To Speak or Not to Speak, our Choice!

I am back! My previous blog post on the Neil Young Tour hit a nerve and received more attention than I could ever have imagined. Indeed, it is a blogger’s dream to engage readers on a level of interest that could transition an inconsequential blog post into an incredible online conversation that garnered the attention of mainstream media.  Remarkably, feedback to my post was overwhelmingly positive and engaging.

Which is why I was dumbfounded by members of my First Nation to my last blog post and subsequent five-minute interview on CBC Radio’s Eye Opener.  I was told that my actions (what I said) would harm our community's progress. All they took from my attempt to explain a complex situation was that I was attacking them and their cause. My efforts were unfortunately misconstrued, which resulted in creating a discord where none should have existed.  After all we are on the same side.

When I was told, “I hope you know what you just did” in reference to my blog and interview on CBC. I will respond in this way… I am a one minor voice speaking on issues of great import to me, as they are too, and furthermore freedom of speech is protected as a fundamental right for all of us in our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 

That said, I know I have a responsibility, as a blogger, to ensure that my writing will not harm others and to be respectful in how I write on issues. I am mindful of these limitations and ensure that in my own personal views whether being expressed in my blog or other social networks are balanced and always within the scope of good judgment.

Therefore, my apologies for describing my Chief in a way that was disrespectful.  Sometimes, we get caught up in an emotional piece we are writing.   But we should always step back to review and edit once our emotions have subsided before posting online. 

To smooth things over since I wanted to work with my Chief and to demonstrate my good will I immediately removed my blog from the Internet.  But our relationship appears to be beyond repair, so I put it back up. 

As mentioned earlier, it is a dream to have attracted a high level of traffic to my blog, and removing it felt like I was letting myself down. I’ve been blogging since 2007 and it was a big deal to me to take it down. I decided, in the end, this was my personal blog and in this country we have freedom of speech.  After careful consideration, I decided to put it back up, edited.