Kahnawake Voices on APTN (with some sensationalism)

Kahnawake Voices appeared on APTN National News on Tuesday but not without some misinformation.

 

Before the commercial break anchor Michael Hutchinson introduced the story as “one group’s attempts to shame the community into giving up its blood quantum policy.” What?! I was actually unsure as to whether I heard correctly and had to wait until the next day to watch the clip online to confirm that yes, that is actually what he said.

 

I am aware that someone else probably drafts the anchor’s script but I am disappointed with APTN’s take on the project. For anyone unfamiliar with the website, that one statement changed the project from being a welcoming space where people can share thoughts and stories on identity, membership and the eviction issue to an attempt to cause shame and division in the community.

 

The idea for Kahnawake Voices partially grew from the media’s sensationalized coverage of the eviction issue and I am not sure that this is any different. I developed the site (not a group, as APTN stated) and I am not trying to shame anyone but rather trying to create a dialogue and an opportunity to reflect and learn from other voices in regards to our culture, identity and history.

 

The publicity is welcomed but the introduction leaves me wondering if APTN needed a little more controversy for Kahnawake Voices to be deemed newsworthy.

 

The clip is available on the APTN website for a few more days. The introduction is at 13 min 20 sec and the segment begins at 17 min 30 sec.