Gord Downie's, The Secret Path Part 1 - American Reacts - See Below for Part 2 

living it would be harder than just hearing bout it

Thank you for this! I get it.

My country too, and while very many of us are willing to openly discuss it, too many here don’t want to hear it. It’s saddening and infuriating.

I watch this because of you.

Thank you David. As you may have seen in some of my other videos I’m a big fan of vinyl. Im going to look to see if I can order what you have. That sounds amazing. I also know about the ceremony and I’ve purposefully waited to react to it until after I finish this. Thanks friend.

I know right? This was a tough one to do but I’m so glad I did it. I get why not a lot of people wanted to watch this. It’s sort of like the fact that I thought Schindler’s List was a brilliant and important movie and I’m glad I saw it. But I never want to see it again. Anyway, this was a brilliant work of art by people that you can tell cared deeply about this important issue. I’m so glad I found Gord and his passion - just wish I wasn’t so late.

Thanks for the correction. I was going on my not so good memory.

Melody, thanks so much for watching and commenting. Yes, it was a hard view, it is so important for both our nations.

Wow, I can only imagine what those conversations were like.

Thank you friend for sharing this important memory

Hi Darby, Thank you very much for your comment and sharing your experience. Peace.

Dee, thanks. That is a very good question. I am far from expert on the subject, but what I know is as follows. I think the US has had a more obvious sins against Native Peoples as there was open war against them. It was more known. I think it was in the social consciousness to right the wrongs earlier than in Canada as a result. But, it always depended on who was in political power. Some presidential administrations really tried to make things better and others couldn’t care less. Democrats have been better on the issue than Republicans in general. The issue of residential schools have only really come the the forefront recently because of Canada’s lead on dealing with them. Yes, we ended them earlier, but then ignored the damage. There have been local and state governments that have engaged in truth and reconciliation efforts, but not the federal government as in Canada. Recently, Joe Biden appointed Deb Haaland, the first Native American women ever to serve in the cabinet as the Secretary of the Interior. That is the cabinet post responsible for the reservations and Native Nations relations with the Federal government. She was given a mandate to create a commission that is charged with a truth and reconciliation sort of investigation, gathering evidence and testimonials, and creating reports and recommendations on what to do to redress the wrongs. They also attempt to locate graves of children that died in residential schools and reinter them on their native lands with their particular nation’s rituals. This is all good, but it isn’t as public as in Canada, which I personally think is an important part of it.

I'm not liking or disliking your comment because I agree with you on the music, but really, this video and his upcoming part two on this isn't about music per say.... it's about the story being told here. I'm not a native Canadian, but as a non-native, I think this is a story to be told and to be understood. It's an important topic both in Canada and the US. Our indigenous people have been treated so badly over the years. After they helped us out in so many ways, in particular the American invasion of Canada in 1812 and the indigenous people fighting for your independence from Great Britain, these people fought for us, and we dishonour the treaties we signed with them. You should be thanking them for what they've done for your country as we should be thanking them for what they've done for ours. The residential school endeavor was a disaster from the start and we Canadians accepted what we were doing to them for more than 100 years. I know the same happened in the US... re: The trail of tears and "the long war". If you can find that book the long war, I recommend you read it. Although Gord Downie set music to this, the story wasn't about music. It's about the way humans treat other humans. A discusting and shameful part of our past. In Canada at least we had the Truth and Reconciliation hearings and are acting on it. I have yet to hear anything similar going on in the US. The Beach Boys were / are amazing, but that's a different discussion for a different day. Sorry, the Beach Boys don't even fit into the dialogue here.

@@pugle1 I will need a day to respond to this.

@@errollleggo447 I didn't mean any disrespect in my comment to you Erroll, it's just that this is such a serious topic. I think your Beach Boys request was a good one, but more suited to one of his other reaction to any other music video that he covered. Yes this is musical ( Gord Downy and The Hip ) but if you watch the video of Gord on the making of this video, I think you'd see where I'm coming from. I mean't no disrespect, and I hope I didn't come across as too harsh. I apologize if that's how you took it. I respect people opinions, it's just that within my extended family, there are some who are indigenous. Some of theme and their extended families were affected by this subject. Erroll, I too would like to see him do a reaction to Surfing Safari. I just though bringing that up in this context was a little off. Again I'm sorry if I offended you, that wasn't my intent.

@@pugle1 No worries dude, I am not offended and I see your point.

Lots of them did kill kids, and the widespread torture they endured was horrendous. We now have people dealing with generational trauma.

read the TRC report

No doubt, tuberculosis was a killer in these schools, but the children lived in such horrendous conditions, with so little food, heat, warm clothes, etc., they had little strength in their bodies to fight off any diseases, let alone something as contagious and dangerous as tuberculosis. Don't try to minimize the horrors of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and murder of these children at the hands of those who had responsibility for the care of these children. There are too many eye witness accounts to refute the reality. Too many horrors suffered by those who survived. The roman catholic church (I refuse to capitalize the name of the organization because it does not deserve that respect) has admitted to its knowledge of clergy throughout the world who physically and sexually abused children and vulnerable adults in their care and under their influence in churches, orphanages and schools all over the world. And when a perpetrator was credibly accused, they moved the perpetrators from parish to parish, diocese to diocese, away from the legal jurisdiction of the places they were accused, knowingly moving them into positions where they would still have access to other innocent victims. This is not only in Canadian residential schools, it's in all jurisdictions around the world where they operate. Thousands of priests, nuns, christian brothers, monks; undoubtedly, millions of victims; often assisted in their crimes by cover-ups by law enforcement agencies, politicians and justice systems over whom the catholic church wields great social and economic power. And, despite apologies, the church continues to do so. The wealth and power of the church is matched only by it's depravity. I cannot ubderstand why it is still allowed to operate in Canada. Other organized child sex abuse is not permitted. It demonstrates just how powerful the organization is that the government does not shut them down. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

@@carolmurphy7572 100% agree and I really like your writing skills.

@@pauletteraspberry2923 Thank you. I do tend to rant when I feel like someone may be trying to minimize the actions of the church. It gets me pretty riled up.

Sadly my friend I think several generations. All I can offer is support, and voting for people in my country that care about the issue that exists here too. I know that’s not anything really. I wish it were. Peace my friend.