Indians

I think everyone who thinks that giving should be a normal part of our lives finds it difficult to pick a cause. Everything I do brings to light a different misfortune in this world. Recently, my job has opened my eyes to the poverty and sadness of Mexican immigrants to Washington state. In college, and as I embark on a new adventure I am aware that there are so many more tragedies and problems that I'll find and want to fix. At this point, I'll have to do a little bit here and there and then hope that I can attempt immortality and make a dent in fixing one problem in my future.

This weekend Sherman Alexie came to Spokane, his 'home town,' to promote his new book, Flight. As a relatively well off white American I have difficulty finding a 'cause' by which I have been directly affected. I'm afraid that this disconnected feelings leaves me without enough or the right kind of passion to make a change in a tragic world. Every time I find something that needs changing I feel disconnected from it and superficial trying to make a change. Alexie speaks from his Native American heritage to a theater full of 'white liberals,' as he calls us (which I love), about silly funny things, always alluding to his role in society and his lot in life as one that he identifies with regardless of his success. There is value in stating the differences in our lives and he says it in a funny and profound way that I hope rings in the minds of the white liberals with whom I sat.

His book, however, sounds riveting and I'm proud that he's from Spokane and proud that such a wonderful, intelligent and warm man can be the voice of Native Americans in the Inland Northwest and the nation, so you should read it, and so should I! But first, you should watch the movie Smoke Signals. He wrote it and it is a beautiful story about growth and love.

My favorite part about Sherman Alexie's talk the other day was that he expressed frustration in his own work and his own life; he felt he was falling away from the traditional values and life of an American Indian by going on book tours and wearing expensive shoes because it is his heritage, but then, when it all comes together, he roams the hills (by airplane) telling stories and if that is not traditional and true to his heritage, then what is?

In my lack of identity towards an issue, I still have a serious interest in change and making good of something sad hopefully I'll nail that down in the next few years. And you should read his books. I'm going to attempt to do this too, although my book list grows ever-longer. I'm certain, in Peace Corps, I'll be able to do some catching up.