Continuing on the theme of last month’s meeting at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, another comment offered that evening made a point about the land. A gentleman pointed out that anyone who wants to live in the Puget Sound region should show respect for the people who lived here first. “You guys are walking on our land . . . this is our land.” I ran across a similar point this week in an unrelated academic newsletter. Tom Hastings of the Peace and Justice Studies Association reported on a recent conference held in Sydney, Australia:* The most striking aspect of…

Seattle is on edge following the police shooting death of John T. Williams.  Mr. Williams, a talented carver from the Ditidaht First Nation of British Colombia, was well known on the streets of Pioneer Square. Investigations are underway, but many Seattleites question whether it was necessary to fire 4 shots at a 50-year-old man with a disability, carrying a small legal carving knife. Unfortunately Williams’ death follows a series of other police incidents involving allegations of excessive force and racial bias. I attended a public meeting between the Seattle Police Department and the Native American community, on September 8 at…