#free indigenous communities EVERYWHERE

[lunawlw]

so all the talk about land back along with abolishing the police, down with capitalism, all cops being bastards, punching nazis, being gay doing crimes, and black lives matter was just a fucking lie from yall huh

[drdemonprince]

Entire communities are disabled by oppressive systems even if select individuals within said communities are perceived by some as “able” or “neurotypical”. Palestinians are disabled by settler colonialism, as are indigenous people everywhere. My communities have been systematically disabled by centuries of colonialism and the ugliest forms of racial capitalism.  Entire communities are labeled “insane”. For example, mainstream media orchestrates the dehumanization of Palestinians, Arab/ SWANA, Muslim communities (and other racialized communities) to frame us as savages where everything from our moral compass, motivations, ability to critically think, desires, hopes, traditions etc are brought into question to garner public support for our massacres & genocides.  What are the Brown & Black “savages” if not “mad & insane”? What are the "barbaric “human animals” if not “crazy & psychotic”?

Another banger by Ayesha Khan! And this one is free to read!

[bossymarmalade]

Melaw Nakehk’o, “Free Palestine” (2023), traditionally smoked moose and caribou hide, glass beads, embroidery thread, sinew 

“We really need to take a look at silencing as being a core failure of the decolonization and Indigenization platforms these institutions claim to be incorporating into their spaces,” Aylan Couchie said, adding that communities “need the freedom to speak to settler colonialism everywhere, including in Palestine.” [x]

[luunaathh]

•Powwow of the Nonhuman Presenter and Vendor Applications are Open!•

•Greetings! The powwow of the nonhuman event is now accepting applications for presenters and vendors who wish to participate in the first annual powwow of the nonhuman!

What is Powwow of the Nonhuman?

•The powwow of the nonhuman is an annual virtual event meant to promote representation for indigenous peoples and people of color who identify as nonhuman. We are sadly fragmented and unrepresented among the otherkind community, this event seeks to change that sad fact. Powwows are not only for indigenous peoples from the continental americas, though also for indigenous peoples from everywhere in the world! We welcome indigenous peoples from Africa, Asia, Island Nations, Australia, The Middle East, and other parts of the world! All people of color are welcome to this event, regardless of whether or not they identify with being indigenous or not!

Powwow Presenter Details

•Presenters for the powwow of the nonhuman will be allowed to speak about any topic pertaining to their indigenous heritage, their otherkinity, their experiences with spirituality, or their environmental work. The experiences discussed in these presentations can be positive or negative in nature, we want every powwow presenter to feel truly free to express every aspect of themselves. All presentations for the powwow will be pre-recorded and edited in to premier on December 20th. Presenters will be working with staff members and video editors to create their ideal presentation for the powwow.

Powwow Vendor Details

•Vendors for the powwow of the nonhuman will be able to advertise and sell their wares during the event. Vendors for the powwow will be allowed to sell artwork (drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, literature, or music), crafts (pottery, jewelry, dreamcatchers, rattles, medicine bags, drums, pipes, beadwork, baskets, woodworks, and animal medicine), items from nature (flowers, plants, sage, ceremonial wood, stones, crystals, animal pelts, or bones), foods (fruits, seeds, vegetables, baked goods, or candy) and miscellaneous services in between powwow presentations. Vendors for the powwow will be working with staff members and video editors to create a short advertisement for their wares to premier at the powwow December 20th.

Want to Participate?

•If you desire to be a presenter or a vendor for the powwow of the nonhuman, please feel free to send my being a message! If you have any general questions about the powwow, do not be afraid to ask!

•We have a server for event planning! This server is also a general place for people of color who identify as otherkind to meet in a safe environment! •https://discord.gg/nHtFHwAe4q

[youcantdateosmosisjones]

How YOU, the average citizen, can play a part in ending the fascist plague ruling over the people that need your help:

We are now in a time of open, uncensored political unrest regarding the atrocities being committed- and that have BEEN committed in Palestine, the D.RC, Yemen, Sudan, New Guinea, Mexico, Algeria, Ethiopia, and so many more- because the colonial interests of nations like the U.K, the U.S.A, Canada, Israel, and so many more.

Why has this been happening in the first place? Money; land; resources; and the expansion of their economic empire. The people of Africa and the Americas were slaughter over rich resources and access to trade routes, and today colonial powers still exploit Africans for cheap access to what they sought after in the first place. In the Americas, the indigenous peoples were murdered and disregarded for a new empire to be built. These are only 2 vague examples I'm using that I'm sure most of you that see this (if your living in a western country) know about to some degree.

The very systems we live under and rely on for our contemporary survival are the same ones actively oppressing and colonizing those who have the resources they need, in order to sell those products back to us, so that we keep the workforce upholding this country intact. That's why it's so hard for people in 1st world countries to come to their senses and force themselves to face the reality of millions- because to them it isn't real. Our governments keep us docile and comforted, because we fuel their banks.

I'm done ranting, now. But it's important for you to know this information going forward. We the people have no hand in making legislation, passing laws, visiting the presidents of other nations, or making real global decisions- because the system isn't built for us to be able to do that. However, you still fund your government by participating in commerce. Commerce is truly all your government cares about. If you want to pressure your representatives into taking action, take part in boycott's; protest outside of tech stores in the name of the D.R.C; withdraw your money from the bank; disrupt any sale you can. I understand that the majority of citizens have jobs, families, and responsibilities to attend to, which is why even the smallest of deeds matters.

We as a global community have reached a point of total unrest about the treatment of our fellow human beings, and it is vital that we hold our ground- even as we are overwhelmed by the flood of information that previously unaffected our lives. But why do we get to be uncomfortable when there have been countless people dying all over the globe, using OUR GOVERNMENT'S MONEY, without so much as a protest for them? Please, use what resources and freedom you have right now to fight for those who don't.

None of us are free, until we're all free. To everybody everywhere, fight for peace.

