Statement to society

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Victim. I refuse to accept this word for the circumstance that I found myself in, or the circumstances the sisters have found themselves in. In accepting this word, I forfeit my power to you and I refuse to forfeit my power or the power of my sisters to this society.

This society has fed itself on those of us who do not fit into your world. Giving us names such as a 'target group'-politically correct, but wrong.

I refuse to be locked into this cycle by your ignorance. As a woman I have been locked into this cycle. As an Indian woman I have been locked into this cycle... My ignorance helped you keep me here... no more.

My sisters and I are not victims, but we have allowed ourselves to be victimized. Look and listen to those who have been lost, through deaths, addictions and illnesses. In this sense we have become victims. Yet, while we live, we are the survivors; we are strong, whether on or off the street corners.

You are the ones who live around us, never seeing, and if you do catch a glimpse of us, you turn away, in your shame, in your powerlessness, in your fear... never acknowledging us for our heroism. Yes, heroism.

For years society has gone out of its way to find someone to blame for its dysfunction and I will not be your scapegoat. And neither will I stand by and allow you to scapegoat my sisters.

People turn loose bad information without thought or question on how it will affect my sisters and me. We become the targets for your insanity-i.e. the pig farm in Vancouver, and the Crawford killings in Saskatoon. And what about those who in their ignorance 'to help' work to break the very essence of a woman who survived hell to be told 'your life and your person is wrong. You are not qualified.'

No, you are wrong in assuming that we are without skills to learn, to be aware or that we are without an opinion.

You seek us out for information to improve your programs so that you have your numbers, to pacify those of society who don't know the truth about our existence except the information you feed them. You corrupt them with the lies that say we are to blame for the many wrongs in your society.

You feed off us economically, socially, mentally, and spiritually and I refuse to allow this offensiveness to continue without stating the truth.

I came into your society. I did all that I was told to do, yet I find you wanting more from me and my sisters than is your right. I find you ignorant.

What are my qualifications in this matter? My experience, my learning, my life.

I have no paper, yet I have all the memories and experiences that you will never have and all the knowledge that you will never have without knowing me, or someone who has been there.

Does this seem farfetched? I don't believe it is.

My voice, alone, may seem small today, but there are many other voices out there and, in the end, they will be heard and their stories will also be told. From these stories you will see the shift. 'The meek shall inherit the earth...'

Many different peoples of society have been hindered in life: Women, children, First Nations people and other groups. For some, isn't that the reason you escaped your own countries-oppression?

I will not be oppressed any more.

Donna Gamble