Speaking Turtle's Cafe

Rats, Race Cards and Hypocrisy

I’m not sure if it’s my choice of topic or venue that seems to be attracting the intellectual bottom-rung of the region, but by all means those of you who spew your angry and ignorant comments at the bottom of my blog, keep ‘em coming. It’s good to know the climate of the region and the demographic of your readership. No, I’m not a hold over from the 1960’s, although I was born in the 60’s. I don’t believe in shaking my fist, carrying signs and repeating slogans. For the record, I am a nationalist. I agree that political correctness is a handicap as I prefer to know where folks are coming from socially and politically so that I can understand how to deal with them.

It amuses me how folks like to use the term "race card." What the hell is a race card? Is it a card in a deck? What are the other cards in the deck? Who created the deck? Now, understand that if I talk about racism, I'm simply speaking of a reality in society. I'm not claiming to be a victim of it, nor am I even saying that it has anything to do with the advancement of the Wampanoags. If I'm simply recognizing that folks attitudes and actions are being fuelled by their feelings about people of other ethno-cultural groups, then that's all. Honestly, at this point, verbalized (or written) hatred of the Mashpee Wampanoag will do nothing to us as a tribe or our bids for economic development. I'm simply recognizing racism and hate mongering for what it is and moving on.

The investors in our venture are of various colors and ethnicities. The ones most talked about happen to be a Black man from Detroit and a white man who's built entertainment complexes world-wide. I was finally able to stop laughing at the comment posted about "us people" as the ones who are backing the casino. The person making this claim probably makes less money then I do, so how does he get to be part of the "us?" Also, how did I get to be the Johnny Cochran of the Wampanoags? Why does it have to be Johnny Cochran? Why can't I be the Oliver Wendell Holmes of the Wampanoags? I can only be equated with barristers of color? Hmmm, tells me a whole lot. Also, are the Wampanoags on trial for murder? What court am I defending them in? Hmmm

I should also back-track and say that I'm not saying that all Anti-Casino people are racist. Some of them are, in fact, members of the tribe. However, in reading the comments of some of my fellow bloggers, those of people on the street (non-native)  I'm well aware that white supremacy is alive and well on Cape Cod. It's the same as when I'm driving and see congestion up ahead. I don't cry about it, I figure out a way around it; and if there's no way around it, I'll still get through it. That's just the way the conscious people of color deal with the world around us.

 Now, as to the humorously ironic question as to whether or not I care about the destruction of Middleboro for our venture, (can you say irony?)I can say this. I have been impacted by the destruction of the woods in Mashpee by greedy land developers throwing up ticky-tacky boxes, watching the water-ways become polluted and wildlife destroyed, remembering my cousins hunting for deer in what is now Stop & Shop’s parking lot. As I write this, I look out my living room window at a new multi-house development where there used to be woods and animals. I can only repeat what I was told as Mashpee was being destroyed, things change and this is the price of progress. To quote John Wayne talking to an Indian in one of his cowboy movies, "Your way of life is about to change..."

As Chairman of Education, one of the first tasks of my program has been to review and develop models for an educational system for the tribe that can provide a well-rounded experience to enhance the social and academic development of our tribal members. The proposed economic development plan, in the short-term would enable the tribe to develop and implement a myriad of social and academic enhancement programs and opportunities. In the long-term, build our own schools, send our academically gifted students to existing prep schools en mass, and finance educations at top colleges.

Now, onto the topic of Glenn Marshall and credibility. Regardless of his misdeeds, Glenn Marshall did a lot of good for the tribe and I thank him for getting us the federal recognition that so many folks fought for. The choices that led to his downfall were ill advised and unfortunate. Now the ball is in the hands of Shawn Hendricks and he has my full support. Now, as for credibility the question is this: who are we losing credibility with, and does their opinion really matter?