Connecting Singles^® Forums100% Free Online Dating

What mainstream media has so miserably failed at, is learning what the true motivations are behind the culture of a Nation. The land is not something to be "owned." The land is cared for, nurtured and protected at all cost because it is the very connection we have to all the history, culture and ancestors who have walked this land before us. What we have always known is that we cannot abuse the very land that sustains us. The "colonial" attitudes are the very behaviors moving us all, globally, towards mass extinction. When there is no safe water to drink, no clean air or food available, it will be too late to decide that we cannot survive by eating money.

Had ANY of the mainstream media acted upon invitations to actually meet the leaders of Six Nations and have honest dialogue? We may not be at the current state of affairs that we see now.

As to the article in your paper covering the events at Tyendinaga, I would like to respond to a few inaccurate statements:

"two officers were assaulted near Deseronto, Ont."
The journalists failed to report on the assaults upon the Native people that led up to the confrontations with these officers. I spoke to those members who were present at the events leading up to this confrontation and they assured me, that no one in the media asked for THEIR side of the story.

"there were reports that police saw one of the demonstrators pointing a long gun at them."
My, how "colonial" is that comment? Please, the members at this protest site are very aware that having ANY weaponry in their place of occupation will lead to violent conflict. There are Elders, women and children present and no one wishes for escalation to violent behaviors. The people of Six Nations just want someone in the leadership of this country to honor their words, treaties and legally binding agreements between sovereign nations.

"Sgt. Rae said heavy police presence was expected in the area through the night."

Yes indeed, a very heavily ARMED presence that had mistakenly laid their gun sites on unarmed protesters. Have you spoken to those members inside that circle of gun sights? I saw only one comment from a Native member who stated that they had been in the gun sites all day. Was that the deepest communication that could have been made with this Six Nations man? Or was it simply, one of those occasions where a journalist shoved a microphone in front of his face for less than 30 seconds?

As to some of the public comments section, which I realize, you have no control over:

"Illegal protests should not be tolerated, if a non-native pointed a gun at a police officer the SWAT team would be there in no time at all- it's time to enforce the law in Native communities in the same way that it is for the rest of us."
Protests and free speech are part of your colonial-commandments, are they not? Why are these made available to non-Natives but not to those who dwell among your ranks and are under the protections of the Queen as sovereign Nations?

(Cont'd)....

"Integrate the Natives as regular Citizens of Canada now!"

Here is where I will end this missive to you, and I can only hope that perhaps my words will fall upon an open mind today.... The Indigenous people world wide have been the FIRST PEOPLES of their lands and dwelled there long before the dominating effects of the outside world over powered them. Their way of life was intimately connected to the land they dwelled upon. Their languages, spirituality, survival mechanisms and cultural diversity were intact for centuries prior to European contact. The statement above is the glaring proof of my earlier comment to you.....

The dominant society continues to dwell within their "colonial, civilized vs. savages" mentality and they are perpetuating the myths and stereotypes about WHO we are based on history books written by non-Native people. The land is cared for, nurtured and protected at all cost because it is the very connection we have to all the history, culture and ancestors who have walked this land before us. What we have always known is that we cannot abuse the very land that sustains us. The "colonial" attitudes are the very behaviors moving us all, globally, toward mass extinction. When there is no safe water to drink, no clean air or food available, it will be too late to decide that we cannot survive by eating money.


Sincerely,
Shelley Bluejay Pierce
International Journalist- Indigenous Issues
bluejay@3riversdbs.net
Bozeman, Montana, USA




A very good opinion....

Yes that's true...If you look at the issue of his arrest and also the so called proof they used to convict him...then no justice was not done but abused....and yes the "ignorant indian" theory is correct...and that may have been the case in the past when natives weren't even allowed by law to attend university, however they are slowly learning that this generation is not so ignorant and is taking them to task and using their own laws to do it......

This , as the one in Quebec sounds like more potential "Wounded Knee" type situations in the making; makes me wonder which force is worse or rather, better at setting off a bloody confrontation, the FBI or the OPP, having seen both in action against aboriginal peoples. They both have a lot in common in how they deal with native peoples.
Best wishes to you and your people!

Thanx Solitaire...It sounds to me as if they are both of the same caliber when it comes to heavy handedness lies and cover-ups...Right now Police Commissioner Julian Fantino is going around to other roadblocks and such trying to lie to them etc and say that the things they are hearing aren't true that nobody had guns pointed at them etc...there are currently 100 other Mohawks blocking off a highway up past Toronto near Brantford until the O.P.P. get their men away from the quarry. What Fantino doesn't know is that his lies won't work because they are in direct contact by phone with the people at the quarry so they know everything that has and continues to go on first hand!!!!!!!!!

