tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1170330236728652772024-03-18T20:05:33.480-07:00O'odham Solidarity Across Borders CollectiveJon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-47527356736411308962014-11-20T22:46:00.000-08:002014-11-21T12:56:02.578-08:00Deferred (In)Action: Where's the solidarity with indigenous people facing militarization?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="border: none; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 0.14in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To
all those unaware of the fine print of Obama's immigration plan: </span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />First
and foremost, it will direct more resources to border security.
Meaning...further militarization of Indigenous communities who are
divided by the so-called border, such as my home community of the
Tohono O'odham Nation. Our O'odham him'dag (way of life) will once
again be attacked by settler border politics, as it was in 1848 and
1852 when the so-called border was illegally imposed. Attacked like
we were in 1994 when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
was enacted. These borderland policies are being devised and
implemented without any settler consciousness to the Indigenous
peoples who will be most negatively impacted by such policies. The
Indigenous nations who pre-date so called Mexico and the United
Snakkkes end up almost voiceless.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Basically
Obama's 2014 Immigration plan = border militarization = 21st century
colonization.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />So
in light of Obama's latest immigration plan, I'm writing this to say
"DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE". The plan is anti-Indigenous and
anti-Migrant. Please look at the bigger picture (NAFTA). Please see
the trade off. Please see the state's 2014 divide and conquer
tactics.<br />Then ask yourself, what does an anti-colonial
migrant/Indigenous response to this all look like? What does a world
without NAFTA borders look like? What does collective liberation look
like in O'odham lands? Lipan Apache Lands? Yoeme Lands? Kickapoo
Lands? Indigenous homelands which are now in the so-called border
region?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Where's
the solidarity with Indigenous people facing militarization?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />I
recognize this is a complex issue. I do not want fellow Indigenous
migrants coming from the southern hemisphere to be criminalized by
racist laws. I do not want families to be separated, loved ones to be
deported, or for them to ever have to walk the hot desert in the
first place, just to have a "chance" in this neo-liberal,
NAFTA world we are forced to slave in. But at the same time, I do not
want my homeland to be a police state. I do not want our ceremonies
to be disrupted. I do not want our jewed (land) destroyed by border
security apparatus. I do not want our sky to be polluted by more
Border Patrol helicopters, cameras placed atop rotating cranes as
tall as skyscrapers, or drones. I do not want freedom of movement for
O'odham to be granted only to the holders of bio-metric colonial
passports. I do not want CANAMEX/NAFTA corridors scarring our lands
with freeways (Loop 202/Interstate 11). Ultimately I do not want, in
the words of my late grandfather, who saw the Berlin Wall with his
own eyes while being stationed in Germany, "an O'odham Berlin
Wall" built at the border. </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />These
are just a few thoughts I have at this time. Overall I maintain my
hopes we can all get our shit together. We just have to weather the
neo-colonial, mainstream migrant rights industrial complex funded by
the creator knows who (but is worth a longer analysis), Dream ACTors
and at the same time, we also have to weather the settler state,
while empowering our own community. Either way, we got this...
because we have to.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Alex
Soto</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Komkch'ed
e Wah 'osithk (Sells) </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tohono
O'odham Nation</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />#ourdreamisyournightmare</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#attacktheROOTnotEACHOTHER</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#OodhamRiseUP</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#eeewhatBorder</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#browningofamerikkka</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#akathebrowningofwhitesupremacy</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#smash21stcenturyColonialism</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#eeewhatReform</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#dontbelievethehype</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#sayingtheshitthatyoucantsay</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxJbGUiSGNehhM-MTzSlLT0eKSKMtEANo8ibZypJlhOEFhUaIIvL4q4qpnMl3G5FPJpt41VsLGBW_P7yhaVbKr0KemY2E86n6XrW69Fr12PCqjSB-odfDR2EbuimBSyUlJAN3D0yM_NE/s1600/StickStones1.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxJbGUiSGNehhM-MTzSlLT0eKSKMtEANo8ibZypJlhOEFhUaIIvL4q4qpnMl3G5FPJpt41VsLGBW_P7yhaVbKr0KemY2E86n6XrW69Fr12PCqjSB-odfDR2EbuimBSyUlJAN3D0yM_NE/s1600/StickStones1.tiff" height="320" width="246" /></span></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For
additional resources please check:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indigenousaction.org%2Fcomprehensive-immigration-reform-is-anti-immigrant-anti-indigenous%2F&h=KAQFB4v-W&s=1" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://www.indigenousaction.org/comprehensive-immigration-reform-is-anti-immigrant-anti-indigenous/</span></span></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/04/movement-demands-autonomy-oodham.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/04/movement-demands-autonomy-oodham.html</span></span></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2011/06/border-patrol-headquarters-occupation.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2011/06/border-patrol-headquarters-occupation.html</span></span></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://inaborderworld.org/2014/03/13/colonization_immigrant_rights/http://survivalsolidarity.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/a-call-to-action-pdf1.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://inaborderworld.org/2014/03/13/colonization_immigrant_rights/http://survivalsolidarity.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/a-call-to-action-pdf1.pdf</span></span></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.18in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fstopcanamex.blogspot.com%2F&h=1AQHV8e9y&s=1" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://stopcanamex.blogspot.com/</span></span></a></span></div>
</div>
SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-24509496449058080752013-01-30T16:50:00.001-08:002013-01-30T16:50:53.758-08:00DETROIT RAPPER INVINCIBLE AND ARIZONA HIP HOP ARTISTS COME TOGETHER FOR BENEFIT SHOW TO SUPPORT THE 18TH ANNUAL O'ODHAM UNITY RUN<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<strong>DETROIT RAPPER INVINCIBLE AND ARIZONA HIP HOP ARTISTS COME TOGETHER FOR BENEFIT SHOW TO SUPPORT THE 18TH ANNUAL O'ODHAM UNITY RUN</strong><br />
<br />
NEWS ADVISORY<br />
January 29, 2013<br />
Contact: Alex Soto 602-881-6027<br />
Kendra Lewis 520-425-9058<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>Detroit rapper Invincible and Arizona Hip Hop artists come together for Benefit Show to support the 18th Annual O'odham Unity Run</strong><br />
<br />
What: Benefit show for the 18th Annual O'odham Unity Run. <br />
Come help raise funds and donations for our O'odham runners from Salt River, Gila River, Ak-Chin, Tohono O'odham and O'odham in Mexico as they make their week long journey from the the community of San Xavier (Tohono O'odham Nation) to the Salt River Indian Community.<br />
Who: Critically acclaimed, Detroit hip hop emcee, Invincible, will be performing along with hip hop artists from Tohono O'odham Nation, Salt River Indian Community, Tucson and Phoenix at the San Xavier Recreation Center on February 9th, 2013 from 5:30pm-11pm. This is an alcohol-free event. Musical acts performing at the benefit show are:<br />
Invincible (Detroit)<br />
<a href="http://emergencemedia.org/invincible">http://emergencemedia.org/invincible</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ6qMU7JbBY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ6qMU7JbBY</a><br />
<br />
Shining Soul (Tohono O'odham/Phoenix)<br />
<a href="http://shiningsoul-music.blogspot.com/">http://shiningsoul-music.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
Optimal (Salt River Indian Community)<br />
<a href="http://www.earsweat.com/artist-optimal.php">http://www.earsweat.com/artist-optimal.php</a><br />
<br />
DJ Alias and Progreso (Tucson)<br />
<a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/progreso">http://www.reverbnation.com/progreso</a><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/djaliasaz">https://soundcloud.com/djaliasaz</a><br />
<br />
Djentrification (Phoenix)<br />
<a href="http://www.djentrification.com/">http://www.djentrification.com/</a><br />
<br />
Cozmobrown and DJ Lingos (Tucson)<br />
Pick Up Kings (Waila Band-San Xavier)<br />
Traditional singing begins at sunset.<br />
Hosted by Black Mountain Singers and Michael Enis<br />
Aerosol artists will be painting live art starting at 3pm. Open art panels will be open to the public. Aerosol artists featured at the benefit show are:<br />
Tha Nox (San Xavier)<br />
Brez (Salt River Indian Community/Tohono O'odham)<br />
Dwayno Insano (Salt River Indian Community)<br />
<br />
Plus other local artists<br />
<br />
Local arts, crafts, jewelry and clothing vendors will have merchandise booths.<br />
Included in the day's events is a Toka tournament, a traditional O'odham women's game similar to field hockey. It is an aggressive and fun sport that brings together women of all ages and all O'odham Nations to compete and even sometimes bet.<br />
<br />
Toka tournament starts at Noon.<br />
Hip hop workshops will be offered starting at 3pm.<br />
Workshops to be announced.<br />
<br />
<strong>When: Saturday February 9, 2013</strong><br />
<strong>Benefit Show: 5:30-11pm</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Where: Wa:k (San Xavier) community- Tohono O'odham Nation</strong><br />
<strong>San Xavier Recreation Center</strong><br />
<strong>8549 S J Mayor Dr</strong><br />
<strong>Tucson, AZ 85746</strong><br />
<strong>Admission: $5 or $3 with suggested donation (water, Gatorade, gas cards)</strong><br />
<br />
All ages event<br />
<br />
Why: Due to a request by Unity Run coordinators, we have been asked to help with raising funds and donations to ensure that all logistical needs are met. Donations look like: water, Gatorade and gas cards.<br />
<br />
This year will be the 18th Annual O'odham Unity Run.<br />
The run will be March 17-23, 2013<br />
<br />
If unable to attend but like to support, please message us!<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<em>Brief history of the O'odham Unity Run:</em><br />
<br />
<em>The Akimel O'odham, Hia-Ced O'odham and the Tohono O'odham have long been known for their expertise in long distance running in the desert regions of what is now southwestern United States and Mexico. For over 150 years the O'odham Nations have dealt with separation by the U.S./Mexico Borders. We do not acknowledge this separation within our culture; we encourage our unity to continue.</em><br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>The Unity Run was founded in 1995, by a small group of grassroots people from both sides of Mexico and the United States, consisting of Tohono O'odham and Akimel O'odham. The group's main goal is to bring awareness to the youth and adults the legacy that our ancestors gave to us centuries ago. The coordinators are actively working to perpetuate that which we inherited and for this to continue for the generations yet to come. Reinstating the tradition of running and the spirituality that comes with running is a challenge to help unite, preserve, heal and respect our history, language and culture. The Unity Run is highly recognized as a drug free, alcohol free and gang free cultural event.</em><br />
<em><br /> </em></div>
Find event on Facebook at:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/519866144724321/?fref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/events/519866144724321/?fref=ts</a><br />
SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-31739354092782503212011-07-26T16:59:00.000-07:002011-07-26T17:09:00.279-07:00MUSIC VIDEO:Shining Soul: 'Papers' Militarization of BorderSHINING SOUL MUSIC VIDEO "PAPERS"<br /><br />WEBSITE: http://shiningsoul-music.blogspot.com/<br />DOWNLOAD AT: http://shiningsoulmusic.bandcamp.com/<br />EMAIL: WORKWITHSHININGSOUL@GMAIL.COM<br /><br /><iframe height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/x79mpAj84ww" frameborder="0" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />"The militarization of the U.S./Mexico border<br />has led only to cultural and environmental destruction<br />of the indigenous peoples whose land is on or near<br />the border, such as the O'odham, Yaqui<br />and Lipan Apache Nations.<br /><br />Border Militarization brings death and terror<br />to indigenous peoples from other parts<br />of the continent migrating to this land.<br /><br />The immigration struggle is also<br />an Indigenous struggle. '<br /><br />NO BORDERS!<br />FREE MOVEMENT FOR ALL!"<br /><br />FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CHECK THESE SITES:<br />http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/<br />http://www.solidarity-project.org/<br />http://survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/<br />http://www.borderopposition.blogspot.com/<br />http://lipanapachecommunitydefense.blogspot.com/<br />http://chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com/<br />http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/<br />http://sb1070resistance.blogspot.com/<br />http://www.taalahooghan.org/<br />http://dryriver.org/<br /><br />About Shining Soul:<br /><br />Straight outta occupied O'odham jewed in southern Arizona, Shining Soul is a grassroots duo based in Phoenix. Shining Soul's unique vintage means of beat production, and down to earth, empowering rhyme delivery is reminiscent of Hip-Hop's early days, when beats and rhymes took priority. Using Hip-Hop as a tool to get their voices out, Shining Soul pushes the margins by discussion issues that affect the communities they each originate from, while sharing and maintaining the essence of Hip-Hop culture that empowered them to take up arms via beats and rhymes.<br /><br />HIP HOP IS RESISTANCE:<br />As life-long admirers and now participants, Shining Soul, have greatly benefited from Hip Hop culture. From first hearing Blackstar's “Respiration” to Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel's “The Message”, the seeds of Hip Hop were planted in our souls. We now want to share that essence and knowledge that inspired us to pick up the mic and sampler years ago.<br /><br />In our journey, we use emceeing as a platform to speak about the struggles that our respective communities face. Border Militarization, the Criminalization of People of Color, Police Brutality and the Desecration of Sacred Places are our realities today.<br /><br />In our efforts, we use Hip Hop as a tool to empower community, especially youth, by informing them of the issues via dope beats, dope rhymes, and by providing context of the struggles we face. We challenge them to take effective action in their communities using music and creativity as a weapon.<br /><br />The element of rap allows us to speak. We hope our music, beat making projects and overall message that "Hip Hop is Resistance" inspires others to think critically of the world we live in, so we can challenge the imperialistic pillars that attack us everyday (Capitalism, Patriarchy, White Supremacy and Colonization), in hopes to appreciate and respect all the beauty and power that that originates from our dignified cultures.<br /><br />This is why we are resisting.<br />That is why we fight.<br /><br />So we can be who we are.<br /><br />OUR existence is OUR resistance.<br /><br />HIP HOP IS RESISTANCE<br /><br />WEBSITE: http://shiningsoul-music.blogspot.com/<br />DOWNLOAD AT: http://shiningsoulmusic.bandcamp.com/<br />EMAIL: WORKWITHSHININGSOUL@GMAIL.COMSuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-81788812687167247782011-06-30T01:58:00.000-07:002011-06-30T03:26:56.613-07:00Border Patrol Headquarters Occupation Protesters Found Not Guilty-Reaffirms Call to End Border Militarization<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7WWo616qvIbQTa2FoNKkrMOoUm6mrpL6reDz0x5r3NNT5AtUJXEFcEqs0H3gQ5EcruZfCw1mQPY3q3WmqLIGua62MHrqJ7hVtKCM1oLZ0rcYYl6XmKshAPm9zlr0bY6kfeATTQGKKqpbu/s1600/IMG_7175.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAMJXCCxJPpMud8GxQe5ZuECXrJqedAqzy7g0FmwWeboTnXByFRxPtwmGy_3vfaIbDguLIWkGDXI9Km_ob6lnXu4sRXpGzQNrApCsCaMlaQUvzsIRoCzVluWZe1Wop-qZ2xRy16a6L3M/s1600/bp-protest-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAMJXCCxJPpMud8GxQe5ZuECXrJqedAqzy7g0FmwWeboTnXByFRxPtwmGy_3vfaIbDguLIWkGDXI9Km_ob6lnXu4sRXpGzQNrApCsCaMlaQUvzsIRoCzVluWZe1Wop-qZ2xRy16a6L3M/s400/bp-protest-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623938799546940338" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGA9WS64yYEsxDX8kxyJYcvtDOB3-8_YPrM1oa4YwGMC18qwWxTKUBBi0TfHOg8Ptzos0isUeZ28tY1wmrWxHmQ4FRTZukDvXnBQFTMk0MQaGFZsNJBU27Cp6fatmquizT1yKTn407H0/s1600/bpsolid.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGA9WS64yYEsxDX8kxyJYcvtDOB3-8_YPrM1oa4YwGMC18qwWxTKUBBi0TfHOg8Ptzos0isUeZ28tY1wmrWxHmQ4FRTZukDvXnBQFTMk0MQaGFZsNJBU27Cp6fatmquizT1yKTn407H0/s400/bpsolid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623937428925776130" border="0" /></a><br />NEWS RELEASE<br />DATE: Thursday June 29, 2011<br />Contact: Alex Soto<br />Phone: 602-881-6027<br />Email: stopbordermilitarization@gmail.com<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Border Patrol Headquarters Occupation Protesters Found Not Guilty<br />Reaffirms Call to End Border Militarization</span><br /><br />Chuckson (Tucson), AZ - The six protesters who locked-down and occupied the United States Border Patrol (BP) – Tucson Headquarters on May 21, 2010 were found not guilty on the remaining count of a disorderly conduct "with serious disruptive behavior” charge.<br /><br />The legal defense, William G. Walker and Jeffrey J. Rogers, argued that the remaining charge of disorderly conduct did not apply because it did not meet any of the statutes of the charge. After three hours of deliberation, the judge found the six not guilty.<br /><br />The city prosecutor had attempted to re-introduce the previously misfiled criminal trespassing as a misdemeanor charge, but this charge was dismissed after the first trial date for the occupiers in February. After an objection by the defense, the state’s motion was denied.<br /><br />“Today’s not guilty verdict shows that we, as O’odham, are not the ones who are disorderly. It is the Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and the various levels of government that perpetrate the violence in our communities,” stated Alex Soto, Tohono O’odham, one of the protesters and member of O’odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective. “When will the institutions, whose conduct continues for more than 500 years of trespassing, that terrorize indigenous and migrants communities, be held accountable?”<br /><br />“No state entity can deny peoples’ inherent right to freedom of movement," said Marisa Duarte, one of the protesters standing trial. "Borders are a colonial weapon used to continue the genocide of indigenous people and their culture. Through trade they exploit natural resources and use the profits to further the progress of neo-liberal infrastructure projects such as CANAMEX and NAFTA. This results in the criminalization of those who defy borders through living their lives traditionally. You see the forced relocation of families from borders all around the world. Today we say no more to this criminalization of people.”<br /><br />O’odham Elders and community members attended the court proceedings to demonstrate their support.<br /><br />“Today we celebrate our victory in court, but understand this is just one step in ending border militarization. We took action last May in order to directly confront the issues in our communities by physically intervening and occupying the Border Patrol station. Since that time, many have answered the call to end border militarization, and victories like today have inspired more action,” said Franco Habre.<br /><br />As the six waited for the state’s decision, 16 angry community members targeted the prison firm G4S (formally Wackenhut) and were cited criminal trespassing charges. The16 declared in no uncertain terms their opposition to the company’s profiteering at the expense of immigrant communities in Tucson, across the nation and throughout the world. Their action, which was organized autonomously by Tucson community members, was carried out under the banner of Direct Action for Freedom of Movement<br /><br />The six still stand firmly with their commitment and demands to end border militarization and their initial demands are listed below:<br /><br />- Immediately withdraw National Guard Troops from the US/Mexico border<br />- Immediately halt development of the border wall<br />- Immediately remove drones and checkpoints<br />- Decommission all detention camps and release all presently held undocumented migrants<br />- Immediately honor Indigenous Peoples rights of self-determination<br />- Fully comply with the recently signed UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous<br />Peoples<br />- Respect Indigenous People's inherent right of migration<br />- End NAFTA, FTAA and other trade agreements<br />- Immediately end all CANAMEX/NAFTA Highway projects (such as the South<br />Mountain Freeway)<br />- Immediately repeal SB1070 and 287g<br />- End all racial profiling<br />- No BP encroachment/sweeps on sovereign Native land<br />- No raids and deportations<br />- Immediate and unconditional regularization (“legalization”) of all people<br />- Uphold human freedom and rights<br />- Uphold the rights of ALL Indigenous People - repeal HB 2281, support the UN<br />Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People<br />- Support dignity and respect<br />- Support and ensure freedom of movement for all people<br /><br />Soto concluded, “This action was a prayer. We’d like to thank those who stood with us during this process and to all who firmly stand with us to end border militarization. The occupation of the Border Patrol station was never about any group/organization, or us, it was about directly confronting the terror that the state unleashes upon indigenous and migrant communities, so we can critically challenge border militarization. As an O’odham, I always think back to my grandparents’ teachings: We as O’odham people have always traveled freely, regardless of the border. It’s our land, who we are, and we will defend it.”