Why is Dog not dogged for insulting Natives?

TV bounty hunter Duane `Dog' Chapman apologizes for using racial slur in phone call - AOL News

 

Our country remains with the American Native at the bottom of the list, worthy of insults with no fluff.  Either way, I have turned it over to the grandmothers and grandfathers and they have dealt with him as they see fit.

 

TV bounty hunter Duane `Dog' Chapman apologizes for using racial slur in phone call

By JAYMES SONG,

AP

Posted: 2007-11-01 13:27:35

HONOLULU (AP) - Television bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman has apologized for repeatedly using a racial slur in a profanity-laced tirade during a private phone conversation with his son that was recorded and posted online.

Chapman, star of A&E's hit reality series "Dog the Bounty Hunter," issued a statement Wednesday apologizing for the comments after The National Enquirer posted a clip of the conversation in which he uses the word "n----r" in reference to his son's girlfriend. The word is frequently referred to as the "N-word" because of its painful history as a racist epithet associated with slavery in America.

"We take this matter very seriously," A&E spokesman Michael Feeney said in a statement Thursday. "Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded, we will take appropriate action."

The recording was first posted online by the Enquirer. It was unclear who recorded the conversation or how the tabloid obtained the 1 1/2-minute clip in which Chapman uses the slur six times.

"There's no problem with how the tape was obtained and Dog has acknowledged its authenticity, and admitted to using the racist language," said David Perel, the Enquirer's editor-in-chief.

In the conversation, Chapman urges his son, Tucker, to break up with his girlfriend. He also expresses concern about the girlfriend going public about the TV star's use of the word.

In the clip, Chapman also stated he does not care that his son's girlfriend is black.

In a statement, the 54-year-old Chapman said he has "utmost respect and aloha for black people who have suffered so much due to racial discrimination and acts of hatred.

"I did not mean to add yet another slap in the face to an entire race of people who have brought so many gifts to this world," he said. "I am ashamed of myself and I pledge to do whatever I can to repair this damage I have caused."

Chapman said, "My sincerest, heartfelt apologies go out to every person I have offended for my regrettable use of very inappropriate language. I am deeply disappointed in myself for speaking out of anger to my son and using such a hateful term in a private phone conversation."

Chapman said the clip was completely taken out of context.

"I was disappointed in his choice of a friend, not due to her race, but her character," he said. "However, I should have never used that term."

Chapman said he is meeting with his spiritual adviser, Rev. Tim Storey, who is black, and hopes to meet with other black leaders, "so they can see who I really am and teach me the right thing to do to make things right, again."

Civil-rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton is among the leaders Chapman contacted. In a letter Thursday to the bounty hunter, Sharpton wrote that as a minister, he would be inclined to meet "despite the racist and grotesque things I heard you say."

"Be assured that I will not sanitize the kind of hate language that leads to the hate action that has left so many people vulnerable in America today," Sharpton wrote.

Chapman's show was in its fifth season and is one of A&E's top-rated programs. The series follows Chapman and his tattooed crew as they track down bail jumpers in Hawaii and other states.

The Honolulu-based bounty hunter first grabbed headlines for apprehending serial rapist and Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in Mexico in 2003.

On the Net:

A&E:

http://www.aetv.com/

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

11/01/07 13:26 EDT

Dog was a bounty hunter, now we are hunting him

To all my sisters, brothers, fathers and mothers, to all my grandmothers and grandfathers here to be and those who were, I lay this outrage before you as I have copied from my sisters site "Native American Moments" and ask that the Great Spirit and Mother Earth let this man now reap what he has so foolishly sownd

To the Spirits of the East, I honor you. To the spirits of the North, I honor you. To the spirits of the south I honor you. And to the spirits of the west, I honor you and ask that the sun may not set and the full moon rise and pass again that Dogs transgressions be avenged in your own way, in your own time.

To Father Sky and Mother Earth I honor you and to the wind that bnrings the breath of life or the winds of destruction, and to the water springs that bring the force of all life, I give this man and his transgressions to you.

NEWS ON DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER

Don’t know if any of you are fans if this side walk commando Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman. I’m not since I already know too much about this puke from Denver as it is. Being a former bail bondsman and did my share of “collecting” in my day, I found his show quite annoying to say the least.

