Celebrating Our World: One Colonizer at a Time

Happy Post Columbus Day and for all of you who got a day off, I hope you enjoyed it. And as you start up the workweek complaining about another day of work, remember that the nice break we just finished celebrating came with an unforgettable price.

No one can change history and go back to 1492. While it would be nice to imagine someone trying to knock some sense into Christopher Columbus, it did not take one man to colonize a nation; it took an entire empire to create what we label as the New World.

Land was seized from the Native Americans. Genocide occurred. The colonizers then fought amongst them selves and attempted to enslave what was left of the indigenous population, but were unsuccessful. So they invented a different means to carry out their ends by enslaving another population via shipping them over from Africa (a simplified narrative of history of course.)

Why remember a history that we can’t change nor ever justly giving retribution to the communities involved? Because while we can’t change history we ought to change how we dismiss it and learn from what it has shown us about humanity or lack thereof.

We should acknowledge the pain that can still be felt among these communities to really move forward. We should pay tribute to the people of this nation. 

A great start would be following the lead of three other states {Alaska, Hawaii, and South Dakota] who do not observe the holiday, more out of logistical reasons, but a step in the right direction. OR if we are so invested in our three day weekend, respect those who allowed for this entire ‘American Dream’ to be built upon( pun intended) by calling for National Indigenous day.

Oh and just in case you thought I was just discussing history, you might want to explore the world and see how the ugly mask of colonization still grasps onto it so tightly.  We continue to live in a world where you can place your hand on any part of the map and find forms of genocide, human trafficking, racism, imperialism, ecocide, patriarchy etc. 

99 Problems & the Rich GOT One!

I stood among the powerless who were enraged and therefore became forcefully engaged. 

No we are not out to overthrow a dictator. No our system is not in utter chaos. And no we won't change the way America has been functioning over night. BUT we have awaken a giant of discontent, reminded the minority who have dictating the lives of the majority that we are ANGRY about how things are being done in OUR country. 

Sure letters and phone calls to our leaders would have been the more civil way to go about it, but that was back when it actually worked. It was way back when the stash of dollars from lobbyist had less sway of the words of the population they were representing: their constituents. Now that corporations are people (can use share holders dollar to put in their vote...or our dollar), our voice is becoming a soft whisper. 

The American dream has sadly demolished. It is now only affordable to those who can pay to bid for it and for those who are lucky enough to find the right connection to it.  

The middle class is burdened, as the lower class grows and the impoverished slowly are disappearing. That is a first world for you people; where we are too busy dropping drones, wrongly distributing aide, funding wasteful projects in America and still have time to write on the drawing board how other nations should run their country. 

We got PROBLEMS. DOMESTIC PROBLEMS that are affecting students, nurses, teachers, laborers....hell YOU. Occupy US of A is a movement that will not die easily, but should it, it will have left a stark reminder of what will happen if things in this country continue to run the way they are.

The Middle East was shook by the Arab Spring, Europe tides turned with a European Summer and the time now is for the American Autumn. 

The Middle East did awaken a giant, reminding the world of the undeniable power of the people. Globalization is no longer making the world smaller it is connecting ideas, allowing a synergy to flourish. The status quo is no longer viable, it is time to OCCUPY the FUTURE. 

Check out the link to hear voices and other opinions, along with mine at Occupy Wallstreet on Democracy now.