<!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment--><br /><br />To view the occupation video and for additional resources please visit:<br />www.oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com<br />www.survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com<br /><br />###<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6lKGFy2KR7o" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yYpvddIAYag" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iqPib3Lgrh4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="272" width="425"></iframe>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-36261192559679267242011-06-23T11:30:00.000-07:002011-06-23T12:43:37.330-07:00BORDER PATROL OCCUPIERS TRESPASSING CHARGE DROPPED-CALL FOR ACTION FOR JUNE 29, 2011<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iqPib3Lgrh4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />NEWS RELEASE<br />DATE:Thursday June 23, 2011<br />Contact: Alex Soto<br />Phone: 602-881-6027<br />Email: <a href="mailto:stopbordermilitarization@gmail.com">stopbordermilitarization@gmail.com</a><br /><br />BORDER PATROL OCCUPIERS TRESPASSING CHARGE DROPPED-CALL FOR ACTION FOR JUNE 29, 2011<br /><br />Chuckson (Tucson), AZ - The six protesters who locked-down and occupied the United States Border Patrol (BP) – Tucson Headquarters on May 21, 2010 are returning to trial to fight the remaining count of disorderly conduct "with serious disruptive behavior” charge. Last February the six also stood trial for a charge of criminal trespassing, but their defense team discovered that the trespassing charge was incorrectly filed by the State. The defense then filed a motion to dismiss the charge of criminal trespassing, which the court granted. The six return to trial on June 29, 2011 at 2:00 pm at the Tucson City Court.<br /><br />In addition to the kick off of the trial, the border patrol occupiers called for renewed action against border militarization. More than 40 protesters took to the streets, with banners reading, “Indigenous Resistance, Protect Sacred Places”, “Free Movement for People Not Commerce, Tear Down the Wall” and chanting “No Borders, No Border Patrol.” Two protesters were arrested. A banner reading “Border patrol out of O’odham land ” was also suspended from the “Snake Bridge” that morning before court. At one point they rallied in front of the streamline courtroom. Operation Streamline, started in 2005 is a “zero tolerance” rapid court process that prosecutes hundreds of migrants a day, sometimes in shackles. Constitutional rights are also not granted and what would take multiple hearings is often a less than a two-day process of arrest and deportation.<br /><br />O’odham Elders attended the court proceedings to demonstrate their support.<br /><br />Alex Soto, Tohono O’odham, and one of the arrestees states, "It was good to see all the support last February for our initial trial proceeding. We need to continue to build, and remember this action was a prayer, and the dismissal of trespassing reaffirms that the Border Patrol troops are the real trespassers, not us. How can I, a Tohono O'odham person, be trespassing on my own land?”<br /><br />“Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration Custom Enforcement and their corporate backers such as Wackenhut, are the true criminals. Troops and paramilitary law enforcement, detention camps, check points, and citizenship verification are not a solution to ‘issues’ of migration. Indigenous Peoples have existed here long before these imposed borders, and Elders inform us that we always honored freedom of movement. Why are Indigenous communities and the daily deaths at the border ignored? The impacts of border militarization are constantly being made invisible in and by the media, and the popular culture of this country. Even the mainstream immigrant rights movement has often pushed for “reform”, which means further militarization of the border, leading to increased suffering for Indigenous communities. Border militarization destroys Indigenous communities." stated Soto.<br /><br />Kevin Jose, Akimel/Tohono O’odham, and member of O’odham Solidarity Across Borders states, "During the time of this action, my thoughts ran so deep as to what else we could do and what we can make happen. Singing for them at this action was powerful and their hearts were stronger than ever. What the state does on the control of free movement along our traditional lands is like a choke hold to our throats. The push to militarize the border does not just affect the Tohono O’odham who live in the border region, it affects all O’odham. In Tohono, it comes in the form of a border wall, in the Gila River Indian Community; it comes in form of a freeway”.<br /><br />Currently the state of Arizona is pushing for the construction of the South Mountain Loop 202 freeway extension on Akimel O’odham land (Phoenix Area). The Loop 202 is part of the CANAMEX transportation corridor, which is part of the larger NAFTA highway project. The two proposed routes will either result in a loss of approximately 600 acres of tribal land, and the forced relocation of Akimel O'odham and Pee-Posh families or would gouge a 40-story high, 200-yard wide cut into Muadag Do'ag (O'odham name for South Mountain), which is sacred to all O'odham and Pee-Posh.<br /><br />“Neo-liberal projects such as CANAMEX and NAFTA are attacking O’odham communities. All these attacks are connected. Support our nawoj (friends) on June 29th for their trial" stated Jose.<br /><br />The creation of the current U.S./Mexico border, 45 O’odham villages on or near the border have been completely depopulated.<br /><br />According to the migrant support group No More Deaths, from October 2009 to April 2011 there have been more than 338 deaths on the Arizona border alone.<br /><br />1,200 National Guard troops have been stationed along the southwestern border since June 2010.<br /><br />Additionally, the state of Arizona recently passed a bill which will allow for Arizona to build its own border wall. The law goes into effect July 20 of this year. <br /><br />Actions toward ending border militarization and the decriminalization of our communities:<br /><br />-Immediately withdraw National Guard Troops from the US/Mexico border<br />-Immediately halt development of the border wall<br />-Immediately remove drones and checkpoints<br />-Decommission all detention camps and release all presently held undocumented migrants<br />-Immediately honor Indigenous Peoples rights of self-determination<br />-Fully comply with the recently signed UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples<br />-Respect Indigenous People's inherent right of migration<br />-End NAFTA, FTAA and other trade agreements<br />-Immediately end all CANAMEX/NAFTA Highway projects (such as the South Mountain Freeway)<br />-Immediately repeal SB1070 and 287g<br />-End all racial profiling<br />-No BP encroachment/sweeps on sovereign Native land<br />-No raids and deportations- Immediate and unconditional regularization (“legalization”) of all people<br />-Uphold human freedom and rights<br />-Uphold the rights of ALL Indigenous People<br />-Repeal HB 2281, support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People<br />-Support dignity and respect<br />-Support and ensure freedom of movement for all people<br /><br />Put this message into action and help end the attack on Indigenous and migrant communities. Take these messages to the streets, wherever you are. If you can, join us inside and outside the court room in Tucson at 2:00pm on June 29, 2011.<br />Tucson City Court is located at 103 E. Alameda St. Tucson, AZ.<br /><br />Additional ways to take action in your community, and bring awareness to the impacts of border militarization and the criminalization of our communities:<br /><br />1. Directly intervene by:<br />-Protesting institutions and agencies directly responsible (a brief list available at: <a href="http://www.survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/">http://www.survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/</a>)<br />-Being part of (or starting) Border Patrol, ICE, National Guard, Minutemen watch groups in your community- Stopping ICE vehicles from deporting migrants<br />-Providing aid for migrants crossing the border<br /><br />2. Pressure political officials:<br />Janet Napolitano<br />Department of Homeland Security<br />U.S. Department of Homeland Security<br />Washington, DC 2052<br />Comment Line: 202-282-8495<br /><br />3. Organize or attend awareness or benefit event:<br />4. Donate to Border Action Defense Fund:<a href="http://www.borderopposition.blogspot.com/">http://www.borderopposition.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />5. Support local Indigenous struggles for self-determination and freedom of movement.In particular, bring awareness to Indigenous communities on the US/Mexican border that have been militarized.<br /><br />To view the occupation video and for additional resources please visit:<br /><a onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," href="http://www.oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" __untrusted="true">http://www.survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYFuiWe91xLw8HtAN28SQVBD-6Vv_WW2PO5-Kf1Z1Yxjfjr7kLbVyHfRpeX7WVqLdkxawEkRWVqG6uTQQs7jEXf5kuOr_QbmMuN2aFd_d5o3dhyphenhyphentt3z9aac9A5BNGC3TqV59lcWyglXI/s1600/DSC_0893.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621493277463732834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYFuiWe91xLw8HtAN28SQVBD-6Vv_WW2PO5-Kf1Z1Yxjfjr7kLbVyHfRpeX7WVqLdkxawEkRWVqG6uTQQs7jEXf5kuOr_QbmMuN2aFd_d5o3dhyphenhyphentt3z9aac9A5BNGC3TqV59lcWyglXI/s400/DSC_0893.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsXM7whoij1KWiRH4czmCvs3vZJQSfASdn0N-OIQoX5PiUGb3enA7Uc10si__TL-1f9hXmzO5ngIMFO1YJd80W9eGGJbTe4KUTTFRb79dyB-ka0pRIzfQotdKGzZT1-OjnODUT1xy1js/s1600/BP-lockdown-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621493264720732578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsXM7whoij1KWiRH4czmCvs3vZJQSfASdn0N-OIQoX5PiUGb3enA7Uc10si__TL-1f9hXmzO5ngIMFO1YJd80W9eGGJbTe4KUTTFRb79dyB-ka0pRIzfQotdKGzZT1-OjnODUT1xy1js/s400/BP-lockdown-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeSEc3eTE4fHvtovpWpaFV7oBm3ltG6v5MdfwRsNQdL7J-Bb5te2AnVS0Nyd8dUDbxY0sJmxeIUgr6DfftcoZB_7__qJVHICLxOsZQAl6kOgrQSE4cLTxAEGi1cRSMM1C2GK4siWIX6M/s1600/bp-protest.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621493261895648642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeSEc3eTE4fHvtovpWpaFV7oBm3ltG6v5MdfwRsNQdL7J-Bb5te2AnVS0Nyd8dUDbxY0sJmxeIUgr6DfftcoZB_7__qJVHICLxOsZQAl6kOgrQSE4cLTxAEGi1cRSMM1C2GK4siWIX6M/s400/bp-protest.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Note to editors photos attached:<br />Border Patrol Lock down credit: O'odham Solidarity Across BordersSuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-12444619357580601742011-06-16T07:28:00.000-07:002011-06-16T11:55:48.448-07:00ACTIVISTS ARE NOW LOCKED DOWN: PROTEST HALTS DESTRUCTION ON SACRED SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWYYoQfLJCy-O0hunHsfchaz7PxmzNYTYx5KCf1XPrz9iKi6y-JHZHGN-fGLKBo7m8L-j627w22qDhjivMNxOmi8fgd84fro0WQmXSl7r8lmGBSAC3CjrmkPDMhsWYrWqD5F_pmKbTOOd/s1600/254539_10150282290809810_514059809_9228484_4776979_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWYYoQfLJCy-O0hunHsfchaz7PxmzNYTYx5KCf1XPrz9iKi6y-JHZHGN-fGLKBo7m8L-j627w22qDhjivMNxOmi8fgd84fro0WQmXSl7r8lmGBSAC3CjrmkPDMhsWYrWqD5F_pmKbTOOd/s400/254539_10150282290809810_514059809_9228484_4776979_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618840884381324690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfeSo7A7WvcjxOzjVt6VM9r2cgytyWWBdJa505fWgNHTePy7gcoY2y5FM2lDYwgEzRaBVohGNkfGZBC_GbR1H8p8i38XHkIdAZo-3fkeaycOg6fyFllnjONNjM5cYXZQwIDQSi4KqCa_V/s1600/photo1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfeSo7A7WvcjxOzjVt6VM9r2cgytyWWBdJa505fWgNHTePy7gcoY2y5FM2lDYwgEzRaBVohGNkfGZBC_GbR1H8p8i38XHkIdAZo-3fkeaycOg6fyFllnjONNjM5cYXZQwIDQSi4KqCa_V/s400/photo1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618831312988809890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDPGdy3nVnz8pFOpwKlnVnl0FysMR4h4RDPWVyO7t3t94OJvLnAalNCd_-GBWLQcKZXce1YznVntyVqhNc7qaDWuFMAiEzL2OY9kTZqnQWTBrCuteyDkdwiKKSErdiXvgkycOn1a-ZwPI/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDPGdy3nVnz8pFOpwKlnVnl0FysMR4h4RDPWVyO7t3t94OJvLnAalNCd_-GBWLQcKZXce1YznVntyVqhNc7qaDWuFMAiEzL2OY9kTZqnQWTBrCuteyDkdwiKKSErdiXvgkycOn1a-ZwPI/s400/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618831320602705202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />OSABC stands in solidarity with struggle to protect the sacred San Francisco peaks, and all sacred sites. Check the links below for more information on the the fight to Save the Peaks:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.savethepeaks.org/</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.truesnow.org/</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.indigenousaction.org/</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Protest Halts Snowbowl Pipeline Development</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tTnNvsJcN_Y/TfoPDPOWROI/AAAAAAAAbr4/c6Rz6tq_U1Y/s1600/untitled.bmp" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tTnNvsJcN_Y/TfoPDPOWROI/AAAAAAAAbr4/c6Rz6tq_U1Y/s1600/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></a></div><br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br />Thursday morning, June 16, 2011<br />Contact: Beth Lavely<br />Tel: 928.254.1064<br /><a href="mailto:protectpeaks@gmail.com">protectpeaks@gmail.com</a><br /><br />*PROTECT THE PEAKS – STOP DESTRUCTION & DESECRATION NOW!*<br /><br /><br />Today we take direct action to stop further desecration and destruction of the Holy San Francisco Peaks. We stand with our ancestors, with allies and with those who also choose to embrace diverse tactics to safeguard Indigenous People’s cultural survival, our community’s health, and this sensitive mountain ecosystem.<br /><br />On May 25th 2011, sanctioned by the US Forest Service, owners of Arizona Snowbowl began further destruction and desecration of the Holy San Francisco Peaks. Snowbowl’s hired work crews have laid over a mile and a half of the planned 14.8 mile wastewater pipeline. They have cut a six foot wide and six foot deep gash into the Holy Mountain.<br /><br />Although a current legal battle is under appeal, Snowbowl owners have chosen to undermine judicial process by rushing to construct the pipeline. Not only do they disregard culture, environment, and our children’s health, they have proven that they are criminals beyond reproach.<br /><br />Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say “enough!”<br /><br />As we take action, we look to the East and see Bear Butte facing desecration, Mt. Taylor facing further uranium mining; to the South, Mt. Graham desecrated, <span style="font-weight: bold;">South Mountain</span> threatened, the <span style="font-weight: bold;">US/Mexico border severing Indigenous communities</span> from sacred places; to the West, inspiring resistance at Sogorea Te, Moana Keya facing desecration; to the North, Mt. Tenabo, Grand Canyon, Black Mesa, and so many more… our homelands and our culture under assault.<br /><br />We thought that the USDA, heads of the Forest Service, had meant it when they initiated nationwide listening sessions to protect sacred places. If the process was meaningful, we would not have to take action today.<br /><br />More than 13 Indigenous Nations hold the Peaks Holy. The question has been asked yet we hear no response, “what part of sacred don’t you understand?”<br /><br />For hundreds of years resistance to colonialism, slavery, & destruction of Mother Earth has existed and continues here in what we now call Arizona.<br /><br />The United States recently moved to join the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, evidently the US has not currently observed and acted upon this declaration, otherwise we would not be taking action today. This document informs our action, we also assert that UNDRIP supports the basis for our action.<br /><br />Although a current legal battle is under appeal, Snowbowl owners have chosen to undermine judicial process by rushing to construct the pipeline. Not only do they disregard culture, environment, and our children’s health, they have proven that they are criminals beyond reproach. Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say “enough!”<br /><br />As we take action, we look to the East and see Bear Butte facing desecration, Mt. Taylor facing further uranium mining; to the South, Mt. Graham desecrated, South Mountain threatened, the US/Mexico border severing Indigenous communities from sacred places; to the West, inspiring resistance at Sogorea Te, Moana Keya facing desecration; to the North, Mt. Tenabo, Grand Canyon, Black Mesa, and so many more… our homelands and our culture under assault.<br /><br />We thought that the USDA, heads of the Forest Service, had meant it when they initiated nationwide listening sessions to protect sacred places. If the process was meaningful, we would not have to take action today.<br /><br />More than 13 Indigenous Nations hold the Peaks Holy. The question has been asked yet we hear no response, “what part of sacred don’t you understand?”<br /><br />For hundreds of years resistance to colonialism, slavery, & destruction of Mother Earth has existed and continues here in what we now call Arizona.<br /><br />The United States recently moved to join the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, evidently the US has not currently observed and acted upon this declaration, otherwise we would not be taking action today. This document informs our action, we also assert that UNDRIP supports the basis for our action.<br /><br />We continue today resisting Snowbowl’s plan to spray millions of gallons of wastewater snow, which is filled with cancer causing and other harmful contaminants, as well as clear-cut over 30,000 trees. The Peaks are a pristine and beautiful place, a fragile ecosystem, and home to rare and endangered species of plants and animals.<br /><br />Our action is a prayer.<br /><br />We invite those of you who could not join us today and who believe in the protection of culture, the environment and community health to resist destruction and desecration of the Peaks:<br /><br /><br />- Join us and others in physically stopping all Snowbowl development!<br />- Honor and defend Indigenous Peoples’ inherent right to protect Sacred Places<br />- Resist colonialism and capitalism! Embrace diverse tactics to end Snowbowl’s and all corporate greed<br />- Demand USDA end Snowbowl’s Special Use Permit<br />- Demand that the City of Flagstaff Mayor and Council find a way out of their contract to sell wastewater to Snowbowl<br />- Demand that Arizona Department of Environmental Quality change its permission allowing wastewater to be used for snowmaking.Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-6538616034322556792011-02-21T19:13:00.000-08:002011-02-21T19:16:41.934-08:00Border Patrol Headquarters Occupation Protesters to Fight Charges Group Calls for Further Action Against Border Militarization<p>Tucson, AZ— On February 23, 2011, 2:00 PM at Tucson City Court, five of the six protesters who locked-down and occupied the US Border Patrol (BP) – Tucson Headquarters on May 21, 2010 are going to trial fighting one count each of “criminal trespassing”.</p> <p>The action was taken, in part, to demand that BP, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), their parent entity, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Obama administration end militarization of the border, end the criminalization of immigrant communities, and end their campaign of terror which rips families apart through increasing numbers of raids and deportations.</p> <p>Alex Soto, one of the arrestees and member of O’odham Solidarity Across Borders states, “As we did not enter the BP headquarters alone but with prayers of O’odham elders and community supporters, we are asking for support once again for our continued stand against border militarization. Our messaging is the reality for everyone that is forced to feel the pain that borders inflict upon us in our daily lives. The Border Patrol is not the only agency responsible for the militarization of the border – and it’s subsequent destruction of Indigenous and migrant communities – or the only benefactors of border militarization.” Soto states.</p> <p>In a previous release O’odham Solidarity Across Borders and O’odham elders stated, “The development of the border wall has lead to desecration of Tohono O’odham ancestors graves, it has divided communities and prevents O’odham from accessing sacred places. Troops and paramilitary law enforcement, detention camps, check points, and citizenship verification are not a solution to “issues” of migration. Indigenous Peoples have existed here long before these imposed borders, elders inform us that we always honored freedom of movement. Why are Indigenous communities and the daily deaths at the border ignored? The impacts of border militarization are constantly made invisible in the media, the popular culture of this country and even the mainstream immigrants rights movement which has often pushed for “reform” that means further militarization of the border, which means increased suffering for Indigenous communities. Border militarization destroys Indigenous communities.”</p> <p>Since the creation of the current U.S./Mexico border, 45 O’odham villages on or near the border have been completely depopulated.</p> <p>According to the migrant support group No More Deaths, from October 2009 to Sept. 2010 there have been more than 250 deaths on the Arizona border alone.