Tonto Revisited @ ArtRage Gallery, Syracuse, NY

Come check out the Tonto Revisited exhibit, which will coincide with a few events that I am involved with. My own exhibit Round Up (curators: Jenny Western & Ryan Rice), all single channel videos, will be screening one night only, November 21st, 4pm-6pm with an artist talk. For more event information check the ArtRage Gallery Events Schedule.

2010 Finger Lakes Film Festival

This is my second year, 2008 was my first, as an accepted entry into the Finger Lakes Film Festival. In 2008, I was unable to attend, although I had planned on it, due to work related and personal (vehicle) issues. This year, I will be in attendance on the second evening of screenings and for the reception on November 6th at the Cracker Factory. I look forward to being in attendance and meeting the individuals involved with the festival as well as the people there to enjoy the festival. I also look forward to the submissions that will be screened.

Finger Lakes Film Festival website

Departing Syracuse

This past weekend I came to the conclusion that I will no longer live in Syracuse after July 31st, 2011. That's the end of my current lease. Here's my reasoning. My Alma Mater, the University of Colorado, Boulder is again advertising a job position for cinema artist. I have applied twice for this position since 2007. I have been told that my screening or exhibition record doesn't meet their criteria, which I can understand. I don't have a great amount of festival experience within the larger, more prestigious festivals. Although, over the past two years my work has begun to grab attention of the gallery/exhibition realm and I've been concentrating on that.

Now, I love Boulder and the University even though I live in NY, I remain a part of the Native community in the Boulder/Denver area. If I think about where I've lived in the past, I have never been happier than to have lived in Boulder. I have a large circle of friends in Boulder and I couldn't ask for greater friends than them. Syracuse has been good to me, but not in the manner that Boulder or Colorado have been. My circle of friends have diminished greatly in NY and the remainder of my friends are spread out over a few cities/towns.

I figure that applying once again for this position at CU cannot hurt me. My ideal job is to teach at the university level and my ideal place to live is in Boulder and I am connected to Boulder by roots that have never died since I left.

NY will always be my home locale, but since my family here is busy living their lives I have to look for a place where I will be happy and successful and able to have a healthy, normal social life, that doesn't depend on when my brothers or friends have time for me, because that time has become almost non-existent. I love my brothers and friends here, but I need to take a chance regardless of having a job and move back to Boulder where my happiness existed not only with my friends but with the overall environment.

My past dreams were to attend CU-Boulder and work for the Native American Rights Fund, those dreams came true, or rather I made them happen. I also dreamed of attending the MFA Film program on a full ride at Syracuse University and that also happened. A person can only follow their heart, regardless of what their mind might say to them and I will continue following my heart and dreams. Since moving back to NY I have become quite comfortable and that's often dangerous since I no longer take that many chances in my life, which has made me very passive and I need to be active again . . . I no longer feel alive. I feel like I'm just existing and just existing isn't acceptable.

I will definitely miss everyone I currently work with and for, my current job is great. It's equivalent to the Native American Rights Fund as far as the individuals that I work with, great people. Unfortunately, my job is considered contracted and not a full position within the University or within my organization. My freelance employers are wonderful too, and they will be greatly missed, but I can foresee completing my work for them within the next few months.

So, Colorado, here I come . . . rather I will be, next year!

Taxation without Representation - the Haudenosaunee vs. New York State

Sovereignty. Well, it's hard to believe that the word holds any water anymore within the city-state confluence of border towns that are reservations within America. Harder to believe still, when state governments insist on imposing taxation on sovereign Nations from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. One of the issues in which America came to be was taxation without representation, and ironic again, various Haudenosaunee Nations sided with the colonials in their fight against the crown as taxation without representation was one of the issues for their dissenting view toward the crown. All the history and signed (Treaty of 1748, 1789, the Trade and Intercourse Act of 1790, and the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794, also know as the Pickering Treaty and the George Washington Covenant) treaties also seem to be incapable of holding any water in New York State. It's either that or the memories of the NYS citizenry and governing bodies are the most myopic memories in history.

