And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > postscript. It seems that the morning after the Rangers came to the camp >to "escort" Arlene off the rez, many, many people phoned the Hopi Tribal >Offices to complain. Later that day the Chief of Hopi Rangers came to the camp and said "it had been a mistake". Gosh.... could it be that some >people taking a few minutes of their time to make a phone call could >actually have an impact? > It has been my experience that once people find out what is really going >on here, they feel impelled to do something about it. Before he himself >became a tyrant, Josef Stalin wrote "Nothing could be more dangerous to >tyrannical authority than the peoples’ curiosity." Unfortunately the >mainstream media rarely report on what is happening here, and when they do it is just to repeat the government propaganda that this is just a dispute >between two tribes, rather than the truth which is that this is the >continuation of 500 plus years of genocide against the caretakers of this >Turtle Island. I would ask that you forward this E-mail to everyone you >know. If, out of every hundred people who read this, just one person takes >some action, then the scales tip in the right direction. "we are each an army of one" as Leonard Peltier says. Many people are concerned with Human >Rights, Native Rights, Religious Freedom, Environmental destruction, >Corporate Power, and Governmental abuse. What is happening here involves >all these issues, and I believe (in fact I stake my life on it) that if >enough people choose to pay attention to what is happening, this travesty >can be prevented. Please pass this on. It is not "spam". If anyone has any questions about how the situation here has come about, I would be only to happy to explain what I know. > Ho Hum! More low altitude overflights. On the afternoon of June 19th a couple of helicopters flew low and directly over the home site. The first >was one of the unmarked gunships that flew over recently. The second was a USAF, silver painted, model. My first response as they fly over is outrage >and a sense of violation, followed by a disbelief at how much taxpayers >money is being spent to harass these elders. I have no idea just how much >it costs to put on of those things into the air for an hour. A damn sight >more than I spend in a year thats for sure. > July 2nd. Low level overflight by small fighter aircraft at 3:30 and again at 6:30. The zig-zag flight path took them directly over the homesites. > We hear of continued harassment of families that signed the agreement. >People have been told not to drive around on the land. "You are being >accomodated so long as you stay within your area". > The Hopi Tribal Councils propoganda machine is busy this month. A letter >to the editor titled "So called Activists use Hopi Tribe" an employee of the Tribe attacks the support the people here are getting. According to >this so-called Hopi, activist and human rights workers are just using the Navajo and Hopi to further their own agenda and stir up trouble. She goes >so far as to claim that 99.9% of the information on the internet about this situation is lies! Coming from an organization whose whole existence is >based on a lie this is pure bullshit. She also states that "activists will be removed". Of course, being just a sheepherder and not an activist myself >I can feel quite safe, right? All the propoganda being put out by the HTC continues to try and claim that any attack or criticism of the HTC is an attack on the Hopi people, whereas everything I read put out by the >resisters and their supporters makes it quite clear that it is understood >that the HTC is an illegally imposed colonial governement that is >oppressing its own people as well as the Dine, no-one is suggesting that >these actions come from the Hopi people themselves. I personally have heard Hopis refer to their rez as a Police State. All in all, this months >offering from the HTC's public relations operation is rather pathetic and transparent. I guess that the cost of expanding and arming the >para-military Hopi Rangers leaves the HTC no funds to hire a proffesional >Public Relations Firm. > Unfortunately there are a few people who raise money and in other ways use these people and this issue to further their own agenda. For instance, >right now there is an individual operating out of Montana who is claiming >that his words are coming from Roberta Blackgoat. If that were not bad >enough, he has gone so far as to forge her signature. Roberta has asked me to tell you that she and her relatives are extremely upset by the actions >of this individual. If you come across anything purporting to come from >"Independent Dine Nation" ( no such entity exists) please know it does not originate from here. > If you are in the process of, or thinking of, offering money or some other form of support to the people here, I would have you ask yourself the >following questions. Do you KNOW that the support will