</p> <p>For the full press release and additional resources please see the</p> <h3><a href="http://survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/against-border-militirization/">AGAINST BORDER MILITARIZATION page</a></h3><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6lKGFy2KR7o" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe> <p><span style="text-align: center; display: block;"> </span></p> <h2><br /><strong>….Calls for Further Action Against Border Militarization</strong></h2> <p>Actions toward ending border militarization and the decriminalization of<br />our communities:<br />- Immediately withdraw National Guard Troops from the US/Mexico border<br />- Immediately halt development of the border wall<br />- Immediately remove drones and checkpoints<br />- Decommission all detention camps and release all presently held<br />undocumented migrants<br />- Immediately honor Indigenous Peoples rights of self-determination<br />- Fully comply with the recently signed UN Declaration on the Rights of<br />Indigenous Peoples<br />- Respect Indigenous People’s inherent right of migration<br />- End NAFTA, FTAA and other trade agreements<br />- Immediately repeal SB1070 and 287g<br />- End all racial profiling<br />- No BP encroachment/sweeps on sovereign Native land<br />- No raids and deportations<br />- Immediate and unconditional regularization (“legalization”) of all people<br />- Uphold human freedom and rights<br />- Support dignity and respect<br />- Support and ensure freedom of movement for all people</p> <p>Put this message in action and help end the attack on Indigenous and migrant communities. Take these messages to the street where you are. If you can, join us inside and outside the court room in Tucson at<br />2:00pm. on February 23, 2011. Tucson City Court is located at 103 E. Alameda St. Tucson, AZ.</p> <p>For the full press release and additional resources please see the</p> <h3><a href="http://survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/against-border-militirization/">AGAINST BORDER MILITARIZATION page</a></h3>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-64997315545472316422010-07-13T17:09:00.000-07:002010-07-13T17:18:41.224-07:00SAVE THE PEAKS! July 15th - 16th, 2010 - PHOENIX, AZ Prayer Vigil<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bmtz4J6W6Q0&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Bmtz4J6W6Q0&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><br /><br />Wesley Bolin Memorial Park<br />Please spread the word. If you cannot make it to Phoenix or Flagstaff please consider organizing a vigil, rally or event in your community!<br /><br />If you would like to help with outreach you can pick up posters at Taala Hooghan infoshop in Flagstaff (1704 N 2nd St. near Rt 66 and 4th St.) or you can print your own from www.savethepeaks.org. Volunteer support is also needed, contact phxrally@www.truesnow.org/<br /><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><br /><br />SAVE THE PEAKS!<br />July 15th - 16th, 2010<br />PHOENIX, AZ<br />Prayer Vigil • March • Rally<br /><br />Arizona Snowbowl is attempting to expand development on the San Francisco Peaks and make fake snow out of treated sewage effluent on our public lands. This wastewater has been proven to contain harmful contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, hormones and cancer causing agents.<br /><br />The US Forest Service has ignored public health concerns and approved this development without any tests to determine the health effects if our children eat the wastewater snow.<br /><br />Snowbowl would be the only ski area in the world to use 100% wastewater to make snow. They would use 1.5 million gallons per day, storing and spraying this wastewater on a mountain that is holy to more than 13 Indigenous Nations.<br /><br />Rideshare available: ride@savethepeaks.org<br />There is also a rideshare board at Taala Hooghan Infoshop<br />1704 N. 2nd St Flagstaff, AZ 86004<br /><br />SCHEDULE:<br /><br />THURSDAY, JULY 15TH<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Taking Action for Healthy Communities</span><br />Free dinner and discussion - 6:30PM - 9:30PM<br /><br />At Serena Juste (Padilla) Residence<br />Onk Akimel O'odham Nation (Salt River)<br />9312 E. Thomas Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85256<br /><br />Camping available<br />Please RSVP atwww.truesnow.org/<br /><br />FRIDAY, JULY 16TH<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunrise Prayer Gathering for Protection of Sacred Places</span><br />At Serena Juste (Padilla) Residence<br />Onk Akimel O'odham Nation (Salt River)<br />9312 E. Thomas Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85256<br /><br />NOON - Rally and March to Protect the Peaks<br />Wesley Bolin Memorial Park<br />1700 West Washington St.<br />Phoenix, AZ 85007<br /><br />We will gather at Wesley Bolin Park at about Noon and do a prayer circle. Then we will march down the sidewalk on Washington St. to the Courthouse. Please be sure to bring water and anything you might need to be out in the sun for a few hours. It is HOT in Phoenix. Parking is available at the park, but it is recommended that you use one of the parking garages along Washington and Jefferson to park since they are covered and we cannot be responsible if your car gets towed from the Bolin park parking lot after we head out.<br /><br />Flagstaff Solidarity Vigil: July 16th -- 2PM - 4PM City Hall Lawn<br /><br />More information:www.truesnow.org/Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-9208279606073135802010-07-13T16:44:00.000-07:002010-07-13T17:06:53.533-07:00SAVE THE PEAKS July 14 Final Clean Up of GroundsO'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective is putting a call out for immediate support for the upcoming Thursday, JULY 15/16, Save the Peak's Taking Action for Healthy Communities<br />dinner and discussion At Serena Juste Padilla Residence (Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community). A few last minute tasks need to be completed on the grounds in preparation for the dinner.<br /><br />At this time, we are asking for individuals to help support us with preparing the site.<br /><br />Support looks like:<br /><br />Picking up trash<br />Raking<br />Basic yard work<br /><br />This is most immediate need of support as of now. Additional support will be announced late this week.<br /><br />These preparations will help ensure the space to host Thursday dinner and discussion around taking action for healthy communities. Part of healthy communities is supporting each others needs. In the past OSABC, has given and received solidarity/support in working towards community awareness/ empowerment. In an effort to make the most welcoming environment for our friends up north, OSABC is asking for individuals who have helped in previous solidarity efforts with indigenous people.<br /><br />Lets come together for a healthy community of support.<br /><br />We plan to start on:<br /><br />July 14<br />Wednesday Morning<br />6:00 am - ???<br />(YES, WE KNOW ITS EARLY, BUT HEY, WE LIVE IN THE DESERT, MEANING WE NEED TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN BEFORE IT GETS HOT!)<br /><br />Don't forget to bring water<br /><br />So if you are interested, email us at:oodhamjeved@gmail.com<br />or call 602-881-6027<br /><br />So we can help coordinate with transportation and direction to the site.<br /><br />(***additional ground work may be need Thursday as well***)<br /><br />If you are unable to attend, you can support by attending Thursdays dinner/gathering and Fridays ralley.<br />For more info, please go to: www.truesnow.org/Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-34588552838773436982010-06-01T13:45:00.001-07:002010-06-01T22:44:53.102-07:00Border Patrol HQ Occupiers Call for Direct Action Support<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x5Fw45bmc-QmcNJKcC9ZoQt0elZZe_LqYlVBYhK6uVEZL-tMDEXEGTn-Ye3DVRqVzCHGxDy23AsPUYHBSjrfdBo1BZhpgPXgrO_uJhYpl5eFFGbTJuqE_Wd9lpU6aiI_I6c9wo8r6Vfg/s1600/bpsolid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7x5Fw45bmc-QmcNJKcC9ZoQt0elZZe_LqYlVBYhK6uVEZL-tMDEXEGTn-Ye3DVRqVzCHGxDy23AsPUYHBSjrfdBo1BZhpgPXgrO_uJhYpl5eFFGbTJuqE_Wd9lpU6aiI_I6c9wo8r6Vfg/s400/bpsolid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477909223502986930" border="0" /></a><br />Scuckson (Occupied Territories of Tucson, AZ) -- On June 1, 2010 at 8:30AM (MST) the 6 peaceful resisters who locked down and occupied the Border Patrol Headquarters in Tucson, AZ on May 21, plead not guilty to charges of Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespassing at Tucson City Court. At this point no trial date has been set, and additional court proceedings are anticipated at the end of June and the beginning of July.<br /><br />More than a dozen peaceful resisters, six of whom used devices to lock-down, occupied the Border Patrol Headquarters to demand that the Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Obama Administration end border militarization. The occupation lasted more than 4 hours while 70 supporters were outside protesting border militarization in solidarity with the six people locking down.<br /><br />We reaffirm our opposition to border militarization and racist laws such as SB1070. We are committed to direct forms of action that uphold human dignity and respect. Terrorizing and destroying Indigenous communities, as well as the criminalizing of migrant communities, through racist legislation such as SB1070, must end.<br /><br />In the past 10 days, since the peaceful act of resistance, the Obama administration has chosen to further military aggression against Indigenous & migrant communities by adding $500 million for "enhanced border protection and law enforcement activities" and mobilizing 1,200 National Guard Troops to the US and Mexico border. Even still, Arizona Senator John McCain threatens to double the number of troops in the borderlands.<br /><br />We are making a non-exclusive call for affinity to those who stand in solidarity with us and others who take direct action against border militarization and the criminalization of our people.<br /><br />These are some ways you can support those who continue to choose to take more direct forms of action against state violence in our communities:<br />- Hold Janet Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security accountable to its attack on indigenous/migrant communities.<br />- Donate funds for legal defensive and offensive work<br />- Show solidarity at court proceedings<br />- Jail support<br />- Provide legal support/observing<br />- Media support<br />- Spread the message!<br /><br />Make a donation to support legal defense/offense at:<br /><a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Contact: stopbordermilitarization@gmail.com<br /><br />For previous news releases and statements visit: <a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/</a>Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-49682435556194355692010-05-26T18:36:00.000-07:002010-05-28T10:34:02.308-07:00END BORDER MILITARIZATION CONTINGENT @ 05.29.10 National Day of Action Against SB1070 in PHXEND BORDER MILITARIZATION CONTINGENT<br />DEMANDING DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR INDIGENOUS AND MIGRANT COMMUNITIES<br />National Day of Action Against SB1070<br />May 29, 2010<br /><br />O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective sends you greetings from occupied O'odham lands,<br /><br />We urge all who support indigenous nations and migrant communities to join us on Saturday May 29th at the National Day of Action Against SB1070 to demand that Border Patrol (BP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), their parent entity, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Obama administration end militarization of the border, end the criminalization of immigrant communities, and end their campaign of terror which tear families apart through increasing numbers of raids and deportations.<br /><br />This contingent is in support of the O'odham elders, and other indigenous elders that will be leading the march. It is a follow-up to last Friday’s (May 21st) Peaceful Occupation of the US Border Patrol Headquarters in Tucson, AZ. We hope to use this formation to voice the end of border militarization and racist, colonial laws that attack not just indigenous communities, but migrant ones too. We hope to project true Indigenous/Migrant solidarity in the face of the state's police oppression, and the immigration reform movement’s suppressive tactics to further marginalize the indigenous voice in border policies and colonial laws that affect us all.<br /><br />The contingent also calls on the State of Arizona to repeal the racist Senate Bill 1070 that criminalizes immigrant communities on the state level, makes it illegal to transport or harbor an undocumented person regardless of family relationship, requires police agencies to engage in racial profiling, and ultimately is an attempt to ethnically cleanse Arizona of those with brown skin.<br /><br />The contingent demands:<br />• An end to border militarization<br />• The immediate repeal of SB1070 and 287g<br />• An end to all racial profiling and the criminalization of communities of color<br />• No ethnic cleansing or cultural genocide<br />• No border patrol encroachment/sweeps on sovereign native land<br />No to comprehensive immigration reform that further militarizes the border or exploits migrant labor<br />• No Deportations<br />• No Raids<br />• No ID-verification<br />• No Checkpoints<br /><br />• Yes to immediate and unconditional regularization (“legalization”) of all people<br />• Yes to human rights<br />• Yes to dignity<br />• Yes to respect<br />• Yes to respecting Indigenous Peoples inherent right of migration<br /><br />Support looks like:<br />• Banners calling for an end to border militarization,for migrant/indigenous solidarity, and drawing the connection between racist laws like SB1070/287g/HB2281, immigration reform and the destruction of indigenous and migrant communities.<br />• Noise makers, puppets and other visuals, etc.<br />•Cop Watching, video documentation, legal observation of the contingent and the march to ensure safety in light of police repression<br />•Medics prepared for sun exposure, dehydration, police attacks<br />•Our own “security” – not to police our people, but to deescalate the police, step-in as a barrier in case of a police attack, help people cross the street, etc.<br />•People who can flyer/lecture expressing our message.<br /><br />Join us on Friday, May 28th to help prepare for the following day. Bring materials to finish making signs, banners, noise makers, etc. To connect, let us know you're down, meet up with us on Friday, if you have any questions or for more information, contact Alex Soto @ 602.881.6027 or Ned @323.541.2352 or stopbordermilitarization@gmail.com.Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-69095652155447557382010-05-22T18:06:00.001-07:002010-05-22T18:33:03.455-07:00Video: Occupation & Lockdown of Tucson Border Patrol HQ<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6lKGFy2KR7o&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6lKGFy2KR7o&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br />OCCUPATION OF BORDER PATROL HEADQUATERS<br />DAVIS-MONTHAN AIRFORCE BASE, TUCSON, AZ<br /><br /><a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/05/occupation-of-border-patrol-headquaters.html"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1st NATION AND MIGRANTS OPPOSE SB1070 DEMAND DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND END TO BORDER MILITARIZATION</span></a><br /><br />Tucson, AZ – More than a dozen people occupied Border Patrol headquarters at Davis-Monthan Airforce Base today in an act of peaceful resistance. The group includes members of Indigenous Nations of Arizona, migrants, people of color and white allies. Six people used chains and other devices to lock themselves in the building. These Arizona residents disrupted the Border Patrol operations to demand that Border Patrol (BP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), their parent entity, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Obama administration end militarization of the border, end the criminalization of immigrant communities, and end their campaign of terror which tear families apart through increasing numbers of raids and deportations. (<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/05/occupation-of-border-patrol-headquaters.html">read more...</a>)SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-30545959724966394992010-05-22T03:39:00.000-07:002010-05-24T17:37:42.396-07:00Activists Lockdown & Occupy US Border Patrol Headquarters Demanding End to Border Militarization, Protesters Cited and Released<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjwmHgTvyWnhvPCfxcUTZzCZwxzH0muoBQatnb0-bEjoYfjP0L_eEyHCItA6RgZNUr5KuqJHD1bA1vekljBQBZmk0Nvv7TltvilphGJ8OZxe8UGVI2wAjukDceotLoYXJ30bdkZS5h9Y/s1600/987219BA17E061B9AB1071FD21D1F351_980_600.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjwmHgTvyWnhvPCfxcUTZzCZwxzH0muoBQatnb0-bEjoYfjP0L_eEyHCItA6RgZNUr5KuqJHD1bA1vekljBQBZmk0Nvv7TltvilphGJ8OZxe8UGVI2wAjukDceotLoYXJ30bdkZS5h9Y/s400/987219BA17E061B9AB1071FD21D1F351_980_600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474119218013559794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span> High resolution pictures and B-roll available at: www.oodhamsolidarity.blogs</span><div><wbr><span class="word_break"></span>pot.com<br /><br />Tucson, AZ – At approximately 1:00PM Friday, May 21, 2010 more than a dozen people occupied the Tucson Headquarters of the US Border Patrol to draw attention to impacts of border militarization in Indigenous Communities. Six people, including Alex Soto a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation and a volunteer with the group O’odham Solidarity Across Borders, locked themselves together for up to 3 and 1/2 hours. “Indigenous voices have been ignored. In our action today we say NO MORE!” Said Soto.<br /><br />Banners were hung, including one placed over the reception window that read, “Stop Militarization of Indigenous Lands Now”, traditional songs were sung and the group chanted, “Border militarization destroys Indigenous communities!” and “No raids, no deportations! No SB1070, no racist laws!” Approximately 30 Border Patrol agents flooded the lobby of the headquarters and scrambled to react. Roads to the headquarters and adjacent air force base were shut down. Tucson City Police were eventually called and began preparing an extraction of the peaceful resisters.<br /><br />A diverse crowd of up to 70 people quickly gathered outside the Border Patrol headquarters to support those locked down inside. Ofelia Rivas of O’odham Voices Against The Wall, an elder in support of the action stated, “It was a historical and powerful moment for people of all color to unite with O’odham to stand in solidarity for human rights and to see the next generation take a stand”.<br /><br />At approximately 4 o’clock the peaceful resisters negotiated the conditions of their release on their terms. Their requests to consult with Tohono O’odham elders to negotiate terms of release were denied by Tucson Police. The protesters decided to unlock and were cited for two misdemeanors each of trespassing and disorderly conduct. The resisters were released just outside the premises to join supporters where they gathered in traditional prayer and rallied against border militarization for another hour. Community members including members of the Pasqual Yaqui, Tohono O'odham, and Dine' Nations reacted emotionally when two Wackenhut Corp. buses left the Border Patrol compound filled with undocumented people. The detainees responded with returning the symbol of resistance - a raised fist.<br /><br />“This is just one action of many that makes visible the invisible crimes against humanity that occur every day on the colonial border,” stated one of the peaceful resisters. “We commit to honoring the prayers and call for support of the people most impacted by border militarization, the Indigenous Peoples who’s lands we are on and migrants who seek a better life for their families. We cannot not allow government agencies, border patrol, ICE or reformist agendas to further their suffering. We will continue our actions of peaceful resistance for human dignity and respect for all peoples.”<br /><br />The action also denounced SB1070 and HB2281 as racist laws that are a part of an ongoing system of genocidal policies against Indigenous Peoples and migrant communities.<br /><br />For previous Press Statement, please see attachment.<br />Note to editors, high resolution photos attached; Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective<br /><br />Media Contacts:<br />Alex Soto (602) 881-6027<br />Leilani Clark (520) 982-5687<br /><span> stopbordermilitarization@</span><wbr>gmail.com </div>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-60276349385582989752010-05-22T03:01:00.000-07:002010-05-22T18:33:04.837-07:00Mainstream Coverage of Tucson Border Patrol Occupation Newslinks.Down below are links to mainstream media coverage of the occupation.<br />OSABC would like to share this link of today's occupation of Border Patrol in particular, down below.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.kvoa.com/news/8-people-cited-after-protest-at-border-patrol-headquarters/">6 people cited after protest at Border Patrol Headquarters (KVOA.com-Tucson and Southern AZ)</a><br /><br />Our voice, put into words in the <a aiotarget="false" aiotitle="1st NATIONS AND MIGRANTS OPPOSE SB1070 DEMAND DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND END TO BORDER MILITARIZATION" href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/05/occupation-of-border-patrol-headquaters.html">"1st NATIONS AND MIGRANTS OPPOSE SB1070 DEMAND DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND END TO BORDER MILITARIZATION</a>"statement, was to our surprise, expressed succinctly in this article's line below:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The demonstrators say they are protesting SB 1070 and any military presence at the border."<br /></span></span></span><br /><br />In this occupation, we came from our voice, the O'odham voice, along with other indigenous voices in the region, to address the bigger attack on indigenous/migrant communities by colonial, racist border policies/racist laws of the United States.