That's why I do it, Bruce...because at times, their pain is absolutely palpable.

You know me, you know my emotions run deep and at times I'm all over the place because of them..but I *feel* that pain she speaks of..and it breaks my heart,as well as lighting a furnace of anger inside me.

This should *not* be happening in this day and age..

You know, on that film I linked to in the Abe Lincoln thread, 'Dakota 38', where some Lakota men rode to Mankato to offer the hand of peace out and to honour their 38 ancestors who were hanged there, there was a young man, Billy Ray, who was on that journey for many reasons....He spoke of not really mixing with white people much, feeling they didn't care and had done so much harm etc. yet he found that many of the white people he met on that journey were there to help in every way they could, one man even putting his own life on the line when he went to try to get food for the horses, getting stuck in a blizzard and it changed his entire outlook, made him feel *cared* about.

He learnt so much on that journey, as did all who came into contact with those riders..

But at the end of the video there is a 'One Year Later' part, and an 'In Memory Of' section ...and so many of them had died within a year of this beautiful film being made. Many were older men, so it was the natural way of things, but some were so young, so very young.

Billy Ray was one of the youngsters who had died...

I am assuming he committed suicide, for he admitted to being deeply depressed. He was such a lovely lad, they all were...and yet this Great Sadness took him too...It shouldn't be happening.

No more Trail of Tears..
And yet, there are so many who are walking that trail, each and every day and so many of them are walking it alone...

Dakota 38