[demdems]

sorry for being a little hater while watching the new natlan trailer and coughing up blood everywhere, that was a bit dramatic of me

mind the blood tho, we're still talking

a very not cohesive list of grievences i have with natlan [and genshin], I'm writing as i go so if its too long the rest is under read more

I mean truth be told i opened youtube, saw the trailer first thing, noticed the thumbnail, and kinda just immediately knew it was joever

we can start w the archon i guess [I'm assuming the red haired lady is the archon by using context clues] uh ive seen people argue that its fine/makes sense that she's white since the assumption that's been made is that she's based on himeko from hi3 but uh like, himeko murata is japanese, she's not white, if the name didn't make that obvious [this is similarly why i don't like the argument that nahida being white is fine due to her being based on theresa hi3, theresa is a clone of a white german woman im not sure why mhy based the archon of a nation based on swana cultures on her but i digress] i think its at least good that she beat the conquistador allegations, left a bad taste in my mouth when that was being speculated

The confirmation of names means people have been honing in on the cultures natlan is taking inspiration from, ive seen a lot. i made my best guess when talking with a friend but i believe theres polynesian, west african, indigenous american [mexico and central america? specifically based on the name citlali] [[feel free to correct me on anything]] honestly wasn't expecting much based on sumeru

Tbh i have like zero energy to hate on the natlan debut cast cuz i already did it w a friend but I'll do it anyways, its a lifestyle

the argument of, why look for dark skin rep in a game made by a company who's colorist [either by choice or due to pressure from the government since genshin has incredibly insane cultural impact in China], is legit since its like me looking for clothes at the soup store and getting upset

But genuinely even if mhy had a vision with genshin and wanted to show a diverse world in its game, its kinda weak to be almost so blatantly colorist outside their playable characters. I don't think that making npcs dark skinned and playable characters light skinned is a good look, especially when it's the second time that that the human enemies of the region for the most part are darker skinned than the characters used to fight them

And i don't like how parts of the community jumps on people who critique genshin for this. Like, if its a non issue to you why get upset with people yk. Plus never speaking up on stuff is bad like fine, the multi billion dollar company won't listen to you, but id like to think that other people would learn from this to some degree and understand why people get upset. And idk maybe its overstepping and silly but id like to thing that outrage reaches people who can see that yea maybe there's people who Will listen to the stories you wanna tell but idk

I just don't like that people are making it okay to just be racist and colorist like, that's just gonna eventually bounce back and then great everyones seeing how mad ur getting over someone wanting a character w a skin tone darker than #FFFFFF, i cant vocalize my thoughts right tho but you get me ig

aeugh anyways on the characters specifically, the darkest skinned character in the trailer looks almost gray thats not great, and then the girls w darker skin tones [there's so few men in genshin lately] are dressed very much not at all which is a reoccurrence, sumeru dressed its darker skinned characters in not a lot clothing which like if you've ever been to a country that's hot and sunny, people don't dress in swimwear they dress in pants and sleeved shirts because hi sun damage exists and too much exposure is unhealthy and people tend to get used to the climate

Also a lot of animal themed characters this time, do correct me if I'm wrong but i kinda see an overuse in the women of color in genshin being animal themed but if im looking too much into it then uh idk maybe genshin should release a catboy

The modern theming in the outfits isn't egregious but i think too much streetwear might bog down the overall look, like latin america cultures just by themselves have amazing fashion and god id kill to see something like a dancer based on mexico's traditional dances since those are the prettiest dresses, like modernizing is fine [i believe i saw somewhere that chongyun's outfit is based on chinese streetwear and i think it fits great in with the more traditional outfits in liyue] but stuff like the hoodies around the waist and the weird half shorts half pants of one of the characters kinda weakens the overall vision [but I'm not well versed in fashion so I'm not sure what direction wouldve been best for natlan to take to both respect the fashion of the cultures inspo is taken from and also fit in with genshins vibes overall]

Natlan the region itself is the best thing of the trailer tbh, it's very nice looking and yea there isn't a yellow orange filter over it like this were american tv or something, and the music is great i think the one part of the team who does good is the music

Personal expectations, i just hope the characters are good, like i hope good personality saves these guys and my soul while i play the natlan quest getting flashbanged everywhere i look

wegh, drip marketing Monday, and 5.0 in like 7 weeks, let's get this bread gamers

[elbiotipo]

Peronism is only particularly weird because Peron himself was basically just a fascist, it’s just that he wasn’t really able to govern as one because he was swept to power on the back of a worker’s movement and ended up fulfilling the tasks of anti communist social democracy

This is valid as a quick analysis, but as always, there is more nuance. I will try to add more, not in defense of Perón himself, but as for more context on this.

You are correct in the fact that it was Perón who was swept into power by the workers and not viceversa. In October 18 1945, it was the workers by themselves who marched to free Perón and eventually supported his goverments in the ballots and in the streets. One of the idiosyncracies of Peronism is its strong personalism, but I have always believed it's an inverted personalism, if that makes sense, where the popular movement projects and focuses its efforts on the figures of Perón, Evita and those who followed. If anything, Perón's rather convoluted ideological bases and poor decisions did not make for a coherent movement on itself, it was expressed in the collective movement of Peronism.

I will not attempt to argue that Perón wasn't inspired by or even admired Italian and Spanish Fascism. But he was not unique in the historical context of trying to create a "third position" between capitalism and communism. The difference between Peronism and Fascism, and the reason I think the two aren't the same or even really comparable, is that while Fascism emerged from war resentment and racial nationalism (Germany) the desire for colonial expansion and imperialism (Japan) or both (Italy), Peronism emerged from another perspective: from the anti-imperialist sentiment of a country controlled by foreign interests and an oligarchy that enforced the old colonial mindset (eurocentrism and racism, extractivism and the agro-exporter model, worker opression)

Contrary to the popular neoliberal vision of events, Argentina in the 30-40s was not a rich country; it was only for the oligarchy. Like everywhere else in the world, revolutionary movements were brewing; communism, but also fascism (as in extremist catholic and outright nazi movments), anarchism, and of course, the military arm enforcing conservative interests after failed attempts at reform by the UCR (who once were socialists, belive it or not). The Argentine working class was looking for someone to represent their interests after a century (centuries, if we count pre-independence). Peronism evolved in this context.

But why Perón and Peronism? Why not any of those other movements? Well, let's see the mindset of an average Argentine worker at the time. Many were deeply Catholic (worth noting that Peronism also included Jews and Muslims), and concerned about "atheist communism", which, you might dislike the figure of speech, but it was one of the main impressions of communism at the time. They were also, for the most part, discriminated by the oligarchy, either for their status of indigenous and african descent or as recent inmigrants, so they didn't sympathize with nazism or the ultra-catholic right either. Worker unions and movements were active in Argentina, but the years of dicatorship and previous unfriendly and ineffective goverments had undermined their power.

In this context, appears Perón, someone who supports unions, social justice and the development of the country, and whose movement for the first time tries to integrate and support the discriminated underclasses. He is considered both a patriot who stands up against foreign interests, but also someone who stands up to the oligarchic landowners. Not only that, but he has enough cred and power to actually enact what he does.

But this can't be done without the support of an organized popular movement, which the people provide again and again. And thus, Peronism arises.

Now, this all sounds rather counterproducent to socialism and communism, and it indeed it was, especially in Perón's later years, as the movement shattered between the far-right and the far left. Peronism is in many Argentina's version of social democracy, shaped by a violent, convoluted country and it fullfiled the same niche as in other countries: to prevent a violent revolution by conceding rights and benefits to the worker class. Only that in Argentina's complex history, it took a rather unique bent. Even today, it is undeniable that Argentina's working class and the core supporters of "the left" in other countries, in Argentina are peronists or sympathize with peronism, which has of now been identified with the left wing (but that's for another post).