<br /><br />I'm glad that most coverage was positive of our peaceful resistance, but at the same time, I would hope the consideration and respect of our people (O'odham) is given in all coverage of this occupation. We would hope the colonial marginalization of our people, and all indigenous people, will not be continue in coverage of this occupation. We must recongnize where we are at. In southern AZ and northern Sonora, this is our traditional homelands, O'odham jewed (land).<br /><br />Down below, are more links:<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.kvoa.com/news/8-people-cited-after-protest-at-border-patrol-headquarters/">6people cited after protest at Border Patrol Headquarters (KVOA.com-Tucson and Southern AZ)</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Video:</span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12523363">Update: Six protestors unlink themselves, leave Border Patrol lobby (KOLD13-CBS Tucson)</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Report:</span><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5887438-activists-occupy-border-patrol-headquarters-in-tucson">Activists Occupy Border Patrol Headquarters in Tucson (Allvoices.com)</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=12523251">Protesters cited after sit in at Border Patrol offices in Tucson (KGUN9-ABC Tucson)</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/05/tucson_border_patrol_hq_protes.php">Tucson Border Patrol HQ Protested by Activists, Half-Dozen cited by Tucson PD (Phx Newtimes)</a>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-13136877979638141342010-05-21T23:31:00.000-07:002010-05-22T04:59:25.295-07:00Photos from Tucson Border Patrol Headquarters Occupation to End Border Militarization<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7eGzON6P6_Qmg7eclcwv8KJVR5gAWm5G4P9OBFZhWF4dy3M-zNjloi_m-fQSt4SWD-bH__uBbKYqmnvNox7P0Cm2Rz0i_Z4_RGZtWw4BrPfknnpXFUKepNnPXWnY48cMDvxNTBQaK6k/s1600/SDC11009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7eGzON6P6_Qmg7eclcwv8KJVR5gAWm5G4P9OBFZhWF4dy3M-zNjloi_m-fQSt4SWD-bH__uBbKYqmnvNox7P0Cm2Rz0i_Z4_RGZtWw4BrPfknnpXFUKepNnPXWnY48cMDvxNTBQaK6k/s400/SDC11009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473979849496120418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEB-5X4F_44A4FZ326e8abQ6EwUujxa_kwkOOmIRm4Y74c-grg3X5Ev-iWU-XCC4bLAh0xyqAI13e668W_usNMrHcSaNnJ2NjGMzKGjafKzD0xmyrEf-EXAtEMRsnS71OVG14UXEFVsM/s1600/SDC11005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEB-5X4F_44A4FZ326e8abQ6EwUujxa_kwkOOmIRm4Y74c-grg3X5Ev-iWU-XCC4bLAh0xyqAI13e668W_usNMrHcSaNnJ2NjGMzKGjafKzD0xmyrEf-EXAtEMRsnS71OVG14UXEFVsM/s400/SDC11005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473979838237124994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzV5eyEGb7mnQ24FM2yT0qWMyJ7_GdBbsdyh8wwEkyt0bhxloLcjo6n4dRCHlyeS07jzjqIMZ93-qrMFc6vd5Pse1jMijo-Vc_KWt24gZ1c2Hv7l4_xJwW2jQxDUvh6WwaCn-4AxsDfTA/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzV5eyEGb7mnQ24FM2yT0qWMyJ7_GdBbsdyh8wwEkyt0bhxloLcjo6n4dRCHlyeS07jzjqIMZ93-qrMFc6vd5Pse1jMijo-Vc_KWt24gZ1c2Hv7l4_xJwW2jQxDUvh6WwaCn-4AxsDfTA/s400/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473979834826953410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmlSzNemrVV8dL3xcbfhPHFpt4KCMesrwVy5wuhelAvH8LC1bw2zyyt571UGe6bwZE1-LPI7-A3VLOxKybrjXMAOjv0QjhVzfm2kchy_O28KeN2ZrPp0exc2mrKnIXqUy99BpnhmW_fw/s1600/SDC10999.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmlSzNemrVV8dL3xcbfhPHFpt4KCMesrwVy5wuhelAvH8LC1bw2zyyt571UGe6bwZE1-LPI7-A3VLOxKybrjXMAOjv0QjhVzfm2kchy_O28KeN2ZrPp0exc2mrKnIXqUy99BpnhmW_fw/s400/SDC10999.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473979820709030050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo credits: O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective</span></span></div>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-57480088799505367792010-05-21T13:00:00.000-07:002010-05-22T05:00:22.602-07:00OCCUPATION OF BORDER PATROL HEADQUATERS DAVIS-MONTHAN AIRFORCE BASE, TUCSON, AZ<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_PLT4LfUr6C-o9VpqK5gKgz3DGfOA_HFEdCXgsDKZUMYn9uTrfZ07h-MtZraFjKW_YLZY8MYXh_RS2nspcVFYzj1cqW-lFcLSt2xOgSuSJzwsZvIglr96-67REfpXQx1XcSjLo0MJ-8/s1600/30737_395476199500_764779500_3904694_8258545_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_PLT4LfUr6C-o9VpqK5gKgz3DGfOA_HFEdCXgsDKZUMYn9uTrfZ07h-MtZraFjKW_YLZY8MYXh_RS2nspcVFYzj1cqW-lFcLSt2xOgSuSJzwsZvIglr96-67REfpXQx1XcSjLo0MJ-8/s400/30737_395476199500_764779500_3904694_8258545_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474030834424410066" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />For Immediate Release Media Contacts:<br />Friday, May 21, 2010 Leilani Clark (520)982-5687<br /><br /><br />OCCUPATION OF BORDER PATROL HEADQUATERS<br />DAVIS-MONTHAN AIRFORCE BASE, TUCSON, AZ<br /><br />1st NATION AND MIGRANTS OPPOSE SB1070 DEMAND DIGNITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND END TO BORDER MILITARIZATION<br /><br />“The militarized border imposed by the U.S. has lead only to cultural and environmental destruction of the indigenous peoples whose land is on or near the border. This militarization brings death and terror for indigenous peoples from other parts of the continent migrating to this land.”<br />21 May 2010<br /><br />Tucson, AZ – More than a dozen people occupied Border Patrol headquarters at Davis-Monthan Airforce Base today in an act of peaceful resistance. The group includes members of Indigenous Nations of Arizona, migrants, people of color and white allies. Six people used chains and other devices to lock themselves in the building. These Arizona residents disrupted the Border Patrol operations to demand that Border Patrol (BP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), their parent entity, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Obama administration end militarization of the border, end the criminalization of immigrant communities, and end their campaign of terror which tear families apart through increasing numbers of raids and deportations.<br /><br />The protesters also call on the State of Arizona to repeal the racist Senate Bill 1070 that criminalizes immigrant communities on the state level, makes it illegal to transport or harbor an undocumented person regardless of family relationship, requires police agencies to engage in racial profiling, and ultimately is an attempt to ethnically cleanse Arizona of those with brown skin. This act of civil disobedience was only the latest in an increasing wave of direct action targeting the federal government’s terrorist immigration policies.<br /><br />Border militarization destroys Indigenous communities.<br />The development of the border wall has lead to desecration of our ancestors graves, it has divided our communities and prevents us from accessing sacred places.<br />Troops and paramilitary law enforcement, detention camps, check points, and citizenship verification are not a solution to migration. We have existed here long before these imposed borders, my elders inform us that we always honored freedom of movement. Why our communities and the daily deaths at the border ignored? The impacts of border militarization are constantly made invisible in the media, the popular culture of this country and even the mainstream immigrants rights movement which has often pushed for “reform” that means further militarization of the border, which means increased suffering for our communities.<br /><br />Indigenous communities such as the O’odham, the Pascua Yaqui, Laipan Apache, Kickapoo, and Cocopah along the US/Mexico border have been terrorized with laws and practices like SB1070 for decades. Indigenous people along the border have been forced by border patrol to carry and provide proof of tribal membership when moving across their traditional lands that have been bisected by this imposed border; a border that has been extremely damaging to the cultural and spiritual practices of these communities. Many people are not able to journey to sacred sites because the communities where people live are on the opposite side of the border from these sites. Since the creation of the current U.S./Mexico border, 45 O’odham villages on or near the border have been completely depopulated.<br /><br />On this day people who are indigenous to Arizona join with migrants who are indigenous to other parts of the Western Hemisphere in demanding a return to traditional indigenous value of freedom of movement for all people. Prior to the colonization by European nations (spaniards, english, french) and the establishment of the european settler state known as the United States and the artificial borders it and other european inspired nation states have imposed; indigenous people migrated, traveled and traded with each other without regard to artificial black lines drawn on maps. U.S. immigration policies dehumanize and criminalize people simply because which side of these artificial lines they were born on. White settlers whose ancestors have only been here at most for a few hundred years have imposed these policies of terror and death on “immigrants” whose ancestors have lived in this hemisphere for tens of thousands of years, for time immemorial.<br /><br />In addition, the migration that the U.S. government is attempting to stop is driven more than anything else by the economic policies of the U.S. Free trade agreements such as NAFTA have severely reduced the ability of Mexicans and others from the global south to sustain themselves by permitting corporations to extract huge amounts of wealth and resources from these countries into the U.S. This has led to millions of people risking the terror and death that so many face to cross into the U.S. looking for ways to better support their families. Thousand of women, men, children and elders have died crossing just in the last decade. If the U.S. really wants to reduce migration it should end its policies of exploitation and wealth extraction targeted at the global south and instead pursue policies of economic, environmental and social justice for all human beings on the planet, thus reducing the drive to immigrate.<br /><br />The protestors are demanding:<br />-An end to border militarization<br />-The immediate repeal of SB1070 and 287g<br />-An end to all racial profiling and the criminalization of our communities<br />-No ethnic cleansing or cultural genocide<br />-No border patrol encroachment/sweeps on sovereign native land<br />-No Deportations<br />-No Raids<br />-No ID-verification<br />-No Checkpoints<br /><br />-Yes to immediate and unconditional regularization (“legalization”) of all people<br />-Yes to human rights<br />-Yes to dignity<br />-Yes to respect<br />Yes to respecting Indigenous Peoples inherent right of migration<br /><br />###SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-8939235368999996282010-05-16T20:11:00.000-07:002010-05-17T11:44:19.570-07:00Tucson: Indigenous Peoples Protest Againt SB 1070 and HB 2281 Demostration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic93m4o_8xO-ekF-DMG5RzCUKAjXNShNPo2raMgDz1PHjDla_pKlh-pUz5uFl3aaeEPxG6FveDbiN_i5YiHfsslcasu_gcqiu3rj1iZ2OclbTKn2M-dvY1zS7EW3lyiBX98H_LSIuu7TQ/s1600/INDIGresist02-200dpi-supercrammed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic93m4o_8xO-ekF-DMG5RzCUKAjXNShNPo2raMgDz1PHjDla_pKlh-pUz5uFl3aaeEPxG6FveDbiN_i5YiHfsslcasu_gcqiu3rj1iZ2OclbTKn2M-dvY1zS7EW3lyiBX98H_LSIuu7TQ/s400/INDIGresist02-200dpi-supercrammed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472310866480263250" border="0" /></a><br />Anti-immigration bills such as SB 1070 rest on the "securing" of the borders in order to manage the flow of migration. This securing includes and is not limited to a physical wall to be made on Indigenous land (Tohono O'odham/Lipan Apache to name a few). The state's power to waive pre-existing laws (such as NEPA, NAGPRA) in the name of security, directly attacks Indigenous autonomy/sovereignty. The "political" solution will bring forced removal and relocation of the many Indigenous nations that span "their" borders by means of a reinforced physical barrier. In addition, the peoples who will be primarily targeted for racial profiling will be Indigenous peoples on both sides of the U.S/Mexico border. The passage of HB 2281 further contributes to the cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples by criminalizing the histories of Indigenous peoples in our own lands within the Arizona public school system. The immigration struggle is also an Indigenous struggle.<br /><br /><br />PROTEST<br /><br />US Immigration Court<br /><br />160 North Stone Avenue<br /><br />Tucson, AZ 85701-1584<br /><br />Friday, 5/21<br /><br />11am - 1pm.<br /><br /><br />For those attending the NAISA conference, please gather in the lobby of Westin at 10:15am.<br /><br />For more information on the protest, contact:<br /><br />NAISA members: contact Mishuana Goeman, Southern California Native Feminist Group, at mishuana@gmail.com<br />Support the following Indigenous groups organizing against SB 1070:<br /><br />O’odham Solidarity Against Borders Collective<br /><a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Táala Hooghan Infoshop<br /><a href="http://www.taalahooghan.org/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.taalahooghan.org</a><br /><br />Lipan Apache Women’s Defense <a href="http://lipanapachecommunitydefense.blogspot.com/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://lipanapachecommunitydefense.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />O'odham Voices Against the Wall,<br /><a href="http://www.solidarity-project.org/" onmousedown="'UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this)," rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.solidarity-project.org/</a><br /><br />Council Advocating an Indigenous Manifesto<br />indigenize@gmail.comSuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-67803544380709420542010-05-10T13:59:00.000-07:002010-05-10T19:16:35.466-07:00Mexico: Human Rights Defender? Since when?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZO-4xVIQ3PNfxJZ4Wtwwz_88dqAeoIfl5saE8TZRCWkowMo1IiWXeTeRg-F4WeF4RIr9Cu-vVofsbeNmq-NMnp3HHxbbNPyS-IOXhq_gRkUTqpXUzY-M6s3cHgTsDV16rHFXQbTqoYo/s1600/TORunner1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZO-4xVIQ3PNfxJZ4Wtwwz_88dqAeoIfl5saE8TZRCWkowMo1IiWXeTeRg-F4WeF4RIr9Cu-vVofsbeNmq-NMnp3HHxbbNPyS-IOXhq_gRkUTqpXUzY-M6s3cHgTsDV16rHFXQbTqoYo/s400/TORunner1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469664225501523538" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Shap kwoj</span>,<br /><br />OSABC wanted to share last month's article from the Tohono O'odham Runner about the new restrictions of movement that the Mexican Government made into law in early March. These <a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/mar/01/mexicos-new-passport-law-takes-effect/">restrictions now require "U.S." citizens, to have a U.S. passport<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></a>in order to travel more than 12 miles into Mexico. This was passed with no reason given, other than <a href="http://www.themonitor.com/articles/new-35671-effect-passport.html">the spokesperson for the Mexican Consulate stating</a>:<br /><a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.themonitor.com/articles/new-35671-effect-passport.html"></a><blockquote>"We are not doing this to hassle Americans or bother them. It is to have better order, be more organized and provide better services".</blockquote>OSABC would like to identify the contradiction in the Mexican Government's need for "paperwork" (U.S. Passport) within "its" boundaries, and its <a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/04/21/20100421arizona-immigration-bill-mexico-criticizes.html">oppositional position in Arizona law SB 1070</a>, which also requires "paperwork" within the state of Arizona. Both policies are a tightened regulation of the free movement of people.<br /><br />Mexico's new restriction are a direct attack on movement for all, but especially for the indigenous on both sides of the border line. For our people, the O'odham, this is a great concern. The article we've reproduced below is from the tribal newspaper, which covers the concerns that our people have with this law in Mexico. Many are concern how this will affect us this coming October as we make our yearly <a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.nusd.k12.az.us/Schools/nhs/gthomson.class/articles/border/news.HUM115/religion/Pilgrimage%20to%20Sonora%20offers%20trek%20of%20faith.pdf">pilgrimage to Malina</a> (also knows as Magdalena), and overall travel into Mexico. Malina is located in the Sonoran state, and is roughly <a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.nusd.k12.az.us/Schools/nhs/gthomson.class/articles/border/news.HUM115/religion/Pilgrimage%20to%20Sonora%20offers%20trek%20of%20faith.pdf">65 miles south of Nogales</a>, clearly passed their 12 mile checkpoint known as "Marker 21".<br /><br />Mexico's new requirement for a U.S. passports affects all O'odham, but especially our elders due to the requirement of a birth certificate. Many of our elders were born outside of the system and do not have records of their birth. Or, as was told to me by my grandpa, were lost in the 1940's when a tribal government storage building containing records, burned down. My grandpa was one of many who lost his "paperwork", and to this day, struggles with the State's ever growing demand for it.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mexico's public denouncement of SB 1070 sounds good on paper, but at the same time we can't help but see the contradiction in its position. The Mexican government and the state of<a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.yumasun.com/news/protest-57901-colorado-rio.html"> Sonoran Goverment officials</a> denounce SB 1070 on grounds of racial profiling, safety and overall humiliation towards its citizens. Do they expect a standing ovation, a round of applause?<br /><br />Hmmm? While at the same time, the human right violations that they denounce, the Mexican State carries out towards the indigenous of Mexico everyday. Ask the Zapatistas and other autonomous indigenous communities that are resisting the Mexican State oppression. The recent news of the <a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://libcom.org/news/dream-san-juan-copala-claudio-albertani-08052010">Mexican paramilitary attack in Oaxaca</a> is just another example of that.<br /><br />For our people, we are now restricted in a 12 mile "cage" between the international line and the 12 mile area "granted" to us by the Mexican State. Our tribal ID's are still "respected" (even though are highly questioned when re-entering the U.S.), but with Mexico's new regulation of movement, we are left wondering how long that will continue.<br /><br />The U.S. could further violate our right to free movement by dismissing our tribal IDs due to Mexico's new regulations. OSABC is left to wonder<a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1257272243349.shtm"> </a><a>if this is <span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);">the first steps towards that</span></a>. The U.S. could have the attitude that since Mexico is requiring everybody to have U.S. passports to travel more than 12miles, then ALL must have a U.S. passport to re-enter the the U.S.<br /><br />Regardless of what the State views as "proper" paperwork in international travel, these policies by both the U.S. and Mexican State undermine and attack indigenous autonomy/sovereignty. SB 1070, U.S. Border Patrol on T.O. Nation (overall presence and check points), and internal Mexican check points are all the same, a control on movement. In our case, also a attack on religious freedom due to the requirement just to embark on our pilgrimage to Malina. These requirements now put our elders in an position where they must plead with the state by applying for passports, but without birth certificates, this makes this process a huge task, to say the least. OSABC feels we should not submit to these requirements. We as O'odham should have the right to free movement. This is still our <span style="font-style: italic;">jewed</span>.<br /><br />OSABC would like to highlight this contradiction so it will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the U.S./Mexican State attack on free movement. Deeper economic policies are into play, that lead to such regulation. If capital can move freely across borders (<a style="color: rgb(204, 102, 0);" href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/05/no-to-sb1070-no-to-border.html">NAFTA</a>), why can't people?<br /><br />The last contradiction out of the Mexican State's new regulation is that it will not apply to travel towards Rocky Point. So, free movement for American tourists, but not for indigenous people.<br /><br />We hope this article below gives some perspective in our struggles to maintain our free movement for cultural autonomy.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(note: the article takes a very complacent stance in the new restrictions.)</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Plan to Journey to Magdalena? Get a Passport</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />ORIGINALLY POSTED IN THE TOHONO O'ODHAM RUNNER<br />APRIL 16, 2010 V.17 NUMBER 18<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">SELLS</span>- If you're planning to make the pilgrimage to Magdalena, Sonora next October, you will need an American passport, and since it can take up to a couple of months to get one, you might want to get started now.<br /><br />The Tohono O'odham Nation's Executive Office issued a travel alert in early March, informing tribal members that Mexican law now requires U.S. citizens traveling south of kilometer marker 21 to have a passport.<br /><br />A handful of inquires about that requirement reveals that some Tohono O'odham are still unclear about the change in Mexican law.<br /><br />Brenda Cruz, Executive Assistant to Tohono O'odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr., said the travel alert is very clear, and the change in Mexican law in no way affects the use of tribal ID cards issued by the Tohono O'odham Nation.<br /><br />She said official tribal ID cards issued by the Nation are accepted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol when O'odham traveling in Mexico are returning to the United States.<br /><br />The need for a passport is something required by the Mexican government for U.S. citizens when traveling in Mexico. Why the Mexican government passed the law is unknown to her, Cruz said.