March 8, 2006

Beware of biased TV reporting

On March 3, 2006 in the Eastern Door Bobby Kennedy states "Every Private resident has the right to express himself or herself, but reporters must exclude themselves from occurences they are passionate about." I say says who?

Judging from the way this article was written I'm guessing you dont watch very many talk shows in regards to real politics. I've never seen a talk show that was 100% totally disconnected, right down from Oprah to Bill Moyers(???) down to CNN's Situation Room. All of which are very opinionated, informative and ask similar style quesions.

I think the real problem Bobby Kennedy and the MCK has with the media, is it cannot handle the criticism. Everytime the MCK, or MCK documents are looked at from a different prospective things seem to violate "the concept of objective journalism" When clearly "Jacobs-Stalk" style of journalism is commonly used in the political world.

I watched one of the "On the Record" TV shows on the rare occasion I watched TV and commend Stalk for his journalism. The real problem in one of the mentioned episodes was the person being interviewed. Whether it be at a MCK Band Meeting or in public, MCK personal are never prepared to answer any questions. The Councillors of the MCK have been consistantly unprepared to adequeately talk about anything publically. Why probably because someone might have an oppossing opinion and turn them into a politician.

The fact of the Matter is most of the MCK are not real politicians, they are just people who won a popularity contest. How many people on the MCK have any education in regards to politics. How many people in the MCK were elected because they were qualified to do anything in government. I didnt see anyone's CV the last elections, in fact we didnt even see a requirements other than to have some level of racist blood quantum in their veins.

Just because you dont understand that Journalism takes on many faces and there are many styles of journalism it does not mean its biased. Surely, no one on the MCK complained when it took a group of KSS students to show the one sided MCK opinion of ADM. No one complained to about the MCK's "power to influence" and how it should be "done so with caution" when it outright manipulated the people of Kahnawake. Had it not been for a educated group of high school students we probably would have a rat infested grain facility in Kahnawake.

Had "caution, clarity and common sense" been used by the MCK in the Keith Myiow "debacle" the MCK and 6 members of the MCK would not be hiding behind a shrowd of MCK denial.

Kahon:wes - Freedom of Speech bites doesnt it

March 9, 2006

Big Words, No Explanation

For 20 years Joe Norton ranted "its up to the people". Every issue from the mandate to go back to traditional government, policing agreement and on to membership. The new mayor in the last meeting, in regards to the Keith Myiow fiasco ranted the same words. Over and over every MCK elected official has said it to the people of Kahnawake. "its up to the people"

The only problem with those words is no where in the last 130 years of the MCK's occupation of Mohawk soil has the MCK explained that phrase. The current mayor of Kahnawake states "if thats what the people want" then its what the people will get. Yet, he nor any other of the 12 Elected officials have ever explained how the people get what they want.

Especially, when precident has proved voicing your opinions at meeting doesnt work. Sending letters to the MCK does not work, all they get is an official response if that. Signing petitions historically does not work, since several in the last 20 years with 500 plus people, have all been ignored for some reason or other.

I ask the MCK, what does it take for you to listen to the people? Does it take a military coup, assassination attempt, an on going protest of 100 students outside the building, fire works, sit in, or maybe pie in the face. Surely, something that the people does triggers the MCK to do what the people want. Yet, history has proven that protests, letters, petitions, signs, and even legal battles dont get the MCK to move.

We have been waiting 20 years for a move to Traditional goverment, it didn't take 20 years for Iraq to change and they went through a war. We have been waiting probably 10 years for the removal of a stamp tax, it didn't take that long for a store in town to sell them tax free.

People of Kahnawake, if you want the MCK to do anything you need to do something drastic. You need to get rid of the government period. Why because traditional officials are democratically responsible people. The MCK, are only democratically elected officials and the difference is traditional chiefs are the voice of the people. Where as the MCK is the voice of 12 people who do what they think the people want, when they want how they want.

So will someone please explain to me, what the people need to do in regards to any pressing issue? In the event the people might want something done differently other than what the officals in office might think.

Kahon:wes - Accountability does wonders......

 

 

March 3, 2006

Myths and Reality

In the Eastern Door March 3, 2006 a certain Member of the MCK decided to submit a letter to the Eastern Door. He/she states they are "dedicated MCK employee. It is this reason and this reason only, that I prefer to remain anonymous".

Everyone else around the world remains anonymous for reasons of reprisal or retribution. People who fear vicious dictatorships, or whom hold secret information and what not. So your telling me because your a "dedicated employee" you want to remain anonymous. This to me sounds like a load of crap and someone who is a coward.

If you were a "dedicated employee" why would you even need to remain anonymous. The only reason I think you write in "anonymous" is because you fear those reprisals the MCK quietly hands down to dissidents. No one in this town can honestly tell me the MCK has not done so in the past.

The MCK has the gonads to chastize people in Kahnawake for passing around anonymous flyers, and speaking out anonymously, and all hell breaks loose. They rant, rave, hoot and hollier how people should be responsible for what they say and sign documents. But its ok MCK employee's are allowed to do anything they want because there "dedicated employee".

They can loose 4 Million dollars, slap people, Lie to the public, abuse funds and no one one is accountable. Its funny how whats good for the goose is no good for the gander.

Kahon:wes - Humans Make Me sick

 

March 3, 2006

Assimilation is Amazing

Mr. Anonymous in the Eastern Door March 3. 2006 in regards to the Keith Myiow incident stats that "So much for the collective and our traditional ways" which clearly baffles my mind.

