The Sanctioning of Hate on the Arizona Border

The sanctioning of hate on the Arizona border

By Brenda Norrell

Narcosphere

Photo: Crosses, at San Xavier on Tohono O'odham land, to remember migrants who died in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Photo Brenda Norrell.

TUCSON -- Native Americans living along the US/Mexico border spoke out this week against the militarization of their homelands, racial profiling and the lack of support for humanitarian water to save lives along the border.

After releasing their statements, tirades of hatred, threats and intimidation were sent by way of e-mails and comments. The racist taunts were similar to those of the Civil Rights Era.

With the arrival of the KKK, Minutemen and other hate groups in southern Arizona, these racist attacks have intensified.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio has made his good old boy appeal to the closet Klansmen of America. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, not without her “George Bush moments,” has been emboldened by the action of the Arizona State Legislature and provided a platform of racism and hate with the passage of SB 1070 and other legislation.

Now, there is another platform to fuel border racism and sanitize hate. It is the news media.

In southern Arizona, many newspapers allow unmoderated comments to be posted on their news stories. This results in slander and baseless accusations of crimes, including drug running, to be posted with the articles.

No where else does the mainstream print media allow slander, accusations of felonies without facts, or outright lies to be published. The result is defamation of character and information that can even put lives at risk posted by hate groups and individuals.

Meanwhile, in television news, hate groups are sanctioned by the media. Would TV crews sit down for a cup of coffee, or friendly roundtable, with a group from the KKK?

The result of this climate of hate is that all people of color along the border are targeted with racial profiling, excessive force and violations of law carried out by Border Patrol agents and local police. Humanitarians and activists, regardless of the color of their skin, are also targeted by police and Border Patrol agents.

The politicians and lobbyists are smiling all the way to the bank.

The politicians and lobbyists feed the national news media the stories and fuel the fear. They profiteer from the billions of dollars in contracts for the pieces of border wall built here and there, for spy towers that don’t work and the drones which endanger the lives of residents on the ground. They spin their public relations for multi-million dollar contracts for security thugs.

They fuel the racism at the border to provide more contracts for private prisons, including CCA and GEO, and the transportation of detained migrants for companies like Wackenhut. Imprisoning people of color has become big business for Arizona.

With the collapse of the media, these profiteers have found it easy to manipulate the news and distort the truth.

They found it easy to jump start America's war on brown people.

Read this week’s statements from Native Americans:

Ofelia Rivas, O’odham, to National Guard: We do not want you on our land
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/08/oodham-national-guard-we-do-not-want-you-our-land
Mike Wilson, Tohono O’odham who puts out water for migrants, responds to threat of poisoned water
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/08/mike-wilson-tohono-oodham-responds-threat-poisoned-water
Jose Matus, Yaqui ceremonial leader and director of the Indigenous Alliance without Borders, voices support for new border watch patrols to document abuse by Border Patrol agents and police
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/09/border-watch-patrols-launch-document-abuse

Also see: Southern Poverty Law Center's map of hate groups in America:
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map

Vigil song for Native carver murdered by Seattle police

John T. Williams Vigil in Seattle

Watch video on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBJW9wFMJSk

"We are angry and outraged that his life was interrupted for seemingly no reason, and so callously disregarded," said Jenine Grey of the Chief Seattle Club. "We are worried about our most vulnerable community members who suffer regular harassment and abuse on the streets of Seattle.
"We are holding the Seattle Police Department and the city of Seattle accountable for his death."
More:
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/426172_wiilliams03.html

More articles at Pechanga Net Native News

http://www.pechanga.net/NativeNews.html

Read more news at Censored News Special Edition
http://www.censored-news.blogspot.com/

Zapatista Summer: Schools for Chiapas
Conviction overturned: Leaving water for dying migants is not littering
Crying Earth Rise Up! Oglala Lakota People and Uranium mining (34 page document can be printed out)
Solola, Guatemala: Assassination of Maya teacher and why we should care
Navajo Nation wants federal consultation Obama promised on San Francisco Peaks
Bolivia: 'Harmony with Nature' at United Nations
Films Showcased by Indian Youths on Indian Lands

