由AVATAR想起的---Chief Logan’s Lament

寫在前麵

這幾天大家在熱議電影AVATAR。我忍不住就由劇情想到了這篇小小的演說。電影中掌握現代科技，自信自己所做的一切都是正確的，代表最先進文明的人類對潘多拉星球族人的方式，讓我想到美國曆史的起源，印第安人的故事。也許這是卡麥隆故事靈感的一個開端。

這是美國曆史上的一件小事。新大陸的開拓者攻克了印地安部落，他們的酋長拒絕投降求和，他發表了這篇演說。

這是一篇很小的演說。但是在美國曆史的所有讀本上，你不可忽視這篇演說。因為它記錄了這個國家的起源，不可否認的事實。自由，民主， 富強，光榮與夢想並不是這個國家徹頭徹尾的全部。慶幸現代美國價值的奠基者不曾掩蓋他們父輩的所為, 而且讓我們知道, 讓我們記得永遠不要再對任何族群犯下相同的錯誤。

為什麽感恩節成為美國最重要的節日？請你用心去體味這篇由印地安人寫下的不朽之篇。Logan's Lament.


I appeal to any white man to say if he ever entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if he ever came cold and naked and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. 

Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as I passed, and said, "Logan is a friend of the white man." I have even thought to live with you but for the injuries of one man, Colonel Cresap, who last spring in cold blood and unprovoked murdered the relatives of Logan, not even sparing his wife and children.

There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This has called on me for revenge. I have sought it; I have killed many; I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice in the beams of peace.

But do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one.