Marty Replies:

Suspiciously, this Blogger is absent of any critizim of Joseph Red Bear and only attacks Marty and Vernon as with similar past Blogs. All I can say is that Vernon asked Marty to help Billy Warsoldier under his leadership to organize the Riverside AIM chapter, as Marty had done with Joseph in San Diego. Joseph Red Bear and his girlfriend Kathryn became highly upset that he was not offered the control of Riverside. Since then they both made it a personal issue and continue to viciously attack me, Vernon Bellecourt and other AIM Riverside chapter leaders with these Blog Hate sites. Thus giving ammunition to those who promote hate at AIM or anyone who disagrees with them. They have even written blogs that give the appearance that I wrote them to justify attacking me because I had refused to respond to such hate speech, including racist remarks about my Indian ancestry. But it is time to STOP THE HATE!

We (Indian People) need unity, not disunity. Those who promote such dark negative hate and create division amongst our people serve a much darker force called Ego. Their hatful rhetoric only serves those who do not want Indian unity or are jealous of the leadership role that AIM civil rights achievements have brought to our people since 1968. Vernon Bellecourt has sacrificed his entire adult life fighting for the rights of our people. At times you may not have agreed with his methods, but where were you when our culture and rights were being seriously violated. Vernon as well as all those elders today who have fought for our rights deserve our respect and honor. Rumors and hear say do not represent the “truth” nor warrant hate filled attacks against any elder.

Historically, anyone who stands up to fight for the rights of others will create controversy and naturally attract enemies. It proves that there will always be others with ulterior motives that will utilize any means necessary to achieve their evil goals, because for them “the ends justify the means.” We all need to look above this dark hate speech to see the light to realize our work is about serving the greater good, not ones own self-interests. We need positive attitudes with positive solutions to serious problems facing our people. Not blindly supporting individuals who promote only hate while creating a self-destructive environment that pits Indian against Indian. These haters will successfully use the dominate culture strategy of “divide and conquer” that is still in use today against our people. This blog is a good example of that. We are all related. So let us pray for those who are misguided and hope they can join us in a unified struggle

If you go to our web site at www.aimriverside.org you will not see such hate or negative attitudes. There you will see positive material that advance ideas that will benefit our people, our culture and our children’s future.

Today, I cautiously posted these Bloggers on our web site praying others will see the racist and hate speech that Indian people continue to endure at the hands if nameless and faceless individuals. I am hoping it will open their eyes to finding positive solutions and rise above the hate and racism of others. Go to “Commentary & Analysis” on our web site.

Sadly, I know there will be those who will find some negative fault to viciously attack my comment. However, we do not need hate speech we need intellectual debate in a positive arena to find some common ground so Indian people can move forward achieving positive results.

Keep an open mind. Indian Unity is not a pipe dream if we continue to believe in something greater then ourselves for “Wisdom is the absence of Ego.”

Marty

Marty Fire Rider Hiles

Northern Ontario Ojibwe