Flagstaff City Council votes no drinking water for snowmaking

Contact: Klee Benally
media@truesnow.org
(928) 380-2629
www.Truesnow.org

Flagstaff City Council Votes No Drinking Water for Snowmaking

Citizens and Environmental Groups Gain Victory for Wise Water Use
By Klee Benally

FLAGSTFF, Ariz. – After 4 hours of meeting Flagstaff City Council voted 5-2 to not amend a proposed substitute agreement to sell 180 million gallons of Flagstaff’s drinking water to Arizona Snowbowl for snowmaking on the Holy San Francisco Peaks.

More than 150 concerned community members attended including Tribal representatives from Hopi, Navajo and Havasupai Nations.

“I am grateful that wise water use in Flagstaff won today although we still have many challenges ahead of us,” said Russell Crawford, Graduate Student in Sustainable Communities at Northern Arizona University. “It’s clear that this private business’ attempt to use our precious drinking water for recreation was a horrible idea. We must continue to work for respectful, sane and sustainable solutions for our entire community, and that means our whole region. This has to be done for our children and all generations to come."

According to the Arizona Daily Sun the city of Flagstaff uses half the groundwater in central northern Arizona. Snowbowl would have taken about 5 percent of all the potable water the city used. According to City staff, Flagstaff is expected to run out of drinking water by the year 2050.

On Monday, August 30th at Sinagua Middle School more than 700 community members and neighboring Tribal representatives met for 7 hours for spoken public input and presentations by Snowbowl, Flagstaff City staff and other interests. No spoken public input was taken on Thursday except as requested by City Council.

Questions were raised by council members after a USDA representative could not answer questions involving Tribal consultation and how the proposed amendment to use drinking water instead of wastewater came about. There seemed to be confusion whether the proposal originated from the USDA or City staff. Although it was stated by the USDA that the idea originated from City staff, City manager Kevin Burke tried to defer it to the USDA.
The deal was initially presented as a “less offensive” option for Tribes who hold the San Francisco Peaks holy, but overwhelmingly the Tribes opposed the plan.
The government also offered $11 million taxpayers dollars to offset paying for the higher costing drinking water in a move criticized as a corporate bailout. When pressed, the USDA stated that the funds weren’t guaranteed but could be taken from “various sources.”

“This was a failed attempt by City Manger Kevin Burke, Arizona Snowbowl & the USDA to undermine the current lawsuit over National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and sidestep the health threats if humans ingest snow made from treated sewage effluent.” Said Klee Benally, Flagstaff resident & media liaison for Truesnow.org. “Kevin Burke & the USDA initially tried to railroad this plan through but the community caught them and ultimately it was community pressure that stopped them.”

With a successful NEPA lawsuit, the current City Contract to sell wastewater for snowmaking could be rescinded.

A majority of the council stated that they were interested in how the NEPA lawsuit would end.

The suit asserts, among other things, that the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) prepared by the USFS ignores the possibility of human ingestion of snow made from treated sewage effluent. Snowbowl would be the only ski area in the world to use 100% wastewater to make snow.

“The City Council has done a great service for our present and future citizens by not selling our drinking water and allowing for the NEPA case to be heard.” Said, Moran Henn an environmental scientist & Flagstaff resident. “Everyday there is new evidence of the toxicity of wastewater.”

Citing the City’s practice of “co-mingling” or injecting wastewater directly into water sources where drinking water is pumped from, Mayor Presler stated she saw no difference in using treated sewage effluent or drinking water for snowmaking.

“Flagstaff’s citizens should be very concerned,” said Avi Henn, environmental scientist and Flagstaff resident, “If we listen to City staff and seriously consider their projections of future water shortages by 2027 we would have to cancel the snowmaking contract because we’ll need every drop of water to drink. Or, as scientists like Dr. Cathy Propper have proven, we’ll desperately need to find another source of water because ours is already contaminated with hormones, pharmaceuticals, and other known ‘endocrine disruptors’ that the City admits they don’t test for or treat for. However you look at it we need find a way out of this contract, it’s a bad deal for Flagstaff.”

