyrics through the years including some about current events as others like Bob Dylan did. Elvis Presley and other singers performed and recorded her songs. Her career progressed until unbeknown to her the U.S. government began black-listing her, suppressed her music recordings she discovered years later in her FBI files. Not realizing her activism had become of concern, she thought her popularity has just waned.
Other credits Buffy has acquired included repeated appearances on Sesame Street introducing that young community to indigenous people. The story-line with her husband continued through her pregnancy, subsequent natural breast-feeding of her new-born baby.
Thanksgiving's celebration fostered my remembrances of what I was taught about the holiday in school. We focused on the Pilgrims and the Indians forging a friendship by sharing a meal.
Were some of you in later generations taught more facts about the Pilgrims and Indians relationship?
I have long since learned there is much more to the story of the Native American Indians, the indigenous people of our nation, from whom the Pilgrims began taking their land with and without their agreement.
The American Indian perspective on the Thanksgiving myth can be viewed on PBS.org HERE
"Wampanoag historian Linda Coombs and Narragansett Knowledge Keeper Cassius Spears speak with filmmaker Yvonne Russo about the experiences of Native populations at the time of European settlers' arrival in New England 400 years ago, and what is actually known about the first Thanksgiving."
The arriving pilgrims encountered the aftermath of a plague thought to have been brought to them a short time earlier by fishermen. Thousands of Indians died in this fast moving disease that decimated their villages of their health care providers and even those who bury the dead. Seeing this devastation a pilgrim leader reported God had cleared the land for them revealing an insensitive, even heinous view -- lacking in compassion for other human beings to say the least by this Christian likely intolerant of others different spiritual views.
Centuries later I recall attending the reading of a new book by author Dee Brown when we lived in Arizona. "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" proved to be a novel describing how the American west was won. Heart-breaking descriptions reveal the "...systematic destruction of American Indian tribes in the late nineteenth century" as Good Reads reviews HERE
Native American Cultural Heritage Month is currently being celebrated on PBS. A number of programs are being aired about life on the reservations today you may find of interest.
Indian reservation life can still leave much to be desired for many residents lacking basic utilities taken for granted elsewhere. Agreements between the Indians and the U.S. Government also can continue to present challenges resolving.
Now may be a reckoning time as our nation's people need to relinquish the colorful notions and stories told about our history. The reality of our indigenous people, also of those held in slavery often has been romanticized and is long overdue for truthful descriptions.
We might also want to take special care to tolerate, especially in leadership positions and news disseminators, only those committed to speaking, writing truth.
"In 1492 we Indians in America discovered Columbus." Indeed. It's good that more attention is being paid to Native American Indians and their culture. History lessons at my schools were very much centred on white history with very little mention of any black history. I gather that's now changing.
Native American Indians in the U.S. have long been over-looked in our nation. I hope that is changing. Their spiritual values of being caretakers of this earth and creatures on it have never been more important than now.
I too was taught the standard version of Thanksgiving and thought it the start of a wonderful friendship. Later when I learned we bought Manhattan for a handful of beads and how we forced the American Indians off their lands across the nation-- I became a supporter of the Indian and was ashamed of the white man. Since then the atrocities we have learned were directed at the Native Americans has saddened me.
It is a joy to hear Buffy Sainte-Marie's voice and see her at 81 years old on that PBS special. Her spirit shines! There is a wonderful book about her called Buffy Sainte-Marie: It's My Way. I recommend it.
I'm happy to say that when I taught 1st graders, I would not have my children dress as Native Americans. I did explain to them the fuller story in an appropriate way. As for Columbus, I told them about Native Americans already living there and that Columbus was actually looking for a route to the Indies to find riches. I explained too that when Europeans came to the Americas they brought diseases that were harmful to those already living there. The kids understood and parents did not complain. I didn't have to be graphic about what happened. I just didn't lie to them. As a matter of fact, my son had given me a book called Lies My Teacher Told Me. I tried not to be that kind of teacher.
That's good to know that you taught them in age appropriate truth as it should be. I know not all schools did that even not too many years ago -- persisting in having children dressed to represent Indians, others as Pilgrims. I don't know what our schools here do now.
Others have reported learning of files developed on them when there was concern about the effect of their activism when J. Edgar Hoover headed the FBI.
Much of the history I was taught was the sanitized, white Eurocentric version. It was only when I got to college that I learned there was More To The Story, so to speak. And when I began teaching and sitting on textbook choice committees and curriculum-writing committees, I learned much, much more about why certain things are and are not taught in schools or included in textbooks. Those committees really opened my eyes.
No doubt there are numerous reasons why choices are made about what to teach at each school district. Years ago I recall being told that because of its size, Texas greatly influenced what text books were published from which the rest of the country had to choose. Rob Alex Fitt wrote this perspective in a Washington Post Oct. 2020 article: "For publishers, it was not economically viable to write one book to appease campaigners in Texas and a different version to sell elsewhere. The result:students across the country got books that told U.S. history from the perspective of a small group of White, God-fearing, conservative Texans. Over 20 years, textbook activists shifted the meaning of “patriotic history” from a postwar liberal consensus to a right-wing, colorblind, heteronormative, nationalist retelling of the American story — one that persists today." Here's the link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/10/19/conservative-activists-texas-have-shaped-history-all-american-children-learn/
White Americans have treated non-white Americans horribly for our entire history. I am not sure how we get past it, but acknowledging it and teaching it in our schools is certainly a necessary first step.
