This morning's Calgary Hurled runs an interesting piece by Mike ‘Martin Luther King’ Milke featuring his newly discovered interest in equality and rights.
Milke argues that we should scrap the Native west-coast segregated fishery.
Indeed, he pines for a world described by MLK "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character,"
Because, as Mike says, “That's progressive.”
Hallelujah…. Character. Progressive
That would be the kind of progressive character that makes a deal and sticks to it, eh Mike?
Well, there is a five volume set of treaties Mike needs to read. Then let’s talk about the content of our characters.
And while we’re doing some reading, maybeMike wants to try something a little more profound than Bartlett’s….like the whole MLK speech, in particular though the section that states:
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.An exile in their own land. Sound like anyone you know, Mike?
1 comment:
I'm not sure you get the point.
Originally, Milke quoted MLK, ableit out of context. I merely pointed out that Milke might want to read the whole speech, not just a portion of it, and I linked to that whole speech.
I am really not on about the issues facing blacks here, it's a discussion of the issues facing aboriginals with respect to access to resources.
Further, if Milke' contention is that we should be judged by the content of our character, I think there is deeper argument around honouring treaties with First Nations.
You might also might also want to read the earlier posting on this subject.
There are two issues here. Declining salmon stock, allegedly caused by poaching, and this ridiculous notion of a race-based fishery.
If there is poaching, that is an enforcement issue, and has nothing to with a fictious race-based commercial fishery.
The feds are buying licenses which are then provided to First Nations as part of a larger economic development plan. That has nothing to do with the reduction of salmon stocks, and Harper's Minister of Indian Affairs said as much.
As for your point that there are many successful minority people, well, great.
What cannot be disputed is that there is a higher incidence of poverty among aboriginals. Why is that?
If your answer is that it is because of segregation, I think that you're partly right.
But working with aboriginals to develop the economies in their communities with the goal of self-sufficiency is hardly flying in the face of MLK. It's just plain common sense.
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