Friday, August 28, 2009

More Horror.

Ernie said" "The fact that the Local Indians didn’t mind killing their enemies and kicking their heads down the path doesn’t seem so bad until it’s your daddies head"

Suzy said: "we'll have agree to disagree on this one Ernie, Suzy thinks it IS bad no matter whos head it may be".

Sorry Suzy, this time I most emphatically disagree with what you said! Because we agree, completely, that NO MATTER WHO‘S head it may be…. it’s wrong. You peeked over the “Horror Fence” long enough to find something to rub in my face that you accidentally found our common ground.

I really don’t know how I feel about the fact that I have not been able communicate that there was nothing that would have changed things in history. There was an inevitable clash, from the time that the Old World found the New World.

Anyone who thinks that I, in anyway, condone what happened to the Indian People, is seriously mistaken! And I don’t know how to feel about that accusation. I vacillate between anger and hurt. I kick myself for not be able to put things well enough into words to make my point.
I will say that I cannot even look at my Indian friends without the pain in my heart over what happened to their people. Those that know how I think, know that I also feel sorry for myself, that so many, many things that the Indian knew about this wonderful place that we all live in, in peace, are gone forever. What the Indian knew about the north coast, and how much of it we have lost, reminds me of when they do an archeological dig. Sometimes they will find an old grinding bowl or an arrowhead. I’ve seen thousands of grinding bowls, and maybe tens of thousand of arrowheads. So I’m remarkable under-impressed. (Sorry) But, what I do think about is how incredibly much that we have all lost. You may see a grinding bowl. I see a person grinding food on it. I wonder things like; “did the men prepare any food?” I wonder what their recipes were like. I wonder if they had favorite recipes, or if they made things out of what they had available. I’ve heard that a certain amount of clay made the acorns more digestible and sweeter. Who do I ask if that was true? I’ve tried a few acorn recipes. I’ve even developed a few of my own. I try to put myself in their Moccasins for awhile, and go back to the time before the Old World Invading Hoard showed up. We have lost all of that Indian knowlege and history. Is it okay to have a tear in your eye when you talk to an Indian friend about the things that their people knew? That we can never know again?

Do you think that the Indian People like us looking on them with pity? Do you think that they would rather live with us, as people at peace, and have the opportunity to do things together without the overbearing burden of guilt.

My problem is I have a basic understanding that all people are the same, and I don’t separate things like white, Indian, black, Chinese and other differences. At least I don’t think that I do. But, that’s what get’s me into trouble. I feel sorry for all of the people of the north coast. Indians, white people, pony soldiers, settlers, cops thugs and all of them. They were caught up in a brutal conflict. To give you a little understanding. Even the most powerful of thugs slept with their hand on a gun under the covers of their silk beds.

Okay, if there is one thing that I want to make clear… I hope that you can cut me some slack here, because I think that most of us are on the same page as far as feelings go. To have someone think that I, in anyway, think that it is okay about what happened to the Indian people, is so wrong. But, I do want people to understand that horrible things happened to my ancestors, also. I’m am not an emotional man, (Yeah, Right) but nothing will bring a tear to my eye faster than to know what happened to the Indian people. I grieve over what happened to them. Unlike most of you, I have grieved for sixty- four years, it never goes away, believe me. I can grow a scab until somebody takes the joy of picking it open. Like now… Then, I have to put on my game face when I see an Indian friend approach me, when you just want to grab them and hug them and tell them that “I’m am just so god-damned sorry”!

To have someone accuse me of being part of the Indian massacres, by proxy, because I am the white interloper, is just not fair and it is extremely hurtful. But, there seems to be an endless stream of people that come here, then they want to know a little bit about our history. I find that to be very complimentary that a person would do that. But, the first thing that they find out about is the Indian Massacres. The second thing that they do is find the descendant of one of the white interlopers and start pointing the finger of shame. The third thing that they ALWAYS ask is “what have you got against newcomers?” If I were honest I would have to say that it was “because you start accusing before you have any understanding at all how badly some of your accusations hurt, and no matter how much I would like to change things for you. I can’t.” Then I just wish that they could know the whole story, but they stay in the endless spiral of the “Horror”.

Sadly, one of the things that a Generation Native knows, that most people will never know, is they know exactly what I’m talking about now, and I doubt that some of you gentle readers will ever try to take the time to be an honest student of the north coast history. Most of you will never get past the “horror”.

Knowing that “Spyrock” understands what I’m talking about, I swiped his term “Get Over it”. I knew what he meant. I wish that I had phrased it better and said, please look at the whole picture of our history and come beyond the horror, or we will never learn how to prevent it in the future. Understand that people came here. There was conflict. We can’t change it for you. It isn’t our fault. Come beyond the accusations.