What he also doesnt know is that they have pictures of the riot squad pointing guns at even women and children......

The latest update and more lies by the Police Commissioner Julian Fantino.....


This is a road blockade near Brantford Ontario in support of the protesters at Tyendinaga.....



Native protesters still blocking Highway 6 bypass

Ted Brellisford, The Hamilton Spectator


Six Nations protesters are continuing to block the Highway 6 bypass today after police backed off an attempt to clear the road last night.

The road is now barricaded with a downed hydro tower, wires and a telephone pole. The blockade has escalated since it was erected on Friday in support of Tyendinaga protesters near Deseronto, Ont.

Native spokesperson Hazel Hill said there has been no new communication between the OPP and natives in Tyendinaga. The protesters have demanded that police retract statements that the natives were armed.

“If the OPP would back off from the people in Tyendinaga and allow them to freely leave on this own, this would have been over,” she said of the Caledonia protest. “This was only a demonstration of support.

The Ontario Provincial Police made an attempt to try to open the Highway Six bypass last night, only to back down because of concerns for officer and public safety.

The move prompted some tense moments at the Sixth Line bridge and underlying roadway. About 100 Six Nations protesters gathered around 7 p.m. at the two sites, ready to defend their blockade.

Although police vehicles came within about a kilometre of where protesters were, there was no confrontation between the two sides. After learning the OPP planned to reopen the road, about 30 protesters gathered on the bypass, some with faces covered.

“We’re staying here,” said Six Nations spokesperson Brian Skye. “The road is closed until the armed forces that are in Tyendinaga move away from the quarry. And that’s firm.”

OPP have blocked off either end of the Highway 6 bypass to traffic.

Shortly after OPP tried to reopen the road, Caledonia residents and natives ended up standing about 15 metres apart on Argyle Street South. Residents gathered in a nearby parking lot around 6 p.m. and made their way over to near the former Douglas Creek Estates. There were about 60 people on site at each side during their high points and the scene was relatively quiet, although it took more than an hour to disband.

OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino also held a press conference in Caledonia late last night to clear up what he says are misconceptions about what’s happening in Caledonia and at Tyendinaga.

Fantino said none of the Tyendinaga arrests, which started Friday with the arrest of well-known protestor Shawn Brant, had anything to do with land claims.

The Commissioner went on to say OPP had not trapped anybody in the quarry, nor pulled or aimed guns, among other things.

There had been reports the police had drawn guns on a group of people near the quarry.

The renewed problems have brought Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer to tears. Speaking after Fantino, the Mayor was visibly upset at the developments.

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” she said. “I don’t know who to ask.”

Trainer says despite going to meetings where everyone is cordial, nothing changes.

As of yesterday there was still no indication when the Highway 6 bypass would reopen.

Skye said the situation in Caledonia is dependent on what happens in Desoronto. A men’s meeting yesterday decided that protesters would continue to stay on the bypass.

The situation has angered some area residents, who are complaining police treat native and non-natives differently.

“If any of us blockaded a road they would come in full force,” said Bill, a Caledonia resident who did not want his last name used.


Check thespec.com for updates.

A letter I just did and posted to the press to Police Commissioner Julian Fantino:

I would like to address the myths that Police Commissioner Julian Fantino has perpetuated in the media since the arrest of Mr. Shaun Brant on Friday April 25, 2008 and the events that have transpired since regarding police action at the Mohawk protest in Deseronto:

An Open Letter to Police Commissioner Julian Fantino:

First of all Shawn Brant was not arrested during a routine traffic stop as explained by Fantino:

“Tensions boiled over in eastern Ontario near Deseronto, Ont. Friday, when one of the protesters of a land claim dispute near that community, Shawn Brant, was arrested during a traffic stop.”

Mr. Brant was arrested while giving an interview with APTN the Aboriginal People’s Television Network. This can be proven by watching their news footage on April 25, 2008 which shows Mr. Brant’s arrest and also verifies he was arrested while doing an interview with them.

Also there are no weapons on the site as reported by your men obviously when yours were drawn and pointed:

“Police say they saw a “long gun” being pointed at them from a location inside an occupied quarry, which protesters have controlled since March, 2007.”

“An order was issued to all police personnel on the scene to take cover, and guns were drawn by officers crouching behind their vehicles, but no shots were fired.”

