this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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Buffy Sainte-Marie: Let First Nations decide (www.thestar.com)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I'm full blooded Indigenous ... I was born into my family, I have a status card, I grew up in my home community and my first language is Ojibway-Cree ... I'm a brown skinned darked hair Indian .. the first 12 years of my life, all I ever knew was my Indigenous culture, family and language.

The whole Buffy Sainte-Marie fiasco is not so much about who can identify, who should say what or who claim identity and how it should be accepted or rejected by anyone.

The biggest issue I have with this is .... she lied and continues to lie. If she were more honest and forthcoming about who she really is and why she did what she did ... everything would be more acceptable and we could continue to respect the work that she has created.

The questions surrounding all of this is a lot more difficult to answer when millions of dollars of awards, legal issues, and entertainment income are at stake.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This was an incredibly irresponsible story to 'break'.
Who takes a look at Buffy and thinks that's the story I want to break? Whether she is or isn't doesn't matter in the scheme of things. No matter what, Buffy's been outspoken and a good representative for indigenous people her entire career.
Why would anyone think that they're making the world a better place by 'breaking' this story.
The three reporters that wrote the original story should be fired. Same with the editor.
I'm ashamed of the CBC. How can they do this and not cover any actual story in Canada.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In a strange way, I agree with you ... it probably wouldn't have mattered much for the world if we had just stayed ignorant of all this. And you are right, one of the feelings I had from this story was ... if these reporters went through so much trouble and research to do all this, why don't they put those same resources into investigating corporations, government corruption or billionaires evading taxes.

Unfortunately, the story is out and we all have to deal with it.

The issue is not so much her identity or who identifies her. The issue is that it came from a place of dishonesty. She started from a lie, grew that lie and lived and benefited off that lie and continues to be unapologetic about it all.

And the issue it creates is that ... if she can do it, others can and possibly, many others are doing so right now.

I spent my life being ashamed of who I am as an Indigenous person ... it is absolutely upsetting to see someone take on that same identity under false pretenses and profit off it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My only pushback is that she used her fame to help indigenous people her entire career. If it was from a point of dishonesty, (could have been some type of delusion) she still tried to make the world better. It's not a Jordan Peterson or Steven Seagal situation where they try to get legitimacy by association and only give lip service.

But ultimately, this isn't an issue where my opinion matters much. I don't have indigenous lived experience beyond close association.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I agree that she did a lot of great work.

The problem is that it was born out of dishonesty.

I can accept much of what she's done over the years but I take it all reluctantly and I can't accept it all.

If she had been honest and if she were honest now, everything would be a whole lot easier.

Instead, the dishonesty continues. The problem with this is that it sets a stage where others can be emboldened to try the same because they know they know they can get away with it.