Fuck You [America]

Fuck You America!

Rellik - My Voice - feat. Gregos Music (My United Way Voice entry)

Filmed on my home streets...



      

Action, Not Just Words for Justice

  Here is a little video I created for Human Rights Day. My first slideshow, my first YouTube upload...My creation, muahaha!





   

Deja Vue

That's pretty much what "Mario the manager" for the Mustard Seed of Edmonton said at a meeting between us when I got banned for life as a result of writing a short story in my personal blog about changes he and the then volunteer coordinator Paul Thorne were making. Needless to say, the story did not paint their change choices in a favorable light. See... "What's up at the Seed"

"We Shall Remain"

A.T.C.R - Burn Your Village To The Ground (Neon Natives Remix)

"Cultural Genocide": Landmark Report Decries Canada’s Forced Schooling o...

Aboriginal Issues in Canada

Racism is NOT a Racist's Problem

  I've lived pretty much all my life in Edmonton. Dealt with racism fairly much all my life. Simply saying to us it's that racist person's ignorance and bad is simply not enough.

   The continual head shakes, sneers, comments and underlying societal practices of racism in our lives does have a lasting and deep seeded effect on us no matter how much we try to "ignore it" or "hold our heads high" and "rise above it all" .  It's just not that simple.

   Racism causes trauma, trauma causes symptoms which inhibit our ability to interact with our communities in a healthy and loving manner. Which then creates an ongoing environment for more racial discrimination.

    Where did it start? With colonial ideals and practices to over power another race and culture for their resources and lands. Where does it end? With ending colonial ideals and practices which are still in place today! And that means active participation which starts with you...

   As well as within the rest of us because I too was once assimilated into the western culture which is point of fact, a colonialist culture. It has been only in the last few years I have been struggling to reclaiming my humanity. Before that I was like anyone else... just what a monetary economic system wanted me to be.

                                        Johnnyluv

Happily Homeless - Johnny Lee

Here is an interview I did for the Human Library at Nor-quest college last year where.. I was a book! lol.

Free Speech

  Hate speech and false propoganda against others has no place in the realm of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech was and should always remain for sharing useful ideas and opinions in the interest of furthering the growth of a society or organization. Not ignorantly slandering other people, races and ideals simply because of  it's different or you don't like them or it.

   ESPECIALLY when you don't have a full and true understanding of what your talking trying to relay.

   Freedom of speech is allowed only as long as it may not cause any harm to others. And white supremacists rallies and speeches do not fall under this category. So no, white supremacists do not have the right to free speech in public forums. If they simply stood around and talked about how great and wonderful they were or worked out how to overcome problems for the betterment of all then  fine, freedom of speech would apply. But that's not what they do.

   They blame others for doing and wanting the exact same things they enjoy, like wanting good jobs or riding buses, or going to a nice school or having a nice home in a nice neighborhood.. Not to mention they constantly promote violence against others.

   White supremacists take through violence and say they conquered and are strong and victorious. They believe in survival of the fittest, or Darwinism. Which has proven to be a false concept even within the animal kingdom.

   So remember this when people say white supremacists have a right to free speech. They do amongst themselves and in private settings, just like anyone. But in a public forum, no. Not the way they do it.

   But somehow in our world today, those entrusted to serve the public such as government and police services arrest Indigenous people praying in protest of a devastating oil and gas infastructure which encroaches on their very livelihood, yet kindly relocate for a predominately white town as was the case in North Dakota.

   Or they arrest a young Indigenous woman for burning  a small bundle of ceremonial sage at a rally. Yet allow flaming torch wielding, camo wearing and weapon toting hotheads run rampant on the streets causing mayhem and violence.

   Well something is very wrong and it's time to correct this circus we're all a part of. Because.... #AllLifeMatters

                                                       Johnnyluv

"Secret Path" event

Secret Path, the graphic novel depiction of Chanie Wenjack and his final days while escaping a residential school in October, 1966. He died along the railroad tracks trying to get home 400 miles away. This evening's event was hosted by RISE- Reconciliation in Solidarity Edmonton for Reconciliation Week. Miranda Jimmy so graciously offered me the gift of this graphic novel if I promised to show up for my volunteering duties for the rest of this week. Yes, I was a little late showing up to help out today, lol. But she's a great friend and I'm so blessed to know her.