In late August, the Tadodaho of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Chief Sidney Hill, sent out a letter to the President of the U.S.A. concerning the issue of taxation and the utilization of force past and possibly in the present to enforce New York state's misplaced concepts of sovereignty in imposing their laws upon the Haudenosaunee. It's a sad time when NYC Mayor Bloomberg urges NYS Governor Patterson to take a "shoot-em up stance" toward untaxed Native cigarette sales. Racism and ignorance seem to be par for the course in American politics, not just today, but everyday.

Will Native sovereignty hold? Will it be respected? Will State governments recognize the countless treaties that are considered law of the land between the Native Nations and the U.S. federal government? It's a pretty dreary day when you see state agencies imposing a rule of law upon a sovereign nation considering the historical facts behind how "America" came to be . . . but like I mentioned, government and the American citizenry seem to be myopic when it comes to history and Others.

The Mechanics of Being NDN: U.S. premeire of Round-UP to open Santa Fe, NM August 2nd 2010.

An academic's blog review of Round-UP Santa Fe

A Mosque near Ground Zero

Recently my facebook profile was abuzz with a debate surrounding the proposed building of a Mosque near Ground Zero in NYC. The argument is obviously a passionately emotion-filled one for a majority of those that have lost loved ones in 9/11. In stating that, the majority of arguments are not fundamentally rational because of the emotions attached to this particular issue. And, it is always difficult to debate an issue when someone is emotionally attached. I'm not saying that people shouldn't feel for their lost loved ones, but they shouldn't argue with those emotions, because it distances their logic and reason from the point. I had made a point to inquire how many Muslims died in the destruction of the World Trade Centers as part of my argument, because many people are placing blame on the religion of Islam as the culprit behind the attacks on America and the World Trade Centers on 9/11, which couldn't be further from the truth.

A friend of mine debated with me and others on facebook against building a Mosque near Ground Zero, which is fine, open and free debate is one of America's greatest freedoms, as is the freedom of religion. This particular freedom and the issue of tolerance was center to my argument. It seems that America is still quite the xenophobic country, and one that is extremely Islamaphobic as well. Like all religions, extremism is part and parcel to their existence, and politics too--fanaticism is a reality that we have to endure while not vilifying entire religions. Eventually, my friend deleted his comments stating it was my post (although he did decide to take part in the debate) and he didn't want others thinking he was a White supremacist, which he isn't. He just isn't well versed in the facts of history as he attempted to make associations to past historical events for his argument, which were completely irrelevant to the argument. His points were way off topic, which I assume is because he is emotional tied to the events of 9/11. He tried to argue fear and security as points for not building a Mosque, hardly relevant to the construction of a Mosque near Ground Zero. He also claimed that blind tolerance of other religions is what allowed 9/11 to happen, which is completely off point, and untrue. It was simply the act of men that were financed by fanatics, who planned for and carried out their plan in the name of a religion. It wasn't the religion that flew two planes into the World Trade Centers, it was a group of men. Waters become muddied with emotionally charged arguments because reason is not present in emotion. No one vilifies Christianity when individuals bomb abortion clinics or murder doctors that preform abortions in the name of Christ, granted the scale pales in comparison to 9/11, but the relevance exists.

President Barack Obama recently stated the right of religious freedom in America in the right to build a center of worship wherever chosen, then he distanced himself from the ongoing debate probably because it is a contentious and emotionally charged one. The con-argument over the construction of a Mosque has been centered around the remembrance of those that lost their lives on 9/11 and that a Mosque would be an insult to that memory. Yet my question still remains, how many Muslims lost their lives on 9/11 in those two Towers? And, how is targeting a religion going to limit the memory of the people that died at Ground Zero? Arguing against the Mosque as bad taste is not an argument it's a misdirected emotion limiting reason, which does about as much justice to the memory of those that died as not remembering them at all.

Whether or not a Mosque and Islamic center is built near Ground Zero is going to become an even more heated issue in America and especially around New York City. Tolerance for others and other religions, and the realization that Islam was and is not the cause of terrorist acts, but man is is a realization that people must comprehend and accept. If not, our Constitution may be open to attack and our 1st Amendment right may be altered making the US a fanatic nation in the name of Christianity.

