Potluck leftover brain stew…..

December 7, 2010 at 4:38 pm (ethics, exploring interconnectedness, history, Indigenous People, life, Native Americans, politics, random, religion, Uncategorized, Writing)
Tags: Bill of Rights, Brule, Conquering Bear, count coup, counting coup, culture, Emma Lazarus, ethics, First Amendment, history, inspiration, Lakota, life, people, photograph, poet, politics, random, Statue of Liberty, thoughts, truth, United States Constitution

Ever experience a collection of seemingly random concepts simmering in your brainpan? Some thoughts are easier to reconcile than others.  Some blend better than others–like some ingredients for potluck leftover stews. At another blogcasa there’s an ongoing discussion concerning truth, ethics, and politics. For now I’d rather let that conversation remain there because right now the following ideas are on my mental docket–and these extend beyond the context of that other dialogue. But the common ground entails notions about truth–and the consequences and ramifications of engaging in truth-telling. 

totalitarianism  

                                         fascism

                                                                    authoritarian nationalism

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

First Amendment to the United States Constitution, United States Bill of Rights

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

“The New Colossus”  by Emma Lazarus

“Anyone can kill a man. Anyone can take a scalp. But only the bravest warrior can count coup and fight with no weapon at all.”

Matho Wayhui ~ Conquering Bear, Brule Lakota

Clicking on the photograph connects to PowWows.com’s collection of  old photographs.

What’s this stew taste like to you?