History of Washita

There is an episode on Dr Quinn Medicine Woman in Season 3 titled "Washita".  The episode educates viewers on the conflict between the Cheyenne Indians and US expansion (White Soldiers).  The show does a good job in general of providing perspectives to bridge understanding of cultures, but this episode in particular was very intense and saddening to realize the degree of ignorance and injustice in our history's past.

The term "Dog Soldiers" refer to the Indians who were "rebels", "extremists", or "fighters" for their people and customs. The "Dog Soldiers" are accepted by the other, traditionally peaceful, Indians only because their raids and killing of Whites provided them with food and survival. The US Army is called into the scene because of the outbreak of "Dog Soldier" raids. The scene clips are in 10 minute segments, but in this first video the important dialogues occur between the beginning until the 5 minute mark.

It is interesting to relate dialogue heard in this show from the 1990's (but set back in the mid to late 1800's) to the events and happenings of our world today. For instance, can you imagine the use of a phrase similar to "they can all burn in hell", as said by the injured railroad worker in the opening scene of the clip?  Then you have the propaganda-like comment by General Custer quoted as "enemies to our civilization".

The episode continues. In this clip, the important dialogue occurs between the 4:30 through the 10 minute time frame. 

After viewing the complete episode, Jenny turned to me and said "and the sad thing is it's true".  The killings did take place by both sides; and both sides were looking to protect their way of life.  And still today people live different "ways" of life, so were those killings worth it?  Nobody is ever going to be the same, so why do we seem to expect to be able to change the way someone lives (or think everyone should live like us?)  And more so, are unnecessary killings still occuring today due to our way of life differences?  Where are the active "Dr Quinns and Sullys" of our culture (ie seeking to bring all sides together)?

You can begin your own research on the history of Washita by clicking this Wikipedia Link

If interested, you can own your own seasons of the Dr Quinn show by clicking this Amazon Link

Life @ the End of the Spear

End of the Spear is a very moving film, documenting the story of Christian American families evangelizing to Indigenous tribe peoples in Ecuador (beginning in the mid 1900s).  In summary, several families were on a mission to make contact with the Waodani tribe on the Amazon basin, whom were known to be very violent.  Ultimately, all the men who reached the tribe's land were killed by spears, tragically.  The families of the men later traveled to the same land and met with the tribe and lived amongst them over time.  Clearly the cultural differences presented issues, but throughout the test of time, the tribe and the American families made peace and were able to communicate the word of God.

During the process of building peace and understanding each other, a comment was made to a tribe warrior after he asked why the men did not shoot or fight back when the tribe attacked them.  The comment was:

"They came to tell you God has a son.  He was speared but did not spear back. [pause] So the people spearing him would one day live well."

At the end of the film, a warrior confronts the son of one of the men who was killed and confesses to be the one who used the spear to kill the son's father.  After the flow of emotion and decision not to take revenge, the son [Steve] explains to the warrior that:

"No one took my father's life.  He gave it."   He then narrates, "My father lost his life at the end of a spear. And it was at the end of a spear that we found ours [lives]."

The story provides enormous insight and inspiration, proving that love wins while also exemplifying God's way of life [ie non-violence].  The tribesmen were so entrenched in a cycle of violence, that they deemed it necessary in order to survive, protect themselves, and grow as a people group.  Those entrenched cycles still exist today, but they [the cycles] don't even have to be removed from the rest of society [whereas the Waodani tribe was removed from civilization].  We have urban gang culture invading neighborhoods; we have discrimination against foreigners or minorities on the streets, offices, and institutions; we have genocide that gets ignored or denied among nations; and we have cyclical political wars all around the world, demanding a certain way of life from others to benefit our own countries.  