In closing, I will let you in on a little secret about me. If you really want to hurt me badly, say that I don’t understand or grieve over what happen to the Indian People. Can I ask that you give some of my ancestors a little pity though. It was “The Good People” of the North Coast that got the killing stopped. I don’t get any credit there either, but I do have a certain amount of pride in the people that “Did what they could”.

Just like Spyrock’s Indian friend, all that I am doing on this blog is asking “why?” We already know what happened…..


e

69 comments:

Ben said...

Ernie... Who was that white Subaru I saw parked behind your truck today?

Ernie Branscomb said...

I don't know. I bet it was that pesky Suzy again, she took advantage of us by trading-in her red RAV to throw us of her trail.

spyrock said...

wow, that was one of the best posts i've ever seen here. the bottom line and the plain truth here is that i love my grandma nye grace simmerly. she was the most beautiful person i have ever met in my life. and not only her, but my mom, uncle delbert, pappy, uncle guy, luther sherburn, etc. etc. etc. they were the people in my life who walked the beauty way. maybe because they had first contact with the indians. i think that made them more beautiful. i can't really find a comparison. it's like finding a feeling that doesn't exist anymore. we feel it brother. we feel it. if some people can't dig it. oh well.
their loss.

Anonymous said...

Ernie, well said!

\ said...

I really don’t know how I feel about the fact that I have not been able communicate

exactly.

Rose said...

NONE of us condone it, Ernie, but as you have written so eloquently before, we view it from our modern perspective, and cannot comprehend, though we can imagine, what it was like then.

Man's inhumanity to man knows no bounds. To our credit, we have made great strides towards enlightenment, and the understanding that we are all one, and that no human being should suffer at the hands of another.

All we can do is move forward. We cannot change what went before.

But using this issue as a wedge issue, which is happening, is not good. I don't feel that coming from YOU, here, but it is present in this County. The reason it is being attempted is simply that - NONE of us condone what happened. IF we could go back in time and change it, we would. We can't. The best we can do is make sure that EVERYONE here has equal rights and equal opportunities. The absolute beauty of this nation.

Bad things happened to the Irish, too, back in the day, and not only in this country, but in the old country, not felt as much out here as it is in the East Coast. Before that, horrible things happened to the people of Europe who came here to escape it, and built this new Nation, with new laws - laws that did not prevent more horrors, at first, but have allowed for that transition that brings us to where we are today - with an appreciation and understanding and commitment that it not happen again. Without them, who knows where we might be.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Thanks for the wisdom Rose.

You are right about the unfairness and "bad things" that happen to ALL people. In about the time of the California Gold Rush it was still legal in England to Draw and Quarter a traitor... I bet that hurt.

No matter how I phrase it, some people can't see that all sides were hurt. Without knowing a little bit about history, people can't see that the clash of cultures was inevitable.

spyrock said...

so i'll phrase it a little differently for ya. back in the day fall of 68, i was on my way to the liquor store on haight street to buy a pepsi and a surfer magazine after a day at the beach, kellys in front of playland by the cliff house. i had an ear infection from the garbage that drained out into the ocean near where we surfed so i couldn't hear very well and i was off balance. as i was walking up clayton street right in front of the deads old house a short white man with short black hair headed straight for me.. i had just read a book like siddartha or steppenwolf that told me not to resist evil. so here this short dude starts yelling at me right into my face calling me a bushwazie pig and every other demonizing berkely word that was popular at the time. i just stood there and didn't resist, after a few minutes people were stopping on the street watching him yell at me and finally growing tired he turned to them and said, "aw, i was just playing with that guy" obviously, this guy finally found some young kids who were actually as dumb as i looked in those days and he persuaded them to kill sharon tate and others a few years later down in los angeles. he didn't kill anyone himself, all he did was demonize others and a bunch of young girls did his dirty work.
the moral of this story is, if you don't want a wedgie, don't wear any underwear.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Spy
Are you really telling me that you met Charles Manson?

I guess that it's possible. He had a relitive, George Manson, that lived in Garberville. He seemed to always have money, and he always stayed drunk. I always steered clear of him. Although he didn't seem to be too mean. But, he was mostly E.T.O.H. and C&O times 3.
(seriously drunk)

I need to think about the underwear thing a little more though...

spyrock said...

he was in the haight recruiting runaways for his little army before they all moved down to los angeles. self righteousness always seems to be the calling card of demonizers. charlie might be an extreme example but there never is any justification for evil. if the simmerlys didn't immigrate to america, my mom would have died in one of hitler's concentration camps and i would never have been born. damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Rose said...

Eh, Ernie, I'd like to think we have left that all behind. But we need only watch the warlike behavior on local blogs to know, it simmers beneath the surface, ready to erupt at any time. Kevin Hoover has an editorial this last week where he refers to the "tribal" (primal) nature of the political camps around here. It's a civilized veneer to be sure. But no less real.

