T.N.G. SIGNS OF THE TIMES - N.M. June 29, 2003 (#121)
Greetings from Russell's Remnant: www.oocities.org/dkone_us
As Dr. Russell Whitesell used to say, “The emotional body is much older than the mental body; therefore, most men do what they feel like doing rather than what they known they should do.” Many years ago, Russell’s multi-millionaire boss was trying to get the Hopi Indians to declare themselves as a separate nation so that the democratic nations would have one more nation to fight against the myriad of communist nations that sprang up around the world, especially in Africa. On this occasion, Russell, in addition to being the wealthy man’s corporate pilot, served as chauffeur for the day. After the rich white men had talked to the Hopi Chief, Russell was asked to drive the Chief back to the Hopi Reservation. As the Chief and Russell got out of the car at the reservation, the Chief took a long look at Russell. The wise Chief also happened to be a medicine man with special insights. After looking at Russell’s aura, he walked over to him, thanked him for driving him home and said, “Mr. Whitesell, you welcome in Hopi Kiva (religious dwelling) any time.” The Chief knew he was in the presence of another holy man. Russell admired the wisdom of the Hopi medicine man. He would have also liked Anthony Hopkin’s statement at the conclusion of the following movie.
Lee Tamahori directed the movie -The Edge – in 1977
The demons that constantly pester and provoke us have something important to teach us and they won't go away until they do. In The Edge Anthony Hopkins gives a riveting performance as Charles Morse, a billionaire who distrusts everyone and has armored himself against attack. He accompanies his beautiful wife (Elle MacPherson), a supermodel, on a trip to the Alaskan wilderness for a shoot. He's convinced that Robert Green (Alec Baldwin), a witty fashion photographer is having an affair with her. At the lodge, the owner (L. Q. Jones) warns the guests to be on the alert for man-eating Kodiac bears. When the plane carrying Morse, Green, and his assistant (Harold Perrineau) on an excursion crashes in the wilderness, these city slickers are challenged to find a way to survive. They must face rain, snow, and a bear that is stalking them.
Director Lee Tamahori makes the most of this wilderness struggle situation. Screenplay writer David Mamet is also interested in Morse's rite of passage into manhood. This egghead, who has lived in luxury and hidden out in books, is forced to tap inner resources of willpower, hope, and courage. And when he finally squares off against his demon of distrust, the results are surprising. The Edge will take you to some deep emotional places.
Prior to the billionaire’s (Anthony Hopkins) seaplane trip into the Alaskan wilderness, the lodge owner (L.Q. Jones) cautioned the billionaire about trekking into the wilderness as a novice – even with three companions. Prior to the trip inland, Jones asked Hopkins, “Why does the rabbit not fear the panther?”
After two hours of the movie’s difficult and tragic story where Hopkins’ fellow travelers died, Hopkins is the only one to make it back to the lodge in a rescue helicopter. As he starts up the steps to the lodge, he stops halfway up the steps to the lodge. He looks over to the lodge owner who has this smile on his face. The billionaire turns and says to the lodge owner, “The rabbit does not fear the panther because he is smarter than the panther.” Jones just laughs for he knows that Hopkins, like the rabbit, was smarter than his traveling companions.
The following story is the basis of the lodge owner’s question:
Rabbit
Outwits Panther - A
Poarch Creek Indians Tale
Rabbit and Panther were friends. They were traveling together. After awhile they came to a place where there was a creek with a bad name. It was "Dogogaga Hatchi." Now, Rabbit wanted to go on and said that, since the creek had a bad name, it would not be good to camp there for the night. He said, "This creek has a bad name." "Why is that?" asked Panther. "Because everyone who camps here at night gets burned up!" "Well, I think it will be all right," remarked Panther. "We will camp here anyway." Rabbit did not want to, and he told Panther. But, at last they made ready their camp for the night, as Panther would go no further. When it got late, they prepared to sleep. They had talked all the evenings about the evil place and other things. Now Rabbit asked Panther, "What kind of noise do you make when are asleep?" (He meant how did he snore) Why, I say "Nutslagum! Nutslagum!" said Panther. Then he asked Rabbit what kind of noise he made. "I say, Nuts! Nuts! Nuts!" said Rabbit. Now, they went to bed and in a short time, Rabbit pretended he was asleep. He began to snore, saying, "Nuts! Nuts! Nuts!" and Panther thought that he was surely asleep, so he went to sleep himself, snoring "Nutslagum!" Now, when the Panther was sound asleep, Rabbit got up, took a piece of bark and shoveled many
coals from the fire on it. Then he threw the coals on Panther and fell down quickly, laying as though he had been asleep all the time. Panther jumped up howling with pain and woke the Rabbit. Panther told Rabbit that he was right, that he had been nearly burned to death. Rabbit would only say, "I told you so. I told you so." Pretty soon, they settled down to sleep again. As soon as Rabbit thought Panther was asleep and got up and played the same trick on him again. But, this time Panther was only pretending to be asleep and he caught Rabbit in the act and jumped up to kill him. Rabbit barely escaped Panther's claws and ran as fast as he could. Panther gave chase, several times he nearly caught him, but Rabbit managed to keep ahead of him. But soon he began to lose strength. To save himself, he made an ocean spring up between himself and the angry Panther. Panther could not get across the water and that is why there is an ocean.
Note: The Poarch Creek Indians is a portion of the original Creek Nation which avoided the Trail of Tears, the removal of Southeastern Tribes to Oklahoma. The avoidance resulted in the Tribe becoming a distinct Indian community in Poarch, Alabama, from the removal to present.
These Indians avoided the untold death of the Indians on the Trail of Tears. These Indians, like the rabbit outsmarted the panther, the U.S. Government.
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Some days the bear eats you. Some days you eat the bear.