‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
My Talk With June Bug Regarding Non-Violence
By Peter Molenaar Hah! June Bug, you have come to rest your long forelegs across a rumple of my jeans”¦evidently not to bite me. Alright then, it seems we shall enter a state of mutual contemplation. Are you aware of the violence in this world? Note: “The LGBT community has stood side by side with the American-Muslim community during challenging and difficult times. We stand together against hatred, violence and demonization of entire communities.” ”“ Jalani Hussein, Executive Director of the Minnesota Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (as found in Alondra Cano”'s NOTICIAS). Do you wonder if I, a proponent of socialism, am also an advocate for violent revolution? No, marvelous creation of the evolution of matter, God”'s gift to me, I am not. But neither am I a pacifist, nor do I consider the philosophical concept of “a just war” to be entirely passé. Yet in the context of our mutual [...]
Wild rice
BY PETER MOLENAAR “Ricey Wild” is the pen name attached to “It Ain”'t Easy Being Indian.” Ricey is a window to the world, as seen from the Fond du Lac reservation. Her work is published in THE CIRCLE and as such, is part of the fabric of our community. Only occasionally has Ricey vented resentment upon the surrounding White world. However, in one instance, I was moved to respond from the perspective of an industrial worker (Smith Foundry). True enough, us white workers are sometimes a tad “slow.” Nonetheless, in our mutual confrontation with the money-power, unity is the requirement of all. So, the learning process continues. In her April 2016 piece, Ricey decisively leans toward unity by inviting us to become more “Indian.” An example of her sound advice: “Okay, the powwow rules. When you see the Indians stand up, you do too. When they are quiet you zip it. No filming”¦when [...]
Living With Cave Bear
By Peter Molenaar Ursus spelaens (Cave Bear) emerged one million years ago, coexisted with Homo neanderthalenis for 300,000 years, then went extinct in the period of Homo sapien ascendency. Cave Bear was a big vegetarian. In those Ice Age winters, he and his kind occupied in masse the great caves of Europe. There, they would hibernate. Who doubts that our own brethren and Cave Bear coexisted as cohabitants of the cave? Neanderthal man had entered the scene, spear of Africa in hand. Nonetheless, necessity and fear imposed a powerful tension. We soon learned, however, that Cave Bear had come to sleep, and after all, would prefer not to mess with us. So then we, with our fire and spears, held the raiding hyenas at bay, while the old bears, which had come to sleep forever, provided a ton of meat. Enter the dark cave”¦ (more…)