Would have Argentina turned to revolutionary communism without peronism? Difficult to say. If it wasn't Perón, it might have been an actual fascist or ultra-catholic that might have taken power. It could have been a communist revolution, true, but it also could have been repressed in the cycle of military coups and weak democracies. I love alternate history, but it all would have depended on a lot of things one can't explore meaningfully. You can't change what has happened, in any case.

However, what does this mean for the future of socialism and communism in Argentina? Like I said, it is an historical and current fact that the Argentine worker class and unions sympathize by the most part with Peronism. The construction of any socialist or communism movement must deal with that fact, inevitably. How to do it? Well, se los dejo como tarea para la casa.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Land and Freedom

A HABITAT IS A TERRITORY THAT PROVIDES SOURCES OF water and food, as well as reliable sources of materials for shelter and heat. Typically, it is where you first made love, learned to swim, caught your first fish, and perhaps even fought a battle against a belligerent neighboring group.

Practically everybody in your community knows the names of the flora and fauna of your habitat, where the berries are, when the birds leave and return. Most inhabitants feel a kinship with the totality of your habitat, not only its flora and fauna, but its weather patterns, rocks, streams and mountains, its unique smells and sounds and the various combinations of them that make the singular music of your home.

Urban civilization won’t fail because of the actions of a minority of eco-activists and indigenous traditionalists. However, it is possible that a majority of those repulsed by the destructive basis of civilization will become anti-authoritarian fighters dedicated to creating a world of ecological communities, each success along the way a revitalising inspiration. If enough of the population participates, a critical point will be reached where the drive of our collective push toward kinship with our surroundings will become unstoppable.

Revolution is not everywhere or nowhere. Any region can be liberated through a succession of actions, events and strategies based on the conditions unique to it, as the grip of civilization in that area weakens through its own volition or through the efforts of its inhabitants. It would benefit these liberated regions to form alliances or meld in some way, or they might choose not to.

It is up to each of us to look for the weak points and the vital points of our opponent’s armor within our geographical area and to strike them. It is not true that until all humans are free, none are free. But it is true that none are free until all are free within the same place. And it is enraging and sad that some might enjoy freedom and authentic community while others don’t. It is this sense of solidarity with others, our refusal to be atomized, that compels us to spread our freedom.

Civilization didn’t succeed everywhere at once, so its undoing might only occur to varying degrees in different places at different times. In any case, the process of domestication is an ongoing one. Just because it succeeds in colonizing any given area, doesn’t mean civilization is inherently permanent. Its continuance relies on our belief in its superiority, our submission to its authority, and our failure to have successful insurgencies.

Civilization is a march toward death. Just to ensure that some diversity of life will endure, the brakes must soon be put on the mega machines: seemingly unstoppable, out-of-control locomotives of catastrophes.

The captivity of the civilized must be maintained on a daily basis, otherwise there would be constant organizing and revolting. Coercive authority relies on entertainment (tourism, drugs, television, etc.), ideologies (Marxism, religion, science, etc.), propaganda (schools, mass media, etc.) and repression to keep us dumb and scared. Many of us who recognize that something is deeply wrong don’t fight back primarily, I believe, because of feelings of isolation and poverty, as well as fear of retribution from the repressive apparatus of political power (police, military, courts, jails, etc.).

While the rule of capital and centralized power might seem omniscient, they actually are not. There is a totality of domination, but the totality is not yet dominated. There are many psychic and geographical blind spots, openings, frontiers, where the sentinels and soldiers are few or at least fewer. We can take advantage of these. Our struggle for individual and collective freedom isn’t pointless or hopeless or so overwhelming as to make total surrender appear reasonable and inevitable.

For instance, because so much of our captivity relies on internalized cops, on the daily reproduction of social misery by our own compliance with the various roles expected of us (worker, soldier, consumer, man, woman, etc.), the weakest point in our opponents armor is probably our own ability to refuse these expectations of predictable behavior. It is through withdrawal from scripted roles and cultural constructs that we will get to know our neighbors and comrades, indeed ourselves, in a more honest light, revealing our true complexity as individuals, and thereby be better able to create the communities of resistance that could form the bases of our offensives. It also means attempting to collectively withdraw from our participation in the institutions and behaviours of capitalist civilization: entertainment, schooling, dependence on welfare states, wage work rather than subsistence skills and self-reliance, electoralism and other forms of representation, etc.

[spidertalia]

I am finally introducing one of my favorite girls- West Virginia !!!

Her human name is Pearl Elizabeth Madison, and she's physically 21 years old. She's the 27th oldest state, and celebrates her birthday on June 20th.

Pearl is overall a very fun and pleasant person to be around. She's friendly, diligent, cheerful, hardworking, kind, polite, sociable, neighborly, loyal, very passionate, fun loving, adventurous, thrill seeking, helpful and proud. She's a naturally very outdoorsy and active person with a deep love of everything nature related, and she's insanely passionate, putting her entire heart and soul into everything she does. She's the type of person to carry food with her wherever she goes just so she can share it with others. She's very community-oriented, a big people person and the very definition of the perfect neighbor. She's the first to speak up for others, or against something she doesn't think is fair- and she's huge on fairness and good sportsmanship. Some more fun facts about her are:

She's only a mere 5'1, or 155 cm in height. She's one of the shortest states- specifically, the third shortest state.

She has roughly 3a type hair.

She is the younger sister to Virginia, and older sister to Kentucky.

Outside of her Indigenous languages, she speaks fluent English and Spanish.

She is a huge fan of playing music, and just music in general. She's very skilled at playing the fiddle, appalachian dulcimer, mandolin and banjo, as well as the guitar. She's also a fairly good singer, and has written a few small songs of her own. She attends music festivals whenever they occur, and especially loves folk music, bluegrass music, country music and indie music.

She's always finding something to do and always keeping busy.

She holds a very deep respect for manual laborers, like miners. She's done quite a lot of manual labor herself over her life.

She's a naturally outdoorsy and active person. She has been exploring and adventuring ever since she was a young girl, and she knows her way around the outdoors She's also a fairly skilled survivalist.

She is very good in a crisis, having experience in survival, getting around the outdoors, working with her hands, growing food and more.

She is a very good shot.

She has an appalachian accent.

She keeps snacks and such stowed away everywhere. She has big pantries at all of her houses, and frequently bakes or cooks more than she can even eat just so she can give the extras to neighbors or local food pantries.

She is a very hard worker. She's very skilled with her hands and is always very thorough with any task she's given. She's even quite good with back-breaking labor, which has made her one of the physically stronger states.

She's a bit of an adrenaline junkie at times, indulging in everything from mountain climbing, white water rafting and skydiving.

She's surprisingly very religious, but hardly ever brings it up. She goes to church pretty much every sunday.

She is super helpful and more than happy to have anyone's back for anything.

She has quite a few gardens scattered across her houses and likes to grow some of her own food, especially ramps, herbs and other vegetables.

She usually has a bit of dirt on her somewhere.