‘The protesters said they had no weapons at the quarry.’

You also say that you are not trying to remove anyone from any land and that this has nothing to do with land claims, however, this comment shows that the protesters have indeed been ordered to leave the land they have been occupying now for close to a year.

‘Protester Jason Maracle said they will refuse all orders to leave what they consider to be Mohawk land.’

“The OPP asked protesters to leave the site or face arrest.”

Toronto Sun - April 26, 2008

“We're not moving anywhere,” he said. “They're going have to kill every God damn one of us to get us off our land. We're not moving. ... I guess if they want another 1990 scene, then OK, I guess we'll have one.”


Canadian Press
April 25, 2008 at 7:46 PM EDT

What’s the public Danger when all protesters are unarmed?

"In the interest of public safety, the officers established roadblocks to permit limited access to the area," Sgt. Rae said.”

Meanwhile, there were reports that police saw one of the demonstrators pointing a long gun at them. Sgt. Rae would not confirm this, but did say that officers were ordered at one point during the standoff to draw their weapons.”

Guess this confirms that the police actually did point their weapons now doesn’t it?

"We are staring down the ends of gun barrels," protester Jason Maracle said in an interview from the quarry. He said the protesters had no weapons with them - declining, for tactical reasons, to say how many demonstrators remained at the site.”

Globe and Mail - June 26


(Cont'd).....

Fantino, you and you alone have escalated this nobody else and as shown above you have ordered the protesters out of the quarry:

“OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino last night said the dispute is not a land-claims issue. "This violent criminal activity occurred outside of any legitimate protest and will not be tolerated," he said. "Police officers being assaulted and injured for doing their utmost to keep the peace and protect the law-abiding community is unacceptable.
"We're trying to keep this from escalating."

I’m sorry Fantino but it appears that you are following the same deadly blue-print of the Ipperwash protest which led to the shooting death of Dudley George, because as the final report released last June shows, this is exactly the way it started, right down to reports that the protesters were armed:

“Protesters inside a quarry protest site told the Sun last night they were "worried" a confrontation was imminent. "We are surrounded here," said protester Mike Brant. "They are sending the media away so we are worried they are going to take us all out."

He said they were concerned police were going to "come in the dark with guns" which would be unfair because "we are not doing anything. All we are doing is sitting here holding out land. There is nothing wrong with that."


The OPP said they were concerned when officers spotted a "long gun" pointed at them from within the quarry. Native protesters deny this.

Protesters have controlled the quarry since March 2007
“Several witnesses confirmed the OPP had up to 150 officers and 50 vehicles already on site in this town, 50 kms west of Kingston, near the Mohawk Territory.

Sun Media's Pete Fisher said he was told by police that "they couldn't guarantee my safety" and he reported that he had never seen a bigger native protest scene. A whole field was set ablaze.”


Toronto Sun - April 26, 2008


Yes you have also contended that no weapons were pointed at anyone, yet your own men and other witnesses above have said differently:

“The Commissioner went on to say OPP had not trapped anybody in the quarry, nor pulled or aimed guns, among other things.”

No Fantino your lies are inflaming the situation:

“I think it's inflaming what is already a very tenuous, very difficult situation, he said.”

The Hamilton Spectator - April 27, 2006


Now let me draw on the similarities of Ipperwash:

(All of this information can be verified in the Ipperwash final report released in June of 2007 Volume 1 at http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/inquiries/ipperwash/report/index.html)

1. Ipperwash: The ERT and True teams were both dispatched based on false unverified information that the protesters were armed…Reports were they were in possession of hunting rifles and semi-automatics weapons…they then considered these false weapons a threat to public safety: the final report verifies there were never any weapons found after the shooting of Dudley George either in the vicinity of the park or the parking lot.


Tyendinaga: 150 armed officers pointing their weapons after false reports of seeing someone point “long gun” at them….


(Cont'd).....

2. Ipperwash: Both sides fear a major event based on each others movements: O.P.P. dress to move what was escalated at one point to at least 15-20 men in a parking lot outside the Provincial Park….it was verified later by the final report that there was
only 6 men present in the parking lot and 25 protesters inside the park.

Tyendinaga: With approximately 20 protesters present, the O.P.P. deploys approximately 150 armed officers who indeed drew their weapons after a false report of a long gun being pointed at them.

3. Ipperwash: Both the True team and the ERT team consisting of 4 teams of O.P.P. officers “The criteria for calling in the True Team is a threat to life” They were also sure they had the men n the parking lot for committing mischief and also for weapons dangerous because they had been spotted with baseball bats.