<br /><br />Nonetheless, she said, Magdalena, Sonora, the destination of an annual pilgrimage made by hundreds, even thousands of Tohono O'odham every October, is well below the kilometer 21 marker in Sonora. Because of this, those making the pilgrimage next October will need a U.S. passport, she said.<br /><br />To get one, a person must fill out and file an application for a passport, and one of the required documents to show evidence of U.S. citizenship is a birth certificate. While this is not a problem for young and middle-aged Tohono O'odham, it could affect elders, many of whom were born at home and never got a birth certificate, Cruz said.<br /><br />If this is the case, other secondary evidence such as baptismal and early hospital records can be used, and in some cases even testimony by someone who witnessed the birth, she said. But if a person is an elder, it is unlikely someone who could offer such testimony is alive.<br /><br />Cruz said there may be no relief for elders in this predicament, and some may not be able to make the pilgrimage to Magdalena.<br /><br />For those Tohono O'odham who will be applying for a U.S. passport, they will need their birth certificate and Social Security card. The cost for a regular passport is $100, and the cost for a smaller, wallet-sized passport is $45. The passport card can be used only for travel to Mexico and Canada. For other international travel a regular passport is required.<br /><br />Cruz said she gets from one to two inquires a day about passports, and she cautioned that since it can take up to two months to process and received a passport, it would be wise to get started now.<br /><br />For more information about getting a passport, contact Cruz.<br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></div>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-6891864394842792482010-05-02T00:45:00.000-07:002010-05-07T23:51:14.836-07:00ATTACK THE ROOT! : NO TO SB1070, NO TO BORDER MILITARIZATION, NO TO NAFTA-101<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhodfY0obpZo-AtR6M-uL-Rgk1pVCzZYqTmjR9BhlzzRJMIkxx0sA-BJIwr-m3SDCJlWXNBVzMuBChG4hhpOgEwHdBMsiOSt0veTQd1iAWaCVSoXQQSIu5AeTleS-Pgx1dgxsGzR3P4Ec7/s1600/ReformvMil1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468410262426459410" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 307px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhodfY0obpZo-AtR6M-uL-Rgk1pVCzZYqTmjR9BhlzzRJMIkxx0sA-BJIwr-m3SDCJlWXNBVzMuBChG4hhpOgEwHdBMsiOSt0veTQd1iAWaCVSoXQQSIu5AeTleS-Pgx1dgxsGzR3P4Ec7/s400/ReformvMil1.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);font-size:85%;" >Democrat Senator.Schumer Immigration Reform Plan=SB1070!<br />Reform=militarization!</span></div><div class="post-body entry-content"><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> </style><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We just wanted to share a flyer put together by our good comrade<a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com/"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Chaparral Respects No Borders</span></a></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com/2010/05/freedom-not-reform-native-struggle-from.html">,</a> it sums up not just SB1070, but the overall threat that this bill represents. These threats are not new, but now bring to surface the<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak0oJVmL1fk&feature=related"> global context</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"> </span>of these threats: neo-liberalism. Border security is needed to ensure neo-liberal projects (<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnVL0d9fwkY"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">NAFTA!</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">)</span></a>, and really should be read for what it is: border "</span></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">regulation/</span></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">militarization" of indigenous land to ensure capital exportation of people and resources .<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">As you have seen, and will continue to see, politicians from both parties and <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2010/05/arizonas_capitol_nine_honored.php">reformist immigration activist organizations</a>, push for <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/05/05/20100505immigration-reform-obama-overhaul-this-year.html"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">"Immigration" Reform"</span> </a>which, directly or indirectly, calls for border "militarization". . As <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/04/movement-demands-autonomy-oodham.html">cited in an earlier piece</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">,</span> the "political" solution will bring forced removal and relocation of the many indigenous tribes that span "their" borders by means of a reinforced physical barrier. Regardless of the politics, pseudo-calls for movement unity and <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.mexica-movement.org/">Pan-American Indigenous "Perspective"</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"> </span>(the use of indigenous themes/imagines/icons of liberation, while ignoring the indigenous of the land they organize on), it must be clear that the immigration struggle is also an indigenous struggle.<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">In order for the state to pass immigration reform, it has called for the "securing" of the borders first, in order to manage the flow of migration. This securing includes and is not limited to a physical wall to be made on indigenous land (Tohono O'odham/Lipan Apache to name a few). The state's power to <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.tiamatpublications.com/docs/chertoff_waiver_statement.pdf.pdf">waive pre-existing laws</a> ( such as <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/">NEPA,</a> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Graves_Protection_and_Repatriation_Act">NAGPRA</a>) in the name of security, directly attacks indigenous autonomy/sovereignty. We understand that our voice, the O'odham voice, is greatly undermined by the mainstream media, state/national politicians and sadly, even self proclaimed immigrant/human rights activists. Regardless of their politics, our voice will stay strong in the face of 21st Century marginalization/colonization.<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Our people have survived and kept our him'dag (O'odham way of life) strong through three waves of colonial settlers (Spain, Mexico and United States). OSABC feels, in order to move forward, and attack the State's new wave of colonization, we must understand "where we are at". The very land we all walk on. This has, is and always will be <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CDRAbvXO0SnDVhxPGHPHO95VA6EdgPyit-sQFdXLuJTYry9TxZJryUKwF33osoBqdveOgRSNHFe-m2cyI-0rcd_4vjuv4m5HAEBL0u3nSthNZX8X8ErW3XWa0GOmuNUFCIjwJ7wFRaPD/s1600/OodhamJevedMap2.jpg">O'odham jewed</a>. If others cannot acknowledge the indigenous people of the land, and call for policies that attack them (O'odham! Yaqui!), such as Berlin Wall-like barrier, in the name of "reform/security", then we will witness the cycles of capitalist imperialism continue long into the 21st Century!<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;">ATTACK THE ROOT, NOT EACH OTHER!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >IN SOLIDARITY!</span><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b><span style="font-size:85%;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br /></b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="center"><a href="http://chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com/2010/05/freedom-not-reform-native-struggle-from.html"><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>NO BORDERS! NO RACIST LEGISLATION!</b></span></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Migration is a natural thing, while the necessity of obstructions such as border walls are rationalized by those in power to deal with threats to security against a fortress built on the backs of other people. This fortress is the US, taken and secured by force, built up by slavery and attacks on liberation movements throughout its history. The border is therefore illegitimate and we need not and must not regard migrants as helpless victims to justify their crossing. Everyone should have the right to freedom of movement. Of course migration from south of the border has increased due to the economic and political impacts of neo-liberal projects such as NAFTA.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;font-family:arial;">Homeland Security has nothing to do with making sure we all have homes.<span style="color: rgb(128, 128, 128);font-size:100%;" ><b> </b></span>Especially when so many people are losing their homes, security should mean shelter, food, health care, safety. The governor is pushing for more National Guard on the border and Comprehensive Immigration Reform will likely include increased militarization. Communities, such as the Tohono O’odham, on the border are already severely impacted by militarization, while many migrants die crossing. This will only get worse. It needs to be opposed at all costs.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;font-family:arial;">What is the threat?<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" > </span>The first border patrol and physical barrier on the border are less than one hundred years old, yet some act like we’re doomed if we’re without a border wall. The billions upon billions of dollars to build a wall, buy border security technology, pay border patrol agents, detain hundreds of thousands of migrants, and deport them is hardly justified by the alleged costly impact migrants have on the economy. The impact of supposed over-population is nothing compared to the impact that big corporations- especially weapons manufactures- have on the planet.</p><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Why we oppose the latest anti-immigrant bill, SB 1070:</span></p><ul style="font-family:arial;"><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It allows all police to enforce federal immigration law, allowing them to arrest someone without a warrant if they believe that the person is in the country illegally</span></p></li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Would create the additional crime of trespassing with which any undocumented immigrant could be charged in this state</span></p></li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Would penalize all migrants (legal or not) who don’t carry “an alien registration document”</span></p></li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Criminalizes day laborers and those who pick them up to hire them</span></p></li><li><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Makes it a crime to conceal, harbor, or shield a migrant, including transportation, and also may include renting to migrants</span></p></li></ul><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No to increased border security! No to the created divisions between us and our brothers and sisters based on immigration status! No to continued invasions on native land! No to destroying the environment to build a wall! End NAFTA! We need alternatives to police and jails</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">! </span></p><p face="arial" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZnVL0d9fwkY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZnVL0d9fwkY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /></p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com/">www.chaparralrespectsnoborders.blogspot.com</a><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><a href="http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/">www.firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com</a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/">www.oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com</a></p></div>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-22286061715624342722010-04-27T15:31:00.000-07:002010-05-10T17:34:55.095-07:00Movement Demands Autonomy: An O'odham Perspective on Border Controls and Immigration<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmCEYQVu5UQACLvBTyt1f-pUkaDS43dJ4Rwd8eKqHloMa8XThhHM6nTCYc-JuIkRMQ2E_CFDOfc6r_LqWxupXANT1NuzPKQs6ytliQRe8Xm0BX096fOMoEyHPLSHdDn9b5XNEfpwnbGzx/s1600/IndMig1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmCEYQVu5UQACLvBTyt1f-pUkaDS43dJ4Rwd8eKqHloMa8XThhHM6nTCYc-JuIkRMQ2E_CFDOfc6r_LqWxupXANT1NuzPKQs6ytliQRe8Xm0BX096fOMoEyHPLSHdDn9b5XNEfpwnbGzx/s400/IndMig1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464947734999786354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:78%;" >OSABC stands in solidarity with anti-SB 1070 convergence at the Arizona State Capitol</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"> last weekend</span></span><br /></div><br /><span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />This article has already been distributed in pamphlet form, the few paragraphs immediately below are a few notes on recent developments.</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />In light of the <a href="http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/summary/s.1070pshs.doc.htm"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">state's new attack of SB 1070</span></a> on migrant communities, OSABC would like to show a perspective and experience that is often overlooked in the immigration struggle, that being the indigenous impacts. Indigenous communities have, and still are being attack by the state (meaning the political entity, also called "government") since the first migrants, European settlers, arrived to this hemisphere. But that, we already know. What OSABC would like to express is, WE ARE STILL HERE. As O'odham, we have seen our lands occupied by three colonial states (Spain, Mexico, and now the United States), and STILL, we have endured in the face of colonization. The very land that this bill was passed on, is still O'odham land! From the Phoenix Valley, to Scukson (Tucson is from an O'odham word), to Rocky Point, to the Sierra Madres in Mexico, this is O'odham jewed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The passing of SB1070 leads us to the police state, and does not just affect migrants, it affects us all! SB 1070 like policies already occur on the Tohono O'odham Nation since the mid-90's with the<a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 102);" href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/04/22/20100422arizona-border-security-plan.html"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">states push for immigration enforcement</span></a>. Border Enforcement that would be a Berlin-like Wall through our lands to control movement. The current push for immigration reform by politicians and by reformist activists includes the push to secure “their” borders which would be the forced removal and relocations of <a href="http://americas.irc-online.org/amcit/3648"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">all indigenous tribes that live in the border region (Yaqui, Lipan Apache, Mohawk to name a few)</span></a>. This dismissal not just shows the colonial attitude that both reformist activists and politicians have, but also the settler privilege that they evoke when constructing border policies.<br /><br />We need to be asking the why in all this? Immigration Reform to us, means militarization of our homelands, so we dare to ask the politicians and reformist activists, how can reform for many, be at the expense of the original inhabitants of the land? We need to see it for what it is, and question neo-liberal projects, such as NAFTA, not just put a bandage on policies that affect everybody! We must challenge <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.latinalista.net/palabrafinal/2009/04/border_wall_activists_shouldnt_be_seen_a.html">both the politicians and reformist activists that try to pit indigenous and migrant communities against each other in their “political” solutions!</a> We are in this together, and must start at the root of the problem, in this case from an O'odham perspective.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);"><span style="font-size:180%;">Movement Demands Autonomy: An O'odham Perspective on Border Controls and Immigration</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />We want to express as young O'odham, that we oppose the building and structure of a wall along the traditional O'odham territory, The concerns of the villages grow in fear of the on-going tactics that is plainly disguised as a 'part of the rules of conduct for testing censors and technology', have now made the Tohono O'odham people walking targets and criminals in the eyes of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in our own homelands. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">As O'odham people, we face the ever growing crucial<a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=4ab13dbeafea01c7a2e94c60ea38cb9e"> attacks on Homes, traditional routes, and Identity as indigenous people</a>. The O'odham voice still goes underminded by tribal government and the right of passage through our routes have become a killing field and a battle ground.</span><br /><br />--<br /><br />Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recent, unprecedented power to waive existing law along the borders of the United States to construct a massive Border Wall and implementations of stricter border crossing regulations, undermines the Tribal Sovereignty, Indigenous Autonomy and Self-Determination of the many indigenous nations whose ancestral lands span into Mexico and Canada. The O'odham people, particularly the Tohono O'odham people, of southern Arizona are one such indigenous nation once again caught in the middle of the United States Border Policies. Policies that have disregarded the history, voice and cultural impacts that any border wall will bring to all indigenous people whose homeland will be further disconnected by the U.S. push to establish the 1,951 mile barrier on the U.S./Mexican Border, 75 miles of which rest on Tohono O'odham Nation southern boundary. In my introductory analysis, I feel the need to state the history and connection the O'odham people have with their ancestral lands, Homeland Security's waiver power on the border and stricter policies and how such power has lead to the militarization of O'odham Jev'ed (O'odham lands). DHS power to waive existing laws to ensure the border wall will have negative implications on all Indigenous Nations whose land is separated by the U.S./Mexican Border and represents the continuation, of the colonization of Indigenous people and land in the 21st Century.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >O'odham 101</span><br /><br />The O'odham people have called what is now Southern Arizona (U.S.) and Northern Sonora (Mexico) home long before any lines were drawn on their traditional territory. The O'odham people and their culture have flourished in the heat of Sonoran Desert for hundreds and thousands of years and their ancestors the Huhugahm (also know as the Hohokam) created a highly complex society like the Anasazi to the north and the Mogollon to the east. The massive canals that the Huhughm constructed are being utilized by Salt River Project (SRP) today and their influence is found throughout this region. O'odham culture is deeply rooted throughout this area, which is as far north as the Phoenix Valley, as far west as the coast of Mexico in what is now Rocky Point, east as the San Pedro river and as far south as Hermosillo and the Sierra Madres Mountains.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawNdxuo8TDFrUHfG7oIjcsNU0_Z8V7xPXuQbD63Gr2McOWudLXtdJTP4ltAbTlnVc-2E7i3bxTeBRHNDprV0lR2kVa0L54xf9jIDuwWQaybRFMdMdXhPsd6bAQMFZZyMoD6W5w7EKuNIB/s1600/Four+Corners+Indians.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 389px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawNdxuo8TDFrUHfG7oIjcsNU0_Z8V7xPXuQbD63Gr2McOWudLXtdJTP4ltAbTlnVc-2E7i3bxTeBRHNDprV0lR2kVa0L54xf9jIDuwWQaybRFMdMdXhPsd6bAQMFZZyMoD6W5w7EKuNIB/s400/Four+Corners+Indians.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456833247049532866" border="0" /></a><br />In this area, the many different tribes of O'odham learned to live with the harsh heat of the Sonoran Desert. In pre-Columbus times, the O'odham never considered themselves as one “O'odham Nation”, but were centered in local, regional autonomy. But certain areas did have common traits that made them more distinguished. The O'odham who lived in the area of the Gila River and Salt River, are known as the <span style="font-style: italic;">Akimel O'odham (People of the River)</span>, for the O'odham south of this area, they are known as the <span style="font-style: italic;">Tohono O'odham (People of the Desert)</span>, and for the O'odham who live west of them, along the coast line, they are known as the <span style="font-style: italic;">Hia-Ced O'odham (People of the Sand)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CDRAbvXO0SnDVhxPGHPHO95VA6EdgPyit-sQFdXLuJTYry9TxZJryUKwF33osoBqdveOgRSNHFe-m2cyI-0rcd_4vjuv4m5HAEBL0u3nSthNZX8X8ErW3XWa0GOmuNUFCIjwJ7wFRaPD/s1600/OodhamJevedMap2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CDRAbvXO0SnDVhxPGHPHO95VA6EdgPyit-sQFdXLuJTYry9TxZJryUKwF33osoBqdveOgRSNHFe-m2cyI-0rcd_4vjuv4m5HAEBL0u3nSthNZX8X8ErW3XWa0GOmuNUFCIjwJ7wFRaPD/s400/OodhamJevedMap2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464951907604442418" border="0" /></a><br />Each different tribe had its own unique connection and history with the regions that they lived in, but all shared a common way of life, traditions and language. Prior to European contact, the different tribes communicated and traded with each other. Each band of O'odham was familiar with each other and would come together for numerous reasons (i.e. Religious, farming, war, etc.). The O'odham would freely travel throughout their traditional lands and were unaware of the events that were happening south of them in Central Mexico with the arrival of the Spanish.