“ Dispatches from Ground Zero of the Woke Reich,” By Rachel Marsden, Russia Today, May 19, 2026
Subject: Response to “Dispatches from Ground Zero of the Woke Reich” — May 19, 2026
CC: Ms. Margarita Simonyan, Editor, RT
Dear Ms. Rachel Marsden,
I write to you in the spirit of truth, respect, and reconciliation.
I have long recognized your willingness to speak plainly, challenge dominant narratives, and question mainstream assumptions. In a time when public discourse is too often shaped by fear, division, and ideological rigidity, there is value in independent thought and moral courage.
For that reason, I was deeply disappointed by your recent article in RT, “Dispatches from Ground Zero of the Woke Reich.” Your article raises concerns about public policy and social change, but in doing so it crosses a line when it treats Indigenous rights, Indigenous languages, and the restoration of original place names as objects of ridicule rather than as matters rooted in history, law, and human dignity.
You grew up in Vancouver. You know British Columbia. You know that the overwhelming majority of this province was never surrendered through treaty. When British Columbia entered Confederation in 1871, the Province did not recognize Aboriginal Title and claimed there was no need for treaties beyond the few already existing Douglas Treaties. The B.C. Treaty Commission further notes that, apart from those early Vancouver Island treaties and Treaty 8, Aboriginal title across most of British Columbia remained unresolved.
This is not “woke” ideology. This is historical and constitutional reality.
The recent recognition of Haida Aboriginal Title throughout Haida Gwaii further confirms what Indigenous peoples have always known: our title, our laws, our responsibilities, and our sacred relationship with our lands were not extinguished simply because colonial governments chose to ignore them. The Government of British Columbia itself states that the 2024 agreement and supporting legislation formally recognize Haida Aboriginal Title throughout Haida Gwaii, and the Council of the Haida Nation has confirmed that the B.C. Supreme Court declaration recognized Aboriginal Title to Haida Gwaii.
This land was not empty. It was not nameless. It was not lawless. It was full of peoples, languages, sacred sites, governance systems, responsibilities, and ancient relationships with Mother Earth.
You also know the terrible truth uncovered across Canada: Indigenous children were taken from their parents, placed in residential schools, punished for speaking their languages, separated from their cultures, and too often never returned home. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation identifies thousands of children in named and unnamed death records, and its ongoing work continues to identify and commemorate children who died or went missing from residential schools.
So when Indigenous peoples seek the return of original place names, this is not some minor bureaucratic inconvenience. It is part of the long, painful, and sacred work of restoring memory after a system tried to erase it.
How do you think Indigenous peoples felt when our lands were seized, and our mountains, rivers, villages, and sacred places were renamed after British royalty, colonial officials, and foreign powers? How did our grandparents feel when the names carried by our ancestors for thousands of years were dismissed, replaced, or treated as primitive? How did our children feel when they were told their languages were shameful, their ceremonies were illegal, and their identities were obstacles to civilization?
When you describe Indigenous languages as “unpronounceable,” or present Indigenous rights as a burden upon others, you are not simply offering sharp commentary. You are touching wounds that remain very deep. You are speaking about peoples who have survived land theft, forced assimilation, child removal, spiritual persecution, and cultural destruction — and who are still here, still speaking, still remembering, still praying, and still working for reconciliation.
Strong criticism of government policy is one thing. Mocking the original peoples of this land while standing on land that was never lawfully surrendered is something else entirely.
Reconciliation cannot begin with contempt. It cannot be built on sarcasm toward those who have already suffered so much. Reconciliation begins with truth. It begins with humility. It begins with the willingness to understand that Indigenous rights are not privileges granted by the state. They arise from original sovereignty, ancient responsibilities, and living relationships with the lands and waters that have sustained our peoples since time immemorial.
I ask you, respectfully, to reflect more deeply.
You have a powerful voice. You have the ability to challenge hypocrisy wherever you see it. But I urge you not to confuse Indigenous survival with ideology. Do not confuse the restoration of truth with political fashion. Do not confuse the healing of ancient wounds with inconvenience.
The return of original names is not an attack on anyone. It is a restoration of balance. It is an act of memory. It is a small but meaningful step toward acknowledging that these lands had names, laws, and sacred meanings long before colonial maps were drawn.
We can disagree about policy. We can debate the best path forward. But we cannot build a truthful future by mocking the people whose lands, languages, and children were taken.
I offer these words with firmness, but also with respect. My intention is not to condemn you, but to invite you to look again — more deeply, more honestly, and with a fuller understanding of the history beneath your feet.
**With Warm and Respectful Greetings, **
Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr.
Chairperson
Four Worlds International Institute
Compassion Games International
Member~AISES Council of Elders
Co-Founder~United Religion Initiative (URI)
Cell-801-800-1578
**Choose Peace. Live Peace! End War. **
**To: Ms. Margarita Simonyan, Editor, Russia Today ( RT) **
**Subject: Request to publish an Indigenous perspective in response to Rachel Marsden’s recent article, May 19, 2026 CC: Ms. Rachel Marsden **
Dear Ms. Simonyan,
I write to you as a daily reader of Russia Today. I greatly respect your long-standing commitment to offering perspectives often missing from mainstream Western media. I regularly read a variety of news sources, and I have consistently found Russia Today to be one of the most objective and balanced outlets available, especially on issues involving colonization, Indigenous rights, and social justice.
It is because of this respect for Russia Today’s editorial standards that I am reaching out. I read Rachel Marsden’s recent article, “Dispatches from Ground Zero of the Woke Reich,” with interest. While I recognize her as a respected journalist offering a conservative viewpoint, I believe the piece presents only one side of a complex and deeply important story.
I have prepared a respectful and more in-depth response from an Indigenous perspective. This response provides additional historical, cultural, and spiritual context, essentially telling the rest of the story regarding Indigenous languages, place names, hereditary leadership, DRIPA, and the broader movement toward truth and reconciliation in Canada.
Given Russia Today’s well-earned reputation for balance and for showing all sides of important issues, I respectfully ask that you consider publishing this Indigenous voice alongside, in response to, or in addition to Ms. Marsden’s article. This would allow your respected readers to gain a fuller understanding of the matters she raises.
Thank you for your time and for your continued dedication to independent, multi-perspective journalism.
**With Warm and Respectful Greetings, **
Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr.
Chairperson
Four Worlds International Institute
Compassion Games International
Member~AISES Council of Elders
Co-Founder~United Religion Initiative (URI)
Cell-801-800-1578
**Choose Peace. Live Peace! End War. **
Bondarenko Alexander <[email protected]>
4:05 AM (11 hours ago)
Dear Chief Lane,
My name is Alexander, and I’m an editor with the RT.com website. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance.
Thank you for your kind words about our outlet and your dedication as a reader. It’s good to see someone who wants to channel their disagreement with something we published into starting a conversation.
It would be my pleasure to take a look at the response you’ve written. Am I assuming it’s in the form of an opinion piece counterpart to Rachel’s?
We’re absolutely open to publishing an Indigenous perspective on the matter - and I’m ready to help with any necessary editing. If you could go ahead and send it as a reply to this email, that would be appreciated.
Alexander Bondarenko RT.com