Her likes include: Music, folk music, bluegrass music, country music, indie music, playing music, the outdoors, being outside, hotdogs, coleslaw, pepperoni rolls, apples, apple pie, hunting, cooking, baking, catching fireflies, hiking, camping, mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, running, swimming, gardening, farming, rainy days, Mothman, tough jobs, mountains, forests, waterfalls, pearls, pearl jewelry, being active

Her dislikes include: Pushy people, unfairness, judgmental people, being told what to do

That is all I have for her right now, but I will be gradually posting more on her! Feel free to leave any suggestions :))

[a-summer-soul]

If you have the time, what with the Everything going on, please give this article by my dear friend a read. She and others have been fighting an uphill battle against her local rabid MAGA Jesus Book Club for two and halfish years now, and she has a great way with words.

I dont know if my current followers and mutuals/friends know this about me from my tag rants, but I used to be a librarian. I miss that job with all my heart. This Christo-fascism is rampant, exhausting fellow librarians everywhere.

With the horrors we are witnessing in Gaza being denied and gaslit at every turn, now more than ever, access to uncensored, free, unfettered information so we can educate ourselves is imperative! Go to your libraries. Check out books on Palestine, on the Congo, on Indigenous peoples and their histories. De-whitewash your brain For. FREE. Learn about white supremacy and all its insidious practitioners. Use this mutual aid-building, community stengthening resource before they swallow it whole because it doesn't "turn a profit" and assists ALL, including the unhoused our government pretends to care about.

[ausetkmt]

NYU hosts white-only anti-racism workshop for public school parents in New York City so they can 'unlearn' their prejudice without 'traumatizing' minorities

The five-month-long course at the School of Education cost $360 to attend 

It was racially segregated so attendees could 'unlearn racism' without inflicting 'undue trauma or pain' on minorities in the process

Several attorneys said it likely violated federal Civil Rights law 

Published: 17:02 EDT, 11 July 2023 | Updated: 17:57 EDT, 11 July 2023

New York University is under fire for hosting a racially exclusionary seminar for white public school parents to train them to become anti-racist and build 'multiracial parent communities.'

The five-month-long course, which cost $360 to attend, was, according to a handful of legal experts, a clear violation of civil rights law, according to the Washington Free Beacon.  

The seminar, called 'From Integration to Anti-Racism,' was held half-a-dozen times this year and was run through NYU's Steinhardt School of Education.

The educators running the course distributed a document produced by the Alliance of White Anti-Racists Everywhere, which informed the class that the reason the seminar was being kept all white was so attendees could 'unlearn racism' without inflicting 'undue trauma or pain' on minorities in the process.

'From Integration to Anti-Racism' was an all-white course offered by NYU to public school parents in an effort to teach them how to unlearn racism away from racial minorities

The course was run by Steinhardt faculty member Barbara Gross, who defended the all-whiteness of the class by saying: 'People of color are dealing with racism all the time. Like every minute of every day. It's a harm on top of a harm for them to hear our racist thoughts'

The course was run by Barbara Gross, Steinhardt's associate director of the school's Education Justice Research group, who claimed that 'people of color are dealing with racism all the time. Like, every minute of every day.

'It's a harm on top of a harm,' she said, 'for them to hear our racist thoughts,' explaining again why the course would need to be an all-white space.

Recordings of parts of the seminars appear to have been provided to the Beacon by a parent in the class. 

During the inaugural workshop session, roughly a dozen parents were welcomed with a rendition of the song 'All You Fascists Bound to Lose' by Woody Guthrie, performed this time by the Resistance Revival Chorus - a group of women and non-binary singers.

Gross repeatedly instructed participants to 'resist the urge to intellectualize' the content of what they were about to learn. 

'What we know intellectually is very different from what's in our bones and in our nervous systems. What we have internalized. What we have inherited,' she said, implying that racism is as good as imprinted on white DNA.

When the seminar discussed a text called 'Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture' by Tema Okun, one parent who works as an editor proclaimed: 'I've been correcting grammar a lot and typos, and reading this I was thinking, ''Wow, I had no idea''.'

At one point Gross shared with the class a moment of bigoted thinking she once internally experienced.

She said that several 'women of color' in her office were joking around and playing games instead of working on the event they were meant to be planning.

'I was thinking, "How can they get anything done?" I had to catch myself,' she said.

Parents in the class were given readings ahead of their next meetings that included: 'Why It's So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism' by Robin DiAngelo, and 'Qallunology 101: A Lesson Plan for the Non-Indigenous' by Derek Rasmussen.

The syllabus also included 'Internalized White Superiority' and 'Toward a Radical White Identity.' 

Parents were assigned a number of antiracist texts, including Robin DiAngelo's 'White Fragility'

NYU's Steinhardt School of Education offered the class to public school parents - according to several attorneys, the course may have violated federal Civil Rights law

The Free Beacon polled five attorneys, all of whom said that the workshop in all likelihood violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, in addition to violating laws that ban discrimination when establishing contracts. 

Ilya Shapiro, the director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute told the Beacon: 'It’s quintessentially illegal. This episode illustrates the horseshoe theory whereby left- and right-wing radicals end up agreeing on race-based societal balkanization. It’s like that social media meme: "Woke or KKK?"' 

The school told the Beacon that it would review 'these matters to determine whether they confirm to our standards.'

NYU was under a consent agreement with the Department of Education pertaining to a handful of anti-Semitic incidents on campus when the workshop took palace. 

[urban-orc]

Hey folks!

Just saying that Brazil is the first country to be accepting LGBTQ refugees from any country that criminalize our lives. Yes, this include USA.

This was announced yesterday (may 19).

So... We are here with open arms. This is not an easy country for a lot of things, but we have:

Universal public health

General practitioner, vaccines, AIDS treatment, most common medicines are free or cheap, specialists, dental treatment... Including gender affirming care - there are queues, but it exist.

We have one of the world best dentistry.

Its still starting, but a lot of cities already have veterinary public health, or subsided vets to at least spay/neuter your pets.

Birthing is complicated in general, but there are some free options that are really good.

We don't have an opium crisis and our government break patents of medicines when needed. Insulin is free in the public health system. Condoms too.

Abortion is a current fighting matter.

Public education and universities

Public schools are everywhere. And every school will grant you and kids the basic things like notebooks, pencils, pens, etc, and books. Every school have a library or reading room, the government send new fiction books to schools.

Food is free in public schools, and in the majority of the places, good food. Even if most schools have the kids for 4 or 5 hours, not the entire day, there will be free lunch.

Our educational system is universal, so by law, every child and teen must be studying, disabled kids included.

If you cannot pass the tests for a public college, there are paid colleges you can go with government subsidy, and no one left college with an absurd debt. I mean, really. There are special credit lines to grant that. And the prejudice against community colleges is minimal. Its absolutely common that people work at day and go to college in the night shift.