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >Colonization </span><br /><br />The Spanish crossed O'odham land in the mid 1500's. The Spanish Conquistadors were in search of gold, but did not find any riches on their travels throughout what is now the southwest of the United States. But their travels did usher in Spanish missionaries who wanted to bring “god and civilization” to the Indians. Catholic Missionaries established missions throughout traditional Tohono O'odham lands. The missions were part of the Spanish's “soft power” tactics to colonize the O'odham to Spanish Culture. Tactics that would be that of hard labor, indoctrination of Catholic beliefs and regulation to areas in closed proximity of the missions. Contrary to most O'odham historians though, this “soft power” was not effective and only lured few O'odham to the Spanish way of life. But the Spanish misinterpretations of O'odham seasonal movement, which is mostly cited by historians as acceptance to Spanish Culture, is questionable when looked into more closely. The Spanish took advantage to seasonal migrations to wetter areas, areas for example being the San Xaiver Mission or Magdalena. The O'odham move to wetter areas was interpreted as a acceptance to the Spanish way of life but for the most part, a great number of Tohono O'odham rejected the harsh practices of the Spanish, and in many cases rebelled. In 1695, 1751, 1756 and 1776, major rebellions occurred, in which the Tohono O'odham expelled the Spanish entirely and in most cases, burned their missions down. In some instances, the O'odham would form alliances with the Apaches in the east which is interesting being that for most part, the two were enemies. These rebellions were just as large and effective as the Pueblo Rebellions going on at the same time. These rebellions temporarily expelled the Spanish Military from O'odham lands and prevented the Spanish from gaining a tight hold in the region which lead to their missions not being built any farther north than what is now Tucson and kept Akimel O'odham lands free of any permanent Spanish presence.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >Mexico then Washington</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkap83Q1_IBPawBXrfk9eFRFg7P7y0uEpga6CRHHCD5vDMtYUAVIcRYzKb_ctwc7JXwRrKXZ1SZsM6EF1tvNNGCb631J_YD1zCu6VUWT_98Ft82i2rXIRm332qLhz6o92g8TcREoVfvLH/s1600/political_div_1824.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkap83Q1_IBPawBXrfk9eFRFg7P7y0uEpga6CRHHCD5vDMtYUAVIcRYzKb_ctwc7JXwRrKXZ1SZsM6EF1tvNNGCb631J_YD1zCu6VUWT_98Ft82i2rXIRm332qLhz6o92g8TcREoVfvLH/s400/political_div_1824.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456836530242895538" border="0" /></a><br />After the Spanish lost its hold in the Americas with Mexico establishing its independence in 1821, the Mexican government would impose its colonial control over the O'odham. The newly founded Mexican government interaction was few compared to the Spanish. The more secular Mexican Government did not continue the Missionary system and shut down the last one in 1842. In 1846, the Mexican-American War started over territorial expansion, which leads to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. This placed the U.S./Mexican border at Gila River but this border was still being negotiated by both governments. The Akimel O'odham and Tohono O'ohdam were never consulted in these negotiations and were not of any importance in the colonial governments decision to where the international border would be drawn. Soon after this border was expanded to where it is today by Colonel James Gadsden who negotiated on behalf of the U.S., by purchasing it for 10 million dollars. This purchase, known as the Gadsden Purchase, placed the international line through the center of traditional Tohono O'odham land. The O'odham were also not consulted and are not even mention within the purchase.<br /><br />The colonial attitude of Manifest Destiny was in full effect and embodied by James Gadsden, whose previous interaction with Indigenous people was his campaign of removal of the Seminoles. Gadsden previous history before becoming the Minster of Mexico was that of the railroad business, which at the time held enormous power in U.S. Politics. One of the main reasons the U.S. purchased the land was to make way for the transcontinental railroad, a point I like to state because it shows the U.S.'s total disregard to the many people that this border would impact then, but only seen the economic impacts it would bring. Basically the border was established to ensure capital, a similarity that will continue in the decades to come.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_rNqTC7ZdylpFG6JhINSzUCh614uggUIroXAT-8rNKWCwY0aGVaoOPpPUbklYCC5peMOlFvMmNgAeNeZ_UbIya4-9EivQS9lq8MKMlIdwj_SoL743IRZA0o7MTCCfSm7lQybDQJT2GXV/s1600/300px-Treaty_of_Guadalupe_Hidalgo.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_rNqTC7ZdylpFG6JhINSzUCh614uggUIroXAT-8rNKWCwY0aGVaoOPpPUbklYCC5peMOlFvMmNgAeNeZ_UbIya4-9EivQS9lq8MKMlIdwj_SoL743IRZA0o7MTCCfSm7lQybDQJT2GXV/s400/300px-Treaty_of_Guadalupe_Hidalgo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456833235962436338" border="0" /></a><br />The O'odham, unaware of the decisions that were being made by Washington, continue their way of life relatively unaffected by the establishment of the southern border for the rest of the 1800's. They still traveled freely back and forth between the border for traditional ceremonies and to see family. The O'odham were slow to learn that the United States now claimed hold to their land north of the border. In the years after the Civil War, more Anglo-American citizens enter traditional O'odham lands. From this point, the O'odham faced the same racist attitudes and injustices that other indigenous people faced with the U.S. Government and its citizens up to the present (land loss, persecution of traditional religion, boarding schools, assimilation policies, establishment of BIA imposed tribal governments to name a few).<br /><br />For the O'odham that now resided on the U.S. Side, the loss of land was intermediate. Reservations were established, and for the first time in their history, permanent borders and diversions were established around them to make way for the many Anglo-American that were now settling their lands. The Akimel O'odham were placed in two reservations, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Gila River Indian Community. The Tohono O'odhams were bunched in the Papago Reservation (which in 1984 changed to the Tohono O'odham Nation). Ak-Chin Indian Community was established for the Tohono O'odham and Akimel O'odham who lived together by their traditional boundaries. The Tohono O'odham in Mexico have no reservation and fend for themselves, from Mexican settlers to this day and the Hia-ched O'odham whose land was mostly in Mexico, lost all of their land on both sides and have no title to their lands like their O'odham relatives in the north.<br /><br />The colonization of O'odham lands impacted the O'odham people's connection to the different bands of the O'odham such as the Akimel O'odham's relationship to their relatives in the south. But for the Tohono O'odham, the international line did not cut their ties to the land. Enforcement of the border was few, and pillars of the line did not mark the land as they do now. Besides chicken wire barriers to stop cattle crossing, there were no signs of any border. The establishment of the U.S. Border Patrol in 1924 did not affect them at all. Religious practices that take place on both sides of the border still took place such as the pilgrimage to Ma:lina (Magdalena). The O'odham in Mexico would still travel to the U.S. side for medical needs in the tribal capital of Sells, to buy goods and to see family. The O'odham in the U.S. crossed southwards to do the same as well.<br /><br />The Tohono O'odham up to this point did not have any problems with their rights as indigenous people to cross the border. The Tohono O'odham faced the many assaults on their land, and negative impacts that colonization imposed on their culture, that indigenous people around the world also faced. This colonization process did lead to the O'odham settlements in Mexico to be reduced from 45, to 9 and lead to a limitation of traditional crossings to be recognized by the U.S. Only till the mid 1990's with Immigration becoming a issue for most of America did the O'odham begin to see their inherit rights attacked by the still, colonial government of the United States.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >Operation Colonization: Immigration Policy and the O'odham</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0HEDonMCRB_wQ9n0gCrUvJmQjDaK1RRhF4KcF7fTdXioe1XP6jbVUoUZsvyhaYSk3rjL_0xn_NjrOUQ6Xirk_adYOAdixVbtqOl7n1f7k15guQTXNRZuvW1LOhkzWZVziGZWLZfCtEui/s1600/map-BPsectors1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0HEDonMCRB_wQ9n0gCrUvJmQjDaK1RRhF4KcF7fTdXioe1XP6jbVUoUZsvyhaYSk3rjL_0xn_NjrOUQ6Xirk_adYOAdixVbtqOl7n1f7k15guQTXNRZuvW1LOhkzWZVziGZWLZfCtEui/s400/map-BPsectors1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456833259296742306" border="0" /></a><br />In this time, border polices were being formulated once again without their O'odham input. Clinton era policies such as <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.justice.gov/oig/special/9807/index.htm">Operation Gatekeeper</a> in San Diego, CA, <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/gatekeeper.htm">Operation Hold the Line</a> in El Paso, TX and <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.datacenter.org/research/challengingftaa/challengingftaa9.htm">Operation Safeguard</a> in Nogales, AZ were conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol. The aim of these operations was to crack down on illegal crossing through major cities and force migrants to go through the more barren lands along the border, one such area being the 75 mile region of the Tohono O'odham Nation lands. Another policy change was the Border Patrol now shifted its attention away from interior approach and now focused on the Border itself. With the influx of migrants now crossing the Tohono O'odham Nation lands, the Tohono O'odham tribal enrolled members slowly felt the impact of Border Patrol Agents entering their lands. But just as previous Border Policies, the O'odham people were never considered and consulted.<br /><br />Congress mandated that Border Patrol secure the borders and enabled their jurisdiction to override local, state and tribal jurisdiction. Agents would now patrol the sovereign nation of Tohono O'odham, with or without the permission from the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal government (TON).<br /><br />I like to note, <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.tiamatpublications.com/docs/Collaboration_and_Resistance.pdf">TON is the BIA recognized governing body of the Tohono O'odham people</a>, that was established by the Indian Recognition Act of 1934 (IRA). Since its conception, the legitimacy of this body has been called into question by the the traditional people of the community. Many Traditional O'odham and parts of the community feel that TON decisions do not speak for the community as a whole. Congresses border mandates would now reflect such disconnect with TON and “its” members. TON lack of effort to enforce sovereignty, or realization that they don't really have any sovereign rights under IRA would would soon come to light with the O'odham peoples struggle to maintain autonomy in its everyday affairs. The split between TON and the traditional O'odham is not new, but would sadly play out in the struggles to come. True sovereignty over Tohono O'odham lands would not allow the many negative policies to come.<br /><br />But regardless of sovereignty, or lack of it, Congresses approvals of evaluated enforcement greatly attacked the Tohono O'odham people's autonomy of free movement and right to culture. Indigenous people along the border were feeling the <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/plenary/">effects of Congress's Plenary Power to impose its jurisdiction over their BIA tribal nation government</a> and their inherit autonomy of as indigenous people.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgXnDZ_e50wWf2MPb8Nzy9ZE2l2q_HxnKAjYUB9PCzAszNWRcc1kEpcLlcjZBbs424J78x1XyOpc23Re3qnjSGYZKg0WRgrOeRHx8ryrAUc-_h19p9lcqGsrpNZHhveqUkIv-a96p5dxK/s1600/ins-safeguard_dod-oig_dec02_map.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgXnDZ_e50wWf2MPb8Nzy9ZE2l2q_HxnKAjYUB9PCzAszNWRcc1kEpcLlcjZBbs424J78x1XyOpc23Re3qnjSGYZKg0WRgrOeRHx8ryrAUc-_h19p9lcqGsrpNZHhveqUkIv-a96p5dxK/s400/ins-safeguard_dod-oig_dec02_map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456833251631130530" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN1163473120071212?sp=true">Accounts of Border Patrol harassment started to be voiced and citizenship issues brought to life</a>. Large numbers of the TON enrolled members were not born in hospitals and did not have valid birth certificates, if any. This confusion lead to the TON issuing Tribal ID cards to the 25,000 Tohono O'odham in the U.S. and to the estimated 2,000 in Mexico. This tribal ID acted as their passport. Their Akimel O'odham relatives also utilized their tribal ID as a passport. But the wave of migrants crossing through reservation land grew throughout the late 90's and early 2000's lead more Border Agents to enter Tohono O'odham lands. Also, along with migrates crossing reservation land, established and dangerous Human and Drug smuggling rings beginning to utilize traditional crossing along the border. Border Agents were not well trained about the O'odham people and their culture, which lead to many accounts of racial profiling and human rights violations when crossing on their reservation or when crossing the borders as they did before, to see family and participate in traditional gatherings.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >Department of “American” Security</span><br /><br />“<span style="font-style: italic;">In the words of the United States Supreme Court, Indian tribes “predate” the United </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">States. We are older than the international boundary with Mexico and had no role in creating the </span><span style="font-style: italic;">border. But our land is now cut in half, with O’odham communities, sacred sites, salt pilgrimage </span><span style="font-style: italic;">routes, and families divided. We did not cross the 75 miles of border within our reservation </span><span style="font-style: italic;">lands. The border crossed us. </span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> And the border comes at a price.</span>”<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyvF-kjIsQ">-Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris</a><br /><br />In wake of 9/11, the United States push to secure the borders greatly evaluated more so than any time previously mentioned. At this time, Border Patrol was moved to the newly established Department of Homeland Secretary (DHS). Under DHS, the TON would soon feel Congresses Plenary Power, imposed on them all in the name of national security. The Tohono O'odham would now face more harassment when crossing back and forth between the border, by the need to secure the border from “terrorists” and “illegal immigrants”. The TON, under pressure from DHS , partnered with Border Patrol to slow down the amount of illegal immigration activity to much dismay from the Tohono O'odham people. Tribal Governments decision to support alternative strategies to the wall, such as the construction of vehicle barriers, checkpoints and integrated camera-radar systems open the door for the Federal Government to undermine Tribal Sovereignty and attack the people's autonomy to exist as O'odham. The TON's willingness to work with DHS was desired by TON, hoping that such cooperation would prevent any Border Wall to be constructed on their lands. But just as their history shows, the concerns of the O'odham would not be heard and appeared to be ignored by the United States to established “its” border. Even though the TON decided to “work” with the Federal Government on the “Border Issue”, the TON publicly denounced a physical wall to cross their ancestral lands.<br /><br />But the aftermath of 9/11 would now put TON sovereign rights to not allow any wall, secondary to the bigger national emergency. The fear of another 9/11 gave the Federal Government an excuse to invade Indigenous land under the guise of security, and with the flux of immigration growing, along with huge anti-immigrant sentiment growing throughout the country, the O'odham voice would be marginalized out of the debate. <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_ID_Act">The REAL ID Act of 2005</a> and the <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061026-1.html">Secure the Fence Act of 2006</a> would reflect the marginalization of that voice because these acts implemented many security related mandates, one being the securing of the U.S. Borders with a physical wall. This display of Plenary Power and the executive branches mechanism to apply it (DHS) would give the Federal Government the excuse to now invade Indigenous land all in the name of national security.<br /><br />It’s interesting to note, that the REAL ID Act and the Secure the Fence Act were passed without the TON and the many other Border tribes being consulted by Congress. This lack of consideration follows in stride with this country's lack of regard for Indigenous peoples who have never been consulted since the border was “created” on their lands.<br /><br />Regardless of the obvious colonial nature, these Acts gave <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.tiamatpublications.com/docs/waiver_legal_language.pdf.pdf">DHS the authority to waive all pre-existing laws</a> under Section 102 of the REAL ID act, along the northern and southern border to implement the Secure the Fence Act. This clause gave DHS the power to “legally” acquire land from private owners, State and Federal Parks and tribal nations whose land rested on the border. This act was immediately attacked and on October 8th, 2007 not by any tribal government, but by the environmental organization, Defenders of Wildlife, who sued to stop the border wall from being built in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) in Arizona, until environmental impacts studies were completed as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). On October 10th 2007, the Federal Court motioned a temporary restraining order to halt DHS from any construction. But on October 26, 2007,<a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.tiamatpublications.com/docs/chertoff_waiver_statement.pdf.pdf"> DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff</a> waived NEPA and nineteen other laws to begin construction in SPRNCA. Secretary Chertoff put Section 102 of the REAL ID into effect, and cited that as his authority to begin construction. Soon after, Defenders of Wildlife and Sierra Club filed <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2007cv1801-23">a complaint in the District Court of the District of Colombia</a>. They claimed that the Secretary and DHS act was unconstitutional because of his power to pick and choose what laws to follow in construction of the border wall. This was soon dismissed by the District Court in December 2007 and which lead the plaintiffs to file a Writ of Certiorari petition to the Supreme Court.<br /><br />In this petition, more plaintiffs joined the suit, one being the TON. Unfortunately, this petition was dismissed in June 2008 and the lower courts decision to allow Secretary Chertoff and DHS the right to waive all statutes was now the law of the land. In the Writ of Certiorari petition, T.O. Nation did cite that DHS power to waive The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), The American Indian Religious Freedom Act and The Eagle Protection Act would greatly have negative impacts on O'odham Culture and undermine their sovereignty of TON. Unfortunately, Congress's prior legislated commitment to protect Indigenous people in this country took backseat to the need to secure the border in the wake of 9/11. In the petition, other non-indigenous citizens all along the border also addressed their concerns and cited the injustice that DHS authority would bring to their communities. The displacement that DHS would cause with the construction of any border barrier is huge, but the precedent that enables them to do so is even huger. The parties that joined the Defender of Wildlife suit understood the implications that would come if the lower court decision was not reversed. But for the Tohono O'odham people, it showed the U.S. continuation of colonial polices. The outcome of the SPRNCA decision did not affect O'odham lands, but as their concerns in this suit addressed, it open the door for DHS to invade their land because as the petition was in the judicial system, DHS was already applying its power to the border region on TON and traditional O'odham lands.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Militarization</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Those Who Are Gone..the Huhugham.</span><br /><br />In the time that Writ of Certiorari was working its way in the court system, DHS used their waiver power on traditional Hia-Ched O'odham land, that now lies in Barry M. Goldwater Range to start border wall construction, and to expand the he El Camino de Diablo, a recreational off-vehicle route. Their Subcontractor, Boeing Company did not need to perform archaeological surveys, which lead to two known <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2216828020070624">Huhugham sites</a> to be damaged and unearthed. These account for the eleven identified Huhugham sites that lie in the path of the border wall, on or off the reservation. Since NAGPRA can be waived, the proper care of these sites is not maintained. Many in the community voice their concern of such abuse of power may lead to Huhugham and O'odham remains to be funneled outside the community. The <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">r</span><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.tiamatpublications.com/O_S_P_Remains_Returned.html">emains unearth by Boeing were later returned to tribal members</a>, but the absolute disregard by DHS to enact their waiver powers to dismiss NAGPRA shows the impacts that any future use would cause. The physical wall would just be one attack on O'odham people and land but the impacts to “those who have gone” would bring catastrophic damage to the O'odham universe.