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Subject: FW: Boycott urged of Flagstaff's Arizona Daily Sun Boycott urged of Flagstaff's Arizona Daily Sun Racism gains safe haven in the Southwest as editorial insults and demeans the sacredness of San Francisco Peaks FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.-Native Americans urged a boycott of the Arizona Daily Sun following an editorial demeaning Native beliefs and the sacredness of San Francisco Peaks. Written in an insulting tone, the editorial included this statement, "Neither the Peaks nor the Moon is likely to be handed over to Native American control anytime soon." "I am ashamed of the newspaper...I have never felt so ashamed of a newspaper as I do now. "Please have your editor resign," responded one online reader. The Flagstaff Action Network, which includes Native American activists in the region, said the Peaks are not just regarded by "some Native Americans as sacred," as the newspaper stated. "They are in fact sacred to thirteen tribes in this region and an important source of beauty, inspiration and connection with nature for many thousands who are not tribal members," said Roxane George, director of the Network. "They are one of Arizona's few sky islands, providing water, old growth forest, rare mixed conifer and even rarer alpine tundra habitat for plant and animal species of concern, including goshawks, Mexican spotted owls, and Senecio franciscanus, a plant found nowhere else in the world." The Arizona Daily Sun used an insulting tone in its editorial, one inconsistent with the ethics of journalism and its moral responsibility to honor what others hold sacred. The Sun wrote, "When it comes to the making of artificial snow at the Arizona Snowbowl with reclaimed wastewater, it's time that tribal activists confront some inconvenient truths. The first is that the San Francisco Peaks, although regarded by some Native Americans as sacred, are managed largely by the U.S. Forest Service. As such, they are 'off the reservation,' just as is the Moon, which h Navajos also hold sacred (they oppose, among other things, landings and the spreading of Gene Shoemaker's ashes there). Neither the Peaks nor the Moon is likely to be handed over to Native American control anytime soon. The editorial went on, "Yet Navajos and other tribes continue to make claims on the Peaks that no other ethnic or religious group would get away with. There are no burial sites or settlement ruins on the Peaks. The Peaks are simply part of a natural landscape that native peoples have elevated to unnatural stature and to which they have attempted to extend a religious sovereignty." Meanwhile, American Indians readers were insulted and saddened by the lack of understanding of their oral legends to hold the Peaks and Mother Earth sacred for the protection of humanity. Reflecting the racism in bordertowns in Arizona, one reader wrote online, "I was very pleased to read this Editorial. I applaud the Daily Sun for the courage it took to publish this opinion. Many of us wholeheartedly agree, but recognize that stating such an opinion may lead to charges of racism." But many others responded this way: "How dare you trivialize the culture that was here long before you?" Klee Benally, Navajo from Big Mountain, said the editorial is no different than the signs of "No Indians or dogs allowed," or KKK placards. "This editorial is racist. It is appalling that in this day and age a 'progressive' newspaper, in such a diverse community, can condone any form of racism. This editorial is condescending, disrespectful and insensitive." The editorial was described as trivializing Native American religious practice and way of life. Far from leading to constructive dialogue, the editorial was seen as seen uncovering "some of the hidden racism in the fabric of the community of Flagstaff," Benally said. "Now, you might not be able to see in this article the clear picture of a white-sheeted KKK member beating an innocent Black person, nor might you be able to see the distinct image of a sign hanging in a Flagstaff business window that says, 'No Indians or Dogs Allowed,' as there were up until 4 or 5 decades ago. "But if you look closely, you can see something that mirrors the racist psychological propaganda that Adolph Hitler used to dehumanize the Polish and Jewish Peoples before he started trying to wipe them off the face of this earth. "If you can remember, Hitler used newspaper articles and films to trivialize their concerns and portray them as 'stupid' peoples, so when he invaded their countries, people paid little or no regard to what he was doing.'" Benally called for the editor to be fired and an apology made to Native Americans. Another reader responded on the newspaper's website, "How dare you trivialize the Native people of this area and the sacredness of this land? How dare you write such blatantly racist propaganda? "You write as if this land