Black and indigenous people have further affirmative policies to go and stay at college.

Unions and workers rights

Our president used to be an union leader. Even with the recent shit show (we had our own trump/jonhson like asshole) , unions are very present and we have LAWS that protect workers. Including 30 days of paid vacation every year, paid weekend, 50% extra payment for working more than 8 hours day or Sundays, 30% more per hour worked at night, social security services, paid health leave, and retirement.

We have a lot of shit going on in work environment, but unions grant lawyers to help, and everything in our work conditions is better than in USA.

Leftist parties and an almost fair voting system.

Almost because Im an anarchist so, every voting system to me is flawed as fuck BUT how far a voting system can go, Brazilians have the best option.

We have a lot of parties, both left and right. You dont have only two options. We have not one, but two communist party. Our socialist party have a huge queer presence. The presidency now is at the Workers Party hands, a left-centered bunch. I think they are not left enough, but our left center party is still much more to the left than any american party.

Our democracy is direct, every vote have the same value, there are not delegates and caucus and such stuff. Every adult need to vote, so your work cannot stop you from voting. There is one election day, its a holiday because everybody votes in the same day, from 8 am to 6 pm. Since the system is electronic, the same night we have the results.

Also, States are not independent to decide most of things. The laws are federal, so there's a consistency in rights and such things.

The greatest variety of foods

And even if inflation because our last government is still a thing, so food right now is not exactly cheap, we don't have food shortages.

There are no food deserts. Fresh food is easily available, and our climate is good to grow food at home.

In general, Brazilians have much more healthier food accessible than USAians.

And in big cities we have government programs and the MST (our Liga campesina) to help.

Guns are mostly illegal

Yes, thats what you read. We have huge gun control.

There are no school shootings. We had a few school incidents (big part of it with mellee weapons and not guns) by alt right men, but every single one was treated as a national tragedy and there's a real effort so that it don't happen again. In 20 years, we didn't had the amount of shootings that happens in a week in the USA.

Federal investigations of hate groups are happening constantly.

I could go on and on. And yes, we have problems, as any other country. But if you have the chance, come. We have our xenophobes, but mostly is a country that receive well the refugees. We have several organizations that help people to get on their feet. Caritas have even Portuguese classes specially developed for refugees.

There is racism, a lot, but it's very different than in USA, so it will take sone time to figure out wtf.

And we have A LOT of affirmative actions for minorities. We have a strong and huge queer community (better saying, various huge queer communities).

São Paulo Pride parade receives more than 1 million people.

And 1 dolar = 4 or 5 reais. Even if you don't have much money, this will make easier to you start a new life here.

[josiebelladonna]

god as my witness, i didn’t want to do this.

but it seems like the world has drastically shifted in the last two months and hatred has swept through everywhere like the coronavirus, and i cannot risk being around people who perpetuate that hatred combined with fearmongering and it’s always done without even realizing it or knowing it. antisemitism is a form of racism, as the jews are levantine and not white, and the fact that swaths of people on here do not see this, understand it, or even question it is flooring to me especially when so many have the fucking balls to preach to the diaspora that they know their culture better than them (that is some real big brother shit, let me tell you).

now, full disclosure: i’ve been critical of israel in the past, just because i didn’t like how they were collectively punishing palestine for h*mas, and yet i’ve always been careful to differentiate the israeli government with the people as well as the rest of the diaspora (and fyi, a huge number of jews and israelis are on my side with this) because people are not their governments—and lo and behold, israel is letting netanyahu and herzog have it as we speak. i’ve always said that i wouldn’t be the artist i am today without the jews as my first big illustrative project with my cartoons was based on a Holocaust survivor story.

and as i’ve done more and more reading into israel, as i’ve been crossing paths with more and more jews and israelis over on threads and instagram, as i remember my brother visiting there back in 2018 and he and his wife absolutely loved it, i realize that the hate and the pro-palestine crowd really has no basis or substance: i get rude comments from that side all the time and they’re always like schoolyard bullies, or they try and flip the script and call me a zionist even though i’m not jewish and i can’t believe that’s an actual slur now because all it is is “the jews should be safe and coexist with their neighbors peacefully”: it’s not fascism, and it’s not “pro-genocide”, it’s about letting the most marginalized people on earth live.

now, do i feel palestine deserves better? absolutely. abso-fucking-lutely, and like i said, there are a lot of jews and israelis (25% of that population is arabic, hence why i say that) on my side with this, and way more than you think, too. they’re all indigenous to that land and this is a conflict that is very old and a little tiresome at this point, and apparently both sides are tired of it. i try not to take sides here for this reason: i’d rather listen to people talk and be supportive.

it’s all anyone can do. it’s imperative to bring in the word “and” here and i don’t understand why that’s so bloody hard, either.

i should also mention that “free palestine” is not only a genocidal statement against the jews and the israelis, but once you realize that h*mas are backed by iran and russia, known hostile powers, you should understand that palestine itself actually has nothing to do with it and this is a conflict that doesn’t involve us. the chant is pointless at best and an excuse to be antisemitic at worst.

kicking cal to the curb hurt, to be honest. always loved them, always got a kick out of them; but when i see them actively participating in blood libel against the jews and then turning around and saying “happy hanukkah”… no, i’m sorry. i can’t. i can’t. hypocrisy is where i draw the line. if you actively post that godforsaken “from the river to the sea” chant and then have the gall to wish all a hanukkah sameach, it’s closet antisemitism. i have to stand with the jews.

dora… i was starting to lose interest a while back, before all this happened, mainly because i was just starting to lose interest in the goth subculture—once a very cool community that i found deep interest in because i’ve always had this darkness in me has become not only just another meme but a bastion of pretension and you guessed it, hate. dora is like one of many former friends of mine, in that she got so belligerent and militant about her beliefs and that makes for a hostile environment. writing hamfisted lyrics and putting “this machine kills fascists” on your synthesizer makes you come off as so corny and edgy and like you have an anger problem more than you’re standing for something (when i was at my heaviest, i had mood swings, too; i get it). and once i realize that she’s older than me, it just gets sad, and uncomfortable and not in a good way, either. it’s on par with bikini kill screaming about palestine and subjecting themselves to potential charity fraud while israeli women and men were quite literally assaulted on october 7 and are grappling with the trauma.

feminism is such a hollow parody of itself now, and these two are just two cases of that, and i have a feeling i’m going to be doing this more. i’m going to start banning people but i don’t care if my follower count drops like a rock, though. it has a number of times, it can do it again. and it’s going to be painful for me, but i need to stand by what i believe in, and i need to clean house before 2024 starts—i’m probably going to be on main here less next year, anyway, just because of lifestyle changes and i have a lot of art and writing including kinktober all year on the horizon for my side blogs, but i need some clarity.

by the way, is anyone else totally weirded out by the sheer amount of lgbtq+ people who are pro-palestine? tel aviv is one of the most lgbtq-friendly cities on earth, and yet being that way in either gaza or the west bank will either get you jailed or killed (it gets even weirder when i realize the region not only birthed judaism but christianity as well; islam didn’t come about until some 500 years later and it came from persia—al-aqsa in jerusalem built on top of the temple mount is enough for me to understand that none of you see the forest for the trees). i genuinely feel like i’m living in a david lynch film or that we all died with bowie, prince, and leonard cohen in 2016 and we’re living in actual hell when i think about all of this.

