Letters_21

Jeff Green | Jul 21, 2005

Feature article July 21, 2005

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Re: Sunday hunting

The view in Sunday Hunting, [letter to the editor, July 7], is a perfect reflection of a 200-year-old set of beliefs.

This land is not owned by Non-Indians. It has never been lost in war, or sold by treaty to Europeans.

We have lived here by your scientific proof for more than 4000 years. You moved in less than 200 years ago. Yet you are surprised already there are Indians?

Back then your ancestors made laws to decide who was Indian, and laws denying us our Nationality and our freedom. They invented a racist policy that said Indians that went to live in small government-run reserves were the only Indians, and made one small place. They made many promises, and kept few.

That was the first identity theft. It is not for you to decide who is Indian by your definition, and who is not. Not then, and not now.

We did not kill the animals, destroy their homes, poison the waters, kill the trees. You came, and found this land pristine, fruitful and ecologically in balance. You yourselves wrote that we had a land that was a paradise.

Now, in the name of God, you want a peaceful day, and to get it, another law that would apply to Indians.

I want a peaceful day also. Please shut off the powerboats, skidoos, ATVs, snowmobiles, drunken shore side parties, speeding cars and careless camping fires for a start.

Please read some local history, and your Bible.

Read the words of Christ who said you should go among men and spread His Word.

And read the part where He didnt say you should invade other peoples lands to make yourself richer, convert with guns and death, and make laws to erase more than 700 nations, languages and cultures from the face of the earth, in His name.

-Carol Anne Bate

Re: About Sunday Hunting (Letter to the editor, July 7)

I find the reasoning [in the letter] is somewhat unsound. If these hordes of so call Indians and non-Indians have these cards they arent the ones clamouring for Sunday Hunting, that being obcious since they already can. So blame some other racial group for that.

As for hunting around the clock. I find that somewhat inconvenient. Shooting a tree at night is, since I cant see what Im looking at in the dark, somewhat embarrassing and dangerous.

By the way. For those natives that still hold the beliefs that the Europeans tried their best to destroy. Every day is a day belonging to the creator of the universe that we inhabit.

David Bate