We know it hasn't been stopped on a planetwide basis, with Shia and Sunni (sic?) and with all the genocidal things going on in Africa...

We have it so good here that we are able to look back, and ponder, and rend our garments, don hair shirts and sentence ourselves to purgatory for things done 200 years before our time,

Looking back is good, recognizing what was wrong is good, committing to making things better is good, but it is a fine line between what is good and what is just self destructive, easy to tip over into that bad category.

Just my opinion, and again, I have not just appreciated but have loved your posts on this topic. You bring a reasoned and valuable perspective to the mix.

BUnny said...

HAPPY 67TH BIRTHDAY BEN!

\ said...

self righteousness always seems to be the calling card of demonizers.

Manson was definitely demonized and continues to be to this day, as evidenced here, by self righteous people in need of a scapegoat.

Anonymous said...

As to your comments about "demonizing" Charlie Manson, Suzie, I don't think I've ever read a more moronic statement online or off.

Robin Shelley said...

Ouch, Suzy.

spyrock said...

that reminds me of an old theory of mine about those murders. having actually met charlie manson and seeing that physically he is about 5' 2". he looked pretty straight to me with short black hair. he was obviously brand new to the haight street scene and must of spent more time over on telegraph with the politicos because people in the city were still cool in those days. he was the first person with an attitude that i had run into except for maybe bill graham. of course, there are a ton of people around like charlie these days which is a pretty scary thought. but i wasn't worried about him hurting me, just wondering when he would leave. he looked just as wimpy as i did in those days. so when his girls killed sharon tate i thought they did it on their own because they hated everything she stood for. sharon was a very beautiful woman. and most of charlies women weren't. i always thought charlie was in it just to get laid and things went out of control. so i've never thought of him as a demon, but like any self righteous person he couldn't see that he had no business judging anyone else and he had no right to use the past as an excuse or scapegoat for his actions or those that he influenced.

spyrock said...

personally, i'm not catholic so i'm not required to believe in demons. but i do believe that forgiveness is a requirement of the First Peace that Black Elk spoke of many moons ago. The First Peace is that Peace we find within ourselves. "The act of forgiveness is the act of returning to the present time. That's why when one has become a forgiving person and has managed to let go of the past, what they've really done is they've shifted their relationship with time."

Gabby Haze said...

Forgiveness, as spyrock so importantly reminds us, is the path. That is the path with heart.

Having an adversary takes a lot of energy...I am starting, at this ripe ol' age, to learn how much energy it takes to stay angry about all there is to be angry about. There are books on unconditional forgiveness, a real process that goes far beyond the usual conditional forgiveness we practice. I am pretty sure that is what spy is talking about. It is transformational.

There is usually a lot of emoting and healing that has to happen before one can embrace the power of forgiveness, or even perceive that it is a trueway. Most don't.
It is easier to go to anger, or stay angry deep inside from childhood issues than it is to wash one's heart.


That is what this wohah wants to say at this time.

Bunny said...

I received this in an email today. This is the perfect place to share it.

Symptoms of Inner Peace:

. an unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

. loss of interest in judging others or yourself

. loss of interest in conflict

. loss of ability to worry (very serious symptom)

. frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation

. contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature

. frequent attacks of smiling through the eyes from the heart

. tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen

. tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fear based on past experience

. susceptibility to love extended by others and the uncontrollable urge to extend love

If you have all or most of the the above symptoms, be advised that your condition of peace may be incurable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting these symptoms, remain exposed at your own risk. These conditions of peace are highly infectious.
--Unknown Author.

Ben said...

Oh Bunny, thank you!
Ernie...Here's something on an Indian recipe. As proof of my commitment to the study of local Indian culture, I had grasshoppers for my birthday dinner last night. Crunchy... pretty good though. These were from Thailand and the size of small shrimp. Deep fried with ginger and greens. The Indians would light a circle of fire in a field, driving the grasshoppers to the center where they were roasted and just laying around to be picked up. Remember this when we find ourselves back in the stone age. Now as a firefighter, I suggest that at the next wildfire exercise we arrange a grasshopper roast. Maybe we could get a grant?

Ernie Branscomb said...

Ben
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Did you notice that the live oaks are loaded with acorns this year? The ground squirils are plentiful. And there is an abundance of Grasshoppers, so you can roast your own.

I think that I'm going to do that, what have I got to lose? How would you roast yours Indian style? I bet they would be a lot better with soy sauce. What brand soy sauce did the Indians use?

\ said...

Forgiveness, as spyrock so importantly reminds us, is the path.

