| Now The Struggle Has A Name references | ||
|
"Now, the apology done..." "...some truth some reconciliation..." One of Canada's greater shames, residential schools stained governments of all political stripes and two generations of Canadians who remained silent. For the better part of the Twentieth century, the Canadian government forcibly removed First Nations children from their homes and sent them to boarding schools to be assimilated into "southern culture." The emotional toll of total separation was felt by both children and parents. Despondency and alcoholism rose in conjunction with the removal of children from First Nations communities. Physical, psychological and sexual abuses were not uncommon in many of the government sponsored and church run schools. In 2008, the Canadian government formally apologized to the First Nations and committed to reparations and a truth and reconciliation process modeled on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. "...Oh Honey Watson, we were born with sin" "...Gone, like Honey Watson" The debate continues online about which Honey Watson may be the inspiration for this lyric. Tiana Honey Watson was a young child in Britain who was ill with a rare disease. A fighter indeed, her name is now attached to one of the U.K.'s fastest growing charitable trust's: "Tiana Honey Watson had Mitochondria complex one. Visually she was a beautiful and perfect little girl and appeared to be glowing with health but the disease had affected her muscles, heart, lactic acid levels and respiratory system. Tiana died on the 9th May 2006 of total respiratory failure. She was 2 years and 7 months old. At present there is no cure or treatment for Mitochondria. The Tiana Honey Watson Fund for Children with Rare & Metabolic Disorders (T-Charmed) has been set up to raise money to spend on research and to help find a cure for this ever growing deadly disease and also to help families of children with similar metabolic disorders. Another Honey Watson was in the news during the recording of the album: she was picked up on murder charges in the United States during June of 2008. |