My name is Bruce Ray and I am a madman. I have heard voices for twenty five years. I have always considered myself a part of a spirit world -that I relate to. I once had a conversation with a friend who suggested I should take a little bit of responsibility for what the English did to the Natives who originally lived in this part of the world. There’s no doubt that this was spiritual genocide -and it was wrong. Even so I do not carry that kind of weight -and I feel no guilt. This is why: First some background – I come from a family of working class Irish. Like most Irish families -there was a history of alcoholism and abuse. Like most Irish families -there was an absence of real tradition. Perhaps this is because such a tradition had been destroyed by the invaders long ago -an Irish person is caught in a milieu -to know something’s missing but not to know what it is. We are a race that has been overcome many times.
It is not known by many that the Celtic race flourished in Western Europe in relative peace a long time ago. It was a matriarchal, moon worshipping people. This race of primitive, animistic healers were overrun by warrior, sun worshipping conquerers. The horde came in numbers -men who were skilled in battle and plunder. This race is what eventually became the Normans. I have talked to voices who told me that there are places in Europe where pit’s of bodies are buried. I don’t know if this is true -but considering the squalid history of the white races -this is not hard to believe. What my voices have told me -is that there was a war -and we lost the battle. The Others were better soldiers than we were. They were able to affect a battle rage -and beserker power we could not withstand -so we were torn apart and gave in. This is when we were first divested of our tradition.
In my mind’s eye -I have a vision: I see the flame haired ones come with piercing blue eyes and armor that shone like the sun. There helmets were affixed with horns -they could even be Devils as far as we were concerned – they fought like devils. So these men came -and decimated our people. I see the flame haired ones grow into a might empire -as they ruled over our culture -and nullified our society. They became Lords and Kings – they used us -and sometimes they would take our women as prizes. I see the houses that burn -the smoke rising up in the air. I see the horses ride and the people scatter in fright and dread. I see our books and holy instruments destroyed -so that the enemy would not steal them. I see a people used as slaves and vessels -as the Normans divided our people and set them against each other. At this time the religious ones came -and converted us -as we knelt to the cruel blade of the church. We were now a race of peasants and illiterate serfs. It now came to the Inquisition.
Witch is a word that comes from the root ‘Wicca’ meaning wisdom. Witches were not only shamans in the true sense of the word -but the social leaders of our community. In the Burning Times -over nine million women were tortured and burnt at the stake -not because they were devil-worshippers -but seers and holy women. They were dangerous women and a threat to the Catholic Church. They were used to make an example for the others –but they became martyrs. All this I see in my minds eye -and you might call me insane -but I give you this point of view. This is why I share no shame for what the Natives suffered -I can sympathize -but I choose not to ever accept that I am a part of the crime -if you think me mad that’s okay -it makes little difference to me.
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