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Checkpoints and Virtual Wall</span><br /><br />TON initial “cooperation” with DHS to establish <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2009/11/us-spies-on-tohono-oodham-land.html">vehicle barriers, checkpoints and integrated camera-radar systems on their lands</a> has lead to a escalation in these measures. Border Checkpoints have now become permanent, and become a point of surveillance where O'odham of any tribal government affiliation are harassed. In many cases, Border Agents violate traditional items in search/seize procedures. Surveillance technology, such as radio towers have been constructed on and off the reservation in DHS “Virtual Wall”. Traditional ports of entry and the immediate border area are a complete militarized zone.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Enhance Tribal IDs </span><br /><br />Along with NAGPRA and the virtual wall, the O'odham right to cross the line for traditional ceremonies became even stricter. Usually, such traditional practices of religion would be protected by The American Indian Religious Freedom Act, but since such participation spans border, O'odham were required to show proper paperwork to freely move back and forth between the border. Up to this point, Tohono O'odham people, on both sides used the tribal government ID that was issued in the mid 90's. But since that ID was also distributed to Tohono O'odham and Hia-Ched O'odham in Mexico, DHS declared the Tohono O'odham ID not able to prove citizenship, therefore not a valid ID to cross back into the United States. Along with the Tohono O'odham ID, the O'odham in the north; Gila River, Salt River and Ak-Chin tribal nations were told <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html">their tribal government ID was no longer valid</a>. The O'odham in the north who still ventured to the south for traditional gatherings were now caught in a position where DHS only recognized the TON as a border tribe, not realizing their relatives share a connection and inherit rights just as the Tohono O'odham people do to their ancestral lands in Mexico. DHS colonial attitude labeled the O'odham not enrolled in the TON as completely different tribes. The dismissal of tribal ID's is another clear example of tribal sovereignty being infringed on by DHS, and how TON supposed sovereign rights, such as a tribal ID, can be easily waive by Congresses Plenary Powers.<br /><br />DHS did set a deadline, June 1st, 2009 as the date that all American citizens needed a passport and mark the last day any tribal ID would be recognized as a valid form of proof of citizenship. But the border tribes who use their tribal ID as a passport were able to extend that deadline till they can met DHS new federal requirements listed in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). In WHTI, it requires that any ID card or passport to be <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification">RFID ready</a>. So in November 2009, <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1257272243349.shtm">TON announced that it enter into “agreement” with DHS</a> to produce their new “enhanced” tribal ID which will be RFID ready.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Apartheid in America </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ViDd3SA-ED63m6fdgmkGpbyI77dVblkvjQlLaKhyphenhyphencqkWQheSRJiwGFHA9v6nXUiTF8dVqqRb9pe3ftwhWbnWaXwGHNejlXXgkBkVWGKo17NUdOwGnYqalF5Gubkk5-6NQhFgszN5tn7k/s1600/Spies+on+O'odham+Lands.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ViDd3SA-ED63m6fdgmkGpbyI77dVblkvjQlLaKhyphenhyphencqkWQheSRJiwGFHA9v6nXUiTF8dVqqRb9pe3ftwhWbnWaXwGHNejlXXgkBkVWGKo17NUdOwGnYqalF5Gubkk5-6NQhFgszN5tn7k/s400/Spies+on+O'odham+Lands.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456832863438074162" border="0" /></a><br />DHS's push to militarized our lands, and tribal government's cooperation in doing so not just shows how tribal sovereignty in the border region does not really exist, but shows how the voice and concerns of the O'odham people have been disregarded by both federally backed institutions. Regardless of how you see the immigration issue, the O'odham are stuck in policies that have been created not by them, but by the bigger ever-existing colonial system where borders are established to maintain capital flow. The U.S.'s objectives in its war with Mexico and James Gadsden purchase in the 1800's are no different to what the U.S. Border policies is today, to ensure capital at expense of indigenous displacement. If people were informed about the history of the border, and why it was established, it would then put today's struggle in perspective.<br /><br />The O'odham people are now in the shadows of the <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnVL0d9fwkY">North American Free Trade Agreement </a>(NAFTA), which leads to the bigger struggle of globalization. I feel, the basic principals of these policies and the history of its oppression to the many other indigenous nations worldwide , must be told to show the colonial nature that each embodies. The O'odham people must be informed of “why” migrants cross and “why” O'odham land is now a corridor for migration and drug smuggling . If TON took a broader approach with the immigration issue, it would not be a issue of migration, but a issue of globalization. TON is in a unique position to publicly critique these issue, but decides not to due to the colonial framework of tribal nations and the United States (ward/guardian relationship).<br /><br />The Defenders of Wildlife v. Chertoff case reflects the importance that the U.S. holds in their global economic agenda of globalization by justifying the Border Walls in their courts, and the expense of the displacement of all people. It shows that justice in our lands will not come from the courts because they represent the colonial power. The same arguments that the courts offered in the <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/native11.htm">Marshall Trilogy</a> that stated they have no choice to rule the way they did because the policies of the United States mandated them to do so, is just as alive today. National Security is the guise today. But for the O'odham, it has ushered in a apartheid-like tribal nation, where tribal government operates in a confined colonial system which offers only colonial solutions to the many migrants who journey to this country for survival.<br /><br />In conclusion, I felt the need to provide the history of the O'odham and the Border was important because it shows the continuation of colonization and puts the struggle in perspective for people who are unaware of the O'odham. In my travels, as a Tohono O'odham, I find myself meeting many who have no idea of our connection to our traditional land. This connection has long been under attacked since the days of the Spanish, and the United States endorsement of globalization policies is now attacking our O'odham Him'dag. The need to understand the Defenders of Wildlife v. Chertoff case is important because it shows the politics of the colonial rule. Politics that put the O'odham voice behind their security and capital. Militarization now is the state of my lands, and judicial system is not the answer. I wrote this to educate my fellow O'odham, and those who stand in solidarity with us, so we can construct ideas thats may, or may not work in their system. Hopefully, this understanding of the issue will lead to a bigger debate. Not just the same colonial one that is offered by them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWpvNWxlmnrVX-WvXAWQ_vrqRmjF2c47TlTQpbOHD0O1v-pyCw_F7FLuLg1HIaPD0TdF2LJP3Qoc7mikjyooMEIMV1Nuu-IIX4H4L3Z4gSMAw0dCKsCl-FyUkVxJFiqrN0Kcte26Ks6dp/s1600/fence05_hres.thumbnail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWpvNWxlmnrVX-WvXAWQ_vrqRmjF2c47TlTQpbOHD0O1v-pyCw_F7FLuLg1HIaPD0TdF2LJP3Qoc7mikjyooMEIMV1Nuu-IIX4H4L3Z4gSMAw0dCKsCl-FyUkVxJFiqrN0Kcte26Ks6dp/s400/fence05_hres.thumbnail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456833240349797874" border="0" /></a>Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-6312911349626700672010-03-22T17:52:00.000-07:002010-03-30T09:11:48.931-07:002010 Annual Gathering to Protect Quitovac"Respect Indigenous Rights; No Toxic Dumping or Mining on Indigenous Lands!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJRAMXaZnL2BfQ1DmNLEa3G83suqEp4tjHJ2-RuZbuW6bYRYc1X4-hbNF3XZwvRWltIAeTfE4uawWi0McJpGrggqR2ODGM3UAKJSRf2GSYkLHS0r94Lb9e4KQoPJoz7HsYfB8PtYx_2EV/s1600-h/quitovac+flier.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJRAMXaZnL2BfQ1DmNLEa3G83suqEp4tjHJ2-RuZbuW6bYRYc1X4-hbNF3XZwvRWltIAeTfE4uawWi0McJpGrggqR2ODGM3UAKJSRf2GSYkLHS0r94Lb9e4KQoPJoz7HsYfB8PtYx_2EV/s400/quitovac+flier.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451631419510805858" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><a href="http://www.solidarity-project.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">www.solidarity-project.org</span></a></span></div>Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-34260471993655665882010-02-25T23:24:00.000-08:002010-03-30T08:59:23.191-07:00Solidarity & Support: 3rd Annual O'odham Unity Run Benefit Show<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Come support this Saturday in Salt River!</span></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOucKv3Gffo224NePWdq9xlkADUddE6SyBldVdyNhOCB4Z_pxpUGhhvAR-sh1L8NC8VDHlGTBgAABldYaIUs2qJJQe4YnUkOYJ2BIjZ-yTQPo3BRirwIDa2PPwDaPALfAMmrUg3q1q7RF/s1600-h/unity+run.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOucKv3Gffo224NePWdq9xlkADUddE6SyBldVdyNhOCB4Z_pxpUGhhvAR-sh1L8NC8VDHlGTBgAABldYaIUs2qJJQe4YnUkOYJ2BIjZ-yTQPo3BRirwIDa2PPwDaPALfAMmrUg3q1q7RF/s400/unity+run.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442450567107460386" border="0" /></a><br />Come help raise funds and food donations for our O'odham runners from Salt River, Gila River, Ak-Chin, Tohono O'odham and O'odham in Mexico as they make their journey from the Salt River Indian Community to Posa Verde, Mexico.<br /><br />We, members of all O'odham communities, will be hosting this benefit to help raise donations.<br /><br />PERFORMERS:<br />Optimal(Salt River)<br />Mike 360(New Mexico)<br />Definition Rare(New Mexico)<br />Shining Soul(Phoenix/Tohono O'odham)<br /><br />SPINNING:<br />DJ Element<br />Emgee<br />K-Supreme<br />Djentrification<br />Meaty Ogre<br /><br />LIVE PAINTING (Outdoors):<br />El Mac<br />Brez<br />Lalo<br />Dumpz<br />Griffin<br /><br /><br />B-BOY SHOWCASE<br /><br />ART DISPLAY/SALES(Indoors)<br /><br />BOOTHS BY:<br />Culture Fresh<br />Un3ek Sy5tems<br />Las Otras Hermanas<br /><br /><br />YOUTH ACTIVITIES:<br />Art Workshops<br />Beat Making Workshops (conducted by shining soul)<br /><br />FOOD SALES:<br />Popoverz and Chum-th!<br />DJENTRIFICATION's burros!<br />more TBA<br /><br />3pm-7pm Outdoors **Free<br />YOUTH WORKSHOPS(Beat Making and Art)<br />LIVE PAINTING AND DEMOS<br />TRADITIONAL O'ODHAM SONGS AND DANCE<br /><br /><br />7pm-11pm Indoors<br />PERFORMANCES<br />Bboys, Djs, Emcees<br />$5 DONATION<br /><br />OR<br /><br />$3 W/food donations [prefered:rice, beans, flour, water, gatorade]<br /><br />If you like to donate, help with food, table, media or help in general, contact us.<br /><br />This year will be the 15th Annual O'odham Unity Run.<br />The run will be March 14-20th, 2010<br />-----------------------------------------------<br /><br />Brief History of Unity Run:<br /><br />The Akimel O'odham, Hia-Ced O'odham and the Tohono O'odham have long been known for their expertise in long distance running in the desert regions of what is now southwestern United States and Mexico. For over 150 years the O'odham Nations have dealt with separation by the U.S./Mexico Borders. We do not acknowledge this separation within our culture; we encourage our unity to continue.<br /><br />The Unity Run was founded in 1995, by a small group of grassroots people from both sides of Mexico and the United States, consisting of Tohono O'odham and Akimel O'odham. The group's main goal is to bring awareness to the youth and adults the legacy that our ancestors gave to us centuries ago. The coordinators are actively working to perpetuate that which we inherited and for this to continue for the generations yet to come. Reinstating the tradition of running and the spirituality that comes with running is a challenge to help unite, preserve, heal and respect our history, language and culture. The Unity Run is highly recognized as a drug free, alcohol free and gang free cultural event.Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-10930517310870751562010-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:002010-04-28T12:28:03.158-07:00Battlin' Phoenix: OSABC statement on the January 16 Day of Action<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJGYXISmvufByQYoh44RlJ1aGTZ_gB6Ep67MQd9TSxkIH109_ia8WwqzKAawJIQyJSksRD7V9nfLBbsT4NalA_pj9yMEtRlAeWhdWJK9w9u3W-4RBxydvnh7DDX583kecHSnsJ2tg9rZB/s1600-h/picture+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJGYXISmvufByQYoh44RlJ1aGTZ_gB6Ep67MQd9TSxkIH109_ia8WwqzKAawJIQyJSksRD7V9nfLBbsT4NalA_pj9yMEtRlAeWhdWJK9w9u3W-4RBxydvnh7DDX583kecHSnsJ2tg9rZB/s400/picture+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435646619303452738" border="0" /></a><br />Fellow O'odham, Dine, Indigenous, Migrant, Non-indigenous brothers and sisters and concerned people of Maricopa County...<br /><br />After days of reflection, O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective (OSABC) would like to give our thoughts and analysis on what occurred on the January 16th National Day of Action Against Sheriff Joe: March for Human Rights. As we all saw, heard and read, the march turned <a href="http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/2010/01/phoenix-pd-attack-protesters-at-anti.html">violent due to calculated moves by Phoenix Police</a> to unfairly, and unjustifiably remove a contingent of marchers that expressed a voice and message that was foreign to them and national organizers, but all too familiar to the original people of the very land they walk on. OSABC called for what we dubbed the “Dine'-O'odham-Anarchist/Anti-Authoritarian” (DOA) contingent, in order to voice what we recognize to be an unending historical condition of forced removal here in the Southwestern so-called United States.<br /><br />From the murdering of our O'odham Peoples, the stealing of our lands for the development of what is now known as the metropolitan Phoenix area, to the current relocation attempts against our O'odham along “their” border, and along the west-end of Gila River for a freeway. Or with the ongoing forced relocation of more than 14,000 Diné who have been uprooted for the extraction of natural resources just hours north of here, we recognize that this is not a condition that we must accept. This is a system that will continue to attack us unless we act.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnwpk__RFppXHdz_A_A-lk2LgrBQZbacqI0sqnxG0IEb-6aKQlFFlYFBflLYkZWMlEYVY9hj6XlZ_OofYE0GAXnZJlJJmJcIwPGt1AHs2JnHVrgAASHbnrcVPJA1HXJc1pUF6AW2goQUy/s1600-h/picture+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnwpk__RFppXHdz_A_A-lk2LgrBQZbacqI0sqnxG0IEb-6aKQlFFlYFBflLYkZWMlEYVY9hj6XlZ_OofYE0GAXnZJlJJmJcIwPGt1AHs2JnHVrgAASHbnrcVPJA1HXJc1pUF6AW2goQUy/s400/picture+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435647067550493154" border="0" /></a><br />OSABC and our Diné comrades viewed the National Day of Action against this one particular agent of forced removal, Maricopa county sheriff Arpaio, as an opportunity to express our opposition to the extension of this oppressive system towards our immigrant brothers and sisters. DOA felt the best way to show solidarity was to express this broader message and felt that if we started from our voice -- the O'odham voice – it would greatly help to undermine and defeat the white supremacist/colonial positions that Sheriff Joe and his many supporters uphold. In the past, when OSABC engaged other movements – even reactionary ones – with our broader perspective, on immigration and the border, we found we made progress, and that possibilities present themselves that are not included under the generally accepted terms of the discussion.<br /><br />The national immigration organizers <a href="http://www.puenteaz.org/">“call for action”</a> seemed to express their willingness to expand the debate because of the many other outside factions that formed that day on the streets, such as National Day Laborer Organizing Network, No More Deaths, Border Action, and Mexica Movement to name a few. Local, regional and national solidarity was called for, and that's why we came, to stand together against forced relocation of all peoples, both immigrant and Indigenous. National immigration organizers appeared to also express that willingness by giving O'odham and Diné members of DOA the opportunity to address the crowd, to express the “Native American Voice” in this struggle. We even gave the blessing of offering a song in the O'odham way, so we could bless the people and the march before we departed. The “acknowledgment” of indigenous peoples of the Phoenix area by the organizers seemed to be a breakthrough, given the national movement's tendency to marginalize local indigenous voices in the many different communities in which they organize, but this acknowledgment was soon erased when <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThP-YRFXHOw">the police attacked</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO30UcwZAZ5Kv9moEUvcOQ3q1U0M0_j6kS-2CSLDMRU83KWR8E7MMKvRJ7-J1nOwaa-OoTSmO-5p7cB7XeritseV6YBT4nVkXd0tA7o7rDUn_N7hrTGf8hm2KRh35m-IF48ZmdYcsPdRLx/s1600-h/doa+on+stage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO30UcwZAZ5Kv9moEUvcOQ3q1U0M0_j6kS-2CSLDMRU83KWR8E7MMKvRJ7-J1nOwaa-OoTSmO-5p7cB7XeritseV6YBT4nVkXd0tA7o7rDUn_N7hrTGf8hm2KRh35m-IF48ZmdYcsPdRLx/s400/doa+on+stage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435650180453142770" border="0" /></a><br />The police oppression that occurred after this great start gives us an idea of what we are up against. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyFlxteC3YI">The police decision to attack</a> was the State's way of showing who has control. Their attack also shows how the national immigration movement still doesn't get it. That the national immigration movement chooses to work side by side with the same institutions and politicians that oppress and attack our communities throughout the country shows how inconsistent this movement is. The Phoenix organizers' politically convenient decision to not denounce the actions of police, but instead fellow marchers with our bigger message of no more forced relocations and displacement, this reflects the same disconnect that afflicts the overall national movement. If national organizers are for the rights of migrants and overall human rights, most would naturally conclude that they take the same overall position against forced removals and relocations for ALL people and that likewise, they certainly take a line against police brutality.<br /><br />But as the overall national movement has shown, their decision to work with that State will only yield reformist policies that may benefit some, and hurt many. Remember, the national immigration movement's push for immigration reform and call for the Obama administration to take action includes the militarization of the southern border with a wall surpassing the notorious Berlin Wall. Such a barrier would cause the forced relocation of our people, the Tohono O'odham, and the many other indigenous nations that “their” borders would displace. If the national immigration movement's objectives of reform will hurt our people, then how can their agenda be for human rights? We can't help but see contradiction and hypocrisy when the national movement defends Phoenix as the front line in the struggle against attacks on the rights of migrants, while at the same time it supports politicians that advocate other plans and policies that whose logical conclusions necessarily mean the forced removal and relocation of our fellow Akimel O'odham/Pi'Posh and desecration of our sacred sites (as in the case of the proposed Loop 202 Freeway expansion through Gila River). The State sees in this division the opportunity to further divide and conquer our communities and lands, and to pit immigrant and indigenous against each other, historically, the State has used their non-governmental bodies as the means to accomplish this. If the struggle is in fact for human rights, as the national immigration movement states, how is it that the first people of land, that is now deemed the front line, not even considered into their analysis?<br /><br />The national immigration movement's decision in Phoenix to evoke the 1960's Civil Rights Struggle further demonstrates their misguided attempt for true change. The national movement tends to forget that Martin Luther King Jr and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's fight to end segregation in Birmingham were done in opposition to the police and the State. The Birmingham campaign demonstrated the nature of the police and the State when confronted with the threat of true change. They too, were attacked by the police, and still, they took that risk to go against them. Just imagine if they had not? So why does the national movement proudly support the same police oppression not just here in Phoenix, but all around the country? It would be hard to imagine, in the initial years of the Civil Rights movement, if Martin and even Malcolm would ever have worked hand in hand with the police and the State. They stood their ground and their courage lead to the start of change (we are far from being done). Their courage led to the successes that the national organizers now wish to replicate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD2KRCPg-mwjZuLgdRWLg_Dinm9Q4gG-NvKt9hKAs6NydyH7HylPNrB-8P52l_i0lduLn6OBvS86-omRyt-jLYYCFm-lkXdQr0kCzbZfHgZLtqMa9KppitvUC8nuFmREGrXr8t60lfJb7/s1600-h/picture+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD2KRCPg-mwjZuLgdRWLg_Dinm9Q4gG-NvKt9hKAs6NydyH7HylPNrB-8P52l_i0lduLn6OBvS86-omRyt-jLYYCFm-lkXdQr0kCzbZfHgZLtqMa9KppitvUC8nuFmREGrXr8t60lfJb7/s400/picture+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435650189742820594" border="0" /></a><br />But...