A road trip through the American West leads to a haunting lesson about a past atrocity—and inspiration from longtime border activists, who share what keeps them going as we enter a dark new chapter.
From courageous accounts of Chief Little Raven and Captain Silas Soule, to seminal works like "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" (1970) and "An Indigenous People's History of the United States" (2014), the realities of intentional annihilation are available for us to draw on our own dedication to social justice. History is not simply then and there, but a powerful reservoir for living with integrity and shared wisdom in the here and now.
In that vein, I am deeply grateful for the knowledge and encouragement provided by "The Border Chronicle." Especially in these times.
Why oh why are some people so evil? Where is their conscience? We cannot sit back and let these latest incarnations of evil perpetrate in all three branches of government. Please be aware of the suffering in the Latina, Black, Native American and LBGTQ communities. This is what the Nazis did to the Jews. What we did to the slaves. Imagine! It cost us millions of lives to stop. We are seeing the beginning of American Fascism marching side by side with xenophobia. These people are essentially traitors in their rejection of the Constitution and the blatant violation of the rule of law that civilizes us. What's happening today is the purest form of evil. Don't appease. Do something, but most of all, don't go about your lives like nothing is happening. Wake up. Be the difference in your neighborhood, and you will be a better person.
Please subscribe to the Border Chronicle for the latest information by people that really care!
The Sand Creek Massacre is well know to me, but your trip to the museum was edifying, especially in regard to the Captain who made the difference with his life. His picture resembles Bascom's, who was behind all the fuss over Cochise at Apache Pass, but two starkly different people. Above comment written initially for FB with the link to your article. Many Thanks.
Rocks , Karma, Arrows is a plat about the Sand Creek massacre. Eva Hamilton, a descendent of a survivor is in the play. A DVD from Motus theater is an available. From me.
I have participated in the Arizona Migrant Trail several times.
Thank you for this well-written and powerful post! The Sand Creek Massacre is only one of many atrocities carried out in the name of the federal government. I am afraid that the massive and obscene increase for the ICE-dominated national police force, we will see more violence and cruelty. My wife and I visited the actual site of the Sand Creek Massacre a couple of years ago during a visit to eastern Colorado. There is a National Park Service site (Sand Creek National Historic Site) that commemorates this tragedy (although with the massive reduction of funding for the NPS I don't know how much longer they will be able to tell the truth about this). The actual site is out in the countryside but there is a museum and visitor center in Eads, CO. It was truly a sobering experience for me. Thank you again for your post.
Thank you Ed for the kind words and for reading. I am definitely going to visit the memorial site next time I am in Colorado. I had the same thought about NPS and massive cuts, too. I hope the site is not impacted.
Having just read a couple articles in the current Mountain Journal - it sure sounds like each and every National Park already is impacted. How they will be maintained - who will educate the public in the safe way to interact with wildlife and how NOT to interact with wildlife, which frankly is more important - for the welfare of wildlife!
Watching the news - ICE? Gaza? It horrifies me - the lack of humanity, empathy and compassion - I guess I'm pretty naive - I used to think we (humans) still had some of each! Kind of hard to believe right now.
I really enjoyed this post - hearing voices of people in the midst of this mess.
Very compelling comments covering a wide variety of connected elements. The other day I was watching "The Comedians". Movie featuring Richard Burton and Liz Taylor. All about Haiti back in the day. I did notice how much the Ton-Ton Macoute reminds me of ICE. It's important to take breaks from the whirlwind of chaos. Physical exercise and walking your dog helps a great deal. I no longer watch the news. Any of it. Once you get the hang of it...disconnecting becomes easier. I own a small home in a small town in Mexico. I go there a lot. It feels more "real" than Stateside. And you can't beat fresh seafood.
From courageous accounts of Chief Little Raven and Captain Silas Soule, to seminal works like "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" (1970) and "An Indigenous People's History of the United States" (2014), the realities of intentional annihilation are available for us to draw on our own dedication to social justice. History is not simply then and there, but a powerful reservoir for living with integrity and shared wisdom in the here and now.