This mutual admiration society would be harmless enough if such vanity were not the most deadly enemy of true knowing.

having an adversary

LOL! OMR it's not a matter of choice, one doesn't 'have' an adversary like one has a 2nd cup of tea. When you know who you really are then you will know your enemy.

wash one's heart

Ew! that sounds disgusting. Remember, forgiveness needs to be preceeded by admission of guilt. That's the missing piece here. There is nothing more self righteous then someone forgiving another who hasn't confessed to doing anything wrong.
It is the creepiest of creeps who stands over you saying, "you are forgiven my child," when you haven't admitted to anything in the first place. It's the same as saying you're guilty ie judging you.

If you are on a 'path' you are lost,
s

Ernie Branscomb said...

Bunny, if you can do all of those things while jumping out of an airplane let me know. Otherwise it sound a little to quite for me.

I think that they make pills that can do all of those things for you.

Just kidding! In case anybody is lurking and waiting to scold me.

Gabby Haze said...

My name is Gabby, if you please.

No one said that forgiveness is not preceded by facing the truth. That is a crucial step.

I am speaking about my deepest issues, and believing that what heals me may heal others. If this doesn't work for you, reject it. It is far more than merely saying, thinking, or affirming I forgive you, far more.

In the belief system that we all write our own life-scripts to some extent, we create adversaries. Adversaries are a cup of tea for the mind, which seems to feast on this, not that, me not you, us vs. them. Adversaries can also strengthen us. Usually we project a lot onto our adversaries, forgetting the them that is us, in a process of splitting off the darkside in ourselves that we do not like. This is how it works sometimes.

I think when you gnow who you are, there is a lot of freedom to turn adversaries into allies, and see the bigger picture of Soul growth.

I have eaten hundreds of words rather than post this weekend. One post I wrote followed a spypost on forgiveness, I had saved it and when the topic came round again I used it. Maybe it was another of my bliss-ninnyisms but it felt right at the time.

Staying angry gave me wrinkles in the middle of my forehead...think about that!

\ said...

Maybe it was another of my bliss-ninnyisms but it felt right at the time.

that's alright, Suzy forgives yuo.

\ said...

To be under the illusion that you write your own life script is the biggest of ego trips. It's like believing that others are merely actors and actresses in your play. It's playing God.

gh said...

only if you think it is the ego writing the script....

gabby daze said...

ps. thanks for the forgiveness...everytime a newcomer gets forgiven...an angel gets its wings!

Ernie Branscomb said...

Actually, the newcomers arrive pure and without sin. They don't need forgiving. Most of them apparently don't have ancestors, so they can judge freely.

Just to to make clear that there are exceptions that prove the rule, Gabby is a pure gentleman, and a welcome asset to the community. But, if he decides to make any judgements he would probably be right.

I'm glad that he is forgiven though. The thought of seeing him in his wings just tickles me to death! He could be an exceptional Flying pig whisperer for my fleet of flying Pigs.

\ said...

LOL, Ernie's like a broken record when he goes off on the newcomer interlopers etc., but whatever.

So Gabby, listen up cuz i'm replying to you now not arguing a point with a broken record: the way Suzy sees it is that when you say 'you' you're talking about the ego. That's the classic definition. That's what the ego is, your sense of 'you'. So when you say that 'you' write your own life script what you mean is that the ego's intentions are the script. So that's why i say that if you think 'you' are writing the script then you're on an ego trip. On the other hand, if when you said 'you' you meant some 'other' and identify yourself as some other who writes the script that your ego plays out --then you're psychotic. IMHO... But it's more likely that you haven't really thought it through and are merely spouting some new-age magazine BS about how "you create your own universe," etc. Barf...

Humbleness comes from a strong ego, a weak ego needs to keep puffing itself up by identifying with something that it perceives as powerful. In light of the recent discussion it (the weak ego) becomes occupied with cultural inhibitions and the daily struggle of it's survival. ie 'us' against 'them'. It 'writes a script' to play out its role in accordance with its development within the cultural milieu. This often requires a stance against 'other' in order to be accepted and recognized by the group. The weak ego struggles in attempting to create a meaningful self derived from the feeling of power that it gets from identifying with the group. Thus it is easy for someone with a strong ego to come along and gather those with shattered egos into a cluster and exploit them as they identify with the stronger leader. It may be a Chas Manson or it may be a guru from the Himalayas, but either way the ego gives up its autonomy to another and the warm and fuzzy oceanic feeling of dissolving into the group serves to support the weakening and to further the tragedy.

Just as the feeling of losing one's ego, dissolving into the LIght, becoming ONE with all that IS, etc. disempowers the ego, (Suzy's been there done that called out for pizza) so also the concept of demonization too works to dis-empower those with weak egos. And it works both ways. In Manson's case he demonized the 'bourgeoisie piggys' and his 'family' followed his lead. Then when the case broke the media demonized him, and those with weak egos were spoon fed drivel for months, years, decades, that made them feel powerful as part of a group against the 'demon' --Manson and his ilk, which to many means the long haired, lsd taking, communal living, crazy hippies.

