As I grew from child to adult woman, I had, and continue to have, countless awareness’s about who I am, how I receive the advantages and disadvantages that manifest as privilege or lack of privilege and who benefits and who is hurt from my denial and/or unconsciousness about myself, others and the country and world I live in. It is easy to celebrate the positive…to hold it up for the whole world to see but it is impossible to improve as an individual or as a people unless we are also willing to hold up, accept responsibility and grieve all that is shameful, disrespectful and indeed, horrible. We cannot move from a place we deny we are. We must, both personally and collectively, hold up all our truths and not act as if we are only innocent people who were and are just trying to do whatever. Whether it be the Catholic Church and the majority of it’s people who still cover up its role in the sexual abuse of countless children despite all their documents that prove otherwise, or America denying attempted genocide and betrayal of the Native People or individuals who deny their lack of integrity, biased judgment and abuse of power we need to collectively and individually claim all the truths as part of the whole. It is dangerous and limiting… immoral and irresponsible not to do so.
And so, on this revered American holiday, when most are gathered with their families and are giving thanks to the Pilgrims… I choose to stand with the Native people of this land in a “Day of Mourning”. I choose to honor and give thanks to those who went before… whose spirits still can be heard though their physical bodies were destroyed through attempted genocide…those who trusted in treaties never kept…promises never honored. Those who choose not to deny their reality but rather to speak their truth...which is part of the history of all of our truths…which is part of the whole and in so doing allows a wind of hope to blow over a land and a people who have the power to be better…to be more…
I have been attending the “Day of Mourning” for many years now and when unable to be there physically I am always there in spirit and wherever I may be, my voice speaks of the “Day of Mourning” so that others will know that some of us have not forgotten…some of us still seek accountability…some of us still believe that until all of the story is told, accepted, honored and grieved, we all remain blemished, however differently, with the greed, ignorance and shame of our betrayal and theft of the Native People and their land. And in my standing, I give thanks to those known and unknown people, animals and spirit guides who have loved, supported and challenged me to become as whole as I may be before it is my time to join those others who have already passed on. If you would like more information about “The Day of Mourning” please go to www.uaine.org