Imagine walking into a church and pissing on the Holy Cross thendisrespecting the preacher in front of his parish. Well that’s liken to what he did at a Pow Wow in Hawaii. I am making sure everyone has a chance to read this accounting of his lack luster performance in front of hundreds of Natives in Hawaii. And I will bet he thinks this would not get off the island. Well, power to the internet since I have the story here. And since I do not believe in re-inventing the wheel I am re-printing this story in it’s entirety and giving credit to the author who originally broke this story. So now he's also a low life creep. Course I always thought he was anyway.

The only suggestion I would offer those who are as enraged about this punk of a person is to hit him in his pocket book. Contact A&E, the station his lame and foolish show airs. Let him know his ego cost him his job. To boycott or cast a negative light on anyone who airs his smack may cause the ones who sign his check to throw him in the rubbish where he belongs. Protest any sponsors who advertise when his show airs. Let them know this conduct is not acceptable and will not be tolerated by Native and non Native people here in the US and where else his stupid show airs. Hit Duane “Puppy” Chapman in his wallet.

From: WEST WIND DANCER
Date: Oct 28, 2007 12:18 PM


Duane Chapman, aka "Dog the Bounty Hunter", recently made atestosterone-induced appearance at the Hawaii Pow Wow. He spoke highly  of his career, and mentioned his native ancestry. However, in the end, his actions brought shame to the sacred drum and anger to hundreds of local elders.

Red Warrior, a southern drummer, who hails from San Diego, was singing a song in honor for all Code Talkers (Native American War Veterans and non-native veterans whom were honored by the military, in WWII) Then "The Dog's" youngest son picked up a drum stick and began uncontrollably beating the drum next to Red Warrior. The remainder of the honor-song was interrupted by the teen celebrity's mock drumming.

At the conclusion of the performance, Red Warrior asked "Whose kid was interrupting the song?" The Dog replied, "You don't talk to the boy, you talk to the man!...I am the Dog. Do you want a piece of the Dog?"

Shocked and appalled at the bounty hunters disrespect, the drummers looked at each other in disbelief. "The Dog" began to call on the drum's veteran singers to stand up and challenge him. Dog became furious and began to swear at the drummers. "Do you want some of the Dog?"

A drummer placed his drumstick onto the drum, approached The Dog and said "Yes, I will have a piece of the Dog,”

Outside of the arena, The Dog and the disgruntled drummer stood face to face. "Lets go to the side and take care of this like men.", as The Dog challenged the old indian

"No, we're going to take care of this in front of everybody. I'm not afraid of you." The veteran drummer spoke loud and clear.

The Dog persisted, "You're sitting with nothing but bitches here."

"How could you talk to your elders like that?"

The Dog barked, "As far as I'm concerned, they're nothing but pussies!"

The Dog walked off and challenged the drummer to "settle this like men."

The drummer replied, "We'll do this in front of everyone.". At which point Chapman’s harsh criticisms and vulgarities echoed throughout the parking lot.
The drummer was steadfast, "You're supposed to be a movie star, 'The Dog,' but you are nobody. You have brought shame to the drum."

Duane "The Dog" Chapman has disappointed and enraged the Native American community with his behavior, and insensitivity toward our fathers & grandfathers. Behavior of this type may be tolerable onTV shows but will not be tolerated at any Native American Pow Wow.

I hope you are as pissed as I am. It is bad enough there is little respect for Indigenous cultures world wide. This is a total out rage. Like I said, we should send a message to all advertisers and A&E letting them know, Dog has to go. And we the people have the power to alter his course in history and career. Don Imus paid the ultimate price for a similar transgression. So what’s good for the goose is good for the gander eh.

BOYCOT DOG, BOYCOT HIS SPONCERS, BOYCOT A&E



Your Devils Advocate
Buffalohair

Healing for the Military

I haven't posted anything in a long time due to time commitments and work, but this article was too good to not share.

 

from the September 13, 2007 edition - http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0913/p20s01-usmi.html

Federal government taps ancient healing methods to treat native American soldiers The veterans administration teams up with medicine men to use sweat lodges and talking circles to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

By Jennifer Miller | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

 

Rock Spring, N.M.