was always controlled by the U.S. Forest service. Have you forgotten that Native people never 'handed control' over to the US Forest service? The U.S. took control by the use of deadly force." Patricia Davis, Navajo, was among those responding to the verbal assault on Navajos for their belief in the Peaks as one of their Four Sacred Mountains. "Let us call racism what it is, EVIL," Davis wrote. "Evil has no comparison or no mercy. In my travel in Europe over the years people there have told me that many countries loaded up ships to America with their criminals, thieves, prostitutes, and murderers. This is the reason there was no reverence for the people, the land, natural resource and the buffalo. "Today the descendents of the Original Terrorists are arrogant in their attempt to police the world with bigger guns and bigger bombs. America is reaping and weeping its own karmic debt in the Oklahoma City bombing and New York Twin Towers attack and still doesn't get it! "This country was taken by murder and plunder. Plunder means THIEF. Then these descendents claim to be civilized, schooled and Christian. In fact most have never 'confessed' to the Holocaust, Genocide and original Germ Warfare committed by their ancestors, when they issued smallpox infected blankets to the Indigenous people. "I know that when people deny and defend their evil they attack, for example 'the war on terrorism.'" "I am saddened that so much evil still exists in a country that purports to be promoting equality, opportunity, peace and justice . I am not surprised that Coyote, the Trickster is still telling lies Mr. Randy Wilson." Native Americans pointed out that newspapers bend to the pressures of their advertisers and backroom political agendas. Now, more than ever, with the phobic nationalism of jingoism celebrated by racists in America, the news media has joined the hysteria. One reader said, "America's slogan should read 'Paved, plowed, plundered, pocketed.'" Author Mary Sojourner, a longtime resident of Flagstaff, also responded online. "Shame on you for your intolerant, racist and ignorant editorial insulting Native American spiritual knowledge about the Peaks. Platt Cline, the grand old Flagstaff gentleman and journalist, once said to me, 'I don't understand why humans build churches when these (he pointed to the Peaks) are the finest place of worship.'" "I'd love to know who wrote that editorial. The writer needs to go the public and Museum of Northern Arizona libraries (or, imagine this!) talk with Native Americans about the spiritual knowledge they hold in their hearts and bodies. Whoever wrote the editorial has not lived here very long, certainly not as long as the Navajo, the Hopi, the Havasupai, the Hualapai, and all the other tribes who hold the Peaks naturally sacred." Sojourner said among the manifestations of the editor's lack of knowledge, was a suggestion that Native Americans should protest the Snowbowl ski area atop the Peaks. "Duhhh," many responded to the editor. "Do you live here?" Sojourner said, "Perhaps the writer's second greatest inaccuracy was the instruction to the tribes to protest the Snowbowl, itself. They have, they do, they always will. "Join your community, Daily Sun, all of your community." The editorial appeared at a time when racism along the U.S. border was at its peak. Benjamin Prado, Coordinator of the Raza Rights Coalition was beaten and arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents as he attempted to protest and video record abuses. Prado was beaten and his video camera smashed during a leafletting session of the Raza Rights Coalition against Border Patrol abuse Feb. 25 in the San Diego area. In Douglas, Arizona, the anti-immigrant group Ranch Rescue once again called for recruits for posses to patrol the border in Operation Falcon and deliver their own form of justice. Indigenous peoples, whose lands are divided by the border, have been the victim of both the U.S. Border Patrol and anti-immigrant thugs. For Arizona Daily Sun editorial and comments: http://www.azdailysun.com <http://www.azdailysun.com Go to: Readers comments (editorial included) -- Andr� Cramblit: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Operations Director Northern California Indian Development Council NCIDC (http://www.ncidc.org) is a non-profit that meets the development needs of American Indians and operates an art gallery featuring the art of California tribes (http://www.americanindianonline.com) ============================================================ Crack of the Bat, Click of the Mouse. Taking someone out to the ball game is great, but when you can't make it to the park, Baseball Weekly is the next best thing to being there! Sign up here! http://click.topica.com/caaacQ2b1ddNBb2HgmNf/TopOffers ============================================================ Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. 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