But that's not the end of it. Manson's case is no doubt too extreme in its violence to ever be forgiven by the masses but often there's a 2 step process for the ego, a one two punch for feeling extra powerful, righteous, and almighty. First you demonize someone, then you forgive them after they confess that they were wrong and agree that you were right. Sorta like the good cop bad cop scenario.

Suzy could gab on and on with you about this but we have gone far afield of Ernie's hippie, newcomer, interloper, vs good ol boy, logger, rancher, redneck topic... Soooooo, if you'd like to continue the discussion on ego, self, other, intention, life script, etc. you gnow how to contact Madame B.

btw, intense dudes with wrinkled brows who struggle with what's within them turn Suzy on. Boring gentlemen who eat words and put on a good face don't.

huggles burst bubbles,
oxo
s

Juan Ness said...

Hopefully that barf bag isn't tooo full cause....The mystic experience of beyond the body, beyond emotions, beyond the mind and its words, breaks the identification we have with our "egos". Once one has had such an experience, the newage (sometimes rymes with sewage)adage, 'we are a Spiritual Being having an earth experience' takes on some reality. Another way of saying this: Soul has you, you don't have a Soul. By forcing me to clarify my words you have flushed out my hidden bias...bless You...I see people as Souls. What I experience inside meditating is deeply psychotic. I am deeply deeply deeply psychotic, giggle, thanks for the compliment, once again.

Whatever opinions I side with, sidle up to, round ofr the edges, have a Hallmark moment with, squelch or belch...it is all so much lila. Sometimes I get sucked right in...sometimes I gab, perspectivate, prevaricate, and bifurcate into multiple persona.

Blargueing and opinionizing is wearying... self-righteousness...(isn't that a term like self confidence, there is just righteousness......leave the poor self out of it...it gets mis-labled and mis-identified enuf)...this is noisy blue jay chatter to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank goddess for the voices of the young, and the newbies, and newcomers...otherwise us ol'timers would just sound...old...nobody to challenge our assumptions an' all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will repeat for once and for All: There is a silence within, and an inner Voice that will take you deeper than a sixpack, the bliss is better than purple berry giggles, the peace is more profound than a daybreak on the Eel,... and the feeling of connection the best for compassionate relating to others.

Let that be my last post here, a mystic outed. Bless you all and thanks for the opportunity to blog away. You're a good group of people.

And so the masked, and musky, fictional ego(and seeming gno-it-all), me, that would be you to your me, oh dear...
rides off on a winged pig (in a pink tutu) into the mystical realms where you can meet him anytime.

Love is best.
River flows to the Ocean....

Robin Shelley said...

Wait!
No!
Suzy!
Don't go!

\ said...

Robin, i don't know if you meant Suzy, help, omr don't go! which you maybe did cuz that makes sense, or but it seemed at first that you meant Suzy don't go which doesn't make sense but is something that i am prepared to answer, the other about omr, i dont have a clue what to say LOL! but like as to the 2nd one, that i can speak to, ahem, Suzy's not going anywhere, much as many may wish that i did. That was Old Man River, aka Gabby Haze, aka Juan Ness, (is he riffing on Al Capone?) aka Dewy Aletea, aka a few other monikers that Suzy forgotikered.

but don't worry he'll be back, LOL!

Omr, as 4 the mystic experience that you speak of, Suzy knows it. Ive been there two. And i agree with you bohdisatva. it's real. but, not to be blargumentive or anything disturbing like that, but what i think you mean is, Soul writes the script.

Tell it brother
Tell it sister
all gawds chillin gots
Soul
and Soul gots all us too...

halleralulia, all is frogiven gribbet giveit gribbet
confession of sins-
imillia
roots in dark mist
tick
tick tock of time
gone
gone to forever
-- peace beyond comprehension

profound Silence

and then, and then-- eep eep
and then along came Jones,
the sound of a newcomer tree falling...

Meanwhile, back in Frog heaven meet the princess of My Stick,
the gurl with backtoearth wand, sitting by the water valve
to christ's sacred heart.

sing it sister sing it brother
all soul's children gots
Heart and also
computers these daze
to navigate the maze
aka the path
with spellcheckers two
LOL!

o gabby baby, please please don't go!
but if you do go, come back soon, cuz that's OK, but wait a minute folks maybe he'll
come back all changed with a brand new ego and a brand new psychotic moniker. and then what? --Suzy will unconditionally, uh, well, that is to say maybe, uh,

check it out, all soul's children gots egos in the toolbox of mother earth, and they gots corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake to go with, and parking spots downtown under heaven.

Robin Shelley said...