In a dusty lot on the Navajo reservation, a cleansing ceremony is about to take place. Women sit on rickety chairs outside a hogan, (a circular, squat Navajo home with a dirt floor). A line of parked cars sizzle in the Southwestern sun. Suddenly, a pack of horses rushes into view. They stop just short of the hogan, their hooves beating up a cloud of dust.

A man appears in the doorway – an unassuming figure, dressed in a work shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. He is a medicine man who has spent decades learning ancient Navajo healing techniques. He waits for the lead rider – the patient – to dismount and then ushers him inside.

For the next hour, the spiritual leader, Alfred Gibson, conducts an "enemy way" ceremony, a form of Navajo therapy that cleanses physically and mentally ill individuals by forcing them to confront their pain.

The technique is increasingly being used across the American West to help native American soldiers deal with the traumas of war.

While healers on Indian reservations have always employed such methods, the government offers most returning native American soldiers standard Western psychological counseling and medical help. Now, however, native American leaders and the Department of Veterans Affairs are teaming up to use both approaches in hopes of better serving the needs of Indian soldiers.

Mr. Gibson, for one, works during the week as a counselor at the Na'nizhoozhi Rehabilitation Center, a treatment facility in Gallup, N.M., run by tribal entities and the local county government. To help patients battle addiction and psychological trauma, Na'nizhoozhi often pairs psychotherapy and medication with sweat lodge ceremonies and drumming sessions. But the goal, Gibson says, is always to "do away with the medication – to help patients learn the traditional ways of healing."

Similarly, Veterans Affairs hospitals throughout New Mexico now run special programs for native American vets that include talking circles, sweat lodge ceremonies, and gourd dances. "We have to allow native Americans the opportunity to explore the culture that has been damaged, if not taken away," says Dr. James Gillies, a psychologist in the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) clinic at the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, N.M. "To be a soul doctor is to embrace the souls of the people you work with."

• • •

Native American vets have a real need for this kind of attention. Tribal members join the military at higher per capita rates than almost any other minority group. They also tend to suffer disproportionately from the effects of war – as evidenced in high drug-abuse and suicide rates among returning soldiers. Studies have shown that native Americans who served in Vietnam were far more likely to struggle with PTSD than white soldiers.

Counselors and tribal leaders believe a more "holistic" approach to treating the problem – combining traditional and modern methods – should help a new generation of soldiers now returning from Iraq.

"The 'enemy way' ceremony rejuvenates them," says Gibson. "The songs, prayers, drumming, and herbs we use cleanse the body from the effects of war."

The morning after the ceremony, Gibson and I sit on a sagging couch in the empty hogan. I ask if he believes one healing ceremony can provide a long-term release from the psychological imprint of combat. Gibson says that a series of ceremonies are often required, each addressing a different aspect of the patient's illness. "And it depends on the individual," he says. "It's just like a person who's addicted to alcohol. If he wants to get help, he will get better. But if he's two ways about it, it won't help him."

Dr. Gillies sees the benefits of marrying both approaches. He says modern Western therapy teaches vets "how to think about trauma" in a systematic and linear fashion. The basic treatment asks combat veterans to talk about their painful experiences in war. "We ask them to slow [the experience] down," Gillies says. "To approach it again and again." Each time, the memory is supposed to be a little less painful.

The concept is similar to that behind the "enemy way" ceremony, but it lacks the cultural and spiritual foundation that forms the basis of Gibson's work. After working on the Acoma Pueblo reservation outside Albuquerque, Gillies began to see that the Indian veteran population responded to this added cultural component. They are dealing with what he calls "intergenerational trauma": The struggles they've faced as native Americans often compound the effects of their PTSD.

With its lamps and bookshelves, Gillies's office feels like a small study. The young-looking doctor has the kind of relaxed demeanor that puts his patients at ease. While traditional psychotherapy and medication have their place, he says, you also have to work "within the mythology, the ritual" of the people you're dealing with.

Twice a month, Gillies moderates a talking circle made up of mostly Vietnam-era native American vets. The meeting has no formal structure, and participants say there is less interruption than during normal group therapy sessions.