reach the people >here?, and if so, do you KNOW that it is in a form that the people want? >Obviously the only way to be sure is to actually come here yourselves, but that is not always possible, but the next best thing is to COMMUNICATE WITH THE ELDERS DIRECTLY. > The annual Sun Dance at Camp Anne Mae has been denied a permit. Though the people here find it deeply offensive (and who wouldn't) that they must get a permit for a religious ceremony, they went ahead anyway and applied for one. Over 4 months ago! The HTC waited till 2 weeks before the SunDance to deny them "permission". The Sun Dance will go ahead anyway, many hundreds >of people are committed to it. Will The HTC use this as an opportunity to provoke confrontation and continue with their attempt to impose martial >law? We'll see. > Back in the real world the weather continues to be strange here. The day after we finished planting the cornfield it rained all day, with thunder >and lightning. These male rains are at least a month early. A few days >later we had record lows with temperatures 20 - 25 degrees below normal. >Now we're back to normal, windy and hot. The flock goes out before sunrise >and come back in for the middle of the day, then go out again in the >evening. During the heat of the day all sensible creatures hole up in the shade. The corn waits patiently for the rain. > The other evening I was driving around with one of the Grandma's, The sky was filled with dark, moisture -heavy clouds, but only a few drops were >reaching the ground. "I guess the clouds are waiting for a permit from the Hopis before they drop their rain." she quipped. > It sure seems like now would be a good time to phone the Hopi Tribal >Chairman and let him know what you think about the harassment of elders and their supporters, the religious persecution, military overflights etc. Let him know you are paying attention to what is going on here. Wayne Taylor >can be reached on the following numbers: (520) 734 3000, & (520) 734 2441. > They are still trying to "rub-out" Indians. This is not History. This is not happening in some obscure other part of the globe. Surely it's time to stop this? > > But then, what the hell do I know,.... I'm just a sheepherder. > > "Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul" > > Your prayers, support, and correspondence are invited > > For all my relations > > Bo Peep > reachable via [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >From: Jake Davies <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: view from the hogan >Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 10:40:32 MST > >The View From The Hogan 2 June 1999 > >Notes from Big Mountain. > > Ya'a'tee > > First off I need to correct something I stated in my last missive. I said >that there were 5 resisting homesites. It seems that further Eviction >Notices are being sent out. When one considers that at each homesite there >are many relatives, the number of people that are going to be forcibly >removed becomes quite large. The Government and Hopi Tribal Council have >consistently understated how many people are involved here. For instance, >when Congress was first considering the Relocation Act (PL935-51) they were >told that a "few" thousand Navajos will have to be moved. a "few thousand" >ended up being ten thousand. Again, when the Accommodation Agreement was >being discussed Congress made it clear that if 85% of the people did not >agree with the agreement then another solution would have to be found. >Magically the Hopi Tribal Council and the Relocation Commission juggled the >figures (and lied) so that 85% signed. In an extended family that may >include up to 20-30 people, all it took was for one person to sign for the >government to count ALL the people as signing. Imagine if a distant >relative of yours committed a crime, but you, your parents, siblings, and >children all had to do the jail time! This is the reality of the situation >here. So if you hear statements that "just a few troublemakers" are holding >out, don't believe it. > > During the time I have spent here on the land it has been my great >privilege and extreme good fortune to meet many fine human beings who >support here. By and large these people quietly and anonymously do the >things that need doing. There are a couple of dangerous notions that seem >fairly prevalent "out there", one being that human beings have a natural >proclivity for greed, selfishness, and fear. The other notion is that as >mere individuals we are powerless to change the horrific abuses that are >being perpatrated against human beings and life itself. The supporters >here, and the elders, expose these notions for what they are, not >universal truths, but social constructions. So I would like to extend my >heartfelt and sincere thanks to those people, whether I have met you, or >just know you through the results of your work here. The world is enriched >by your existence. ( 2 questions come to my mind concerning the >aforementioned notions. Who benefits by us believeing these notions?, and >why would anyone choose to have such a low opinion of themselves?) > > The supporters who were arrested during the recent spate of livestock >counts and impoundments have had all charges against them dropped. This is >par for the course. In the time I've been here whenever supporters are >arrested the charges have always been dropped. The reasons are obvious, the >charges would not stand up in court, and the authorities do not want the >public scrutiny of their actions that a trial would bring. In my experience >abusers prefer privacy to publicity. That arrest has become a commonplace >and acceptable form of political repression must be a source of shame to >all American citizens who profess a belief in Democracy. > > A Education/Witness camp has been set up on the land. Young people and >students are invited to come and spend a week or two on the land between >June 1st. and July 15th. Classes and demonstrations will be offered in >traditional skills such as weaving, dyeing, gardening, silversmithing, >plant medicines, Navajo Language, etc. Also participants will have the >opportunity to assist the Elders with such chores as herding the sheep, >planting corn, hauling water etc. Sounds like a really good deal for all >concerned. As I understand it there is no charge, but there are obvious >conditions, No drugs, No Alcohol, No weapons, and come self sufficient. >More info can be had from [EMAIL PROTECTED] or thru this address. > > I recently came across the letter that has been circulated on the Net from >Senator McCain to Janet Reno and Bruce Babbit. At the same time I also >happen to be re-reading the Senate Indian Affairs Committee oversight >hearings on the Land Dispute, and as Senator McCain was the Chairman of >these hearings I thought a couple of qoutes from him may help to clarify >what his position is. On March 25th 1996 in his opening address he had this >to say: " I understand that there may be other families who decide not to >enter into an accommadation agreement and who reject the relocation >benefits, I'm sorry to have to tell you that Im afraid that these families >will do so at their own risk." Later, during questions about how many >families this might be, he states: "If we can't even get an estimate from >you as to the number of families that we'd have to deal with in a very >unpleasant fashion that would cause significant problems.....". Its hard >not to read these remarks as a threat. Later he states "my colleagues in >the senate will rely on me for some judgement as to the prospects of >leading this issue to a successful conclusion.". For sure McCain is "very >interested",... very interested in getting these people off the land. All >things considered I would say that Senator McCain is someone that should be >written to with your opinions and feelings on this issue. > > Low level military overflights continue. On Sunday, June 6th, 2 military >helicopters flew low directly over the witness camp. On the next day a >formation of three large helicopters flew directly over the homestead, low >enough to cause the flock to panic. A little over an hour later the same >thing happened again, and I was able to ascertain that none of the three >helicopters carried any markings whatsoever. I have photos, so if anyone >could help identify the aircraft and their agency I would appreciate >hearing from you. Also if anyone knows the procedure for making official >complaints about this kind of thing. With millions of square miles of space >to fly around in, it goes way beyond the bounds of coincidence that they >keep passing over the heads of the resisters. More taxpayers money being >wasted. More harassment. > > Back in the real world, the weather has turned hot. Summer is here. It >seems like every few days I come across a new type of flower, now the >Cactii have joined the chorus. Most of the birds have left (after having >gorged on many of my gardens seedlings), the sheep are happy to be shorn of >their wool. The corn is in the ground waiting for the summer monsoons. >From >visitors we are hearing that there is a lot of media focus and concern "out >there" about events surrounding the ethnic-cleansing in Kosovo (something >you can do very little about), in the mean time ethnic cleansing in a >corner of Arizona goes ahead (something you can do something about). > > But then, what the hell do I know,........ I'm just a sheepherder. > > "those who resist find peace" > > Your prayers, support, and correspondence are invited. > > For all my relations > > Bo Peep > > reachable via [EMAIL PROTECTED] For Big Mountain and other activist internet resources, visit "The Activist Page" at http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/welcome.html Also, for great internet tools please visit: http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271 ******************************************** Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