“The City Council decision is a step in the right direction as far as recognizing the needs of the neighboring Tribes which contribute greatly to the Flagstaff economy.” Said Howard Shanker, attorney for the Save the Peaks Coalition and other plaintiffs. “It also acknowledges the comments of reasonable people concerned with the wise allocation of a scarce resource.”

Council member Al White motioned to amend the agreement to allow potable water to be used for 5 years followed by use of reclaimed water for 15 more years and put it through Flagstaff’s water, tourism, and sustainability commissions and public comment plus legal vetting before Council process. The motion was voted down 4-3.
Presler re-motioned to amend the agreement to allow potable water to be used for 5 years and then switch to reclaimed water without bringing it before the commissions and public. That motion failed 4-3.

Council member Celia Barotz’ original motion to vote for keeping with current agreement was seconded by Coral Evans. Upon re-consideration, after the modifying motions were voted down, the vote was 5-2 in favor.

Ultimately water conservation issues outweighed cultural and economic concerns.
The council took no consideration of the Tribe’s position on no snowmaking or other possible solutions.

“We are against any artificial snowmaking. Let mother earth handle snowmaking, not man made snow” stated Havasupai Tribal Council Member, Carletta Tilousi.
“They asked us to be here, they wrote to us and invited us to be part of the process so we voiced our opinions regarding the sacredness of the Peaks. It was offensive to hear Council members state that they will not listen to neighboring Tribes.” Tilousi said.

“At the end of the day I answer to people who vote in my community.” Stated, Council member Art Babbott. He stated “We will make very bad policies here if we allow entities outside our jurisdiction to dictate what we do.”
Expressing concern that the C-Aquifer is diminishing Council member Babbott stated, “This will allow very unwise water decisions by our users.”

Council member Karla Brewster argued economics in her support for snowmaking but also stated the, “20 year contract to sell potable water was too much.”

Council member Coral Evans raised a concern that she felt there was, “No possible win-win situation.”
Evans also stated that she was, “Concerned about the cost of water being raised in Flagstaff.” And that “we’re going to harm future generations.”

For Council member Al White the issues was about, “Environmental sanity, reclaimed over potable water.” And stated that the, “Issue is not whether you’re pro-business or pro-environment, its about sound water use policy.” He also stated, “Let the lawsuit go on. It’s going to deal with the issues of use of reclaimed water. It isn’t our role to call a lawsuit frivolous.”

Nearly every Council member voiced their concerns over Mayor Presler’s initial proposal to add discussion of suspending the current existing contract to the agenda.

Some Council members spoke of the dangers of reclaimed water. Art Babbott stated that reclaimed water could contaminate another water source, and this could be a potential violation of the Crown Water Management Act.

“We need to evolve as a human species to survive in this changing environment.” Said Hertha Woody, parent, educator, Flagstaff citizen and member of the Navajo Nation, “We should not waste any water in a warming environment.” Woody also observed racially based comments from Council members that made her question, “Does this council think that Native Americans don’t exist within City limits?”

“I’m happy that we got this far and they didn’t approve selling our drinking water.” Stated Teresa Garcia, 15, student of Coconino High School. “If they would have approved this plan, we would be getting the worse end of this deal in 20 years.”

How they voted:
No drinking water for snowmaking:
Councilmember Evans
Councilmember Overton
Councilmember White
Councilmember Babbot
Councilmember Barotz


For drinking water snowmaking:
Mayor Presler
Council member Brewster

For more information & background please visit: http://www.truesnow.org/.

LISTEN Border abuse watch: Patrols launched to document police and Border Patrol

Listen to internet radio with Brenda Norrell on Blog Talk Radio

Derechos Humanos, Pan Left Productions and Migra-Copwatch launched new patrols today, Sept. 2, 2010, to document abuse by police and Border Patrol. Listen to the press conference for the launch of Yo Soy Testigo, I am a Witness in Tucson. To report abuse, and call for witnesses with video cameras, there's a 24 hour hotline: 520-261-5890.
Photo Press conference by Brenda Norrell.

