Ian is Tsimshian who lives on the western side of Turtle Island. His facebook posts are thought provoking and are highly respected by the editors of ACTION
I have largely withdrawn from organizing political protests and direct actions and such. I have done this for at least 2 reasons: 1. The health, well being, and decolonization and reindigenization of my family is my primary concern and that includes me. 2. The reactive approach only keeps the power in the hands of the oppressors as we go from crisis to crisis with very little attention paid to our nationhood rebuilding as we dance to the oppressors’ tune time and time again.
The truth is that its obvious that we are collectively not ready to launch any serious challenges to the status quo as can be evidenced with idle no more and subsequent demonstrations of resistance which do not even disrupt, let alone fight back against colonialism. Our resistance is in its infancy, or at least a gestation, in terms of its readiness to dedicate our lives to the cause in any real numbers which we need for a successful revolution and liberation of our peoples and lands. Therefore I am devoting my time and energies to nationhood rebuilding and mentoring people to reindigenize, identify colonialism and the processes of colonialism which is colonization, and to decolonize their minds, bodies, and spirits.
It’s true that we “radicals” are many but in terms of our communities we are perhaps 2 or 3% of the population. I believe we can do better and I will be, have been, devoting my time to sharing what little I know to see if those layers of colonialism can be ruptured, peeled, breached or otherwise circumvented to free more of us to act in the best interests of the land and peoples who have knowledge in praxis of living gently upon it. By any and all means necessary is a guiding principle in how I live my life and from what I have seen, this is the means I see as necessary at this point. Although there are many who are aware, there is necessity for that awareness to translate to action of a sort that places us in confrontational positions to colonialism whether it be displayed intrinsically by the state or introduced by our leadership and peoples and selves. Committed, long-term, unceasing action based in a values system which is indigenous and not for the purpose of getting a better slice of the colonial pie. The colonialism displayed in the movement should be a loud warning siren to all because if we go back 4 decades the establishment had to infiltrate and insert provocateurs and informants. Today and recently, all they have to do is let colonialism undermine the movement from within.
We can do better but we gotta stop the ego show and the deification of activist celebrities.
Each and every one of us are the heroes we have been waiting for, not activist celebs or those on the mic’s or those traveling all over the place trying to garner support from those who oppress us.
All we have to do is realize that we are the heroes that we have been waiting for, actualize it, and remove the colonial barriers which exist in our minds and bodies which prevent us from being the ones to change the world.
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