I must admit, I'm still not used to the amount of ignorance people can come up with when talking about Native people and issues.
I read this excellent article from Indian Country Today about a blessing Dr. Carlos Gonzales, Pascua Yaqui, gave for Rep. Giffords.
At first I was wondering if there was really such a wide negative reaction to a simple Native prayer given. But even Googling the blessing and the video above, I came across some truly ignorant and hateful people talking about his pagan, wierd, ugly prayer (namely conservative bloggers and Fox.)
Hearing Fox News analyst Brit Hume dismiss the blessing as, “most peculiar” was disturbing, but not surprising for anyone who monitors how Indians have been treated in mainstream media coverage. Syndicated columnist and ever-present TV commentator Michelle Malkin live-blogging, “Mercy,” and complaining that Gonzales was “[babbling] about two-legged and four-legged creatures” was rude, but it was far from unfamiliar. Several conservative websites, including Power Line, which described the prayer as “ugly,” were outraged. CNSNews.com, another right-wing news site, interviewed Gonzales, and in its write-up, offered a snide report that listed the word “blessing” in quotes and made mention of the fact that Gonzales had used the word “creator” but not God—an apparently unforgivable offense.
Seriously? Yeah... Listen to the prayer. I gaurantee it's nothing shocking.
I was honored to spend the last week in the company of a variety of Native people from all over the country. Daily, usually two or three times daily, the groups would offer prayers, smudging, and traditional ceremony. I participated in most, not totally understanding most ceremonies. They weren't my tradition. There were others who opted out entirely of participating in the ceremonies, as they didn't believe in them, or didn't want to participate in a spiritual activity they didn't understand.
But guess what? They were able to do it respectfully. They didn't believe those who had different beliefs, and different customs, were inferior, or ignorant.
It's amazing to me that in 2011, this issue of respecting beliefs still comes up. I have a faith that no one can take from me, and I'm not threatened by those who don't share it. Learning about others' beliefs and traditions doesn't threaten or take away from my own - it enriches it.
I know I should be immune to the many, many times I've heard Native ways and traditions, even art, described as crude or backwards. But I'm not. I don't believe the Catholic across from me, though I don't share most traditions, is of a rudimentary mind. I don't believe the Muslim beside me has a lower I.Q. I'm not sure why it's so acceptable to think the same of my culture's traditions, but it is.
In the meantime, I'm encouraged by the time I spent with so many of my Native brothers and sisters down south. Learning about them changed me, spending time with them was a humbling experience.
Haa Shagéinyaa x’atuwóos' haa shagóoni has du latséeni haa too yei anga.oo.
_
5 comments:
I'm glad I visited your blog and read this thoughtful post. It is the typical mentality of "anything different from me is frightening; therefore, it is (they are) stupid, retarded, inferior, ignorant, and WRONG..."
This is what I thought, too, when I heard those ugly, ignorant, & intolerant comments from religious bigots about Dr. Gonzales' blessing. Thank you.
I am so thankful for the prayer. What a wonderful blessing to give and feel when the week ahead was going to be with funerals. The prayer was perfect and at the perfect time.
We can not help, that there are those who do not understand. We can feed them, say hello, wish them well, hope a huge rain cloud doesn't ruin thier day, tell them thier shoe isn't tied, let them know there is a huge honkin bugger hanging off thier left nostrel...
But at the end of the day, I'm a better person to of been touched by a prayer, given at a time when the country needed it.
WOW- I am shocked that people in the media would comment on a prayer!! I am glad it was offered, as were many I heard and read about. I heard no negative but obviously I do not tune into more conservative media outlets!
Thank you for pointing out there some who STILL in 2011 do not get it. We as a population have so very far to go. In many ways it makes me sad.
I will never refuse to bow my head or show respect when good thoughts and blessings are offered, no matter the religious or spiritual tone!
UV
It's interesting that the same people who keep reassuring us that public government sponsored prayers are non-sectarian and non-discriminatory have no patience the minute someone outside mainstream christianity steps up to deliver one.
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