Bird Droppings February 5, 2021

What if all promises were all kept?

I begin each typical morning waking up, fixing breakfast for my wife and her lunch, occasionally talking with my son for a few minutes before he starts teaching, fixing my own breakfast, and eventually finding my way to my computer. A little later I try and catch a glimpse of the sunrise and get a few sunrise pictures. Lately the clouds have hampered that endeavor although the sky was interesting yesterday morning along with an amazing faint rainbow. On my computer I try and settle in, answer emails, various postings and write a bit before getting into anything else. I am trying to finish up graduate school and writing and reading to complete my dissertation. I have a busy day ahead and am looking forward to hopefully warming temperatures perhaps not too much rain.

My original plan was to put in some effort on the word, reform. That will have to wait a day or two. This morning as I answered an email with a thought from the other day and in thinking about today I found this thought.

“One does not sell the land people walk on.” Crazy Horse, Sept. 23, 1875

A great warrior and chief Crazy Horse died on the reservation because he was feared by the army but he never understood why the soldiers wanted the land that was sacred to the Sioux. He never understood the concept of that we wanted to possess it, to own it, and in that comes a driving force for us to win at all costs, Manifest destiny. Over the years I have been involved in many discussions about culture. Cultures vary and each is often about seeing the world differently. Several of my current reading efforts look at the world through feminist eyes and or those of Indigenous women’s eyes from around the world.

While I finished my graduate classroom studies nearly twelve years ago, it feels like it was not that long ago we discussed these books and the culture of feminism. We discussed how we tend to look at others only in terms of our own beliefs and ideals. Bell Hooks in her writings discusses the appreciation of Paulo Friere and how he never wrote about feminism actually he addressed it but the title sort of went a different direction. A recent blog post on education addressed how could he Friere as a male truly write and or address feminism which is a valid response. Recently a former student of mine wrote about how can anyone who is not mentally ill, truly discuss mental illness. As I look at my direction today how can anyone who does not understand someone’s beliefs and culture even think they can relate.

“My father, you have made promises to me and to my children. If the promises had been made by a person of no standing, I should not be surprised to see his promises fail. But you, who are so great in riches and power; I am astonished that I do not see your promises fulfilled!” Shinguaconse, Little Pine

In many ways we too still do this if we have control we promise much yet it is only to get more and a trusting person would not question a man of authority. If it was a questionable person maybe yes but we do this we use trust to get what we want still today. Look at our politicians on both sides and never before have sides been so distant since the day our current president was elected. Throughout history in the conquest and overpowering of peoples lies have done far more than war. The broken promises do more damage than any weapons. Look at students in class rooms as we go through a school and all the broken promises. We even legislated that all children will be reading on grade level by 2014. I said it was absurd in 2004 when the law passed as a teacher of special needs kids I knew not all children will read on grade level unless we decide to selectively euthanize eighth graders who do not meet standards. Who knows maybe in the political arena that concept will come up. Realistically if all children were homeschooled by 2014 as one candidate suggested or all in select charter schools where special needs are not allowed it is no big issue. People joke but there are charters asking to be and that are exempted from IDEA today around the nation.

“I would have been better pleased if you had never made such promises than that you should have made them and not performed them. . .” Shinquaconese

As we go through life as friends, parents, teachers, and employers so often we take advantage of the inherent trust. We use it to gain from to go forward with our ideas and concepts. We use promises we know we will never keep to accomplish our goals. The ends justify the means is our motivation. Look at how we are discussing oil exploration and destroying wilderness. No one is going to use it why not destroy it. It has taken me three weeks to get a photo of a male and female duck on a lake nearby so that we could identify them. By chance a large group was near the bridge Saturday and I got a photo as they all took off. In one frame of several images I shot a male and female together and ring-necked ducks were identified. This duck is a Canadian winter transplant to Georgia. But what if greed supersedes and we destroy all the rainforest and wilderness and kill all the whales. My great grandchildren will never know what waking to the sound of a red-tailed hawk calling or mourning dove sounds like. I am sorry but to me that is worth not drilling or fracking and looking at other rationale to the twisted world of oil and gas profiteering.

I got a bit off on an issue that is bothersome to many but we currently are selling gas in surplus overseas and certain politicians still cry drill, drill, and drill. Public opinion says if we open up more drilling in North America our gas prices will go down. Does not work that way oil prices are fixed internationally and it is a supply and demand. Right now, China and Mexico are buying all the gas and oil refined they can get from us. So, pricing is based on capitalism not regulation. Interesting fact we sell quite a bit to China who is supposed to be a competitor for our gas and oil. As we do have a free market American oil companies are in business for profit and selling gas and oil where ever the best price is. Currently US consumption is down and many countries are rising and willing to pay more than we are. So, we are victim to our own free market capitalism. So sad we never look at both sides of any issue and only listen to what we want. In the current state gas companies are under pressure from low gas prices forced by no cuts in production.

Parents use the promises of a toy or treat with small children and the child quiets down later the parent forgets or maybe never intended on supplying the prize. The child at first is confused but soon as it happens again and again becomes jaded calloused and resentful. In school so often, children with learning problems get passed along and soon distrust, resentful, jaded and calloused they are behavior problems or quit. Employers use similar ideas and goals to accomplish the task at hand getting the job out and soon employees are too calloused and unionized. Although now in Georgia we are in effect passing a law that is in direct conflict with the constitution in the freedom to protest against tyranny. A state legislator in Georgia is trying to get a law passed that union organizing is a felony. We are being warned as teachers not to use our “teacher email” for politics.

“… I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself.” Lone Man (Isna-la-wica) Teton Sioux

Imagine a world where word was bond, where promises were kept where a hand shake was a contract for real and students and children knew they were respected loved and would be cared for. Imagine that what was said would be and not change or be different. We do need each other. We are social creatures and dependent on one another. We ourselves are to blame for so many of the issues we are confronted with through distrust and broken promises. A simple guide when you say something, do it. Perhaps I need to begin with myself as we all do. Please keep all in harm’s way on your mind and in your hearts and always give thanks namaste.

My family and friends I do not say this lightly,

Mitakuye Oyasin

(We are all related)

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