<br /><br />The national movement's organizing relationship with the police left them to support the oppression released on the 16th, just as the National Movement did <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDH3si3b-Ks">in Los Angeles in 2007, </a>when the LA Police attacked peaceful marchers on May Day. The dynamics are very similar and further show how this national movement of hundreds of thousands in the mid-00's has now declined to the thousands, while simultaneously thousands of migrants are being deported south of the border. A lack of understanding of the police and state infiltration in the immigration movement has lead to a narrow message that prevents this movement from being a true movement of human rights. The national movement determines, with the cooperation of the State, what level of action can be taken, and who and how one can participate in “their” movement, while at the same time calling for a National Day of Solidarity. One example of such “gatekeeping.” is a call for a Pan-American Indigenous voice that in fact marginalizes the local Indigenous voice, in the case of this area, the O'odham. Most would think, the overall indigenous presence would be amplified by the local Indigenous voice being present, and the participants being supported, in this case the DOA contingent . If themes of indigenous liberation are used, it’s should be expected that would include a true solidarity with the indigenous people, and an understanding of this very land they organize on. This inconsistent message the national immigration movement organizes around gives the State the power to divide and conquer all people, and provides an avenue through which the State can attack the overall movement.<br /><br />The police's brutal use of force on the 16th is a wake up call, not just for what corporate media and national immigration movement leaders deemed <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2010/01/16/20100116protest0117.html">“an outside factions of anarchists”</a> but to everyone who marched that day, which is that we are living in a police state in which all forms of resistance that address the root problem will be targeted. What happened here in Phoenix can and has happened in communities throughout the country.<br /><br />The local and national immigration organizers denounced our project of indigenous/anarchist solidarity. As expressed in the first DOA statement, we welcome diversity of tactics to challenge the violence of the state, and thus welcome diverse groups and communities that are compelled into action. Documented or undocumented, environmentalist or anarchist, whomever so desires it in their hearts to live free from this current existence of the tyranny of the state.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30lV0Clml0G295eZ-2D3owkbGZecq7pUGmgCmnLz6MfipVy6x-TR4iksJaoxaEje4Sx8dezsOoj1VqTZw1nakeZIWM_ItJaPW40IubGv2GEehai51uFZoMC8_9ZPvYXZxGhJk_ylKC8xv/s1600-h/picture+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30lV0Clml0G295eZ-2D3owkbGZecq7pUGmgCmnLz6MfipVy6x-TR4iksJaoxaEje4Sx8dezsOoj1VqTZw1nakeZIWM_ItJaPW40IubGv2GEehai51uFZoMC8_9ZPvYXZxGhJk_ylKC8xv/s400/picture+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435650193371308802" border="0" /></a><br />The police attack led to the wrongful arrest of five of our comrades. But as the weeks go by, more evidence is showing the contradictions in the police's account on the 16th. Recently, two of the arrested cases have been scratched, we continue to stand by the three who are still facing charges and ask that national immigration organizers join us in this latest struggle against state repression.<br /><br />OSABC at this time is asking that the points of the DOA statement be addressed. The 16th showed what happens when fake gestures of solidarity are expressed, the State sees this as a chance to further divide movements and people. OSABC hopes if the points are addressed, then it will lead to a stronger movement that does not do the State's job by dividing us. We understand many are upset by corporate media and politicians’ accounts of what happened, but we would refer that you ask the youth, that the national immigration organizers used as security, for their accounts of what transpired. They also became subjected to the brutality of the Police State unleashed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_liSForIMWe-dvEx32_gDhumN-trqRlmEqFwAPH-9S12qMZQIJIW8Pz13ycXM25OiazdElm0WAG-T7gD87NSWa3ufJHUiLE8TK_-C_0MRYn6Qqbb7k6ldJjD0eXs6DaatbYX5YnF_rUNP/s1600-h/picture+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_liSForIMWe-dvEx32_gDhumN-trqRlmEqFwAPH-9S12qMZQIJIW8Pz13ycXM25OiazdElm0WAG-T7gD87NSWa3ufJHUiLE8TK_-C_0MRYn6Qqbb7k6ldJjD0eXs6DaatbYX5YnF_rUNP/s400/picture+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435650196826818482" border="0" /></a><br />The OSABC call for the DOA contingent will hopefully challenge all those who marched, against Joe or for Immigration Reform, to think about the root problem that spawns this system of forced removals.<br /><br />OSABC is an autonomous collective and no way speaks for anyone but ourselves, families and elders, but will continue to address what appears to be the marginalization of our people and attack on our Him'dag, again. So when these victories for Human Rights happen, it’s not built on our backs. So our hajen can be able to freely travel in our lands, free of Border Patrol sweeps, just as migrant familias should be able to travel freely in Maricopa County, free of Sheriff Joe/MCSO sweeps. We, as young O'odham, along with young Diné, recognized the national climate around the immigration issue and felt this was the best way to support not only our fellow migrant brothers and sisters, but fellow O'odham, and all Indigenous peoples that are all affected by the white supremacist/colonial policies of the forced removals and relocations.Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-65063189291567700982010-01-14T12:55:00.000-08:002010-04-28T12:27:26.794-07:00Call for the Diné, O'odham, anarchist/anti-authoritarian bloc at the anti-Arpaio rallyThe following is a call for a united<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span>Diné, O'odham, anarchist/anti-authoritarian bloc at this Saturday's (January 16th) anti-Arpaio march in Phoenix. The text of the article was developed and circulated initially by O'odham Solidarity Across Borders and our comrade collective <a href="http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/">the Phoenix Class War Council</a> over the last month. Several meetings took place and comments were solicited and received by comrades in town and throughout the state in order to clarify and expand our critique.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><br /><br />While this article does not and could not represent a complete articulation of the problems we see, it is an attempt to move towards a broader dialog within the movement, to point out perceived errors and to suggest another way of looking at the issue that we think could prove useful. It is, in a way, a statement of some of our common principles but it is not by any means the end of the conversation.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><br />The bloc will converge before the 10:00 march at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Falcon+Park+3420+W+Roosevelt+Phoenix,+AZ&sll=33.499244,-112.133334&sspn=0.134844,0.220757&ie=UTF8&hq=Falcon+Park+3420+W+Roosevelt&hnear=Phoenix,+AZ&ll=33.459659,-112.131915&spn=0.004216,0.006899&t=h&z=17&iwloc=A&cid=16154987168297260198">Falcon Park (click link for map)</a> and then head with everyone else to Tent city.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>It's possible to take <a href="http://www.valleymetro.org/bus_schedules/transit_routes_0727/TransitSchedules.html">public transit to the park</a>. People should be advised that we have information that, as usual, reactionaries/fascists/Minuteklan, etc, will be <a href="http://arizonateaparty.ning.com/events/support-sheriff-joe">marching from another location</a> to confront the protesters.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><span>After the march, join us for a night of music and politics at Conspire (see flyer)<span style="font-weight: bold;">. </span></span>Below that is the text introducing the bloc. See you on the streets.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>All out against white supremacy!<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/119/l_b5b07ab8fd404784bb426f4b52f2c2cf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 659px;" src="http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/119/l_b5b07ab8fd404784bb426f4b52f2c2cf.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Introducing the Diné, O'odham, anarchist/anti-authoritarian Bloc!<br /><br />Welcome:</span><br /><br />The <span style="font-style: italic;">O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective</span> and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Phoenix Class War Council</span> send you greetings from occupied O'odham land. We also would like to invite you to participate with us in what we are loosely calling the Diné, O'odham, anarchist/anti-authoritarian Bloc. We hope to use this formation on the streets at the January 16th march against deportations in Phoenix to project a vision for a different mode of resistance that breaks with the stilted, uncreative status quo that dominates movement organizing in town. This document is our explanation of the type of force we would like to put out there and why we think its necessary.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who?</span><br /><br />We call on everyone tired of holding a sign and marching in endless circles while our lives come under increasing attack; everyone sick of a protest culture of self-sacrifice, defeat and witness; everyone who wants to stand up against the injustices that surround us; everyone interested in creative resistance rather than ritualized demonstrations; everyone tired of seeing our lands divided and destroyed and our movements tracked, tabulated and restricted.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is the DO@ bloc?</span><br /><br />We are an autonomous, anti-capitalist force that demands free movement and an end to forced dislocations for all people. We challenge with equal force both the systems of control that seek to occupy and split our lands in two as well as the organized commodification of every day life that reduces the definition of freedom to what can be produced and sold where and to whom, and compels our social relations to bend to the very same pathetic formula of production and consumption. Capital seeks to desecrate everything sacred. We hold lives over laws and human relations over commodity relations.<br /><br />We recognize what appears to be an unending historical condition of forced removal here in the Southwestern so-called US. From the murdering of O'odham Peoples and stealing of their lands for the development of what is now known as the metropolitan Phoenix area, to the ongoing forced relocation of more than 14,000 Diné who have been uprooted for the extraction of natural resources just hours north of here, we recognize that this is not a condition that we must accept, it is a system that will continue to attack us unless we act.<br /><br />Whether we are migrants deported for seeking to organize our own lives (first forced to migrate to a hostile country for work) or working class families foreclosed from our houses, we see the same forces at work. Indeed, in many cases the agents of these injustices are one and the same.<br /><br />The sheriff's deputy evicts and that same cop deports. It's no coincidence that Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio's office is in the Wells Fargo building. On Tohono O'odham land, the Border Patrol captures migrants and also harasses traditional elders seeking to exercise their rights to free movement. It turns sovereign land into an armed camp surrounded by checkpoints in the finest Nazi fashion and divided in the most unnatural way. Wackenhut profits from the transportation of migrants held captive by the prison system and at the same time it patrols the city's light rail stations. The same cameras that watch the border also watch our streets and populate our freeways, tracking our every move. These systems of control and dislocation overlap and affect all of us and, increasingly, they are everywhere. Wherever people organize in libertarian ways to resist the compulsory disarrangements of Capital, we are in solidarity with them.<br /><br />Further, we categorically reject the government and those who organize with its agents. And we likewise oppose the tendency by some in the immigrant movement to police others within it, turning the young against movement militants and those whose vision of social change goes beyond the limited perspective of movement leaders. Their objectives are substantially less than total liberation, and we necessarily demand more.<br /><br />Also, we strongly dispute the notion that a movement needs leaders in the form of politicians, whether they be movement personalities, self-appointed police or elected officials. We are accountable to ourselves and to each other, but not to them. Politicians will find no fertile ground for their machinations and manipulations. We have no use for them. We are anti-politics. We will not negotiate with Capital, the State or its agents.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why?</span><br /><br />In the last year we have seen signs that there might be openings for a new story to emerge. Almost a year ago we together led the march into the street, much to the chagrin of the leadership of the movement and the excitement of those who joined us, releasing themselves from the humiliation of marching on the sidewalk. Then, in October we challenged and shut down the National Socialist Movement, again leaving egg on the faces of those who in advance had denounced the action. A little more than a month ago what was to be just another boring leftist protest outside an Arpaio speaking engagement got out of control. Anarchists occupied the lobby where a large rally then followed, while other comrades, inside the forum, burst into song, driving the much-hated county cop from the stage. Movement leaders could only look at their hands. They have lost the initiative.<br /><br />And well that they have, because the movement has failed and to continue on this course is suicide. Tens if not hundreds of thousands of migrants have been deported or self-deported themselves out of fear of attack by the State and vigilantes. The expansion of the attack on migrants, with its ubiquitous border cops and checkpoints, has spilled out onto indigenous communities and even those traveling the highways. Few are unaffected. Unable to conceptualize a framework for building resistance that can both protect those under attack and push forward to the offensive against the racist system as a whole, the movement now cries out for new ideas and creative action.<br /><br />The movement has a dual problem of respect and identity. Internally, colonial relations often prevail. Age old, far off empires are evoked as justification for the marginalization, abuse and exploitation of peoples indigenous to the area. A general attitude of tokenism and disrespect dominates rather than genuine solidarity. And what was originally an honest desire to interrogate indigenous roots amongst many has morphed into something more like the colonialism of the Mexican and American states. This isn't a healthy relationship.<br /><br />That said, we think now could be our time. If we take advantage of this opening we can continue to push the movement towards more interesting and, in the end, successful actions. We can remake the discussion from one of internal colonialism and self-sacrifice into one based on free movement, the resistance to dislocation and anti-colonialism. We can introduce ideas of self-organization, autonomy and direct action, as well as criticisms of Capital and the State. We can shatter the death grip of the movement zombies and make a move towards building a force that can challenge more than just one sheriff in one county in Arizona.<br /><br />We think the argument for free movement and against dislocation offer opportunities that currently elude the movement because of the inherent limitations of the debate as it now is being presented. The demand for free movement represents a rejection of all controls on travel and necessarily subverts the ever-expanding reach of the State and Capital. Likewise, the opposition to dislocation offers a framework on which to build resistance, something sorely lacking. After all, a foreclosure is a dislocation just like a deportation is. Expanding the argument this way also challenges the prevailing internal colonialism and tokenism, treating the struggles of indigenous people in Arizona with the dignity and respect they deserve.<br /><br />The argument as it is now framed in the movement is a moral one. And yet many, especially whites, are not persuaded by moralism. Whiteness is a political position, not a moral one. Whites oppose the immigration movement not because they are immoral but because they seek to defend their relatively privileged position. If we remake the argument in a way that brings them into the circle so that they see that they, too, are under attack, then we think all bets are off about what we can do.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></blockquote>Jon Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299802548928505223noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-117033023672865277.post-68954496376125283112009-10-26T00:44:00.000-07:002010-03-30T13:48:10.834-07:00SOUTH MOUNTAIN FREEWAY LOOP 202 ACTION THIS WEDNESDAY 10/28/09!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KR5ux__XUGutV8QT0x-Ni9LOo8Ucq8nwiVUq4i8eRFWlP9U-y5fKj1WBhn3ncCIwAXNHQEq6t_9BOjYGdj-j_7KrtHq2Y6nCn_m1orl8MDsF0jao-vjPBGdfyY_K1wjhV576arkaS8M/s1600-h/l_83d6169edbe245a3bb22229cc101d12f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KR5ux__XUGutV8QT0x-Ni9LOo8Ucq8nwiVUq4i8eRFWlP9U-y5fKj1WBhn3ncCIwAXNHQEq6t_9BOjYGdj-j_7KrtHq2Y6nCn_m1orl8MDsF0jao-vjPBGdfyY_K1wjhV576arkaS8M/s400/l_83d6169edbe245a3bb22229cc101d12f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396814608570594370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4GASY81tIFCoSSD5TvcHep2qJ6ZXMEB6ppPl96ETUQYFU-sqr0JB6DpGr-VDkSLS6ptHFOF_2FOUNft8u-FSrYzIxPZhzPQTTBnweYW6kzSuwDRxurISMlCQMsUXXaaOkLJ2qN_izWQ/s1600-h/PHP4ADBF0A80A38A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4GASY81tIFCoSSD5TvcHep2qJ6ZXMEB6ppPl96ETUQYFU-sqr0JB6DpGr-VDkSLS6ptHFOF_2FOUNft8u-FSrYzIxPZhzPQTTBnweYW6kzSuwDRxurISMlCQMsUXXaaOkLJ2qN_izWQ/s400/PHP4ADBF0A80A38A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396814470559360386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />SAY NO TO THE PROPOSED SOUTH MOUNTAIN FREEWAY!!!<br />ON OR NEAR DISTRICT 6 OF THE GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY!!!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >THIS WEDNESDAY!</span><br /><br />This past Wednesday, the Maricopa Associations of Governments (MAG) Transportation Committee voted unanimously to approve the 8-Lane 202 South<br />Mountain Freeway extension through Ahwatukee and South Mountain Park. The route now must be approved this Wednesday by the MAG Regional Council.<br />One proposed freeway scenario will run along the reservation boundary, and lead to the destruction of Ahwatukee and West Phoenix residents' houses, in<br />addition to destroying a portion of South Mountain. MAG’s route will specifically affect District 6 and 7 of the Gila River Indian Community with the many<br />environmental and health hazards that freeways bring, but most importantly, it will desecrate the many sacred sites on the mountain. This potential route<br />has brought much opposition from the residents of Ahwatukee, forcing MAG officials to look at alternatives to the Ahwatukee-South Mountain alignment.<br /><br />One such alternative is to place the 202 extension onto Gila River land.<br />Gila River Tribal Council and District 6 have passed resolutions<br />against any such route.<br /><br />But as a <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/2009/10/23/20091023ar-freeway1024.html">recent AZ Republic report</a> has confirmed, MAG officials will<br />be meeting Gila River tribal officials in the next few weeks to discuss<br />placing the route through Gila River, on District 6!!<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />OPPONENTS OF THE CURRENT PROPOSAL ARE SUGGESTING<br />TO BUILD THE FREEWAY ALONG PECOS RD, UP 51st AVE!!!<br />OR ALONG RIGGS ROAD, TO 51st AVE!!!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">BOTH ROUTES WILL RIP DISTRICT 6 IN HALF!!! </span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ahwatukee.com/news/south-7981-loop-mountain.html">This past Wednesday</a>, the O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective in solidarity with the many opponents of the freeway took action and told MAG that we oppose the Freeway entirely. But still they ignore and disrespect us as O'odham/Pi'Posh people by still suggesting building the freeway through our community!!<br /><br />SO, ONCE AGAIN MY FELLOW O'ODHAM/ PI'POSH, PLEASE COME OUT AND VOICE YOUR OPPOSTION AGAINST ANY SUCH FREEWAY TO BE BUILT ON DISTRICT 6 AND GILA RIVER!! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AT THE PUBLIC COMMENTING PORTION OF THE MEETING! LET MAG AND GILA RIVER TRIBAL COUNCIL HEAR YOUR CONCERNS AND OPPOSITION AGAINST THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN FREEWAY GOING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY!<br /><br />JOIN THE O'ODHAM SOLIDARITY ACROSS BORDERS COLLECTIVE, GILA RIVER ALLIANCE for a CLEAN ENVIROMENT (GRACE) AND PHOENIX CLASS WAR COUNCIL IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX!!<br /><br />Meeting - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, 2009 ---<br />MAG Office, Suite 200 - Saguaro Room<br />302 North 1st Avenue, Phoenix<br /><br /><br />For more information about Wednesday’s meeting/ South Mountain Freeway proposal and to help, contact us at:<br /><br />O'odham Solidarity Across Borders Collective <a href="http://www.blogger.com/oodhamjeved@gmail.com">oodhamjeved@gmail.com</a> & <a href="http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/">http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />GRACE (Gila River Alliance for a Clean Environment) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/contaminatedinaz@yahoo.com">contaminatedinaz@yahoo.com</a><br /><br />PHOENIX CLASS WAR COUNCIL <a href="http://www.blogger.com/firesneverextinguished@gmail.com">firesneverextinguished@gmail.com</a> & <a href="http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com/">http://firesneverextinguished.blogspot.com</a>SuperO'odham2012http://www.blogger.com/profile/00647558218563029302noreply@blogger.com1