The unapologetic case for gay marriage

Angie's pick, enjoy.

http://socialistworker.org/2008/11/20/case-for-gay-marriage

Gentrification Grand Rapids

Here are three short articles recommended by Trevor.  Read all three before posting.
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/02/east_hills_neighbors_to_meet_t.html

http://anarchistnews.org/?q=node/14165

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/12/vandals_cause_graffiti_damage.html

Metis people are the result of the mixing of usually French Canadian and First Nations peoples.
Just check out the wikipedia page if you need to know more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9tis_people_(Canada)

METIS PEOPLE ARE NOT ABORIGINAL

Inter-Tribal Times:

I have wondered about writing an Editorial like this for a while and refrained – but decided this viewpoint needs to be heard. I have a very real and deep contempt for people who are claiming to be Metis, believing they should have any rights that non-aboriginal people do not have.

It’s not about the blood quantum – it is entirely about a made-up culture from a bunch of people who have a very serious identity crisis in wanting to be Aboriginal. As far as I am concerned, and a LOT of Aboriginal people in Canada, they never will be regardless of what the government says.

Most people know the history of where Metis people came from, and that might have been true 100-200 years ago – but the Metis people back then were genuine half-breeds (50% native blood). The Metis people that exist today are plainly white people trying to swindle the government out of money, and take away from government funding for First Nation people.

One of the sources of resentment First Nation people I have spoken to have that various sources of funding from the government for things like dental care, prescription costs, etc are getting progressively smaller because the misguided government is including ‘Metis’ people in that funding.

An example of Metis people screwing things up for First Nation people: there’s a medical centre called Kenora Area Health Access Centre which is based on Washagamis Bay First Nation just outside of Kenora. It was set up to cater specifically for the medical needs of First Nation people. One of the services it provides is sending Nurse Practitioners out to the reserves it services to provide a clinic for people with ailments. This service is sorely needed because many of the people on the reserves cannot just make trips to Washagamis Bay for appointments. However, the Executive Director Anita Cameron decided to open up a drop-in clinic right in the centre of town, and scale back the service to the reserves. I have it on good advice that it all down to her desire of ‘pan-aboriginal care’ in which she is including Metis people in Kenora. So Metis people in Kenora can drop into the KAHAC office by the Shell gas station and get medical care, instead of taking themselves to the hospital like every other non-aboriginal person.

So the less mobile people on the reserves, and people without ways to get to a service centre have to deal with a far less frequent visit from KAHAC.

Incidently… Anita Cameron is also the person who wanted to pay a newly hired Caucasian Nurse Practitioner about 30% more than the Aboriginal Nurse Practitioners, just so her paycheque after tax deductions equaled what the Aboriginal Nurse Practitioners received without tax deductions.

The point is Metis people and the vast majority of non-aboriginal people in Canada have very little or no understanding at all of the issues facing Aboriginal people in this country, and for a group of white people masquerading as Aboriginal is a slight to every First Nation person in Canada.

All over Canada, Metis people overall have a far higher living standard than First Nation people, and yet still want to take from Natives.

According to the ‘Self Sufficiency’ paragraph on this website, Metis people do not seek a ‘handout’ from any level of government. Yet according to this news story, Ontario Metis want cut of province’s gaming revenue. They don’t seek a handout, or they want gaming revenue? Metis people do not need gaming revenue. First Nation people do!

If it were up to me, regardless of what anyone said, I would let Metis people make their Metis cards, and identify as Metis, and have their little groups of white people jigging to non-native music… but I would not give them a single cent of government funding for anything, I would completely remove all rights to any natural resource and remove them from the definition of Aboriginal in Canada.

Hipster Racism

New article at Angie's request.

http://meloukhia.net/2009/07/hipster_racism.html

'When the Whole World is Watching'

New Article at Chris's suggestion.  Make sure to email me suggestions for future readings, and feel free to post on the past article.

When The Whole World is Watching
-Casey

New Reading

Hope a lot of folks get on board this time around.  If you know of any one who would be interested in being a part of this book club pass on the blog url.
Here is the new reading, suggested by Trevor.

Small Change Why the revolution will not be tweeted. by Malcolm Gladwell Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/04/101004fa_fact_gladwell#ixzz1F6mpikue

November's Article

'The Plantation Society, circa 2008: Discussing Immigration through the Lens of Criminology'
By Tryon Woods
Post people!  Even if you agree completely with the reading and have nothing to add you should still comment so that folks know that others are still reading and involved.
-Casey