Below is what I had written to share.
........
10/22/17
We are standing here today, in a working-class neighborhood, in one of the most diverse communities in this country, on the weekend of the annual Alaska Federation of Natives, in the land of the Dena'ina people,We are Unitarian Universalists, and we are well-meaning people, lead by our conviction of the First Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person. We believe in it, and we believe in taking action towards that end.
In accordance with that principle, we have been asked by the national UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) to join with them, in hanging a banner in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is an outward symbol of the work we are doing as UU's to acknowledge systemic racism and to dismantle White Supremacy. This is not a comfortable time, and this is not easy work.
I am a UU because I want to be aligned with you people. We are a fellowship of people who champion social justice. We believe all lives matter. That is who we are. We wouldn't have it as our first principle if we were not serious, and didn't believe that it was an unmet ideal in society. Since we believe all lives matter, we stand with the Black Lives Matter Movement. I will say it again. We believe that all lives matter, and that is why we stand with the Black Lives Matter Movement.
When I participated in the second BLM march, here in Anchorage, I heard the chant, "All lives matter", and I became very nervous for our safety. I had my 9-year-old daughter with me, and there were many other children. I thought we were being met by counter-protesters with bullhorns. But the people with the bullhorns were the leaders in the BLM march. I believe it was: Call. "Whose lives matter?" Response. "All Lives Matter!" Then together. "Black Lives Matter Also."
Our friends in the BLM movement believe all lives matter, they are fighting for the first principle. When I hear someone say "All lives matter," I give an "Amen." We may have a discussion after that, but I am clear. That is why we stand, that is why we kneel, that is why we march, that is why we hang our banner and support BLM, because our Black brothers and sisters do not feel that their lives are valued equally. That is not their experience.
We know that we don't live in a country of liberty and justice for all. We know that people of color, indigenous people, people who express their gender and sexuality counter to the majority, people in poverty, and people with disabilities do not get to realize their potential.
They do not get to realize their potential, and they surely do not live in this magical world of Liberty and Justice for all that we pledge allegiance to. There is a dissonance between what we see, and what we pledge. But that is why we are here.
They do not get to realize their potential, and they surely do not live in this magical world of Liberty and Justice for all that we pledge allegiance to. There is a dissonance between what we see, and what we pledge. But that is why we are here.
National UU asked us to do this work, around dismantling white Supremacy and asked us to hang a banner in support of Black Lives Matter. We have done that. It was hard, and we have made some mistakes. We have hurt some of our own, and we have more work to do.
In reference to our mistakes. As a white person, living on this stolen land, I think we should have given more value to the voices calling for equal representation of First Nation people.
It should be known, that Native Lives Matter is a national movement that stands alone. It started in 2014 in response to and Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement. It represents all recognized and unrecognized Native American tribes, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. They believe that the US cannot achieve social and racial equality without the vocal inclusion of its original inhabitants. The NLM movement has not gotten the press and the backlash that the Black Lives Matter movement has. I suspect that the Native Lives Matter movement is not as threatening to the establishment because there are fewer voices. There are strong voices within the First Alaskans community, but they aren't carrying far. We need to amplify their voices by adding our voices in support of our Native born brothers and sisters. Now is the perfect time.
The leadership of BLM and NLM know that this is the same fight. They stood together in Standing Rock, they stood together in Ferguson. Each standing as a pillar in the struggle for justice. Just as Oligarchy, the War Economy, and White Supremacy go hand in hand; They maintain power and control together. The warriors of Black Lives Matter, and Native Lives Matter, march arm in arm, supporting each other, working together. They stand together, march together, kneel together and fight together. We are not diluting anything by standing behind them and supporting them.
Our culture was built on white supremacy, slavery, genocide, and the delusion of manifest destiny. So why weren't we asked to do similar work for Native Lives Matter? There could be many reasons, but I suspect the greatest is that there aren't as many voices. Our forefathers were very effective in their genocide and social suppression: too successful at breaking families, cultural ties, and spirit.
I believe that we can and should take up the call to hang a second banner or another meaningful action that resonates with our First Nations members. If we must measure; We know our first nation's people suffer more in poverty, violence, and oppression. On this day, they cannot be forgotten or made to feel they are forgotten. Their fight needs to be our fight.
It should be known, that Native Lives Matter is a national movement that stands alone. It started in 2014 in response to and Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement. It represents all recognized and unrecognized Native American tribes, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. They believe that the US cannot achieve social and racial equality without the vocal inclusion of its original inhabitants. The NLM movement has not gotten the press and the backlash that the Black Lives Matter movement has. I suspect that the Native Lives Matter movement is not as threatening to the establishment because there are fewer voices. There are strong voices within the First Alaskans community, but they aren't carrying far. We need to amplify their voices by adding our voices in support of our Native born brothers and sisters. Now is the perfect time.
The leadership of BLM and NLM know that this is the same fight. They stood together in Standing Rock, they stood together in Ferguson. Each standing as a pillar in the struggle for justice. Just as Oligarchy, the War Economy, and White Supremacy go hand in hand; They maintain power and control together. The warriors of Black Lives Matter, and Native Lives Matter, march arm in arm, supporting each other, working together. They stand together, march together, kneel together and fight together. We are not diluting anything by standing behind them and supporting them.
Our culture was built on white supremacy, slavery, genocide, and the delusion of manifest destiny. So why weren't we asked to do similar work for Native Lives Matter? There could be many reasons, but I suspect the greatest is that there aren't as many voices. Our forefathers were very effective in their genocide and social suppression: too successful at breaking families, cultural ties, and spirit.
I believe that in Anchorage Alaska, on the land of the Denaina, where poverty, homelessness, and violence are felt the heaviest on our hosts, we need to do more than stand with Black Lives Matter. We also need to stand and support our First Nations citizens in their struggle to survive and thrive. Since their voice is not carrying as loud or as strong, we need to advocate. We need to work, we need to make more connections, and strengthen our relationships, to help raise their voices.
I believe that we can and should take up the call to hang a second banner or another meaningful action that resonates with our First Nations members. If we must measure; We know our first nation's people suffer more in poverty, violence, and oppression. On this day, they cannot be forgotten or made to feel they are forgotten. Their fight needs to be our fight.
We decided, as a national organization and as a Fellowship, that the BLM movement is just, and appropriate. We were asked to act, and we did. I propose that we use our voices to take this call back to National. In our work to dismantle white Supremacy, we should give equal acknowledgment, equal focus, and equal support to First Nations people in our country.
I, as a UU, a white person, born in poverty, another victim of the Oligarchy, I will stand behind Native Persons, and Persons of Color when they ask me to.
We are not a country that stands for liberty and justice for all. But that my friends, is worth fighting for. It is worth marching for, it is worth kneeling for. As long as we, as good, loving people, keep talking and listening to each other, we will be ok. We must trust in each other that we are all working together.
We are standing on Denaina land in Solidarity with UUA in solidarity today with Black Lives Matter. We are patriots, we are Americans. We are the Anchorage Unitarian Universalists. We believe in Liberty and Justice for All.