“pro-genocide”… where do you people get off.

[artemis-potnia-theron]

Hi there! I’m not a pagan but out of religious context, I still love the gods and Artemis has particular been a beautiful archetype for me. I had a dance teacher once tell me my movement and energy was like hers and when I was a teenager, I had this amazing encounter in the desert with a black-tailed deer. The doe was the only animal in sight and we just stared and stared at each other. Idk if you believe in spirit animals but she was and is mine.

I dearly love the woods and grew up hunting, hiking, climbing trees, and riding horseback. For me, the loss of my maidenhood has also meant the loss of many of these things. I often feel trapped indoors with my chores and children. It has been seven years since my doe appeared to me, which I don’t think is a coincidence. Seven is a special number. What are some ways I can once again channel Artemis and the moon and the woods and these things which were once so native to me?

Hello hello!!

Animal connections and encounters are amazing ways to connect to her energy! Just as a friendly FYI, the term 'spirit animal' is typically reserved for Indigenous communities and cultures and is generally discouraged outside of that context. If this is your background, apologies. My background is Cherokee and I just wanted to let you know :)

Here are some other terms you can use to describe that relationship with a certain animal:

Familiar

Guide/Animal Guide

Fylgja (In Norse mythology, a fylgja is a supernatural being or spirit which accompanies a person in connection to their fate or fortune.)

Muse

Helper

Daimon

Helper

Genius

Now, onto the rest of your question! Deer are perhaps Artemis' most famous sacred animal. If you still feel a connection to them, one thing you can do is add more deer imagery/motifs around your home. This can mean decor made out of ethically sourced shed deer antlers, photos and figures of deer, or other art that provokes their energy. Deer are thought to be one of the embodiments of the forest, the hunt, and the cycle of life and death. They are present in a wide number of mythologies and religions and consistently serve as a connection to the spiritual realm. Connecting to that energy can also mean connecting to Artemis.

Another great way to connect, although it might sound obvious, is to try and get out in nature whenever possible. This doesn't have to mean going to a nature reserve if that isn't a possibility for you. It can just mean taking early morning/late-night walks. Or just standing outside during a free moment and breathing in the fresh air. Or even something as simple as opening the window and letting the wind flow through your home.

If you can't spend as much time outside as you would like, try to bring the outdoors into your home! Crystals are a great way to connect with nature. Growing/picking/buying flowers and other plants (if that's possible) can be a great reminder that the 'wilds' are everywhere. I started with a few succulents and now my city-based apartment looks like a greenhouse!

Another lesser-known fact about Artemis is that she also assists with transitioning from childhood (being wild, free, untamed) into the more 'stable' household sphere. Artemis is part of nature, which is in itself constantly changing. Dying and then being reborn. Nothing is stagnant. Try to keep that mindset for yourself. If you can't get outdoors as much as you'd like, I'd suggest meditation. Spend some time looking inward. She can really help you learn to accept the past for what it was, focus on being present, and looking forward to new growth. Just like in the wilds. Winter is part of nature as much as spring is.

Another way to connect to Artemis is through song and dance. Although her brother and one of her counterparts, Apollo(n) is far more heavily associated with music (the muses), Artemis can also embody the spirit of unrestrained dance.

Some of her epithets include:

-Hegemone “leader of dance" or "choir leader.” -Hymnia “of the hymns” or "lover of songs." -Celadeinus/Celadeine “strong-voiced" or "lady of clamors.”

While this is not the same as Dionysus, who presides over ecstatic, mad, and frenzied release, it can invoke a similar feeling. Try to find a song that you can just go nuts to. Don't worry about how you look or how to dance well, just find freedom. Let go. That can also really help connect to that 'wild spirit' that can become more difficult to connect to in domestic life. My favorite band, The Amazing Devil, has a song called 'The Horror and the Wild' that is great for this. A number of their songs capture the vibe of Artemis really well. I'd suggest checking them out!

Meditation under moonlight, especially the full moon when its light is at its brightest, can be a fantastic way to connect to the cosmos and to Artemis. It doesn't have to be some dramatic thing, just find a few spare minutes to focus on the moon and take some time to reflect. I like to remind myself that I am looking at the same thing countless other people and animals look to and connect with.

It humbles me and reminds me how incredible it is that I've gotten the opportunity to be alive - to be a part of something that was there long before me and will be there long after. It is one of our clearest, most beloved connections to the infinite. Take advance of that. Also, focus on that growth and rebirth aspect I mentioned. Just as the moon has phases- you have phases, too.

Most importantly, remember that her energy does not leave you when you transition away from 'unbridled and untamed youth'. Just as her spirit is present in the hunt, she is also present during childbirth. She is there in both life and death, in all forms of renewal. You will never stop changing or growing. Every new phase of life is a chance to grow and experience something new. Try to remind yourself of this when things seem 'stagnant.'

As I mentioned, my family is Cherokee and my uncles have always said that life is like a river. And, as the saying goes, you never step into the same river twice. Even if the river always looks the same, the water is still flowing forward - always moving and changing. This is one of the lessons Artemis can teach you. There is both great peace and great excitement in that realization.

Hope this was helpful!!

[whatisonthemoon]

Private Armies of Mindanao

From Filipino Free Thiners Private Armies of Mindanao Faraj Pangeran April 2, 2010 The Rise of Private Armies

Ever since the brutal slaughter in Maguindanao, it raised again the issue of private armies. Private armies exist everywhere in the Philippines and was an issue as far back as the early years of the American colonial regime in the Philippines. After independence was re-established in 1946, private armies were seen as essential to safeguarding the republic from the Huks. Since that time, private armies were seen more of a blessing to Malacanang Palace with the exception of Ramon Magsaysay who saw private armies not only as a lawless element but a threat to military readiness. According to the Philippine National Police, there are over 170 private armies in the Philippines and about 68 are found in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Land Struggles

The genesis of private armies in Mindanao can be traced to the discrimination experienced in the land system. Since time immemorial, both Lumads and Moros had a communal land system which meant that essentially as long as one took care of a piece of land, it was yours. When there was a dispute, a datu, chief, or sultan settled it for you and created a deed or edict.