I didn't think OMR was going anywhere. I mistook "Juan Ness" for YOU, Suzy... that's what I did.

Profound silence.

\ said...

no no no, Suzy would never call herself Juan Ness (oneness)
cuz i don't believe that
"we are all one"

Suzy believes that we are all Two.

Anonymous said...

suzy 12:18 PM

Well Now!! I'm getting an intense wrikled brow after reading what you said suzy. I sure hope you have forgiven us that are, have been, ranchers, cowboys, loggers, good ol boys.

Oregon

Robin Shelley said...

Lifted this from another blog:

Amerind thoughts.......
What to say to A White Person Upon First Meeting:

10. How much white are you?

9. I'm part white myself, you know.

8. I learned all your people's ways in the Boy Scouts.

7. My great-great-grandmother was a full-blooded white-Canadian princess.

6. Funny, you don't look white.

5. Where's your powdered wig and knickers?

4. Do you live in a covered wagon?

3. What's the meaning behind the square dance?

2. What's your feeling about river-boat casinos? Do they really help your people, or are they just a short-term fix?

1. Oh wow! I really love your hair! Can I touch it?

Robin Shelley said...

OREGON! Welcome back!
OMG, it hasn't been the same without you.

spyrock said...

I would like to add an element to the sharing. That is that true presence in relation to human consciousness relates to a state in which there is no separation in the awareness between the observing consciousness and that which is observed. Not two!
RainbowHawk

spyrock said...

ben, have a happy one. glad you're still a youngin like us.
dip those hoppers in some chocolate.

\ said...

Well Now!! I'm getting an intense wrikled brow after reading what you said suzy.

LOL ;)

I sure hope you have forgiven us that are, have been, ranchers, cowboys, loggers, good ol boys.

Sure i'll forgive you Oregon, but --forgive you for what???

Robin Shelley said...

Spy,
Two what... & who is Rainbow Hawk?

\ said...

true presence

barf!

Ernie Branscomb said...

...”and bifurcate into multiple persona.”

If I may be so bold as to dive in, two of our favorite posters, Mr. Juan Ness and Ms. Suzy blah Blah are most welcome on this blog. Even when they make my brain hurt. They seem to have developed a way of understanding the depth and intricacies of this world, and they can explain them in great detail. Where as myself, I just hit it with a hammer, and it’s real or it isn’t.

Ms. Blah Blah remains one person and has opinions on multiple things. Most of which confuse me deeply, to the point of thinking that I might understand a small amount of what she is saying. Just like the movie “Being There” with Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine. No matter how ridiculous a statement Chance Gardner makes, people think about it until they make sense out of it. Then they think that he is brilliant. I must admit, I have gotten much brilliance out of Suzy’s prose.

But Juan Ness walks one path, he is consistent, and his opinions are always the same. Unfortunately he has multiple personalities. His hint is that he can “Bifurcate” that means that is he gets tired of being who he is, he can just split in two. (bifurcate) and he comes back as a new person. Much like the old Indian tradition of renewal. Fortunately his opinions and reasoning remains much the same. The last time I saw him he was wearing wings and teaching pigs to fly. He is a great guy and I would be glad to know him better, but he spends a lot of time in the forest listening for the tree to fall. One fell the other day, and he heard it. Now he is listening for one to fall when he isn’t there.

Suzy should be glad that she has Juan as a friend, that way she can have many, many friends.

Ernie Branscomb said...

However. I predict that "Juan Ness" will be famous around these parts one day. I'm just curious which of his personas will become famous.

spyrock said...

that was really a great post bunny. thanks for that. i didn't know that it's incurable but it sure is great to feel that way. i'm going to share that with others. i've never seen it put that well.
i really don't have a problemo with people thinking what they want. diversity is what makes life interesting and exciting.
both suzy and river are great writers with their own unique perspective on things. and then oregon shows up to make sure we all still have our feet on the ground.
but i am feeling good these days letting the past go, maybe because i'm older and the days are getting shorter.

\ said...

i predict he'll return and become famous as Juan the Baptist at the River. 2nd guess, Profound Haze.

spyrock said...

rainbowhawk is an 80 year old lakota scottish metis or breed.
metis means mixed blood. chester kahn is a navajo elder. chester might be 80 too.

Bunny said...

Do you think there are only the twelve of us on this interesting but very crazy thread? I think we lost the masses long ago. I've been lost myself a few times but thanks for the entertainment.

\ said...

Beware of indians bearing presence.

\ said...

I concur with omr (i think) in that the human soul writes the script. It's difficult to be succinct about this complex issue but i'll give it a go.

The ego, which i am defining here as one's conscious awareness, the lens through which the soul looks, the means by which we access reality, also creates a script to act out. And as long as the original, the soul script, is in alignment with and in harmony with the ego's script, things run smoothly. But problems arise when the two scripts vary widely enough to clash.

