IRA system is unable to articulate or demonstrate effective traditional values
BHPN
To the Editor:
The imposed system isn't working, things are unraveling and we all know it. Our most basic virtues of civility, responsibility, justice and integrity seem to be collapsing; appears to be losing the ethics derived from personal commitment, social purpose and spiritual meaning. Triumph of materialism is hardly questioned.
Domestically we are divided in the lines of race, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, culture, and tribal. Environmental degradation and resource scarcity threatens to explode our divisions into a perpetual conflict, so that the depth of the crisis we face demands more than politics.
An illness of spirit has spread across Tetuwan Oglala lands. Our greatest need is for what our traditions call for: "The healing of a Nation": Character of social, economic and cultural rebirth.
Once an elder warned of wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without conscience, education without character, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. Today, they provide an apt description of our tribal council and cultural patterns, and are accepted practices of the life of this nation. Thousands of years ago, the book of proverbs warns: "Where there is no vision the people perish". That ancient writing, warns us to our present situation: without a vision we will perish.
The imposed system we have known is almost completely dysfunctional now. It has run its course, and is coming to a dead end. The Oyate have a desire and are transcending from the old system to a deeper yearning to go beyond to a more simple traditional government.
The IRA system is unable to articulate or demonstrate the kind of traditional values that must affect any seriousness of social transformation, and the critical line between personal responsibility and social change is missing. On the other hand, IRA still denies the reality of structural injustice and social oppression, while ignoring the pernicious effects of poverty, and to continue to blame the victim. Real solutions require a much deeper understanding of the relationship between structural destruction and self-destruction. Destruction structure is caused by systematic social, racial and economical injustice. Destruction by self is the lack of character, family and community.
So politics have been reduced to the selfish struggle for power among special interests and groups, instead of a process of searching for the common good without traditional values. Political life quickly degenerates into public corruption, cultural confusion and social injustice. We need a government that offers us something. We have a vision of transformation and a new sense of direction will require moral compass, that we can trust.
The issues at the heart of the Oyate debate, are often unrecognized and ignored, or worse yet, manipulated and twisted for politically self-serving and ideological purposes. We witness it again each election. Discourse and disconcernment seems too out of place in the imposed systems coverage, and the endless polling of voters. When issues do come up, they tend to be narrowly defined and often become the basis for excluding others, rather than opening doors of compassion and justice. Local or national elections reduce many, to a choice of the lesser of two evils, or to withdraw altogether to support hopeless non-traditional candidates. The result is non-involvement. Only a few of us bother to vote anymore.
The Oyate long for leaders who would be community builders, public servants who practice the art of bringing the oyate together, for the common good, instead of power brokers who represent only those who have the most clout.
There are limits to what politics can provide to better the human condition: by making a difference for the good or evil in ways that we live together. Leaders can appeal to the Oyate instinct. Leaders provide what they think best offers to lead the people to where they really want to go.
A new framework or vision will emerge from our most basic personal and social traditional values, which derive from the core of our traditions, which are common to the Oyate, who have been cultured. We need a moral responsibility. A commitment to justice with the capacity for reform, to shape our future generation, while rebuilding on our foundation and resources for a new vision.
An upcoming summit is in the planning for January 2003. It is for the public, and it's on treaty, self-determination and international perspective. It is sponsored by the Seven Oceti LDN Human Rights Organization.
Submitted to BHPN by Garvard Good Plume.
Contact Garvard Good Plume at: H.R. Advocate Trainer, GROLO, P.O. Box 1901, Rapid City SC 57779
home : mission statement : contact : site map : search : store : links
DLN coalition : DLN issues : DLN nation : related issues Any reprints are under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law : See http://www.dlncoalition.org/fair_use.htm.
|