With the establishment of American rule in Mindanao, a new land tenure system was imposed. This included “nationalizing” (really confiscating) ancestral communal lands of the Lumads and Moros into “public lands” under the Public Land Law of 1903. Lumads and Moros now had to register their land claims in Spanish or in English to the American authorities either in Zamboanga or in Manila and non-Christians were allowed only to claim up to 10 hectares while Christians could claim up to 16. It also voided any deeds or land claims made by sultans, chiefs, and datus. Furthermore, all Moros, Lumads, Igorots, and Aetas came under the supervision of the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes of the Department of the Interior under the Governor-General. This meant in certain circumstances, a Moro or Lumad needed permission to even apply for a land title from the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes. With the Public Land Act No. 2874, enacted in November 1919, this was increased to 24 hectares. At the same time, Moros and non-Christians were only allowed to claim up to 8 hectares. The amended public land law of 1936 reduced the homestead size back to 16 hectares, and cut the land claims for Moros and non-Christians to four hectares.

What this essentially did was not only to  strip away the ancestral domains of Moros, Lumads, and every other indigenous group in the country, but made religion even a basis to gaining a land title. It also became a land bonanza for American corporations (i.e., Dole, Goodyear, etc.) and Filipino landed families including the Cojuancos, the Arroyos, and many others.

Beginning in 1912, landless peasants from the Visayas and Luzon were shipped to Mindanao and allowed easy access to claim land while Lumads and Moros were forcibly put into re-settlement programs on non-agricultural lands and monitored by the Philippine Constabulary. Christians on the other hand were encouraged to settle in the more productive lands especially along the coasts and corporations were given tax breaks and other measures to develop in Mindanao. This in turn also attracted a number of landed families particularly from Cebu and Manila who saw the opportunities, in particular, logging and mining.

Since technically a Christian person could only claim a certain amount of land, what some Filipino politicians and landlords in the Visayas and Mindanao did was to have their workers claim the land that they wanted, have their connections in Manila process the claim, and then the worker would “sell” that claim to them. Sometimes the workers were not even aware that they had even processed a claim. In this way, some families were able to establish huge estates and plantations in Mindanao without being in violation of the Public Land Laws.

This was compounded with the fact that Moros and other “non-Christians” could not vote, which is one of the reasons why there were no elected Moro, Lumad, Aeta or Igorot politicians during the Commonwealth. The non-Christians were supposedly represented through the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes which were always staffed by Roman Catholics and never headed by a non-Christian.

During the resettlement programs under Magsaysay, Garcia, and Macapagal settlers were given land for free or simply had to pay a processing fee. These factors are actually the root of the conflict in Mindanao.

In the 1950s, friction began to occur not with just the indigenous populations of Mindanao and the new settlers but between competing politicians. Malacanang began to see the potential of Mindanao in giving that extra–often controversial–votes during elections; private armies had enjoyed support from whomever was president who naturally also came from a political dynasty. Thus, private armies in Mindanao had a two fold purpose: to maintain the political and economic power of political dynasties; and to legitimize the land claims of Christian settlers. In turn, this also would ensure that Mindanao would be part of the Philippine nation-state–something that many Moros still contest–and eventually be “Christianized”. In addition, there were new problems arising from the rise of Communism which gave the Armed Forces of the Philippines an excuse to supply private armies as a counter-insurgency measure.

Generally speaking, warlordism is most pronounced in Sulu, North Cotabato, Davao provinces, Lanao del Sur, South Cotabato, Surigao, Zamboanga, South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat–all areas where competition for agricultural land and natural resources is very high. Except for Sulu, North Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Sultan Kudarat, these private armies have been recognized at one time or another as a CVO or CAFGUs and are all employed by mining companies, plantations, and/or political dynasties.

Some of the more well known private armies in Mindanao include the Kuratong Baleleng of Ozamis City Mayor Ronaldo O. Parojinog. The Kuratong Baleleng was also instrumental in both Aquino and Estrada’s all out war in Minandao. In North Cotabato vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol maintains another private army. His private army includes its own factory in Mlang and produces mostly M-79 grenade launchers and improvised M-14 armalite rifles. North Cotabato Mayor Roger Taliño has several groups registered as Civilian Volunteers Organization (CVOs) and/or Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units (CAFGUs), which means it received official backing and were given supplies by Armed Forces of the Philippines or directly by the Department of National Defense.

Not to be outdone, Muslim politicians–particularly in areas where land is contentious–began to arm themselves. “The Barracuda”, the private army of the late Lanao del Norte Governor Ali Dimaporo, is one such example. Dimaporo’s army was reputed to have more firearms than three army brigades and would make Ampatuan’s army look like a boy scout troop. Again, it should be remembered that many of these private armies–whether Muslim or Christian–were encouraged and supplied by our own government and therefore our own taxpayers’ money helped to pay for these armies.

Vigilantes and Liberation Fronts

A by-product of these private armies and the land situation led to the formation of the various Moro liberation fronts as well as the introduction of the New People’s Army (NPA) and vigilante groups in Mindanao. From a Moro perspective, the loss of land was not just seen as an alienation from one’s ancestral ties but as a deep humiliation. The Sultanates of Sulu, Maguindanao, and Lanao were symbols of resistance to foreign rule. But these sultanates were basically gutted by the Public Land Laws and everything else Moro were belittled by the Commonwealth and later the Republic of the Philippines. This was exasperated by the settler programs in the 1950s and 1960s where over a million people from especially the Visayas region displaced the indigenous populations and became the new majority on lands that were part of the Sultanate. Then to further highlight the position of Moros in the country, the Jabidah Massacre occurred in 1968 where 28 Moro recruits were executed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after the AFP decided to abandon its plan to invade Sabah and destablize Malaysia.

The MNLF

In light of all of this, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was formed in the 1970s and began waging a protracted war for independence. The chairperson of the MNLF, Dr. Nur Misuari, was a former professor at the University of the Philippines-Diliman and had been a member of the Kabataan MakaBayan (KMB) of Jose Sison. The KMB members later formed the nucleus of the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Since the beginning of the armed struggle, the MNLF made it clear that their main issues in Mindanao were not religious in nature but were for self-determination and for the social and political inequalities that existed not just in Philippine society but within the BangsaMoro themselves. In the late 1970s as the MNLF began to spread through the Moro majority areas of Mindanao, the Communist Party of the Philippines at the same time began operations in non-Muslim areas in Mindanao.

This in turn led further government support of CAFGUs and escalated the violence, leading to the creation of right wing Christian vigilante groups whose goal was to wipe out both the Muslims and the Communists. These included the Alsa Masa, NAKASAKA, Causa Manifesto, Tadtad, and the Davao Death Squads. The Tadtad group was infamous for its practice of ritual cannibalism and keeping the ears of their victims as souvenirs.

Despite all of this, these groups got official approval not only from the government but also from the Roman Catholic Church who refused to condemn the killings or the death squads. The Auxiliary Bishop of Cebu, Msgr. Manuel Salvador, for example, said in 1986 that ”We really cannot blame these civilians who decide to arm themselves.” Certain other groups were also heavily supported by other Christian churches such as Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church, and by anti-communist groups in the US. With the rise of right wing Christian groups, this lead also to the formation of fundamentalist Islamic groups such as the Abu Sayyaf.