If our mindset is to vote to benefit ourselves, how would we expect these cycles to end for others?  By vote I refer to everything from the names we support on a ballot to the daily decisions of each individual [ie choose to eat fast food, choose to ignore the domestic violence down the street, choose to support local farmers, choose to watch American Idol, choose to visit inappropriate sites], because everything we do stands for something, every time we pay for something we're essentially saying "I support this brand, from the advertisements to the materials used to make it to the way it was made and the people who made it."

Check out the movie website here where you can link to different videos or reviews, including updates on the tribe's life today!

As a side note, it is discouraging to me that even with such a beautiful motion picture, critiques or opinionated discussions chose to focus on the fact that the lead actor is openly gay, rather than discuss the epic story of love, forgiveness, and transformation found in the film.  To me even mentioning the sexuality of any actor is irrelevant and only reinforces the fractures of our society.  Nevertheless, the film is worth watching.

Foreign Thinking

Visualize a wide-eyed blank stare of fear, both hands on wheel, paled skin, with a police officer reviewing information behind your back.  I was witness to that scenario [some sort of traffic violation], however I was just driving by.

What would it feel like?  We might know the feeling of getting caught doing something we shouldn't have done or getting pulled over for a ticket, but certainly the legality of our citizenship prevents us from understanding other perspectives...like being called "illegal". 

How would it feel to be considered "illegal"?  Think for yourself.  How would it feel to walk into a grocery store or down a street, knowing that someone sees your physical appearance or hears your accent and immediately labels you "illegal" or unwanted or, recently in Indiana, deemed to go to jail.  Or better yet, how would it feel to leave your home for a foreign land where you don't know anybody, but do know that many in the land will discriminate against you, yet still you believe that it's probably the only way you can provide for your family?  Why do "illegals" do that?  Is it because they want to be American?  Or is it because they "have" to be American in order to survive?  Or neither?  Maybe it's because they want to overrun our nation.

Actually, my opinion is this: why do we ask these questions or attempt to answer them when it's not an issue up for debate...they "have" to come, and our society has actually profited from them.  Our society has taken advantage of their low pay services in order to sustain our lifestyle (manicured lawns, cheaper fruit, etc) at a low price.  Plus their countries were overpowered by our trade policies, our prices, and our overload of excess.  This creates few options and that's what we gotta expect if we strive to be the superpower of the world.  What are we going to do when the low prices begin to disappear? Our lives won't be sustainable unless we cut back on our wants, which we've begun to witness over the last several years, yet we continue to retain our wants.

So instead of debating, we ought to seek other perspectives and see what ideas for solutions come from others (who don't look like us), because yes, immigration is going to be a long-standing political issue whether we deport them [undocumented citizens] or not.  Last time I checked, those of us who call ourselves Christian follow a power that is higher than government...higher than "American" and higher than "citizen." We follow a higher example, one of a man who reaches out to every person and offers acceptance.

I will never forget the wide-eyed blank stare on the face I saw in that car, and I was just driving by.  Only he and our government (and God) know what occurred that day, but I hope that that man is given a voice to share his story, because it is he who knows...not us, "the legals".

You may have a different opinion.  Please retain your right and share with us.

Windows and Mirrors - a reflection on war

On Friday, David and I went to a traveling mural project based on the war in Afghanistan. It's called Windows and Mirrors and it's been created by the American Friends Service Committee. I had prepared myself ahead of time...I don't like war. I don't like movies based on war. I don't like seeing images of war. It's all very difficult for me and unsettling. In my opinion, war is a terrible thing. It separates loved ones, it divides countries, it makes people powerless over their own lives, it somehow justifies the taking of life, and it easily creates enemies. This war is now the longest in US history, taking the lives of more than 1,500 American troops and over 8,000 Afghan civilians, and costing the US nearly $2 billion every week. I think one of the most difficult things about going to Windows and Mirrors was accepting my role in this war. I'm an American. I pay taxes. I contribute. Like it or not.