Tyendinaga:. Officers arrest Shawn Brant during a supposed traffic stop and 150 armed officers are all of a sudden on the scene.


4. Ipperwash: “The O.P.P. should have communicated with the protesters that they should remain in the park and that the O.P.P. would not attempt to enter the park.” As I discuss in the following chapter the Aboriginal occupiers firmly believed that the O.P.P’s intention that night was to march into the park and arrest any protester who refused to leave the park”

Tyendinaga: The only communication to take place by the O.P.P. to date is to tell them to come out of the quarry or they will all be arrested and there has never been an assurance that they will not enter it.

As of 6:00 tonight there was no dialogue with the protesters so who is it with? If you wanted a peaceful resolution, you wouldn’t be there ordering them off their own land to begin with!

“The OPP is actively engaged in ongoing dialogue to bring the situation to a peaceful resolution in order to safely reopen the roadway to traffic as soon as possible.”

This block has everything to do with the quarry dispute.

“A large trench was dug across the highway overnight and a number of people remain present at the site of the road blockage. This road blockade is unrelated to the ongoing quarry dispute.”


O.P.P. Press release
April 27, 2008

5.Ipperwash: No involvement of the First Nations Police who could have helped diffuse the situation.

Tyendinaga:. Tyendinaga Mohawk Police were at the site of the quarry occupation until Chief of Police Larry Hay was suspended for calling the O.P.P, R.C.M.P and the Surte de Quebec police racist. After that Tyendinaga Police were taken off peace-keeping duty at the site and replaced by O.P.P.


(Cont'd).....

6. Ipperwash: O.P.P. press releases full of misinformation after the shooting of Dudley George and those statements were never retracted. According to O.P.P. press releases at the time Dudley George was present on a school bus that began firing at officers as it left the park. A weapon was spotted in Dudley Georges hands by an officer who open fired. In actual fact as proven by the final report: Two teenagers were driving the bas and Dudley George was no where near the bus, there were also reports by officers of actually seeing muzzle fir on the bus, but no weapons were ever found on the bus or anywhere else. It was actually proven by the bullet entry wound was outside and kneeling down at the time of his shooting and was unarmed. Officers maintained throughout their testimony etc that there was bullet fire in their direction and that was the reason they opened fired. As stated earlier when they area and the park were searched there was never one weapon found to verify their evidence which can be verified by the final report.

Tyendinaga: We have press conferences and mistruths being perpetuated by both Commissioner Fantino himself and other O.P.P officers in the media.

7. Ipperwash: It as shown that Racism was clearly present within the O.P.P organization when officers were found on tape to have made racial slurs via radio just before the shooting of Dudley George. Afterwards the sale of t-shirts and coffee mugs with logos clearly showing they were proud of killing an Indian were sold to both members of the TRUE and ERT members of the O.P.P., which they had designed logos for themselves.


My question to Fantino is clearly what have you learned from the death of Dudley George? Nothing it is apparent, or do I think you want to learn anything otherwise you would have taken a different path to resolve these issues during both the road block in Deseronto and at the quarry site.

Do you think the press will publish this letter?

If so.. you might want to run to the USA for a while yourself

I hope so because all the information is from their own statements in the press, their own press releases and from the final report stemming from the death of Dudley George afer a public inquest was held and also on my own information from protesters themselves!!!!!!!!

So there is nothing that can't be verified and I'm not worried...I'm sorry but I won't sit back while more Native deaths in cold blood may happen after they have been told the mistakes they made in the first death and are making the same ones!!!!!!!!

are you in any kind of group that can start a petition to stop the police actions?

Or would that be allowed there?

People should be protesting the police station and or courts there to stop it.

more public outcry from the non natives

Yes, I actually read all of the above.

I'm not no but there are alot of them starting up and one group of Mohawks has a highway also blocked up near Brantford Ontario in supprt, another group of Mohawks has a bridge blocked off up the other way and there are several people writing and raking the Premiere of Ontario over the coals for starting this whole thing by sending 200 O.P.P. officers to remove an original roadblock to protest the developer from going in and developing land that in under claim and has been recognized by the government as being Mohawk land!!!!!!!!!

The protesters have not been interviewed by any media to get there story out, hence my letter to inform people of whats really happening and the mistruths that are being presented by the police themselves...AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!

Call around to some of the local radio stations, if they have talk shows,
maybe they will let you go on.
might be a big help to get the listeners stired up and get callers statements.

