Glenn wrote:
Hello Jaap,
Thank you for commenting on my post.
But first, for all who read this from David B:
"Finally, I can "testify" to this kind of experience [taking drugs]. And, my
friends, homecoming doesn't even begin to describe it. Take the "ah haa!" of
your greatest insight, the "oh my God!" of your greatest orgasm, add them
together, multiply it by a thousand and then you'll be in the general area
of
the ball park."
At the risk of having you lecture me about how western society should
re-examine
drugs, I'm going to stick my neck out and say a very uncool, unhip, Dad-like
thing. This paragraph of yours is irresponsible. We should at least assume
there
are some impressionable people on this forum, particularly those on the
younger
side who are "searching", who might take your "testimony" and do something
stupid with drugs and end up hurting themselves, either by overdosing or
developing an addiction. Not everyone can experiment with a drug and leave
it
alone. You make drugs sound legitimate and safe because they're used in
Indian
ceremony, but it's well documented that American Indian reservations are
hotbeds
of drug and alcohol abuse. Were you aware of this? -- End of Public Service
Announcement.
Hi Glenn and David
For the last few years I have been working with Habitat For Humanity
building low-cost homes in different areas of the United States. In 1997 we
did an eleven-home project in a particularly poverty stricken area of
western Nebraska which took roughly three and a half months. It was the
experience of a lifetime.
Yes there is alcoholism on the reservation. And drugs. And crime. And
crushing poverty. I wouldn't really call it a "hotbed of drug and alcohol
abuse" however. I would say it is more of a slow burning deep seated rage
that has no outlet. The young warriors can no longer be warriors. So they
line up 4 and 5 deep at the Indian bars every weekend. They steal Grand
Dad's peyote buttons and make themselves sick and afraid and so they drink
even more.
Now I am not opposed to a drop or two myself after a long day in the hot
sun, and so I got to know all this by being involved. One apprentice, Mike
Young Fox, invited me along on several barhopping tours which I always
graciously accepted. None of the other HFH workers would go; there were
several advisories issued suggesting that no one go into the Indian bars at
all as whites were subject to harassment and even violence in some cases.
Mike assured me there would be no problems and he was always right. I could
not have chosen a better friend to show me the real side of life on that
reservation. I have yet to meet a more open-hearted and generous people.
Once I was accepted in the general community, Mike introduced me to his
grandfather. I'll call him Hector. I learned later that this has always been
the way of the tribe... a new member must be accepted by the group before
being introduced to the inner circle, so to speak. Hector was what we whites
might call a prophet or a seer. He would often just break into a weird chant
in the middle of a conversation while peering deep into my eyes. Hector was
also well-known as a peyote master and I was invited to several peyote
ceremonies, which I also graciously accepted.
I won't speak of that here... it's too personal yet. I will say though that
four is a very sacred number in the ceremony. The buttons are always given
out in groups of four. If the MOQ was born in a peyote ceremony then we can
see the significance of four levels very clearly.
Finally, before being too harsh and documentary towards the Native
Americans, remember the Goodness in their hearts and thank God you have a
toilet to crap in when you need it. Many of them do not. :(
That being said, the tone of Glenn's anti-drug sermon seems very Dick
Rigel-ish to me. Remember he too was concerned about the impressionability
of Capella. Social morality rearing its ugly head perhaps?
Cory
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