The discovery of the burials at the residential schools seems to be fading a little from the news cycle. Further evidence of our shrinking attention span, I suppose.
Mostly there is anger and frustration over these discoveries, but I have also run into some people who actually try to defend the schools in one way or another. The defenses generally fall into one or more of three camps.
First is the tu quoque (roughly, what about you? or and you as well) . It goes like this: 'Why are you picking on us? We aren't the only ones who ran the schools. Catholics, Anglicans and Presbyterians and a few other denominations ran them as well. And don't forget the government was behind this all along!'. This should be dismissed out of hand and with contempt. It is an attempt to deflect guilt. Yes, there are many guilty parties on this one. Own your share, and stop pointing fingers. It is an admission of guilt more than a defense, and in no way mitigates the wrong that was done. It is the defense of a five year old who has been caught with their hand in a cookie jar. 'What are you punishing me for? He took some cookies to!'
The second is to argue that, yes, the schools were mostly bad, but for some they were good, and we should not overlook the good that was done by some, for some. This is much thornier at this time. There are examples out there, here and there of first nations people who did not have the horrific experiences at the schools per se, but arguing this is a non starter at this time. Furthermore, It simply makes no sense to argue that the bad is cancelled out because there was some good. Imagine the following conversation:
Person A: I had a terrible day.
Person B: That can't be true, because I had a wonderful day.
Neither position cancels each other out. While I am relieved that some of the people who ran the schools acted and treated some of the First Nations people as human beings, that doesn't change the fact that for many the schools were horrific. At the moment, we are dealing with the fallout and the nightmares of the schools that went as bad as can be, and to insist there were some that weren't so bad in no way helps those who suffered the very worst of abuse, and detracts from giving them the help they need and deserve at this time.
Third is the most common one, and it is one that I have partaken in a little myself: trying to point out that the situation is complicated, and much of what is getting out through the media is either half truths or distortions, and occasionally wrong. This is a losing battle, because, in effect what these people seem to be saying is that 'it wasn't that bad', which is the absolute worst defense there is, as I've already said a few posts down. They generally turn to Lakehead Professor Dr. Scott Hamilton's 44 page report 'Where the children are buried' which was included in the Truth and Reconciliation Report back in 2015.
(Hamilton recently was quoted as saying that he thought people would go looking for the graves back when the report was first given, but, for whatever reason, it took some time.)
People have cherry picked some facts from the report which are at variance with some of the narratives being spun now. They give perhaps a better picture of what happened, but these facts should not be considered exculpatory or even mitigating, and any attempt to use them as a defense them may be dismissed with a 'So what? The children should never have been there in the first place' or some variation.
So, for example, they will refute the media reports about the discovery of the graves by taking issue with the word 'discovery'. 'In effect, they are saying: 'The graveyards aren't being 'discovered'." Yes and no. As I said, the existence of the graveyards at many of the schools is a matter of record included in the Truth and Reconciliation Report. What is more, the records from the period indicate that graves were not hidden. There is also the issue of the school with a graveyard of over 700 burials. That graveyard was not simply used for the school and also served the community, so not all of the burials there are from the school. Now here's the appropriate response: So what? none of those kids should have been there, and the only graves should be those of the community.
Similarly, the media also claims they were buried in mass, unmarked graves. Mass graves would have meant mass death events, and, to the best of my knowledge, the report makes no mention of that. Going back Dr Hamilton's report I mentioned earlier, most of the deaths were down to measles, mumps, rubella and the like. Tuberculosis also found fertile breeding ground in the crowded dormitories of the schools. These were also running through the general population during the time before mass vaccinations, and First Nations people were even more susceptible to Old World Infections, effectively being immunocompromised. I imagine Spanish Flu would also have filled many graves. The schools were never well funded, and the orders running the schools did not have the funds to send the bodies home (and, given the state of their records, it is also possible- likely- that they weren't sure what home to send them to if they could) and therefore graveyards grew around the schools. That's all very neat. But so what? None of these kids should have been there.
Relatedly, the media claims the graves are unmarked. That is not entirely accurate. They are unmarked now. The graveyard with the 751 burials, for example, was an old and long used graveyard by the community. At some point in fairly recent history, the community saw that the headstones in the oldest part of the graveyard were deteriorating badly, and removed the stones from that part of the cemetery for cleaning, refurbishing or replacement. Unfortunately, the project ran out of money and the stones and other markers were never put back. Furthermore, according to professor Hamilton, the students were given a pauper's burial, each with their own grave, marked with a small wooden cross. Over the years the crosses rotted and disintegrated, erasing the names of the poor children buried below. But once again: So what? None of those kids should have been at the schools, and there should be no graves.
As I said, none of this is exculpatory. I am glad to know they didn't simply toss the children into the ground and forget them, but there should have been no deaths and no children there at all. There is also an issue of discrepancy between the numbers of reported deaths and the number of graves. I believe the Kamloops school was reported in the Truth and Reconciliation testimony of having records for fifty or so deaths.
I have also seen multiple petitions going around to have the bodies dug up and find out just who these people are, and to give them proper burials. These petitions are almost always started and advocated (and signed) by people of European descent. My impression from what I have read is that most First Nations people do not want the remains disturbed, as these people have suffered enough. Perhaps I am mistaken in that, but I personally have not signed any petitions. I believe the decisions should be made by the bands and those closest to the dead. I support whatever they decide to do.
There is another issue: many are demanding why the Catholic Church has not spoken on this issue. The Church in Canada has issued many statements and apologies in past years, and made many statements in recent weeks. Another demand is why have the Popes not said anything. The Popes have. John Paul II issued an apology for the Church's role in this some decades ago. Benedict also apologized as well. Francis has just had surgery, but it has been announced that he will be meeting with indigenous leaders in December. So, on the one hand you have a shifting goalpost issue. There is a demand for a statement/apology. Replying that such has already been made or given is met with the demand that more needs too be given, virtually ad infinitem. On the other hand, it is a sign of the depth and the hurt that has been dealt to these people, and it is not up to those who had a hand in dealing the pain to decide what and how much is necessary for their healing.
The troubles caused by the schools are still with the First Nations. Not only are many First Nations people living with the mental and emotional scars of the schools, they are also living with physical issues as well. A friend of mine shared an article last week that adds another detail to the lingering wrong that was done to these people: Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects people of First Nations descent. It was thought for some time that the First Nations may have a genetic predisposition for diabetes, but now there is a growing belief that it can be traced back to the schools. Many former students testified that they were always hungry at the schools, and some were close to starving. There is evidence that malnourishment at a young age can lead to diabetes later in life.
The schools may be beginning to fade from the news cycle, but the problems they caused will go on for years to come.
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