(To listen to me read this post, please visit the podcast link on my Substack) I was listening to an audiobook on my walk today, by one of my favorite authors, Arundhati Roy. In My Seditious Heart, she details the brutal tactics used by the Indian government to quash dissent
Neesha, this is a powerful bit of writing. And it is in such a alignment with thoughts and beliefs that I have on a regular basis as well. I think one of the real difficulties is that we each have different versions of the truth. Some may be informed by the State and some may be informed by resisting the State.
My son graduated from University of Massachusetts in Amherst a few weeks ago. And I'm very proud of him. And one of the things that I wasn't expecting was that at each graduation ceremony, and he was part of four of them, began with a statement recognizing the native peoples and the native lands that we were on and the history of them.
I was deeply moved by that. I've been recognizing the ceded lands and the indigenous peoples in a great deal of my work over the last few years, but I've never seen it on such a large public and overt scale.
And sadly the first thing that went through my head was how unlikely it would be to hear this kind of a statement or acknowledgement at most colleges in Florida or Texas for many other states given the kinds of laws and bills and edicts that have been presented ruled on and voted for over the last year.
That was also sad was to realize that it's so likely that this next generation of young people will be raised on an education that was even more devoid of facts than you or I experienced. Especially facts about indigenous people, people of color, and people who I likely to have missed some crucial information in their education and personal experiences.
It seems clear to me that not only do we need to keep fighting this good fight and working hard to push against what you've referred to as the State, we also have an obligation to make sure the real information is visible accessible and part of our daily conversation.
My other child my daughter is transgender. And while we are fortunate in that regard to be white, she's an activist and anarchist and works hard to keep the voice of Truth in front of other people. And as a dad I have to say that frightens me, because it doesn't always keep her safe.
This is all such a balancing act and I admire your words and the clarity of them. Keep it up...
Neesha, this is a powerful bit of writing. And it is in such a alignment with thoughts and beliefs that I have on a regular basis as well. I think one of the real difficulties is that we each have different versions of the truth. Some may be informed by the State and some may be informed by resisting the State.
My son graduated from University of Massachusetts in Amherst a few weeks ago. And I'm very proud of him. And one of the things that I wasn't expecting was that at each graduation ceremony, and he was part of four of them, began with a statement recognizing the native peoples and the native lands that we were on and the history of them.
I was deeply moved by that. I've been recognizing the ceded lands and the indigenous peoples in a great deal of my work over the last few years, but I've never seen it on such a large public and overt scale.
And sadly the first thing that went through my head was how unlikely it would be to hear this kind of a statement or acknowledgement at most colleges in Florida or Texas for many other states given the kinds of laws and bills and edicts that have been presented ruled on and voted for over the last year.
That was also sad was to realize that it's so likely that this next generation of young people will be raised on an education that was even more devoid of facts than you or I experienced. Especially facts about indigenous people, people of color, and people who I likely to have missed some crucial information in their education and personal experiences.
It seems clear to me that not only do we need to keep fighting this good fight and working hard to push against what you've referred to as the State, we also have an obligation to make sure the real information is visible accessible and part of our daily conversation.
My other child my daughter is transgender. And while we are fortunate in that regard to be white, she's an activist and anarchist and works hard to keep the voice of Truth in front of other people. And as a dad I have to say that frightens me, because it doesn't always keep her safe.
This is all such a balancing act and I admire your words and the clarity of them. Keep it up...