I also got a chance to chat with Mike Downie who was a key figure in the creation of not only the graphic novel, but also a musical album by the same name put together by the Tragically Hip's lead singer, Gord Downie, Mike's brother. Mike is co-chair of the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack fund which works to further reconciliation efforts here in Canada. I suggested something to Mike to which he said it was a very good, and interesting point. He even seemed intrigued. Yet time will only tell if he takes up my advice. I'm just surprised he or nobody else in this particular circle thought of it prior to this evening. So if he does take my advice, I'll be sure to tell you folks all about it and accept my pat on the back humbly and graciously, cuz that's just the kind of guy I am, lol!

Anyway, if you haven't already heard the album, seen the documentary complete with music from this album, received your copy of the graphic novel or even watched Gord's music video to "The Stranger", I highly recommend you visit… https://www.downiewenjack.ca

johnnyluv

It's My Birthday!

Very cool day today folks. And thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes. Thank you Theresa for lunch and thank you Sandy for supper. Thank you Center of Race and Culture for a wonderful evening of skits on the racially oppressive history of Canada as well as the conversations. And especially thank you to the wonderful folks of CBC, Marie and Gaetan.(Apologies if I got your name wrong buddy, lol. But I think I got it right)
  Anyway, the interview was a great, and a very comfortable experience. We did some action shots, and I think overall it went very well. Gaetan, the cameraman, even went as far as saying I should get an Oscar for the piece, lol!
  However folks, the main segment is for CBC french. But they said CBC English may add a small part of the interview to something for their Dept. In any case, they will send me a link or something that I could add to my blog or share however I like. Nice! They also want to do more with me and I have invited them to a blanket exercise in the near future. Perhaps the Mass Blanket Exercise RISE is facilitating on June 3rd at the legislature but that's not solid. They have to check with their bosses and schedule and I have to check my contacts as there are a couple options we're looking at with two different organizations.
  In any case they plan to air the piece sometime in the next two weeks. Perhaps during or just after Reconciliation week. It was a good day. Thank again to everyone for making it so and for all your prayers and well wishes. And thank you Sara for helping me out get through the next week. God bless you all, and all my love.
              Johnny

(2017) BANNED DOCUMENTARY: THE TRUTH ABOUT WATER EXPOSED (FULL)

Shi-shi-etko

The video which is based on a childrens book written by Nicola L Campbell is courtesy of the Nation Center for Truth and Reconciliation's  web page... http://nctr.ca/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/VIMS/MD_SUMMARY?SESSIONSEARCH&EXP=VIMS_VIDEOS%20MD

The excerpt below is from a native organization that is working to see that Indigenous lives and histories are portrayed with honesty and integrity... http://oyate.org/index.php/rss-feed/12-review-shi-shi-etko

Shi-shi-etko

Written by Nicola L. Campbell (Interior Salish/Metis)
Illustrated by Kim LaFave
Published by Groundwood, 2005
Additional information 32 pages, color illusttrations; grade 1-4

"One of the challenges of teaching children about Native history is finding age-appropriate ways to approach difficult subjects. While it is important to empower our children with information about the genocides and injutices that our people have survived, these lessons must be delivered in ways that are sensitive to their young minds. 

Shi-shi-etko is one of the finest examples of just such a lesson. In vivid, tender prose, Campbell conveys for children the impact of residential school policies for Indian communities in the United States and Canada

Unlike most books on the subject, Shi-shi-etko does not discuss the deprivation and humiliation that our children experienced in boarding schools.Instead, Campbell describes another side of this history - one that conveys the true significance of what was lost for generations of not just children, but their entire communities. "Can you imagine a community without children?" Campbell writes in a brief forward. "Can you imagine children without parents?"... "

We Won't Fight Another Rich Man's War

Here is eye opening testimony from another veteran...

https://www.facebook.com/peacereportnow/videos/391069021227398/