I have to ask what do the "collective and our traditional ways" have to do with the MCK. Firstly, might I remind "Anonymous" that the MCK has not, does not and was never given the power to represent anything in regards to the "collective and our traditional ways". The MCK is/was and always will be a tool by the government of Canada through the DIAND to whipe out and assimilate the Mohawk Nation.

The only people who have any legal right to speak for and represent the collective are the Traditional people under the Great Law of Peace. The only people collectively the MCK does represent, will represent and is representing are the very few people who voted them in power. Regardless of what anyone here or in Ottawa thinks.

Secondly, Anonymous states Keith "single-handedly made a decision for the entire community" something which the MCK actually does on a regular basis. You seem to forget the MCK is a democratically elected council, not a democratically controlled council. The MCK "single-handedly made a decision for the entire community" many times especially in regards to whom it thinks it represents.

Anonymous also goes on to state that "So much for Mr. Myiow enforcing and upholding Kahnawake's jurisdiction." Can someone explain to me how Kahnawake has any jurisdiction. Kahnawake under the rule of the MCK is neither a jurisdiction, country or sovereign entity. The only thing Kahnawake under the MCK is, is a ward the DIAND with municipal powers. Which is conviently trying to undermine and steal the sovereignty of the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Iroquous confederacy for its own jurisdictional control.

So who cares what the MCK or Keith does in regards "upholding Kahnawake's jurisdiction" because under current international law you dont have a pebble to stand on. The Mohawk Nation within Kahnawake and the people who hold allegiance to it are the ones who are "upholding Kahnawake's jurisdiction" because we have a constitution, treaties, language, culture and 700 plus years of history to back our existence up with.

The MCK, on the other hand has its creation by the Canadian government and illegal installation within sovereign Mohawk Nation Territory to be proud about. It has a racist membership code, racist election code and dictatorial democracy which does what it wants, when it wants.

I think before cowardly anonymous tries to support the MCK in its conviction about Keiths doings in the MCK. Anonymous really needs to sit down and take a look at the institution he/she works for and misrepresents.

I "uphold Kahnawake's Jurisdiction" by continuing to support and defend the "Great Law of Peace" not the Great Law of the MCK.

Kahon:wes - Great Law of Peace the oldest living democracy on earth...

 

March 3, 2006

Those Who Included US

In the Eastern Door March 3, 2006 Ross Montour made the comment "How 8000 people can be reduced to 610." Well obviously Ross Montour must have lost some insight to his own history.

How "8000 people can be reduced to 610." is very simple. I'll reduce it to 7999 for you by stating the following publically.

I as a member of the Mohawk Nation pledge an allegiance to the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Iroquois confederacy to uphold its constitution and laws. I like many other people in nations around the world believe in my country no matter what state it may lie in. In doing so I pledge with my life to defend it from enemies both foreign and domestic, much the same way the US defends its Country.

My question is to Ross Montour and the MCK where did the MCK get the power to represent Mohawk Nation people and ASSUME they represent all 8000 people with Mohawk ancestry. Where did the MCK get the right to assume they represent me or anyone else whom may hold allegiance to the Mohawk Nation.

Fact is the MCK has never in 100 years been given any authority to represent the Mohawk Nation, Mohawk Sovereignty, Haudenosaunee People and any other entity that is not directly related to the assimilation of Mohawk people. The MCK has only assumed it represents 8000 people in Kahnawake when it clearly has been told to stop assuming they represent all 8000 over and over again.

So how can 8000 people be reduced to 610? Learn your history and realize the Mohawk Nation isn't dead, nor is the culture or the language. The only thing that is dead is the ability for certain human beings to realize this.

Kahon:wes - People Seem to Conviently Forget

 

March 4, 2006

How Assimilated Are We

In a commentary titled "Traditional system: the time is now" I have to commend Watio Montour for what he wrote but I have one underlying question for him and every Traditional person in Kahnawake.

In 1979 there was a mandate by the people and the MCK to return Kahnawake to traditional government. Everyone in Kahnawake knows this and every person has been waiting almost 30 years for the MCK and the community to follow up on it.

My question for the traditional people of Kahnawake is who gave the MCK in there mandate to return to traditional government the right to assume traditional government is dead. The Mohawk Nation and the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy never ceeded any power to the MCK. Nor to my knowledge was traditional government declared dead.

I would think the traditional people and its government need to belly up to the bar and relinquish the power they already have. The Traditional Mohawk Nation government needs no permission by the MCK or the people to return to its rightful place. What it needs to do is get organized, step up to the plate and use the power that is slowly being stolen from it.

We always talk about two canoes. How the Traditional people sit in one canoe and the MCK sits in another canoe. The only think we dont talk about is how the MCK's canoe has been slowly trying to sink the other canoe with the help of its sister canoe in Ottawa.

Most governments in the world hold on to their sovereignty by enforcing it. The traditional people need to enforce Mohawk Sovereignty. Much the same way the MCK likes to think it rules Kahnawake. We cannot have the white canoe tell us who we are, how they think traditional people should be and traditional government should be run for ever.

If we as Mohawks ever want to see Traditional government its time it be enforced. Enforced the same way governments around the world enforce there jursdiction. The traditional people need to enforce its jurisdiction over Canada's MCK. The MCK has no jurisdiction over sovereign Mohawk people, its laws or its constitution.

Kahon:wes - Sovereignty is a must