Comments on: Behind Closed Doors: Tales from Canada’s Hidden Holocaust

By: Dissident Voice : The Emptiness of a Limited Apology

Dissident Voice : The Emptiness of a Limited Apology — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:16:10 +0000

[...] to ‘kill the Indian in the child,’” Cape Breton Post, 12 June 2008. #Kim Petersen, “Behind Closed Doors: Tales from Canada’s Hidden Holocaust,” Dissident Voice, 24 September 2007. #The Law Society of Upper Canada admitted to attorney Bruce [...]

By: KGS

KGS — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:59:37 +0000

The problem is that the attempt to assimilate Indians into white society was an attempt to improve their lot, to increase their human rights. If anyone actually cares to read up on Indian cultures, you’d realize that they actually lived quite a brutal extistence. Each group had numerous cultural practices that by our standard would be abhorent, yet here we are now acting as though depriving Indians of such things is a violation of their human rights. The way I see it, at one point or another, all of out ancestors lived at the same level that Indians once did. But because for many of us the period of assimilation happened so long ago, the “suffering” that was involved is forgotten to us. It’s unfortunate that such “suffering” has to take place when people are yanked out of a more primative lifestyle, but in the end, isn’t not doing so more of a human rights violation?

By: Lloyd Rowsey

Lloyd Rowsey — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:31:05 +0000

Kim, I’d ask you to update me on numerous fronts, but it’s clear you’re striking fire right now wherever you turn. I just finished the 2nd part of your Kalaallit-colonialism-Thule Airbase Trilogy, and you’re doing absolutely astounding reporting. Keep up the good work.

By: hp

hp — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:17:29 +0000

If my above statement hurt anyone please accept my apology. I was simply trying to make a point. The point that there is only one group of people in this world who are afforded every civility, every courtesy, every loan, every billions and billions and billions of aid, every censure of their despicable behaviour, every lie for as truth, every truth against as lie, every belief their God is the only God.
Sounds like a curse to me..

By: hp

hp — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:55:18 +0000

Give me a break. No one cares about this beyond some yawning lip service. Don’t you people know there was only ONE Hollowco$t which matters? ONE. The ONE you are not allowed to discuss..

By: Iris Nicholas

Iris Nicholas — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:25:09 +0000

Imagine! Living in a prison for “Indian Children” ruled by a racist government and a supreme catholic church, also the tramatic effects it had on the “Indian Children” who served up to 12 years in those prisons. THINK , FEEL, UNDERSTAND the ripple effect it had on all our people and our communities!

By: Ring Huggins (Many Stones)

Ring Huggins (Many Stones) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:31:11 +0000

Greetings,

It is unfortunate the way Native peoples have been treated by governments, churches and Europeans world wide and the exposure of such treatment is important, however, it should be noted that since the early 1960’s there has been much done by both the U.S. and Canadian governments to in some ways rectify that treatment. More needs doing.

Having worked many years with Native people in both countries from the Texas Mexican border to the North West Territories and lived in Kamloops by the way, would suggest that we focus on forgiveness and healing in the Native tradition as tought by such people as Chuck Storm.

May the Great Spirit keep the wind at your back and the sun on your face.

Many Stones

By: Louise Thundercloud

Louise Thundercloud — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:29:19 +0000

I know that this has grieved me terribly. I was unable to walk upright without breaking down & crying when the news in my area covered this issue in canada.
A Eastern Cherokee friend of mine held me up when he saw me & told me to be strong. My grandmother’s mother who is Salish & Blackfoot, told me of the children that the Catholics took away, & never returned.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:02:11 +0000

The treatment of First Nations peoples in both countriesputs us right there with Apartheid South Africa and the U.S. during the Jim Crow days.It’s time these atrocities were EXPOSED.

By: joe

joe — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:29:13 +0000

Wow, Thomas, what an extraordinary comment.
I see it like this:
I don’t know all that much about treatment of Indians in Canada, but I feel I’d like to, I feel I should. I learn about a book that seems informative and disturbing. I read it, and want to pass on what I’ve learned, for I think everyone should know…
I assume this is what Mr. Peterson did. He produced a powerful, interesting and informative essay – one which I’ll not forget for quite a while. I don’t see how that warrants a barbed criticism about not having read other books, and not reporting other information.
You seem to imply that one should know all there is to know about a subject before writing anything at all – even an excellent review of what seems to be a superb book. Give us all a break, pal.
As you seem to be in possession of broader, deeper knowledge on this subject, and as this subject is obviously important to you, and as you feel this subject should be important to everyone – stop whining, stop growling, do some hard work, publish your own essay, and inform us further. Or -
You could have just offered the hyperlink without all the self-aggrandizing blab…

By: Thomas Victor

Thomas Victor — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:54:30 +0000

I’m kinda surprised Kim, haven’t you heard of the Kevin Arnett revelations re. Residential Indian Schools in Canada?
http://canadiangenocide.nativeweb.org/intro2.html
http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/

Your articles deals with the native american kids being denied their own culture and being forced to assimilate into the majority culture.

But that is ‘minimizing’ what actually happened. Arnett has documented murder, mass sterilization and so on. This is all very well known. You are saying ‘cultural genocide’ where there was actual physical genocide it seems.

So do you believe Arnett is lying regarding the schools and regarding the United Church? Is that why this is such a bland article regarding the horrible crimes committed against children in those residential schools?

If so you should state your reservations re. Kevin.Otherwise this looks like a cover-up!

By: Brent

Brent — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:43:00 +0000

I have witnessed such lies from all government officials who possess to be in a world of they own.
Genocide is here to stay, facts prove government are constant demons, ready for their demise(political).
I am against racial remarks, but one can only take so much from hearing all the negative attitude towards First Nations people.
The outside world needs to visit a First Nations community to gain real insight to what hmpers growth for First Nations people.
Then all Canadians and the world will see how government has escalated the miseryon First Nations community.

By: sheldon g

sheldon g — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:56:20 +0000

this is the case in the U.S too, in the guise of boarding schools in the 1800’s well in to the mid 60’s where native americans were forced to lose thier identity and taught that our langauge, spirit and culture were inferior to western values….This is cultural genocide…our way of life is dwindling away….thank you america….thank you columbus…your right and im wrong, your civilized and im a savage