...forgive us 
as we forgive those 
who trespass against us ... 
... 

Sunday church service at Duck Lake 
had ended 
as was the custom upon leaving the church 
the good people would pause on the church lawn 
the ladies gathered in one group 
to talk of things that ladies talk of 
the men gather in another group 
to talk of politics and the latest news 
... 

the local  Commissioner for Indian affairs 
spoke as the men gathered attentively 
...we'll take away their right to hunt 
that will starve those fucking Indians 
- yes but: the Christian priests 
want the right to convert them 
before they are starved - 
we won't waste the time 
they can give them the last rites as they die 
then count them as one conversion 
then  after we starve them to death 
they can give them a Christian funeral 
and then count them as a second conversion 
that gives the priests two conversions 
for one dead Indian 
all laughed merrily at this joke 
by 
the Commissioner for Indian Affairs 
... 

he continued ... 
our Canadian government 
has made a law saying that those fucking Indians 
are not persons 
now I ask you 
how can you convert someone who is not a person 
for example 
when we say our Lord's prayer 
... as we forgive those ... 
the word those refers to persons 
priests count souls not persons 
and Indians are not persons 
are you going to say the government is wrong? 
No -  No  - No 
not me   no sir 
we are all good Christians we are 
and we are filling God's land 
with good Christian persons 
Amen  - Amen  - Amen 
... 

Keith O'Connor 
2002 Jan 10 
Ottawa Canada 
www.tinmangallery.com 

Copyright ©