14 Comments
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Maureen Modlish's avatar

Thank you. I remember what a staff member at the Native American Rights Fund said several years ago toward the end of the Indian Trust Funds litigation: "Social Security is a trust fund." You're still here, and I'm so glad. I hear some of the voices of my ancestors, but I hear the Native American voices more clearly now, and they come together with the best voices of my ancestors. Thank you for speaking.

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Vickie Berry's avatar

Thank you for sharing your family history and of the Native Americans.

The before and after photos of the children were heartbreaking to look at. My hopes are that we can reach a point where we can accept everyone just the way they are and embrace our differences that enhance our society.

My great great great Cherokee grandmother was 5 years when she was forced onto the Trail of Tears. Thankfully she survived.

This is my first read of your Substack and I look forward to reading your past and future writings. You are a gifted writer.

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Amy's avatar

Thank you for keeping important history alive. 💜

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Carol Taylor Boyd's avatar

Thank you for the lesson about your culture and history. The first time I learned anything about forcing indigenous children to attend boarding schools to indoctrinate them in white culture, was about 1994. I was taking a Sociology course. I was in my 40s. There's so much of our shared history that Americans know nothing about.

We are rightfully worried about the dumbing down of our national education system. But as an old person I can tell you, there's so much that I wasn't taught either!

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Bob Lippold's avatar

You are an awesome person. Your stories and experience are a treasure of humanity. Thank you.

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Gary Hoover's avatar

This is very likely the best post I’ve read so far on Substack. Thank you. I am a financially poor old person, but I work, struggle, pray and play for peace and justice alongside you - and will until I am gone…. 🌺🧡🌺

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Gail Silvius's avatar

I started this conversation theme just last week with a neighbour. Your article is essential reading to understanding history on both sides of the US/Canadian border.

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areader's avatar

Your posts as well as others subscribed to don't show up in my notes/feed, although liking recent posts. Substack's chat gives nonsensical answers.

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Amelia Mavis Christnot's avatar

I've asked the same question of Substack support, but they can't answer why I see content from people and publications I don't subscribe to and not from the ones I do.

Some writers noted the issue seems to have gotten worse since April. I did notice a "follow" option in the app I hadn't seen before, so maybe we need to subscribe and follow to see the content we want. 🤷‍♀️

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areader's avatar

In the chat I used Greg Olear as an example as I often re-stack his articles and those of his wife, Stephanie St. John (Stephanie St. John’s rendition of the Star Spangled banner almost daily). Greg Olear’s work doesn’t show up in my feed. I randomly picked Noel Casler as another example in the Chat. The Chat replied that I was only subscribed to Noel Casler and Greg Olear. After telling and pasting into the chat the list of author’s I have subscribed to and the Chat replying that it doesn’t see it on their end and where am I getting the list from( one, then another chat), which would be their settings page, another chat found the list of subscribed to(by me). Some authors, I have followed and theirs don’t show up either.

The Algorithm works on likes? Or are some paying for a boost.

Thank you for your reply.

thank you for your attention to this matter:-) Donald

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Claudia Miller's avatar

Thank you for sharing your family's history with us. Wonderful photos too! I've had this thought many a time - most recently - I say to myself "Now we/I will know what oppressed/suppressed non-white Americans, and the poor, have felt and have experienced in their lives." It has never been okay with me and I will continue to fight for all Americans' rights and the greater good. I hope it is a wake up call for many. I'm not calm these days; I fit in the category with your friends.

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Leah Abram's avatar

For a great indigenous ode to Jim Thorpe, here’s Tall Paul’s “someone Great Who Looked Liked Me”: https://youtu.be/P_F32UABW_s?si=_oUuGloXqNbevXRe

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Blair Frodelius's avatar

I'm so sorry. But I am glad that you are getting your life vest on.

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david wells's avatar

At some point, the body becomes inured to 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'. There is only so much indignation to go around. The best revenge is a determination to act and change things for the better. There are no overnight solutions. Many of these problems have festered for a long time and will require hard work and diligence to finally resolve them.

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