This may not be Metal related, but it is musically related, and it questions the ethics of humanity. Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church hate-mill of slander against the worldwide LGBTQ Community, has spawned a following of brainwashed hate perpetuaters who have now targeted Alaskan Native Cultures.
What?
Yes.
I found this information through one of my long time Tlingit/Athabascan friends who has helped circulate the information presented in the article by themudflats.net titled, "God Hates Alaska Native Culture, says WBC".
You can read the short article and be filled with rage by it's painful pictures here:
http://www.themudflats.net/archives/42818 .
Through these interviews with members of the Westboro Baptist Church one can find nonsensical, hate-filled lies such as this:
"…you make a religion out of the pagan idolatrous practices of past
generations. There is nothing appealing or holy about the “heritage” of
the eleven “distinct cultures” or “diverse population” of Alaska."
AND
"It’s not too late to save Alaska, WBC assures us. 'God hasn’t completely
destroyed Alaska yet, so there is time to repent of this idolatry; not
memorialize and worship it.' "
Alaska doesn't need your backwards pity, WBC.
In response to such a hateful, racist, brainwashed bigot lot, I want to share a little bit of my experience as a Caucasian woman being born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I want to share with those who have heard me say time and time again that I am SO happy for having left Alaska and moved to a region of this country that better suits my interests and needs to thrive as an individual. I did not thrive there, I did not enjoy living there, so I did something about it: I left! I was never a part of Alaska Native communities, nor have I learned any of the many beautiful Alaskan languages. I left to pursue my interests and let people who love being in Alaska stay in Alaska. However, I want to say that although I am happy that I have moved away to pursue my own dreams and interests...
I'll let everyone in on a little secret of mine:
Alaska is, and always will be, my home and my heart.
Alaska is the most beautiful and brutal place you will ever see in your short life.
Alaska homes thousands of the most amazing, creative, passionate, community and family driven people that exist.
I miss it a little bit every day.
Yes, I am Native to Alaska.
No, I am not Alaskan Native by blood.
Yes, I will visit Alaska over and over and over again.
No, I do not plan to ever move back.
But I will defend it and it's people until the day that I die. I may not have been accepted into any family (aka "clan", or "tribe" as one may have been raised to distinguish between the cultures) other than my own, but I've seen, heard, felt, tasted, and smelt it all around me my entire life. And let me tell you something Westboro Baptist Church...
Alaskan Native People are not your
victims. Alaskan Natives are a family, and are part of a stronger, more
spirited, and indestructible community than you will ever be.
This doesn't just go for Alaskan Native communities specifically, this goes for any Indian Native or First Nation cultures struggling for survival, tolerance, acceptance, and independence. Instead of continuing to rant and allowing my rage to vent itself senseless, I've found some videos of language, music, dance, regalia, and culture to share with whoever is reading this. Please enjoy these videos I've found.
Please DO take the time to "memoralize and worship" some of the music, dance, and culture of these "pagan idolatrous practices", and you will make the world a better place for it.
Git-Hoan Tsimshian Nation (now British Columbia, Canadian Territory)
Salmon Dance at Alaska Native Heritage Center
Yup'ik Seal Dance
Last, but not least, I can't figure out how to embed this video for this post, but PLEASE click on the link and watch it!
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