The soul contains good and evil. Each of us shares in this in that we are human and thus each has the potential for good and evil. We say that someone like Manson, Hitler, etc. is evil. Yes
they are, but more technically speaking, it's the evil contained in the soul that was manifested. In ordinary circumstances the ego checks this action. But if the ego is not healthy, not strong, warped due to life's circumstances, then it may succumb to the soul's urgings and then the evil happens.

So on the soul level, where we are "all one" and where we all have the potential for good and/or evil, we share the guilt for all of humanities evil deeds --we are human, this is our heritage.

That's why Suzy said, rather provocatively, that 'you' are guilty.

We all share the guilt in that we are human, in that we are "all one" (at the soul level) And at that level we are all guilty for humanities evil deeds. The ego balks at this. But, that is an ego that won't face and recognize and admit to it's inheritance, the evil within the soul. That's an ego in denial --which was my point.

Shame is not the same as guilt. Shame is a violation of cultural or social values. One has no reason to be ashamed for what one's ancestors did, they were them and you are you. Guilt has to do with what's within. The evil is real in the human soul. In normal situations the evil is kept from manifesting by the ego's awareness of societies restrictions, that is called one's conscience, what we learn from society as good and evil. It serves to curb evil for the most part, but obviously, it doesn't always work that well. And there is always the pesky problem of society being wrong, eg our god is the true god, Reefer Madness, etc.

So seemingly we are stuck in a trap of repeating history, except that the soul evolves by interacting with the ego. One can sit on a cloud a mile away from human cares, or one can fulfill one's destiny here on earth, which is what bliss imho is really all about.

It's waaaay more complex than this, but what can one do?

peace,
s

\ said...

its inheritance

Unknown said...

Dang, I sure wish y'all would write in words and sentences I can understand.

Mr. Nice said...

Jim, I was just thinking the same thing when I got to your message.

Here is the way I see it. The biggest difference between natives and whites was at first horses, steel, and smallpox. Then it became having a writing system to preserve ideas.

Chinese Americans were vigorously oppressed by white boys, but the writing system allowed for an eventual emergence to the top of society. Indian people didn't have writing, it had to be invented as time went by. Black people as well have lost the traditional language and when the new languages are made, y'all call them "broken."

A lot of culture can be put into oral tradition. Business simply cannot. I think the Arabs had it right to put art into writing. They may have sort of stolen that idea from you know who everyone stole everything from and expanded on it, but it worked out well for them. That is... worked well until the whole horses and steel thing bit them in the butt, too.

The same chaotic insect swarm of ideas that makes native culture so beautiful - the lack of written organization - is its downfall.

spyrock said...

dear bunny,
just want you to know that i sent those symptoms of peace to over 100 people. got a lot of positive feedback. i told them you were a bunny from humbolt county so if you live in mendocino or elsewhere let me know. as far as i can tell, this peace flu is highly contagious and susy is wright, beware of indians bearing presence. so far nobody's died of peace flu yet but if anyone does i'm sure they will die peaceful and happy.

\ said...

I sure wish y'all would write in words and sentences I can understand.

the Sanskrit term for ego is "ahamcara," or making the noise "I"

In Hebrew, Satan means --adversary, or enemy

huggles,
s

Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch
The band is playing "Dixie", a man got his hand outstretched
Could be the FÃ…hrer
Could be the local priest
You know sometimes Satan, you know he comes as a man of peace.

He got a sweet gift of gab, he got a harmonious tongue
He knows every song of love that ever has been sung
Good intentions can be evil
Both hands can be full of grease
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, first he's in the background, and then he's in the front
Both eyes are looking like they're on a rabbit hunt
Nobody can see through him
No, not even the Chief of Police
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he catch you when you're hoping for a glimpse of the sun
Catch you when your troubles feel like they weigh a ton
He could be standing next to you
The person that you'd notice least
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, he can be fascinating, he can be dull
He can ride down Niagara Falls in the barrels of your skull
I can smell something cooking
I can tell there's going to be a feast
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

He's a great humanitarian, he's great philanthropist
He knows just where to touch you honey, and how you like to be kissed
He'll put both his arms around you
You can feel the tender touch of the beast
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Well, the howling wolf will howl tonight, the king snake will crawl
Trees that've stood for a thousand years suddenly will fall
Wanna get married ? Do it now
Tomorrow all activity will cease
You know that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.
Somewhere Mama's weeping for her blue-eyed boy
She's holding them little white shoes and that little broken toy
And he's following a star
The same one them three men followed from the East
I hear that sometimes Satan comes as a man of peace.

Robin Shelley said...