Gregory Gomez, an Apache Indian who served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, participates in the talking group. He says it helps him be "a little more rested, a little stronger to deal with the outside society."

Mr. Gomez, a large, expressive man with a gray ponytail and a single red feather earring, has a degree in social work and is well versed in Western forms of therapy. He also participates in the VA's standard PTSD program and meets with Gillies for individual counseling. But the talking circle addresses what he calls his "Indian world-view." "We're dealing with our spiritual needs," he says. "In other groups, there's a void."

Gomez doesn't have an easy definition for what spirituality is. As he puts it: "It's 24/7, a way of life. It's not a religion, but [the notion that] we don't own anything in this world. Our job is to help Mother Earth."

• • •

The sweat lodge is another cleansing tool centered around the connection to Mother Earth. Gillies and his native American patients convinced the VA medical center in Albuquerque to build one on a sandy plot behind the PTSD clinic.

"It's a place for cleansing our soul," says Ambrose Willie, a reed-thin man who served with the Army in Vietnam. Mr. Willie surveys the construction site, scrutinizing a series of prairie dog holes. In his barely audible voice, he wonders how to remove the rodents. Ultimately, he decides that prairie dogs and humans can cohabitate. The sweat lodge "teaches us to live in harmony with our surroundings," he says.

Willie explains that the main elements of the sweat lodge – fire, water, and stone – represent the basic elements of nature. He and Gomez have long anticipated the lodge's completion. They believe it can bring them one step closer to mental stability. "When we leave the doorway," Willie says, "our mind, body, and spirit are one."

Up in Window Rock, Ariz., 170 miles north, Gibson holds a similar view. "When soldiers go overseas, we give them warrior ceremonies to armor and protect them against the battle," says the medicine man. "When the soldier comes back, we have to remove that armor, to help him reconnect with his home."

Full HTML version of this story which may include photos, graphics, and related links

HOPE Visions of Whitefeather

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgdxt_espoir-visions-de-plume-blanche

I hope the above link works. This is a video that was sent to me and is absolutely beautiful. I take no credit for it whatsoever except to share it.

 

 

Duration: 08:06 Taken: 02 octobre 2006 Location: -

HOPE (Visions of Whitefeather)

directed by Catherine Margerin
Visionary Willy Whitefeather
produced by Mary Mathaisell

This animated visual film short you are about to see is a story of prophecy.
The story of man going down the wrong path, with one day the possibility of finding the path of peace and love. What we are seeing around the world with wars, genocide, diseases, climate change such as global warming, and potential earth changes that have been foretold by many seers and indigenous peoples. This is that story in animated visuals and soundtrack that will shake you to your roots. We must shift to this path, without hesitation.

Directed by Catherine Margerin, produced by Luna Media. Its is being posted with consent and vision of Willy Whitefeather, visionary for "HOPE"

Bruce Weaver is currently working on a feature documentary which has this story come to life with interviews with such visionaries as Willy Whitefeather and many other visionary and seers of our time.

"Hope" is a unique and powerful short film with a message of peace for the future. Combining animation, archival footage and live action, in a multi-layered non-linear story, the film brings the viewer on a fascinating journey through human existence. 'Hope' is shaped around the knowledge and ideas of Willy Whitefeather, a man in his sixties of Cherokee ancestry, a fascinating storyteller, healer, survivalist and an individual of wisdom and heart. Using traditions and stories from Native American and world cultures, the film combines dreams, images and reminiscences from our collective memory to send a message of hope for the future. Now is the time to reconnect with Spirit, to recognize the effects of our actions, to evaluate the underlying causes of suffering andto reshape our life and our world into a harmonious one.
The film has a visually superb and beautifully dynamic look. The animated scenes are in styles reminiscent of Pueblo pottery design, Sioux painted hides, Petroglyph drawings and Hopi mural paintings. The sound track is similarly layered with the sounds of a beating heart, breathing, wooden flutes, drums, rattles, a traditional Cherokee lullaby and original music. "Hope" urges us to change course and follow a path of wisdom, responsibility, beauty, simplicity and gentleness. Catherine Margerin, a commercial director, known for her unique painterly style animation, is the director of "Hope".