May 19, 2008 3:15 PM
For those that don't know, my background for the last 5 years includes fighting for Shinnecock rights (my husband is Shinnecock), especially for graves and sacred site protection. Last month I fumed in private over Michael Chertoff's comment that he would ignore over 30 laws to build the border fence. One of the laws he has decided doesn't matter is the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.
Let me give you a little background on this act. Basically the federal government decided in 1978 that the people who have been in this country for thousands of years should finally be given *some* religious protection. This was mainly due to the fact that many tribes' sacred sites were now located in public parks and Native American ceremonies usually fell into direct conflict with federal laws. I can speak from personal experience that to assert this right is often a frustrating battle and the government has done all they can to use loopholes to make it as difficult as possible for Tribes to practice their spirituality.
So I can't say I was suprised today when I came across this article from the El Paso Times.
It just seems that often the government picks on the people that have the most at stake and the least to fight with. Saying "this violates our rights" no longer has meaning. With the exception of a few tribes that have been extremely successful in gaming and other enterprises, most tribes live well below the poverty level and have some of the highest rates in diabetes and other major illnesses. The last thing these tribes need is to have to fight the ultimate power...the federal government.
I find it very disturbing that the border fence will skip over property owned by Ray L. Hunt, a wealthy personal friend of George Bush, yet it plows through the working class' backyards, leaving people with no remedy and in some cases, no homes.
I understand the importance of preserving any culture's sacred sites. We preserve historic houses of worship, yet dismiss Native American sacred sites where they hold ceremonies because as I was told once "there is nothing to preserve, there is nothing built." It is not right for our government to say that they have everyones' rights in their best interest and then pick and choose whose rights they deem important.
For every high fence, there is a ladder that is just a foot higher. Leaders of both parties know that a fence can't keep most undocumented people out of the US. More than 60% walk off planes and just overstay their legal visas. This is simply an issue for politicians to pander to a perceived collective and false hysteria.
By Myron Glucksman May 19, 2008 08:29 PM
On the corner in Brentwood: I went to talk to the Daniel and some of the workers who congregate in Brentwood on Friday and the best word to describe the mood is worry.
I came back tonight from our weekly Monday meeting with the Junta Directiva and everyone is worried about what this new law will do and what it already is doing. Some contractors are already letting people go. They feel cornered; they can't work in a factory so some of them were forced to come and work as day laborers on the corner and now they can't do that. " Why do they close the door to us?"Daniel the Junta president asked tonight. "I pay taxes. I have a TIN" one of them said.
According to a few people there was an ICE raid here two weekends ago. The police helped round people up. Someone came to the corner and warned the workers, told them "muchachos vayanse a su casa ahi esta la migra".
Many are talking about going back home or moving to a friendlier state. But they also know that some of the workers who are now at the corner moved from other states due to similar situations.
They asked the presenters tonight, Cheryl Keshner and Linda Hassberg from the Empire Justice Center, what can be done to fight this law? How can they be helped?
I know we are all thinking about what the next step should be. Our fight at the legislature needs to be taken to the streets we need to show the economic impact this legislation will have before its too late.
By Ruth T. May 19, 2008 11:28 PM
Ruth, you bring up so many important points and some that we had brought to the legislature's attention. I see the fear that my friends have to live in and it kills me.
Please tell Daniel, it is government shutting the door because they are misinformed and using this issue for political posturing...they do not represent everyone. No matter how much information and studies we give them, they do not want to see what the long-term effects of a bill like this will have.
By Lisa Votino-Tarrant May 20, 2008 08:26 AM