Charles Bird King , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that as the keeper and Phyllis drove across the beautiful rolling hills and river valleys of southwest Wisconsin on the 4th of July on their way to a unique and pricey tourist lunch in Galena, the keeper felt compelled to get a message explaining the 4th of July to Blackhawk, the former Sauk chief whose people once occupied and revered this land.
“Chief Blackhawk:
“You will notice that in less than two centuries your land has been stripped of most of its trees, its wild creatures and you and all like you.
“Never mind that you fought with the British in the hopes of stopping the rude invasion of whiskey-dispensing greed mongers who were annihilating your people.
“We get that, but your quaint concept of living in harmony with the land was doomed in the face of land ownership, land manipulation, land abuse and the profit motive.
“So, what we are celebrating today, my Native American friend, is the fact that you are gone and so are the British; and truth-be-told, there are signs that we ourselves may not be long for this land due to the arrogance that prevents us from accepting that we are as much a part of Mother Earth’s family as the toads and the worms.
“You knew that, of course, and it wasn’t enough to save you. Our denying it portends a much shorter history for us than the 10,000 or so years that you enjoyed.
“The toads and the worms will be taking over.
“They always do.
“Sincerely, one of the arrogant 7.988 billion.”
Photo by Bill Stokes