Border watch patrols launch to document abuse by US Border Patrol agents and police

Article and photo by Brenda Norrell
Narcosphere

TUCSON – With racism intensifying along the US/Mexico border, new border watch patrols were launched today to document abuses by US Border Patrol agents and local police.

“Yo Soy Testigo, I am a Witness,” was launched by Derechos Humanos, Pan Left Productions and Migra Patrol-Copwatch. Volunteers are staffing a 24-hour hotline in response to the increased racial profiling, violations of law and deportations.

Kat Rodriguez of Derechos Humanos said the Border Patrol is manning checkpoints in the community, although the agency denies it. Rodriguez said there are already videos to prove it.

The human rights abuses include children being left by the side of the road as their parents are deported and legal residents harassed by police and Border Patrol.

Rodriguez said the passage of SB 1070 has “emboldened and empowered” police and Border Patrol agents to harass and intimidate people.

During today's press conference to launch the patrols, Tucson community members said the oppression has resulted in residents leaving Arizona for other states and Mexico, with the economy suffering. In the schools, children are suffering from fear and depression as family members and relatives are harassed and deported.

Jason Aragon, Pan Left Productions, said migra (border) patrols have been underway for 12 years to document the human rights abuses. Pan Left works with community members to document and tell their own stories using technology such as video cameras.

“We must shed the light on the fact that people have been living in fear of deportation and it is only getting worse,” Aragon said. “We are committed to resisting these injustices and invite the community to be part of this campaign to document the oppression of our families and neighborhoods.”

Aragon said the Tucson Police Department and US Border Patrol are working together closely, although officials deny this. Already video footage shows Tucson police turning over a father and mother to Border Patrol as their children cry in the night.

Among the women speaking out on behalf of families and community members was Pati Moreno of Derechos Humanos. “We will expose this discrimination and racism, and move our communities toward peace.”

Isabel Garcia of Derechos Humanos, speaking in Spanish and English, said not all Tucson police support racial profiling. Garcia encouraged police to speak out and help halt the abuse.

Encouraging community members to become involved in the struggle for justice, Rodriguez said, “We are in the community and we are part of this community."

With the passage of SB 1070, and the proliferation of hate groups along the border, racial profiling is impacting all people of color.

Native Americans who live on their ancestral lands from California to Texas are targeted. This includes the Kumeyaay, Cocopah, Tohono O'odham, O'otham, Yavapai, Apache, Yaqui, Ysleta del Sur, Lipan Apache and others whose members live on both sides of the border.

With the increased militarization by the US Border Patrol, the National Guard and local law enforcement agencies, Indigenous Peoples are constantly harassed, physically abused and denied their rights because of racial profiling, violations of law and excessive force.

Jose Matus, Yaqui, director of the Indigenous Alliance without Borders, issued a statement of support for the new campaign.

Matus praised the campaign to bring together community members and community organizations "to track, document and seek justice and fight against human rights violations, racial profiling, law enforcement abuses committed against Indigenous Peoples and all people of color of the Tucson and Arizona communities."

"The Alianza Indigena denounces the abuses and injustices we experience and witness every day in our lives. We need to document what happens in our communities to help us protect our rights, stand up for social justice and fight to change the hostile political climate toward people of color and immigrant communities. Instances of abuse and exploitation have become increasingly normalized and endured.

"The climate of fear and racism created by punitive anti-immigrant policies that further criminalizes immigrants and people of color, seek to silence our voices and coerce us into accepting the violations of our human rights as normal. Simultaneously, it has normalized a continuation of a mainstream American consciousness embedded in hatred, racism, and xenophobia toward individuals, neighbors, and community residents with brown-colored skin," Matus said.

Matus said the Alianza joins with others in the campaign in the fight against institutional racism, the hostile political climate and bad laws that profoundly affect all people of color.

The Alliance confirmed its solidarity with those in the struggle to counter xenophobia, racism, law enforcement abuse of authority and violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, the poor, and all people of color.

The 24-hour hotline in Tucson is: 520-261-5890.

Listen to today’s press conference (30 minutes)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/brenda-norrell