Christie Blatchfords new book, Helpless: Caledonia's Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us

18 posts / 0 new

Sun, 2010-10-31 09:52

Bugs

EVERYONE should look at this -- an interview of Christie Blatchford, promoting her new book, Helpless: Caledonia's Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us

It's at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p6KGhJL9XY

This video is part I, there are three or four videos, in all.

There has been a news blackout on this issue, which I have followed since the beginning. The story is one of a failure of policing, and she understates the violence and the general failure of the police to even try to prevent it.

Where's the left on this issue?

Comments?

Sun, 2010-10-31 10:23

Maysie

Christie Blatchford has no business representing, depicting, writing about, and making money from, her idiotic, nonsensical and racist thoughts and ideas about Caledonia and the Aboriginal people's struggles.

Sun, 2010-10-31 11:06

Stargazer

The "left" on this issue is not with you, that's for sure. Perhaps you can peddle your reverse racism crap over on a far right CDN blog. Trashing the 'Nish people on babble will rightfully get your ass banned.

Sun, 2010-10-31 11:16

KenS

That pretty well sums it up. You are in the wrong place bud.

Sun, 2010-10-31 11:41

remind

"Failed us all"?

With those words, had she not already had no credibility, she would have lost any that she had.

Sun, 2010-10-31 12:06

Maysie

Bugs is gone.

The thread was closed, but is now open.

Sun, 2010-10-31 16:24

E.Tamaran

We got the land back, and the area is being policed by the peacekeepers. End of story.

Sun, 2010-10-31 21:05

Bacchus

Hmm I thought the chiefs were 'in discussions' with the government again over the land? Aside from the huge compensation given the developers and homeowners that is

Sun, 2010-11-07 17:58

Refuge

Bacchus wrote:

Hmm I thought the chiefs were 'in discussions' with the government again over the land? Aside from the huge compensation given the developers and homeowners that is

The Haudensaunee are in discussions over not just this land but different parts of the land claim, that has been ongoing. Kanonhstaton (the old Douglas Creek Estates) is right now being "occupied" by the Haudensaunee, the police are not allowed onto the territory. The government says that it has not given up rights to the land but that does not change the fact that right now it is Haudensaunee hands and they have never left the land and vow not to until it is turned over. With almost half a decade past I believe them. It also does not change the fact that the Haudensaunee are the ones making decisions about the land (such as which buildings to build and/or tear down and what events take place on the land).

Sun, 2010-11-07 18:13

#10

milo204

the key here is she openly concedes she knows little to nothing about land claims. To me that says it all.

If you don't know anything about land claims, how can you even speak on this issue? You can't.

the fact that so many people who know nothing about land claims take this issue up and try and speak on it is the problem, it's not just a simple matter of law, it's a nation to nation territory dispute. That's probably why anyone who has a handle on the history of land claims and how the federal gov usually handles these things (grassy narrows, oka, etc...) is more outraged at the way the land is being taken than the people trying to assert their rights to it.

Sun, 2010-11-07 18:33

#11

Stargazer

She doesn't care about land claims, and she never will. This is just another example of our own northern tea baggers using the reverse racism card. There is absolutely nothing of substance that she can say without any knowledge of the history of the people and the land claims. That says it all. She wrote this book for the angry white folks, and she wrote it to capitalize on the angry movement of white folks (see Ford for more info if you think we don't have our own movement of angry white people)

Sun, 2010-11-07 20:47

#12

Roscoe

Ms. Blatchford, like any other 'journalist' will seize upon the subject that will garner the greatest exposure for their mediocre scribblings. It is doubtful that anyone other than stakeholders and supporters of the Haldiman Tract issue will even bother to acquaint themselves with this book, never mind read, much less purchase it.

Mon, 2010-11-08 10:09

#13

Stargazer

I hope you are right Roscoe, but I think that people who have a deep seated hatred of FN people will indeed read that book. I hear all the time from certain members of my family how good the natives have it and how we support them. This is coming from my family, who are solidly Mic Mac and French.

Mon, 2010-11-08 10:28

#14

KenS

I would not be so sanguine that so few people will read it. But I think it will be mostly the 'opinion leaders' who are already holding the kinds of views that Blatchford expresses.

In other words, my hunch this is all symptoms of the disease... not making it any worse.

I'm guessing Stargazer that you are talking about the kind of opinions common among 'urban Indians'. If so, this is something that I am familiar with as an idea, but with which I and a lot of people have little experience. If you were into elaborating some, I'd like to hear more. Including how common it is.

[If you want to do that, think about whether this is a good a place as any to do it.]

Mon, 2010-11-08 10:32

#15

Stargazer

Exactly right KenS, urban Indians about describes it perfectly, except they don't even identify as being FN (one of my sisters, the other does). I don't really know how common this is, as I don't really have any of these types of friends and the FN friends I do have don't speak like that. They are proud of their heritage and understand more than I do on these issues.

Mon, 2010-11-08 11:47

#16

clandestiny

fyi, i heard blatchford (whom i detest on principle) doing interview on CBC and again few days later on (?) hate radio- the skinheads aka knuckledowners ie oakley or maybe it was john tory. Anyway, the 'tone' was noticably different in both interviews. Blatchford knows she's pandering; and her concern for FN's in her nice CBC interview was .....well sickening, at least! She was more 'the law's an ass cuz cops scared of lefty politicians' bs during the hate radio interview (conveniently forgetting that the knuckledownerss picketted Fantino's home, and also damaged OPP cars on site - to the point the cops, to their amazement, found they liked the FN guys more then the knuckledowners!)

Question: Is 'Bugs' known to moderators? So many rightwingers are genuinely innocent dimwits- what on earth could anyone thinks that blatchford is trying to achieve versus 1st Nations resistance to blatchford's ideal type of uni-formed men! It seems Bugs was sincerely trying to find something out, and bums' rushing him/her seems rather harsh(?) unless ...of a known quality

also, as far as selling her silly book. blatchford knows that bulk buys of rightwing claptrap by the big book dealers guarantees something for a cheap hack like blatchford (i read a tome by hers once, years ago, and can't for life of me, recall what it was about!) There was a thread on DU sometime ago concerning several skids of the NYPost(?) or some other reactionmary rag found dumped in an alleyway-the reactionaries spend HUGE SUMS promoting rightwing pov, and tax breaks assures the money is from poor taxpayer!

Mon, 2010-11-08 15:19

#17

Roscoe

Stargazer wrote:

I hope you are right Roscoe, but I think that people who have a deep seated hatred of FN people will indeed read that book. I hear all the time from certain members of my family how good the natives have it and how we support them. This is coming from my family, who are solidly Mic Mac and French.

I dunno about "deep seated hatred of FN people". Most of the people who buy into the 'indian' stereotype are not interested in reading anything other than the captions on titillating photos in my experience. The 'urban indian' has a different dynamic to deal with and, to my uninformed opinion, self-identify with the prevailing attitude simply because it is too wearying to constantly fight against it.

There is a large difference between rural FN raised within their culture and urban individuals who may or may not know their roots in terms of their ability to survive as a self- identifying FN member. Its not only the 'settler' mentality but also the urban immigrant diaspora who know nothing of FN and simply buy into the stereotypes.

Mon, 2010-11-08 15:23

#18

Roscoe

Sorry, Double post