If you've got the time and heart, I encourage you to look at some of these pictures that were drawn by high school students in Kabul. They were asked to draw pictures of their experience with war. What's the old saying? A picture is worth a thousand words...
There was one mural in particular that struck me. It was a web of homes and people and smoke. And the caption read:

"First world, third world - we seem to float on different planes - but, really, it's just this one world. Here we are, sheltered in our intact homes, caught up in the bustle of our lives. Little by little, we have covered it up - that web running through us all...it's abstract - a war happening in another country foreign and distant, but it's up to us to make it realistic - tangible. We must imagine our homes in piles of rubble - our cities up in smoke."

I think this speaks to me on many levels. We can so easily live on a different plane, distant and distracted from the plight of our brothers and sisters all over the world. Our first world status can become a crutch, disabling us from seeing the pain that we are connected to. Disabling us from working to create a change, a better way.

1985 Witness

Imagine being raised with the goal of causing no harm to others, and better yet no knowledge of violence. But then, all of a sudden, you catch wind of a society where guns exist, violence occurs daily, and everyone pursues to benefit themselves. That is the portrayal of the Amish boy in the film "Witness", with Harrison Ford, who acts as a police officer. Yes, it is an older movie.

An Amish community is caring for an injured and endangered Harrison Ford, and the young boy stumbles into holding Ford's hand gun, until he gets scolded by Ford who says "don't ever, ever touch a loaded gun".  Ford, the police officer, ultimately does respect the Amish way of life by handing over his gun, but it's as if he's trying to keep the boy from venturing out into the "world" where the danger lingers.  Don't we all attempt to keep our families and loved ones safe?  Yet do we still advocate for the law to provide us with freedom, the same freedom to which some may choose to cause harm?  I am not seeking to stretch to the point that guns should not exist, but I am seeking for an alternative to our common answer that the best way to protect our loved ones is to hurt someone else's loved one, if need be to our own justification.

The boy sits with his grandfather, who begins teaching the boy a lesson, "We believe it is wrong to take the life; that is only for God. Many times wars have come and people have said to us "you must fight, you must kill. It is the only way to preserve the good."  There is never only one way, remember that," he says. So questions are raised...would you kill another man?  The boy answers "Only the bad man," he would kill ...You know a man is bad by your sight?  "I can see what they do," replies the boy.  Grandfather responds, implying it is a choice, "And having seen [a bad man], you become one of them?  What you take into your hands, you take into your heart."

"Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing." 2 Corinthians 6:17

-> "The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him" - 1 Corinthians 6:17

Dr Quinn Medicine Woman

Jenny and I have enjoyed reflecting on episodes of old Dr Quinn Medicine Woman shows throughout this year.  We not only appreciate the stellar acting, but are thankful for the purity of the show and the insights to societal and cultural disputes. There is knowledge to gain from our cultures history, for certain.

We value the "lessons to be learned" from the show, such as to be accepting of new ideas or concepts and the insight into the process of "change".

This episode in particular (from Season 2) ends with the Thanksgiving gathering in town. View the scene below, and engage yourself in thoughts regarding the challenge of sitting at the table with different types of people.

Q of D and Breaking News

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy." -- Martin Luther King, Jr

Osama bin Laden was killed by US force yesterday in Pakistan...you know the story.  After nearly 10 years since the tragic terrorist attacks, bin Laden was finally successfully located and raided at his compound.  I share the quote above not to condemn those who rejoice or celebrate the occasion of his death, but to present an alternative perspective that is often not given thought through media or mainstream society.  What does the death of bin Laden mean, other than bin Laden will no longer be able to conduct terror?  I am very thankful for those whose innocent lives were spared by this event (ie future terror attacks that may not be able to be implemented because of his death, etc), but I struggle to accept my right to celebrate at the death of a man who breathed life on this Earth, though severely sinful.

Have we as a nation done all we need to do to prevent future terrorist attacks?  What is the "all things considered" perspective as to why we were attacked in the first place?

I urge you to move from this point forward in such a way that presents peace.  Surely it is not the fighting that will improve our standing in this world.