In all honesty, my opinion for, or against the building of a Mosque near Ground Zero isn't part of the debate because, I am not part of that community. (Although, I don't believe building a Mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero diminishes the memory of the people that perished in the World Trade Centers.) I am a part of the larger community and I know what is right, because I am far enough away from the pain the individual families feel for their lost loved ones, that I have not muddied the issue with my emotions. I honestly feel for these families because they seem to not have dealt with their loss. I also feel for Muslims that had nothing to do with the attacks on American soil on 9/11, that just want a better life in a nation of immigrants, in a nation that believes its self to be the greatest nation on Earth. Although, the recent arguments over this proposed Mosque near Ground Zero hampers this assumed greatness, and I feel more for the fact that these souls are misguided in their efforts to "remember" their loved ones by diminishing Others as responsible for something they, nor their religion caused.

For history and another opinion: Keith Olbermann

I have to state that a friend of mine called me up to speak to me directly, not to necessarily debate the issue, but to offer his opinion and perspective, which I greatly respect and appreciate. I was completely flattered that he would take the time to do so, thank you Woody! He and I may not agree on the larger issues surrounding this debate, but as friends, we can engage in open dialogue with mutual respect and admiration.

Where Syracuse, NY could make more revenue

As you may know I live in a college town, or city if you want to get technical. Now for the most part a college city isn't as bad as living in a college town because of the scale of the area, but that really isn't applicable here. Unfortunately in my case, I've decided to live within what is known as the "university" area, the outlying neighborhoods that surround the University, and in this particular instance it's Syracuse University. It has been my experience that one must endure the occasional college student encounter from time to time whilst living within the realm of a "university" area. I wouldn't be blogging about this if the infiltration of undergraduates within my neighborhood wasn't a blight on my neighborhood or the city itself. Since undergraduate students have been making their way further and further toward the borders of the "university" area they have increasingly been pushing more and more families out. This is a reality that I've witnessed firsthand on my block. Six years ago when I moved into my apartment, undergrads were living closer to the university and for the most part only graduate students, doctoral students, professionals and families existed within a roughly two block radius where I live.

Over the six years that I've lived where I live I have seen neighbors sell their homes and leave as if an infestation of the worst kind had occurred. And, indeed it did, undergraduate students without common sense or consideration. I admit that our youth more often than not lack common sense and possess little if any consideration outside of their perceived social niche or their own ego. But, what this mass movement has done is allowed the university neighborhoods to be overrun by youth that possess no true conscience toward anyone but their selves and their desire to drink, be loud and boisterous, invade the space that others occupy, destroy property and create a requirement for inexpensive housing, which brings me to landlords or property owners.

Property owners that rent en masse to the undergraduate student have little if any incentive to maintain their property, especially when the undergraduate students are the ones damaging the properties. I know of a phenomenon that occurs when people own property and that is if someone fixes up their property, it usually follows that their immediate neighbor in turn fixes up their property and so goes the chain (this particular phenomenon's name escapes me at the moment), unfortunately the reverse is true here.

Syracuse is a city that has suffered the physical and economical pains of industry failing. Syracuse is also a city that could, if it were wise enough, make enough money by enforcing their own codes in the neighborhoods where these undergraduates live and where the parasitic property owners prey. The winter is one of the best examples of where money could be raised by enforcing the shoveling code. In Syracuse, regardless of a renters knowledge, it is the responsibility of the renter to maintain clear and safe sidewalks through snow removal, unless otherwise specified in a lease. As a central New Yorker from birth, I grew up in neighborhoods where people shoveled first thing in the morning during and after snowfall, regardless of the amount. Now, moving throughout central NY it has been my experience as someone who walked and walks a lot that people who rent or the property management companies and/or landlords don't very often, if ever, keep their sidewalks clear. In an era of politics that is crying out for no more taxes, this particular circumstance should be exploited to its fullest in order for the city to collect revenue.

It has also been a long standing argument of upstaters that our taxes are high and we barely see where the money goes in our communities because the state is too busy spending it downstate in NYC. This may or may not be true, I think it is relatively true since our upstate communities seem to be suffering much more then our neighbors to the southeast. Upstate, central and western NY do receive their fair share of tourist dollars, but that pales in comparison to what NYC reaps annually in tourist revenue. Our communities are scattered, threatened by more industry bailing out and a standard of living that makes trailer parks winch. Poverty is rampant and the number of buildings left abandoned is staggering. I believe cities in upstate, central and western NY should more stringently enforce their codes in and around university/college areas to provide for more city revenue.