The problems of poverty is not racism, just lack of citizenship

The problem of poverty is not racism,
just lack of citizenship

Nipawin - August 7, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis

contemptible lives of Native leaders
It was refreshing to read the letter "Money for Natives not reaching all⁽¹⁾" by Virginia

Favel. Favel is not using racism as the main cause for the decadent predicament of her

people all across Canada. Instead, she contrasts the poverty claiming the lives of many

people living in reserves against the contemptible lives of Native leaders spending

money for travelling expenses to attend powwows and enter pool tournament, for

upgrading their lands, for building their mansions, and for buying whatever else to

further themselves at the expense of all other people.

nobody cares
Favel says that this cycle of corruption and abuse against humanity is endless and

she feels helpless when nobody takes any step to help out: neither the RCPM, nor

Indian Affairs, nor Human Rights officials. Favel pictures a Native environment of

deprivation and no justice, void of any democratic principles, where nobody listens,

nobody hears, nobody cares.

we must
listen
We must care to listen to the cries of our neighbours and it is our duty of citizens to

exercise our democratic right to rally on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged. We

must listen to Virginia Favel's cry for help as we must listen to all the voices of

disenfranchised Natives of this province and across Canada.

self
government
The Native leaders' proposals for self-government to remedy the continuous

injustices against the Natives will only cause further alienation among all the

people and a further social gap between our leaders, Natives and non-Natives,

and the rest of us. The problem is that our governments have sold their souls

to the few and privileged⁽²⁾ and as a consequence they have been painting a

world of phoniness⁽³⁾ and economic growth⁽⁴⁾ while in reality we experience

an ever increasing social decadence⁽⁵⁾.

our turn as individual citizens
We cannot trust our governments to solve the problems of poverty and racism,

and therefore it is again our turn as individual citizens to re-establish democratic

value for all, Natives and non Natives⁽⁶⁾. And in this respect, I like to quote the

simple message by Ralph Nader "To go through life as a non-citizen would be

to feel that there's nothing that you can do, that nobody's listening, that you don't

matter, but to be a citizen is to enjoy the deep satisfaction of seeing pain prevented,

misery avoided and injustice decline⁽⁷⁾." My hope is that we can all listen to Ralph

Nader's message and become citizens once again.

--------------Endnotes:

1.
-
Money for Natives not reaching all, by Virginia Favel, The StarPhoenix, August 4, 2000, Readers' Opinions, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

2.
A World for the Few and Privileged in Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 18, 2000

3.
-
Honourable Janice MacKinnon and her rolling economy in Phonyland, by Mario deSantis, May 8, 2000

4.
Doug Elliot's indicators of economic reality are not validated, by Mario deSantis, July 21, 2000

5.
Premier Roy Romanow: a Magician? a Saviour? a Cheater? By Mario deSantis, July 13, 2000

6.
-
Asserting Human Rights by Changing Attitudes in a land for the Few and Privileged, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, June 19, 2000

7.
-
Ralph Nader speaks out against No-Fault in Saskatchewan...Transcripts from 1998 http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/Ralph_Nador.htm

Today's picture shows the red flag flown on Grand Beach, (fifteen miles from the home of Phil Fontaine) which warns of dangerous conditions due to high winds, was taken yesterday.

*The problem of poverty is not racism,* *just lack of citizenship*

Nipawin - August 7, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis

contemptible lives of Native leaders	It was refreshing to read the letter "Money for Natives not reaching all⁽¹⁾" by Virginia
	Favel. Favel is not using racism as the main cause for the decadent predicament of her
	people all across Canada. Instead, she contrasts the poverty claiming the lives of many
	people living in reserves against the contemptible lives of Native leaders spending
	money for travelling expenses to attend powwows and enter pool tournament, for
	upgrading their lands, for building their mansions, and for buying whatever else to
	further themselves at the expense of all other people.

nobody cares	Favel says that this cycle of corruption and abuse against humanity is endless and
	she feels helpless when nobody takes any step to help out: neither the RCPM, nor
	Indian Affairs, nor Human Rights officials. Favel pictures a Native environment of
	deprivation and no justice, void of any democratic principles, where nobody listens,
	nobody hears, nobody cares.

we must listen	We must care to listen to the cries of our neighbours and it is our duty of citizens to
	exercise our democratic right to rally on behalf of the poor and disadvantaged. We
	must listen to Virginia Favel's cry for help as we must listen to all the voices of
	disenfranchised Natives of this province and across Canada.

self government	The Native leaders' proposals for self-government to remedy the continuous
	injustices against the Natives will only cause further alienation among all the
	people and a further social gap between our leaders, Natives and non-Natives,
	and the rest of us. The problem is that our governments have sold their souls
	to the few and privileged⁽²⁾ and as a consequence they have been painting a
	world of phoniness⁽³⁾ and economic growth⁽⁴⁾ while in reality we experience
	an ever increasing social decadence⁽⁵⁾.

our turn as individual citizens	We cannot trust our governments to solve the problems of poverty and racism,
	and therefore it is again our turn as individual citizens to re-establish democratic
	value for all, Natives and non Natives⁽⁶⁾. And in this respect, I like to quote the
	simple message by Ralph Nader "To go through life as a non-citizen would be
	to feel that there's nothing that you can do, that nobody's listening, that you don't
	matter, but to be a citizen is to enjoy the deep satisfaction of seeing pain prevented,
	misery avoided and injustice decline⁽⁷⁾." My hope is that we can all listen to Ralph
	Nader's message and become citizens once again.

--------------Endnotes:

1. -	Money for Natives not reaching all, by Virginia Favel, The StarPhoenix, August 4, 2000, Readers' Opinions, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

2.	A World for the Few and Privileged in Saskatchewan, by Mario deSantis, February 18, 2000

3. -	Honourable Janice MacKinnon and her rolling economy in Phonyland, by Mario deSantis, May 8, 2000

4.	Doug Elliot's indicators of economic reality are not validated, by Mario deSantis, July 21, 2000

5.	Premier Roy Romanow: a Magician? a Saviour? a Cheater? By Mario deSantis, July 13, 2000

6. -	Asserting Human Rights by Changing Attitudes in a land for the Few and Privileged, by Mario deSantis and reviewed by James deSantis, June 19, 2000

7. -	Ralph Nader speaks out against No-Fault in Saskatchewan...Transcripts from 1998 http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/Ralph_Nador.htm

	Today's picture shows the red flag flown on Grand Beach, (fifteen miles from the home of Phil Fontaine) which warns of dangerous conditions due to high winds, was taken yesterday.