Indigenous friends don't let Indigenous friends vote

I'm serious! You can read my previous thoughts on the matter here and here. Below is an excerpt from a recent e-mail to a good friend:

You said, "I want to vote in this next federal election because I do not want to leave my fate to the non-Aboriginal community that does vote." This implies that by voting, your fate will not be left to the non-Aboriginal community that does vote. It also implies that your vote, or heck lets say that all the Indigenous votes will have an impact. Theoretically, if we voted 100% what would the results be? I bet we would have a handful (out of about 300 seats) of Aboriginals in office and another handful of somewhat friendly-ish non-Aboriginals.

Now just to get as far as they did, they will no doubt be Liberal or NDP (although I did notice a hereditary chief from Bella Bella was running for the Marxist-Leninist party this morning). Like all other MPs they will have to tow the party line - certainly none of them are gonna go crazy revolutionary and actually speak their mind, lest they endanger their pension or potential senate appoinment later in life. So what impact will they really have? I guess their kids will eat well, and go to good private schools and I'm sure they will be invited to some of the swankiest parties in Ottawa, as long as they don't rock the boat too much. If they do forget (their Canadian) selves you can be sure they will be out the door the next round.

I agree that we are political people. Actually a famous German (or perhaps he was Austrian), Karl Von Clauswitz said, "war is the continuation of politics by other means." Somedays, I would prefer more assertive forms of contention than what we come to accept as radical these days (organizing to vote, protesting, letter-writing etc.)

Finally, you refer to learning "their rules" and how this is not assimilation. Not all acts are assimilative and not all assimilative acts are necessarily bad either. I think we need to measure each act, each tool, against our own, revived Indigenous principles. It's like choosing to buy a honda civic hybrid as opposed to a Hummer...I mean we do have to make decisions about most things but I also challenge you to determine what truly is "inevitable" or "unavoidable" or "necessary."

Have you heard how travelling circus' used to train elephants? When the circus would receive a new elephant, the elephant obviously would not want to be there and wanted freedom. The elephant would be chained to a metal post driven deep into the bedrock. There was no way the post was going to move no matter how much the elephant pulled. Eventually, the elephant gives up and accepts the fact that he will never be free. When they get to the next town and unpack the train, the caretaker drives a wooden stake into the ground about 2 feet. If the elephant wanted freedom, he could easily pull away, but he does not because he already accepted the fact that he will never be free.

Indigenous friends don't let Indigenous friends vote.