From an H2O Man post on DU in 2012:

Years ago, I accompanied a young man to a court hearing near Syracuse, NY. He was one of the people on my caseload at the county mental health clinic. Although this fellow was enormous, fierce-looking, and suffered from a psychotic disorder, I knew him as a gentle giant who did his very best under circumstances that would cause most people to simply give up. The court personnel saw him as mentally ill.

On the ride back, we stopped for lunch at Onondaga. While we ate, Chief Paul Waterman came into the diner, and joined us at our table. Soon the young man was telling Paul about how painful it is to be labeled and treated as “mentally ill.” Paul told him that this was not his true identity; that at Onondaga, he would be recognized as Gerald, the wood-cutter, who treated everyone with respect, and who at times had to deal with a mental illness.

Continues…

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2055973

Thank you, H2O Man, for sharing.

I was talking with a friend about a reburial that Paul and I did years ago. We returned the remains of 120 individuals to the earth, on the property that today is a state prison. The Onondaga feel a deep connection to those in prison. In 1971, NYS wanted to widen I-81 on Onondaga Territory, causing qa tense stand-off. One of my cousins was there, along with John & Yoko. Rockefeller had the State Troopers surround the people. Suddenly, the governor sent the Troopers to Attica, to put down the riot. You know the rest.

A short time later, the courts ruled in Onondaga's favor. People don't like their land being stolen. As Tadodaho Leon Shennandoah said, "Not another inch."

We need wisdom more than ever.

I am hoping that others think about what Paul was saying ...... for like you say, it is needed at this time.

As my mom would say, “you ain’t just a’woofin’ “!

Thanks for posting.

I remember when President Kennedy spoke at American University, in what I consider his most important speech. He talked about how families in the Soviet Union wanted the same basic things for their children as did Americans. And King's most important speech, "A Time to Break Silence (Beyond Vietnam)." King spoke of both the civilians in Vietnam, and the "enemy" as being human beings. This generation needs to think of these things today.

Excellent questions and wise, insightful answers.

Chief Waterman was a wise man. I was fortunate to serve as his top aide for many years.

Thanks to you and Chief Waterman for the reminder - in virtually any conflict or war, it's about the money (or resources like land or oil, which equate to money). American Professors Emeritus on the subject would include Dulles, Kissinger, Shultz, Cheney, Rumsfeld.

And land does equal money, just as you say.

a state official who had promised to help Paul & I to protect an ancient burial site backed down at the last minute. I told Paul I was sorry that I had trusted the guy. Paul said that's okay, they've lied for hundreds of years.

But you have given me a good idea! Thank you!

on its face...

We are all connected.

It is the fundamental and universal truth in every spiritual path!🙏

I agree 100%

I had posted a picture of me holding my daughter along with Chief Waterman at the second to the last reburial we did. Up until then, it had been private ceremonies. But Paul opened this one up to the public, despite some other Traditionalists questioning if this was okay. Paul was intent upon speaking to all people in his soft voice. We were returning 120 sets of remains that day, to the earth they belonged in. There were several cases of adults buried with their little children, still holding hands. People from as far away as Central America were there. Paul spoke for all Traditional People.

Even if the "other" guy started it. The whole concept of tit-for-tat revenge is flawed, because it creates an infinite loop. This is probably why that guy JC advised us to forgive our enemies. At some point, one side or the other has to stop the killing. Or the logical outcome is the utter destruction of both peoples.

-- Mal

Rubin used to speak about the Power of Forgiveness. I try to do that in ceremony. It is hard, but I think it is harder not to.

However, I think the I/P conflict is about more than money. In the wake of the Holocaust, many Jewish people believed they could never be secure as "others" in a foreign land, and therefore determined to have their own homeland in which they would always be the majority in control.

But others also lived in that land, which has great historic and religious significance for all three tribes of Abraham. When two peoples who want the same land don't learn to live together (whether it be mostly the fault of one or both) there will be bloody conflict. Atrocities are committed. Hearts are hardened. Neither side can eradicate the other. It goes on, and on.

CPW was right when he said someone else will take the place of the slain leader, for the conflict does not reside in the heart of one man but will continue in the many hearts of embittered people while the conflict goes on. Months or years of peace are but brief respite for as long as the root of the conflict remains unresolved or until one side is broken.

The current leader of the stronger tribe apparently believes his people can gain long term security by repaying an atrocity committed by the other side with much greater sustained atrocity. Will he be able to break them, forcing a diaspora or Trail of Tears?

I can't foresee the end of this, but I doubt security will be gained. Any victory along the current course will likely be pyrrhic. The road to peace and security requires the tribes of Abraham, who all worship the same God, to learn to live together. Easier said than done.

When this current round in this struggle began, my son asked me if it was rooted in actions taken at the end of WW2. I said one needs to go back to during WW1, when England and France made plans to divide the region so that each of them could fully exploit the land's resources. Chief Waterman knew that land was worth much more than money.

Love the historical context
SSDD

The people of Israel and Palestine have ancient wisdom available to them. The violence and theft of land has been going on for far too long. Now, the Iroquois did engage in warfare. The Council of Chiefs did not determine when ..... that has been up to the Clan Mothers. If these women -- who also picked chiefs and could remove them -- decided on war, the Council stood down, and a group that the translation for is "chief warriors" took the lead.

Today corporations and mad men make those decisions.

Rec

But this quote, my God.

I honestly think Bush did the same exact thing.

I often wonder how oppressed people deal with the soul crushing reality of their lives. The poor people of Afghanistan are not Taliban, they are oppressed by them. They were oppressed by people like Bin Laden.

Too much evil in the world right now.

For a kid, you seen somehow older and wiser today. A new level of maturity.

That same thing has gone on for so long. The wrong people are too often recognized as "leaders" and are pleased to have the ability to start wars.

I remember talking with Rubin years ago. Mandela and he were meeting to try to find a way to stop Bush from lighting the Middle East on fire. Rubin had met W when he was governor of Texas. They discussed the death penalty. Rubin asked if I knew what the "W." stood for? "Death!" he said before I could answer. "George Death Bush! He was giddy at the thought of killing people!"

That's all I can say.

that Bush was cold and lacked human traits.

Now that he's a former president he seems to have gone all warm and fuzzy. Has a great relationship with Michelle Obama.

What the hell is up with that?

some vicious individuals in prison, and had told me about a number of them. But I think he found being face to face with W most unsettling.

I have so often thought of W as a feckless tool. This requires a re-reckoning.