One of the Legacies of President Aquino

One of the great ironies of all is that most of these right wing groups–both Christian and Muslim–did not form during the martial law, but during the administration of President Aquino. In 1987, President Aquino praised such groups as a ”concrete manifestation of people power”. The roots of the armed struggle in Mindanao was not originally rooted in religion but in the social inequalities and discrimination until the rise of groups such as the Alsa Masa which occurred during Aquino’s presidency. Likewise, it should be remembered that many of the Muslim politicians like the Ampatuans received their start in politics by being appointed to office by President Aquino and these same people continued to build their private armies with the support of Ramos, Estrada, and Arroyo. Many of these vigilante groups and right wing paramilitary forces still exist today.

The MILF

In 1986, the MNLF and the Aquino administration entered into talks and the MNLF gave up its goal of independence. This gave birth to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Moro National Liberation Front-Reformist, and other smaller groups. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in particular, is not secular. It not only believes in BangsaMoro self-determination but also in “Making the Word of Allah Supreme”.

It is also an open secret that the MILF is supported by elements within the Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia in their special “Moro Desk”. The Malaysian government has a vested interest in the MILF not only because of the Philippine government’s past support of Indonesia during the Konfrontasi but also because the MILF is predominately Maranaw. The MNLF on the other hand traditionally has its mass support from the Tausugs. The Tausugs have claims to Sabah and have been close to Brunei and Indonesia–Malaysia’s rivals. The Maranaw do not have any territorial claims to Malaysia and traditionally have been close to Malaysian royalty. So the struggle between the MNLF and the MILF is not only an ideological struggle (i.e. secular versus Islamic, integration into the Philippine nation-state versus independence, etc.) but also in a way a proxy war between Malaysia and the Philippines over Sabah.

Dismantling the Private Armies

With the outburst of public anger about the massacre in Maguindanao, the current president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, vowed to dismantle private armies. Of course the same sentiments had been said since the time of the Commonwealth. However, the roots of the conflict in Mindanao, the rise of private armies, and the formation of right wing groups are all tied together because it is all based on the social inequalities existing in the entire country (especially regarding land), on the weakness of the judicial system, and to a degree prevailing cultural and religious arrogance. Until there is genuine land reform, genuine electoral reform, a fairer distribution of resources for Mindanao, mutual cultural acceptance, and an efficient, fair and independent judiciary where no one is above the law–the country will always have Communist guerrilla fighters, right wing factions, private armies, and other CAFGUs types.

Originally posted here: https://filipinofreethinkers.org/2010/04/02/private-armies-of-mindanao/

[vonclosen]

similar clam gardens were used here on the east coast by the wabanaki, especially by passamaquoddy in sipayik!

they also traditionally hunted porpoise and seals. these fishing and hunting rights were stripped away by the white settler government. wabanaki, like many other indigenous peoples of america, were forced to go through indian agents in order to have their needs met.

before settlers came, people were allowed to hunt without needing to ask permission, because it was understood we would only take what we needed. though hunting and fishing licenses are now free for wabanaki people in maine, applying for one is still necessary. the government still must be asked.

look at the case of peter newell vs. the state of maine—

i could go on. the point is that our autonomy was stolen, just as much as our land, children, and traditional life ways. we pick up the pieces. this land was not empty, it was a careful balance. we are shot in the foot and then asked why we can’t just pull our communities up by the bootstraps.

wabanaki territory does not have the worst of it, but the generational trauma is so real, and the damage to traditional foodways is real. the disruption of when and where wabanaki are allowed to hunt on their own lands, the poisoning of the rivers and fish in them. the seals and porpoise no longer allowed to be hunted. foodways are so important to communities not only as means of survival, but as ways culture is held, remembered, and bodies are nourished.

every tribe on turtle island had their own ways of doing things— i think generalizations by and large do no favors, though i understand the purpose of the post. as OP said— we, generally speaking, have been ecological knowledge keepers, stewards of the land we live on.

robin wall kimmerer makes a great point in her book, braiding sweetgrass:

“On one side of the world were people whose relationship with the living world was shaped by Skywoman, who created a garden for the well-being of all. On the other side was another woman with a garden and a tree. But for tasting its fruit, she was banished from the garden and the gates clanged shut behind her. That mother of men was made to wander in the wilderness and earn her bread by the sweat of her brow, not by filling her mouth with the sweet juicy fruits that bend the branches low. In order to eat, she was instructed to subdue the wilderness into which she was cast.

Same species, same earth, different stories. Like Creation stories everywhere, cosmologies are a source of identity and orientation to the world. They tell us who we are. We are inevitably shaped by them no matter how distant they may be from our consciousness. One story leads to the generous embrace of the living world, the other to banishment. One woman is our ancestral gardener, a cocreator of the good green world that would be the home of her descendants. The other was an exile, just passing through an alien world on a rough road to her real home in heaven.

And then they met—the offspring of Skywoman and the children of Eve—and the land around us bears the scars of that meeting, the echoes of our stories. They say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and I can only imagine the conversation between Eve and Skywoman: “Sister, you got the short end of the stick . . .”

What I was taught growing up: Wild edible plants and animals were just so naturally abundant that the indigenous people of my area, namely western Washington state, didn't have to develop agriculture and could just easily forage/hunt for all their needs.

The first pebble in what would become a landslide: Native peoples practiced intentional fire, which kept the trees from growing over the camas praire.

The next: PNW native peoples intentionally planted and cultivated forest gardens, and we can still see the increase in biodiversity where these gardens were today.

The next: We have an oak prairie savanna ecosystem that was intentionally maintained via intentional fire (which they were banned from doing for like, 100 years and we're just now starting to do again), and this ecosystem is disappearing as Douglas firs spread, invasive species take over, and land is turned into European-style agricultural systems.

The Land Slide: Actually, the native peoples had a complex agricultural and food processing system that allowed them to meet all their needs throughout the year, including storing food for the long, wet, dark winter. They collected a wide variety of plant foods (along with the salmon, deer, and other animals they hunted), from seaweeds to roots to berries, and they also managed these food systems via not only burning, but pruning, weeding, planting, digging/tilling, selectively harvesting root crops so that smaller ones were left behind to grow and the biggest were left to reseed, and careful harvesting at particular times for each species that both ensured their perennial (!) crops would continue thriving and that harvest occurred at the best time for the best quality food. American settlers were willfully ignorant of the complex agricultural system, because being thus allowed them to claim the land wasn't being used. Native peoples were actively managing the ecosystem to produce their food, in a sustainable manner that increased biodiversity, thus benefiting not only themselves but other species as well.

So that's cool. If you want to read more, I suggest "Ancient Pathways, Ancestral Knowledge: Ethnobotany and Ecological Wisdom of Indigenous Peoples of Northwestern North America" by Nancy J. Turner