On an upbeat note I find that more and more people here when speaking publicly, acknowledge the land they are on belongs to the indigenous people (called First Nations people here) and naming the tribes and the original place name. If nothing else, it brings a constant awareness that we STOLE their land. XO WWW
One wonders whether those who suppressed the indigenous people were capable of distinguishing between what they were doing and what others were doing to the buffalo. Rather like shooting fish in a barrel in both instances.
Buffy Sainte Marie was popular when we lived in the USA (Mid to late sixties.) but not among Pittsburghers. Nothing specific, just raised eyebrows and a bit of nod-nod, wink-wink. Other than speculating on whether Buffy was an abbreviation and, if so, of what first name I contrived never to have heard her sing. Now I have. Some resemblance to Joni Mitchell, other than the range, of course.
Perhaps a difference between the indigenous people and others centers on those who killed only those buffalo needed for food, hide for warmth as opposed to those who killed for sport, commercial purposes with no consideration for preserving their species as diminishing numbers reveal.
"In 1492 we Indians in America discovered Columbus." Indeed. It's good that more attention is being paid to Native American Indians and their culture. History lessons at my schools were very much centred on white history with very little mention of any black history. I gather that's now changing.
ReplyDeleteNative American Indians in the U.S. have long been over-looked in our nation. I hope that is changing. Their spiritual values of being caretakers of this earth and creatures on it have never been more important than now.
DeleteI too was taught the standard version of Thanksgiving and thought it the start of a wonderful friendship. Later when I learned we bought Manhattan for a handful of beads and how we forced the American Indians off their lands across the nation-- I became a supporter of the Indian and was ashamed of the white man. Since then the atrocities we have learned were directed at the Native Americans has saddened me.
ReplyDeleteNative Americans have certainly been treated poorly.
DeleteIt is a joy to hear Buffy Sainte-Marie's voice and see her at 81 years old on that PBS special. Her spirit shines! There is a wonderful book about her called Buffy Sainte-Marie: It's My Way. I recommend it.
ReplyDeleteThe PBS special I viewed, too, is what reminded me of her.
DeleteInteresting background on Buffy Sainte-Marie. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it.
DeleteI'm happy to say that when I taught 1st graders, I would not have my children dress as Native Americans. I did explain to them the fuller story in an appropriate way. As for Columbus, I told them about Native Americans already living there and that Columbus was actually looking for a route to the Indies to find riches. I explained too that when Europeans came to the Americas they brought diseases that were harmful to those already living there. The kids understood and parents did not complain. I didn't have to be graphic about what happened. I just didn't lie to them. As a matter of fact, my son had given me a book called Lies My Teacher Told Me. I tried not to be that kind of teacher.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know that you taught them in age appropriate truth as it should be. I know not all schools did that even not too many years ago -- persisting in having children dressed to represent Indians, others as Pilgrims. I don't know what our schools here do now.
DeleteI didn't know that the government had repressed Buffy St. Maire by black-listing her. That's terrible!
ReplyDeleteOthers have reported learning of files developed on them when there was concern about the effect of their activism when J. Edgar Hoover headed the FBI.
DeleteMuch of the history I was taught was the sanitized, white Eurocentric version. It was only when I got to college that I learned there was More To The Story, so to speak. And when I began teaching and sitting on textbook choice committees and curriculum-writing committees, I learned much, much more about why certain things are and are not taught in schools or included in textbooks. Those committees really opened my eyes.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt there are numerous reasons why choices are made about what to teach at each school district. Years ago I recall being told that because of its size, Texas greatly influenced what text books were published from which the rest of the country had to choose. Rob Alex Fitt wrote this perspective in a Washington Post Oct. 2020 article: "For publishers, it was not economically viable to write one book to appease campaigners in Texas and a different version to sell elsewhere. The result:students across the country got books that told U.S. history from the perspective of a small group of White, God-fearing, conservative Texans. Over 20 years, textbook activists shifted the meaning of “patriotic history” from a postwar liberal consensus to a right-wing, colorblind, heteronormative, nationalist retelling of the American story — one that persists today." Here's the link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/10/19/conservative-activists-texas-have-shaped-history-all-american-children-learn/
DeleteWhite Americans have treated non-white Americans horribly for our entire history. I am not sure how we get past it, but acknowledging it and teaching it in our schools is certainly a necessary first step.
ReplyDeleteTeaching the truth is certainly a beginning as you say.
DeleteOn an upbeat note I find that more and more people here when speaking publicly, acknowledge the land they are on belongs to the indigenous people (called First Nations people here) and naming the tribes and the original place name. If nothing else, it brings a constant awareness that we STOLE their land.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
That is encouraging that such awareness exists.
DeleteOne wonders whether those who suppressed the indigenous people were capable of distinguishing between what they were doing and what others were doing to the buffalo. Rather like shooting fish in a barrel in both instances.
ReplyDeleteBuffy Sainte Marie was popular when we lived in the USA (Mid to late sixties.) but not among Pittsburghers. Nothing specific, just raised eyebrows and a bit of nod-nod, wink-wink. Other than speculating on whether Buffy was an abbreviation and, if so, of what first name I contrived never to have heard her sing. Now I have. Some resemblance to Joni Mitchell, other than the range, of course.
Perhaps a difference between the indigenous people and others centers on those who killed only those buffalo needed for food, hide for warmth as opposed to those who killed for sport, commercial purposes with no consideration for preserving their species as diminishing numbers reveal.
Delete