"Stop, in the name of love"

COLONISTS, STOP TRYING TO “SUCKER PUNCH” US FOR DEFENDING OUR LAND. OBEY YOUR LAWS AND TREAT US AS EQUALS

Mohawk News Sept. 30, 2006

Back in 1979 a young Mohawk, Steve Cross, was chased from Lasalle, across the river, back to Kahnawake, by the Surete du Quebec SQ. He stopped in his driveway, jumped out of his car, ran inside and returned with a stick. He hit the cop’s windshield. He knew that the SQ had no business there. The cop sat in his car, with his window open. He aimed his gun at the young man’s chest, shot and killed him. Are the cops today still trying to see how many of our young men they can take out?

Cross had done nothing wrong! In the end, Cross was trying to show the cop the strength we see in our values and being on our land. He came home to the security of his people. Yes, we are a race of people. We belong with each other. We all have a duty to each other. We can’t let outsiders come in and kill us with impunity. All the cops have to say to their superiors to absolve themselves of blame is, “It was a standoff. I had to shoot.” Then they get away with it. Yes, but the SQ came into our community, threatened us, we defended ourselves, and one of our men was shot and killed.

What is the difference between someone in a uniform and someone out of uniform? Cross was defending his laws of self-preservation of himself and his people. The SQ policeman was defending his superiority over an Indigenous man. One action is based on duty and the other is based on a paycheck.

Why did that cop go outside his jurisdiction? He had no business on our land. He was never punished. The underlying issue is they don’t respect our jurisdiction.

Every time we stand up, it is over an issue that has been brewing for 500 years. Canada is complaining they have to put aside $100 million to settle their claims to our land. At the same time, $100 million is going to be spent to fix up the Mercier Bridge over which Steve Cross drove in the last moments of his life.

At Six Nations we constantly ask why there are over 80 warrants for our people for defending ourselves. At the same time, none of our attackers have ever been arrested or charged. What is our crime - that we defended ourselves and our land?

One of our young men was picked up last week for being at Kanenhstaton/Six Nations. He was arrested at the boat dock on the St. Lawrence River on the Quebec portion of Akwesasne. He was driven through New York State to an Ontario Provincial Police detachment at Long Sault. Then he was taken back through New York State to the village of Akwesasne. Somehow they messed up. They were looking for something to charge him with.

Then they took him to Valleyfield Quebec where they gave him free room and board (jail) that night. The next day they took him to Cayuga Ontario, probably to come before Judge David “Who-Has-It-In-For-Indigenous-Men” Marshall. All this was done by what we call the “traitorous Indian police” set up by the Canadian and provincial governments. They act at the behest of their colonial masters against our people, for a pay check. He got picked up for being in the way when this couple drove up to the reclamation site. They gunned their car and ran down several of our people. The OPP defended this couple, who have never been charged or arrested.

It appears to be alright for the colonists to attack us as they have always have done in the past. It would seem that the foreign occupiers of our land still think they can go after our people for acting on our law. The state continues to make up phony accusations against us. What’s going to happen to those phony warrants? Are they going to be around for the next 150 years?

The way we see it, when the state creates a cheap opportunity, they take a cheap shot. They want to pick up our young people who are acting completely nobly in defending our people and land. Like many other people in my community, after the 1990 Mohawk Crisis at Oka, I was followed by the SQ outside my community and viciously beaten. I was 55 years old at that time. So they aren’t just targeting the young native people. Man! That was a cheap shot, SQ.

Yes, Gary McHale and Marie Trainor, we agree with you that there is a “two tier” justice system. You can get away with murder. We can’t spit on the sidewalk.

When the crisis is over, isn’t it over? Why do the government, cops, corporations and mainstream media have to keep taking “sucker shots” at us?

Because of the kind of people we are, we can’t even stay mad at our enemies. We constantly poke fun at ourselves and our adversaries. When Gary McHale sails into Caledonia on October 15th, in his rust bucket, wouldn’t it be something if we invited these 20,000 guests to come and dine with us under the “Tree of Peace”, if we can find one? Henco did leave one tree standing on the site. We’ll tell the cops to stay in their tent for a while so we can talk with each other.

Gary, you’re raising $1 million. We need money for food and cooks to feed you and materials to finish our houses that we’ve reclaimed so we can make it through the winter. If you help us with this “day in the park”, you know you’ll be treated well. At least you will have a job and food for a day.

You claim you are not getting money from the government. What do you mean by that? Everybody knows that the Canadian government is a leaky sieve. You need to put more thought into this. You tell us that this “international committee” approved your website where you say that we, the Women Title Holders, are “terrorists”. We’re accused of constantly questioning of the colonial violations of our laws and agreements.

Let’s turn your “White Man’s March” into something fun. We’ll carry signs saying “Let’s stand together” instead of “Bring in the Army”. If marching is what you came here for, you can do it all day long until your feet wear out.

Hey, Gary, can you hand over some of that money you say you’ve collected and give it to a worthy cause. We’d be grateful. Then we could feed this big crowd that you’re bringing in to gawk at us? We’ll make cornbread, scones, strawberry drink and the kinds of food that will give strength to all of us.

Also, Gary, if you need professional equipment, toilets, cameras, camcorders, sound systems, lots of toilet paper and technicians, we could provide all of this at a competitive price. As you know, we are unemployed because of our race. We need to live too. We’d be happy to do it. Of course, from our past experience with the invaders, we would have to ask for payment in advance. It would go towards 20,000 dinners at $6 a plate, which amounts to $120,000. We’ll need tents, tables, chairs and kitchen facilities that you could help us complete in those houses on the site.

Like anywhere else these days, metal detectors will be needed for those few who come onto our site to make trouble. We could have a big “Peace Offering” cake. Non-native women, you probably have a minor role in Gary’s march. With us, we’ll put you to work helping us to set things up. We can do lots of good things together.

What is your issue, Gary? What’s wrong with having a party where everyone is invited? After October 15th, it’s over! Just think of the message this would send. We would all be telling the government to resolve this. Isn’t that what we all want? You know we will continue to occupy our land. After this is over, you’ll just leave everything behind and find a new issue. Are you planning to sue the government for not protecting you from us? Are you going to show them your bruised ego? What is your suffering worth? You could ask for a few hundred thousand dollars for your feigned fear, insecurity and “scars” that have to be healed? You do have to maintain Christine in that house in Richmond Hill.

Who are you doing this for? We’re still trying to figure out how you can drag yourself away from your job, day after day, without pay, as you say. How do you manage to keep up that high lifestyle in Toronto? Where did you get the money to start this? Your meals, transportation, accommodation and communications are costly. Also it takes a lot of time and money to maintain all your websites and pay for your organizing work.

You seem to know how to get money to attack our rights. Would you share some of it with us so that we can help look after your guests? Say 50%! Are you going to come over and say “hello” to us? Or are you spouting platitudes just to collect money? Is it all smoke and mirrors so that people who don’t know better will buy into it? We have a lot to tell you about ourselves, our history, our rights, our philosophy and our laws. We would like to hear what your values are.

Gary, how far would you go for the best interests of your children? We are doing everything for our future generations. Let’s put down the fists and sit together.

Kahentinetha Horn

MNN Mohawk Nation News