2011-06-13

shamanicshaymin: Glorious beautiful Shaymin against a flowery backdrop. (Sigilyph & N :: Friends)
2011-06-13 01:15 am

(no subject)

Why the Best Kid Books Are Written in Blood

I nearly cried while reading this, because I empathize so hard. I've certainly never been raped or used drugs or been a victim of violence, but I have gone through rough times (including depression and foster care) and I've used books for the same reasons that Alexie described.

Of course, all during my childhood, would-be saviors tried to rescue my fellow tribal members. They wanted to rescue me. But, even then, I could only laugh at their platitudes. In those days, the cultural conservatives thought that KISS and Black Sabbath were going to impede my moral development. They wanted to protect me from sex when I had already been raped. They wanted to protect me from evil though a future serial killer had already abused me. They wanted me to profess my love for God without considering that I was the child and grandchild of men and women who’d been sexually and physically abused by generations of clergy.

What was my immature, childish response to those would-be saviors?

“Wow, you are way, way too late.”


This. This this this. Alexie, we've just met, and there should be more people like you.

*adds The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian on her To-Read list*