Well I'm hoping to get some reply from my letter leading to that...I sent it all over the place, if not I will contact them myself and see if I can speak.


Good idea thanx....

Well someone has to speak and say what the truth is...

Protesters poise for clash despite OPP assurances
Posted By W. Brice McVicar
Updated 7 hours ago
Ontario Provincial Police can expect "another Oka crisis" should they decide to enter a quarry occupied by native protesters for more than a year, warns a Mohawk leader.

Jason Maracle told The Intelligencer he believes the OPP are planning to enter the Thurlow Aggregates quarry on Deseronto Road but warned such a move would result in a major clash between police and Mohawks.

"We're not giving up that quarry. We're not giving up any Mohawk land that is ours and they're not having it, ever," Maracle said Sunday.

A statement issued by OPP Sunday stressed OPP have "no intention to enter the quarry."

Mohawk protesters have occupied the land since last March. Roads leading toward the property have been closed by provincial police since Friday after the arrest of Mohawk protest leader Shawn Brant sparked a fiery confrontation between the two parties. The incident resulted in the arrest of six individuals - including Matthew James Kunkel, Clint Brant, Daniel Dorene and Steve Chartrand. Two police officers were treated at a hospital for minor injuries. Two of the six arrested were later released unconditionally.

"Things seem to be calm for right now but, I guess, for the calmness of it all, it's going to be up to the OPP," Maracle said. "They seem to have a good sized army in the area."

Standing at the intersection of Bell Cross Road, Slash Road and Mowbray's Road, Maracle said the atmosphere at the quarry remains positive. Morale among the protesters is high and they are waiting to see what unfolds, he said.

OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino has condemned the recent slate of events and stressed officers have conducted themselves in a professional manner.

"Let me reiterate that these events were not related to any land claims or protests related to land claims," Fantino said in relation to the arrests and charges laid Friday. "Police acted professionally and with restraint during this incident. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of all the officers during these often volatile situations."

Maracle said Fantino's comments about the incident not being related to land claims is inaccurate. He said recent protests and blockades in Deseronto are all "part and parcel" of the land claim surrounding the Culbertson Tract.

He went on to say Friday's events were instigated not by the Mohawks, but by OPP officers.

Advertisement

"The OPP led us into this incident by jumping five of our men, arresting them and taking them to jail and then sticking guns in our faces, in women and children's faces," he said.

There has been open communication between the Mohawks and the OPP but Maracle said things will not improve unless OPP retracts a statement indicating there are armed Mohawks at the quarry. He said there are no guns at the site.

(Cont'd).....

Sgt. Kristine Rae of the OPP agreed that there has been communication between Maracle and the OPP but could not comment on Maracle's request for a retraction on the firearm issue.

Maracle, however, doesn't believe OPP have no plans to enter the quarry.

"I don't believe anything they say. Not a thing. Every time they say something or try to make a deal or an arrangement it's always broken, every single time," he said.

Fantino said the OPP's priority is to preserve the peace and maintain order. However, he said there should be "no mistake, however, in our resolve to hold those accountable who break the law and jeopardize safety."

Deseronto's mayor, Norm Clark, was on hand Saturday as another road blockade was erected on Old Highway 2. Natives shut down the road on the town's western border.

Looking at the small blockade, Clark shook his head and expressed frustration.

"It's really disappointing that this has come to this level," he said. "These types of things don't do any good for either side."

Clark said the protesters are literally placing barriers between Deseronto and Tyendinaga. The actions of a few Mohawks, he said, do not reflect the views of the entire population which is even more unfortunate.

The four charged and the charges they face following Friday night's events include:

Matthew James Kunkel, 21: three counts of assaulting a police officer, two counts of assault with a weapon (brass knuckles), possession of a prohibited weapon, assault causing bodily harm, wearing a disguise with the intent to commit a criminal offense and resisting arrest.

Clint Brant, 29: dangerous driving, uttering death threats, mischief under $5,000, mischief - obstructing police and assaulting a police officer.

Daniel John Dorene, 34: mischief - obstructing police and assaulting a police officer.

Steve Chartrand, 32: mischief - obstructing police





There is now on-going communication between the protesters and the O.P.P. and the retraction of the statement by the O.P.P. that the protesters are not armed has yet to come to fruition. This despite the fact that one of their own officers admitted they blew up a picture of the person they believed to be holding a gun and it was a stick. The way that Natives have been and are being portrayed in the media as violent people especially by the police is disgusting, yet they ask to be trusted and respected. The only violence in any of this has been by the police not the protesters.