Six Nations? More like Sixty.

So, what is the unifying idealogical principle behind the siege at Caledonia? Turns out the occupation has all the philosophical coherence of an unsupervised nursery school recess.

Hardly surprising, given that the natives apparently take their cues from such stalwart proponents of democracy as (a) Yassir Arafat, (b) Hugo Chavez and (c) Josef Stalin.

The Palestinian flag flaps below a bright-red Mohawk Warrior flag. Venezuela's yellow, blue and red has been pinned to a wooden board. Farther down the barricaded road into the Douglas Creek Estates construction site, natives have hoisted the sickle-and-hammer standard of the former Soviet Union.

The natives would have you believe that the occupation of the site has lasted for six months simply because the wily white man refuses to negotiate.

Here's the biggest reason in a nutshell. When the natives aren't brawling with residents of the town, they're fighting amongst themselves.

Try as he might, even native apologist cum negotiator David Peterson can't really paint the process in a flattering light.

“There's a constant dynamic inside the place; it's like a swirling cauldron,” said David Peterson, the former Ontario premier who negotiated the removal of the blockade of two main roads in Caledonia. “Nobody answers to anybody. They all answer to each other."

And what about the respect for the traditional chiefs and clan mothers? The Globe tried to get an interview with one of the mythical clan mothers, but apparently no one could scare one up.

Only about 20 of the 50 traditional chiefs attend gatherings, according to one of the chiefs, Arnold General. And clan mothers remain an elusive entity, even to the protesters.

“I told my clan mother the other night I'm not going to leave,” Doreen Silversmith told reporters last week. “I said: ‘I don't care if you tell us to go, nobody's going to leave.' Then, she walked away from reporters. (HANG ON, WAIT FOR IT...) She returned after five minutes, accompanied by Ms. Jamieson, to retract her comments.

UPDATE: Ah, Doreen, you little rascal, no wonder the Six Nations sent you to Geneva to lay out the Caledonia situation for the UN. That was at the beginning of May this year, wasn't it?
Hope you didn't forget to tell them about somebody torching the local hydro substation, or about jumping the dumb ole' coppers & the US Border Patrol guy and then stealing their ride.
My personal favourite has to be when the natives dug a trench across the main street in town with a backhoe. You guys are such jokers! I bet Kofi and the boys couldn't stop laughing at that one.
Tell me again, Doreen, who was it paid the freight on that little jaunt? I have to confess, I'd be a little annoyed if I found out it was me, the taxpayer.

It now seems that Dalton McGuinty, having decided not to enforce the rule of law as laid out by Justice David Marshall, may be shadow boxing in Caledonia for some time to come.

I almost feel sorry for him.

(graphic from Clive at Doggerel)

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