I have a friend who is a forest ranger. Much of his time during the summer months, is spent several hundred feet in the air in his lookout tower. From this lofty perch he can see 100 miles in all directions, out of over the treed mountain sides on which he stands guard. He had an embarrassing experience last summer. A fire started at the very foot of his tower, the only spot he could not see from his lookout. I thought about this fellow when I read of the many Canadians who jumped on airplanes and went to Selma earlier this month. Although I admire their motives, I could not help but ally myself with those who believe that we are neither willing to see nor to correct the troubles that start right on our own doorsteps. Frankly speaking, that should be our first responsibility, the importance of other good works not withstanding. I drove through the town of Hobema again last weekend as I have done from time to time over the past 35 years. I thought as I look at the desolate countryside and the shacks and the unfortunate people walking aimlessly in the mud by the roadside, how little has been done for these people in all these years. Privileged Canadians. Who is trying to kid whom? If you want to suppress a people; if you want to drain them of every worthwhile characteristic, take away their self respect. Hitler did this in his concentration camps simply by making them all takeoff their clothes. We have done it to the Indian by giving him a small piece of usually bad land and a handout every now and then. My friends, there is a fire at the bottom of our lookout tower. It is our Canadian Indian people. When and how are we going to put out the flame?
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