Dissent was my primary mode of operation growing up - at home, in school, with relationships. I believed moving to the United States of America would be less repressive and corrupt than the false democracy of my Philippine homeland.
Jingle dancers at Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, July 2020
I relocated in 2006 and with Barack Obama as US president from 2009 to 2017 was all too easily lulled into the belief that this was truly the land of equal opportunity, freedom and liberty. With the US' reputation abroad and the American economy significantly improved we all had our blinders on.
Then along came Donald Trump and our house of cards was ripped apart in the air cake and wind pie of that buffon's stupendous ego. Fueled by an entitled and biased Republican party, the US fell into chaos and anarchy - quickly devolving from progressive nation to empire building.
With good old Joe Biden at the helm we didn't aspire for much - ever so thankful the US survived and only had one term of Trumpianism. Or so we thought, now even that is a sketchy prospect.
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| JoAnni Begay, Erin Tapahe, Dion Tapahe and Sunni Begay at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, June 2020 |
Now that 2021 is winding to a close - from the second Monday of October to the fourth Thursday in November, America is hammering the world with a barrage of racially offensive, culturally appropriative, and historically inaccurate tall tales.
A lineup of problematic holidays of the fall season - promoted as joyous harmless occasions, they actually have a grave effect on the well-being of Native Americans and non-white Americans. It's about time the public is educated more thoroughly about Columbus Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving.
Attempts to hide the unpleasant truths about this country’s real history are insultingly blatant and constant. We have written a few pieces in the past in our own attempt to bring the truth to light more honestly and less painfully.
Jingle dancers at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, November 2020
It's time to end the many false mythologies commercially promoted and perpetuated about the "founding" of America by its pilgrims and pioneers. Bring out the no longer secret and very ugly truth of this country's land grab.
Extensive expansion through ethnic cleansing and slavery - generally applied viciously and in full force at gunpoint. The desperate masking and cover up of the fact that this country was founded on the greed, aggression, and abuse of generations.
Jingle dancers at Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The atrocities of pioneering Europeans dependent on the joint violence of genocide of Native Americans and the enslavement of local tribes and African people to conquer this land must be told more honestly.
Let us give our full support to advocate for inclusive education and discussion of diversity of Native peoples in the past and present - whenever and wherever possible. Truth giving for Thanksgiving.
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