I WOKE UP and plopped myÂself down in my chair and opened my email. Bleary-eyed, I skimmed over the varÂious subÂject tiÂtles and saw one that made me rub those bleary eyes: “Sign the peÂtiÂtion: Apache holy shit threatÂened . . .” and the rest was cut off. My first thought was, “Holy crap! White man messing with red man’s poo-poo. What’s this world coming to?” And then I shamÂbled off to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.
I slurped through my morning bowl of Cafe Bustelo while playing backgammon with an AI opÂpoÂnent with an IQ of 90. When the cafÂfeine fiÂnally kicked in and I could see and maybe even think straight, I reÂturned to my emails.
I opened the shitty one first and read the title at the top with a little more clarity than I had had an hour beÂfore, seeing the enÂtire headÂline and seeing the one word correctly:
Sign the peÂtiÂtion: Apache holy site threatened
by mining company
Hah! White man not playing with red man’s poo-poo but someÂthing much worse: White man messing with red man’s holy lands. Since I got you this far, here is the bulk of the text of the email (beÂneath the photo):
This photo acÂcomÂpaÂnied the peÂtiÂtion. It’s capÂtion simply reads, “MemÂbers of the Apache-Stronghold.”
Dear MoveOn member,
My name is RevÂerend William J. Barber II, of the Poor PeoÂple’s CamÂpaign. I’m a preacher—and I’ve dedÂiÂcated my life to the purÂsuit of soÂcial and ecoÂnomic jusÂtice as part of my faith and a moral obligÂaÂtion to counter injustice.
I’m writing to you beÂcause, unÂless we act, one of the most saÂcred places of the Apache NaÂtion in AriÂzona will be deÂstroyed by ResÂoÂluÂtion Copper, a corÂpoÂraÂtion that is planÂning to create a crater below Oak Flat two miles wide and 1,000 feet deep. To ChrisÂtians and Jews, this would feel like a desÂeÂcraÂtion of Mt. Sinai.
When I first visÂited the Apache NaÂtion in AriÂzona years ago, I heard how the Apaches, a people who had lived in the hills, were forced onto a reserÂvaÂtion down in the river basin. And then the Army, at night, opened the dam and flooded the river basin, in an atÂtempt to wipe them out.
Their story—and their trauma—is not isoÂlated. First NaÂtions, the inÂdigeÂnous peoÂples who once popÂuÂlated this land, were alÂmost wiped out in the InÂdian Wars of the first two hunÂdred years of what would beÂcome the United States. And these atÂtacks, deÂspite the reÂsiliency of First NaÂtion tribes, conÂtinue today.
Oak Flat is a saÂcred place to the Apache people. But the U.S. Forest SerÂvice has moved forÂward with an enÂviÂronÂmental imÂpact stateÂment on this proÂposed plan from ResÂoÂluÂtion Copper—and has reÂfused to conÂsider the Apaches’ reÂliÂgious freedom claim, which would stop this deÂstrucÂtive mining project.
I’m writing to you as a preacher, hoping you will join me in deÂmanding ConÂgress stop this sale and conÂdemn this imÂmoral, racist, and unÂconÂstiÂtuÂtional seizure and sale of Oak Flat.
Thank you.
Rev. William J. Barber II
Poor PeoÂple’s CamÂpaign: A NaÂtional Call for Moral Revival
Should you want to read more on this, click HERE.
Should want to sign the peÂtiÂtion, click HERE.
FEATURED IMAGE: The photo at the top of this page is from the ProÂtect SaÂcred Oak Flat video: “Oak Flat campÂground was proÂtected from mining by PresÂiÂdent EisenÂhower in 1955 and is a rare desert riÂparian area with large oak trees, cool shade, year around water in pools and springs. Oak Flat is saÂcred to NaÂtive AmerÂican tribes and critÂical for reÂliÂgious freedom.
UnÂforÂtuÂnately, Oak Flat is under atÂtack by two huge forÂeign mining comÂpaÂnies that refuse to play by the rules in the quest for conÂtrol this inÂcredÂible place. On DeÂcember 19, 2014, PresÂiÂdent Obama signed the NaÂtional DeÂfense AuÂthoÂrizaÂtion Act into law, which gives Oak Flat to the mining companies.”
And if you’re a libÂeral like I am, then you were probÂably exÂpecting to see PresÂiÂdent Trump as the cause of this travÂesty. Nope—President Obama did this . . .