Suzy,

Beware of men named "Jim".
(-:

spyrock said...

hey bunny, people from all over the planet loved your symptoms of peace. i got an email from denmark, one from new mexico,one from england,several from the bay area and the sierras. thanks again for sharing that.

spyrock said...

oh and shire my friend ted danson from wisconsin loved it too. hes and ex viet nam vet. they keep rolling in.

spyrock said...

hey bunny, this peace symptoms has a life of its own. some lady from miami just emailed it to all her friends and a ceo of a graphics company in san francisco put it on his blog.

Bunny said...

Suzy, Your prose sounds like Bob Dylan and so early in the morning. Loved it.... I don't have to understand it do I?
Mr. Rock I am a Humboldt Hunny Bunny. 35 years here. I agree with your friends. I'm going to make some poster thing out of it for my house. Did I mention before that it makes me so happy to see that some of the things I'm doing right equal inner peace. I'm getting there, it's nice to have the list to work on.

\ said...

Bunny did you click the link? That IS Bob Dylan. :) It's called Man of Peace. But thanx nonetheless for the kind thoughts.

here's one for you Bunny

happy full moon,
s

spyrock said...

you are a famous humbolt bunny now. making a poster sounds like another great idea. i guess it resonates with a lot of people right now. we are going to a full moon tomorrow night, about 20 people, pot luck and stringing the beads sort of like a 12 step then on to a bar to listen to woody redhorse and his band. then our grandaughter alicia's birthday on saturday. have a great weekend.

spyrock said...

Look out your window, baby, there's a scene you'd like to catch,
The band is playing "Dixie," a man got his hand outstretched.
Could be the Fuehrer
Could be the local priest.
You know sometimes
Satan comes as a man of peace.

As you probably know by now, Pastor Ted is George W. Bush's personal advisor, and the problem with so many of these politicized preachers is that they've forgotten Jesus' admonition not to confuse God and Caesar.

Not only have they successfully pursued worldly power, but they've made so much money along the way that they've become just another rich Republican constituency. As for sexual repression, it seems to have reached epidemic proportions among the Religious Right. What are the lessons here?

One lesson is: the Religious Right is extremely smart. The left tends to dismiss this movement's leaders as ignorant and confused -- and now, as sexual hypocrites too. Well, sexual hypocrites they may be, but you don't amass the power and wealth these men have by being fools. Dismiss them at your own peril.

Ted Haggard may strike some people as naive, but he's nevertheless the leader of a politicized religious movement with 25 million adherents. (That's less than half the number represented by the highly liberal National Council of Churches - a fact often overlooked by the media - but it's still a lot.)

Bunny said...

Thanks Suz...for all of it. Don't get me wrong, I can sing Subterranean Homesick Blues and not miss one word, I am a Dylan love love lover. I even owned his very first album when he was Blind Boy Grunt. He did a song on that album called John Brown. Why it's not an anthem today I don't know.

John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore.
His mama sure was proud of him!
He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all.
His mama’s face broke out all in a grin.

“Oh son, you look so fine, I’m glad you’re a son of mine,
You make me proud to know you hold a gun.
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get,
And we’ll put them on the wall when you come home.”

She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile
As she showed them to the people from next door.
And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun,
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war.

“Don’t you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home, acting proud.
You wasn’t there standing in my shoes.”

“Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here?
I’m a-tryin’ to kill somebody or die tryin’.
But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close
And I saw that his face looked just like mine.”

Oh! Lord! Just like mine!

“And I couldn’t help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink,
That I was just a puppet in a play.
And through the roar and smoke, this string it finally broke,
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away.”

As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock
At seein’ the metal brace that helped him stand.
But as he turned to go, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her hand.


Someone stole all my LPs in 1972 and I lost Blind Boy Grunt. Also Jack Kerouac reading poetry while
Steve Allen played piano. all extemporaneously. damn.

\ said...

thnx Bunny that song is the bomb! -- gives me goosebumbs everytime i hear it.

john brown -1962

go thou across the land

and there's a woman on my block

Bunny said...

man you never know what the day is gonna bring. Thanks for those links, everybody go look. The Kerouac piece was just like the album I had. Only really it was Steve Allen on the piano... funny coincidence. I keep forgetting that my whole life is reproduced on You-Tube somewhere. Tomorrow's a rainy day and I think I'll watch and listen to all the dylan songs. well maybe. great memories. great songs.

I hope it's not raining on your birthday party Spy.

spyrock said...

thanks bunny, the weather for the birthday party was absolutely beautiful. carmel valley usually has beautiful weather. i spent most of the day with long time locals while their kids played together. i did find out who wrote the symptoms of inner peace. her name is saskia davis and you can buy a poster of it on her website.

Bunny said...

well see, it pays to go back and see who wrote what. Thanks Spyrock. I'll go check that out. I did make myself a small "poster", cute font and added graphic.