In that vein, I am deeply grateful for the knowledge and encouragement provided by "The Border Chronicle." Especially in these times.
Thank you James!
Hi Melissa, we just reposted your report in English and Spanish on Havana Times.
https://havanatimesenespanol.org/reportajes/la-carrera-de-larga-distancia/
https://havanatimes.org/features/the-long-distance-run/
Best regards, Circles
Great piece Melissa!
Why oh why are some people so evil? Where is their conscience? We cannot sit back and let these latest incarnations of evil perpetrate in all three branches of government. Please be aware of the suffering in the Latina, Black, Native American and LBGTQ communities. This is what the Nazis did to the Jews. What we did to the slaves. Imagine! It cost us millions of lives to stop. We are seeing the beginning of American Fascism marching side by side with xenophobia. These people are essentially traitors in their rejection of the Constitution and the blatant violation of the rule of law that civilizes us. What's happening today is the purest form of evil. Don't appease. Do something, but most of all, don't go about your lives like nothing is happening. Wake up. Be the difference in your neighborhood, and you will be a better person.
Please subscribe to the Border Chronicle for the latest information by people that really care!
Thank you Tony for these powerful words. So true!
The Sand Creek Massacre is well know to me, but your trip to the museum was edifying, especially in regard to the Captain who made the difference with his life. His picture resembles Bascom's, who was behind all the fuss over Cochise at Apache Pass, but two starkly different people. Above comment written initially for FB with the link to your article. Many Thanks.
Thank you, Tony!
Rocks , Karma, Arrows is a plat about the Sand Creek massacre. Eva Hamilton, a descendent of a survivor is in the play. A DVD from Motus theater is an available. From me.
I have participated in the Arizona Migrant Trail several times.
Bob Norris
Also a friend of Kat Rodriquez
Thank you Bob for letting us know about the play. The title is very powerful! Saludos!
Thank you for this well-written and powerful post! The Sand Creek Massacre is only one of many atrocities carried out in the name of the federal government. I am afraid that the massive and obscene increase for the ICE-dominated national police force, we will see more violence and cruelty. My wife and I visited the actual site of the Sand Creek Massacre a couple of years ago during a visit to eastern Colorado. There is a National Park Service site (Sand Creek National Historic Site) that commemorates this tragedy (although with the massive reduction of funding for the NPS I don't know how much longer they will be able to tell the truth about this). The actual site is out in the countryside but there is a museum and visitor center in Eads, CO. It was truly a sobering experience for me. Thank you again for your post.
Thank you Ed for the kind words and for reading. I am definitely going to visit the memorial site next time I am in Colorado. I had the same thought about NPS and massive cuts, too. I hope the site is not impacted.
Having just read a couple articles in the current Mountain Journal - it sure sounds like each and every National Park already is impacted. How they will be maintained - who will educate the public in the safe way to interact with wildlife and how NOT to interact with wildlife, which frankly is more important - for the welfare of wildlife!
Watching the news - ICE? Gaza? It horrifies me - the lack of humanity, empathy and compassion - I guess I'm pretty naive - I used to think we (humans) still had some of each! Kind of hard to believe right now.
I really enjoyed this post - hearing voices of people in the midst of this mess.
Thank you
Thank you Maggie!
Very compelling comments covering a wide variety of connected elements. The other day I was watching "The Comedians". Movie featuring Richard Burton and Liz Taylor. All about Haiti back in the day. I did notice how much the Ton-Ton Macoute reminds me of ICE. It's important to take breaks from the whirlwind of chaos. Physical exercise and walking your dog helps a great deal. I no longer watch the news. Any of it. Once you get the hang of it...disconnecting becomes easier. I own a small home in a small town in Mexico. I go there a lot. It feels more "real" than Stateside. And you can't beat fresh seafood.
Thank you for the comment, and wow, I'm going to have to check out The Comedians. I had no idea there was a Burton and Taylor movie set in Haiti.
Written by Graham Greene. He co-wrote the screenplay as well.
Oh, even better!