Just to put this perspective.
Copper mine opposition grows as Senate land swap bill moves forward
By Gale Courey Toensing, Indian Country Today, Mar 18, 2010
SAN CARLOS, Ariz. – Land swap legislation that would pave the way for a controversial copper mining operation on land that is sacred to the Apaches is inching forward in the Senate.
The massive underground mining project is fiercely opposed by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other southwestern nations, the Sierra Club and local environmental groups, who fear the mine will devastate the water and land on Oak Flats – part of the Apaches’ ancestral territory now held in trust as public land by the federal government.
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The Oak Flats and nearby Apache Leap and Devil’s Canyon provide a varied landscape of forests, streams, desert, grasslands, craggy mountains, and huge rock formations with ancient petroglyphs. The land is sacred to Native people, who conduct ceremonies and gather acorns and medicinal plants there. The public land is also used by non-Native nature
lovers for hiking, camping, bird watching and rock climbing, and is used for field trips by Boy Scout groups.
In May 2006, the San Carlos Apache council passed a resolution opposing the land swap on intertwined religious and environmental grounds, citing tribal, state and federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and Executive Order 13007 – Protection of Indian Sacred Sites. The National Congress of American Indians also passed a resolution opposing the mine.
Full Article
McCain was the dude all hot and heavy to get this bill passed.
So while these Johny-come-latelys all sing this "Land is MY land" at the top of their lungs, they are about to turn the Apache's holy lands into a copper mine.
While I can see the spectacular horror movie possibilities in such an act of desecration, this land is in the public trust.
Boy Scouts go here for goodness sake.
And to destroy ancient petroglyphs of any culture in the name of the dollar is just plain wrong.
And then, these guys, guys like McCain telling people who and who can't use the lands of Arizona.
The real piece of work in all of this is Governor Jan Brewer, who signed a recent law you might have heard about.
Yeah, she's all about turning Apache holy lands into a copper mine.
Governor backs deal for mining project
by Lindsey Collom, The Arizona Republic, Apr. 24, 2009
http://www.azcentral.com/...
"While some states have been blessed with oil, others with valuable forest, Arizona has been blessed with rich copper reserves," Brewer said. "Copper has done so much over the history of Arizona to provide economic growth, and this copper project spurs economic development far into our future."
The venture is expected to generate thousands of jobs and millions a year in taxes that would flow into federal, state and local coffers. Project backers anticipate an economic impact of $46.4 billion over the life of the project. That is equal to "two NFL Super Bowls per year," Brewer said.
Why does Arizona always equate economic impacts with Super Bowls? And funny you should bring that up, because I heard Major League Baseball All-Star Games brought money to town, too.
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The 3,000-acre mine site in Tonto National Forest is thought to contain the largest undeveloped deposit of high-grade copper in the world. Attempts by Resolution Copper to acquire the site have been delayed by environmentalists, Native American protests and a corruption scandal involving former Rep. Rick Renzi.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/...
Jan Brewer even went gave a speech there to pledge her support for this mine in a national treasure that belongs to the original inhabitants of the region, the Indians.
Here she is:
Source: Resolution Copper's Flickr Page:
http://www.flickr.com/...
McCain also made their Flickr page.
So while they huff and puff about borders, they want to transgress into established Apache holy land for a mine? Why would McCain and Brewer care?
I mean, Brewer and the CEO gave a speech together at the same conference just this year:
http://docs.westernroundtable.com/...
McCain even held up two of President Obama's Interior Department nominees over this.
They are jumping through hoops for Resolution Copper Mining.
Totally dishonoring the Indian tribes in the name of Big Business.
And destroying the land to boot.
While saying who and who cannot be on the land of Arizona.
Just wanted to put the whole illegal immigrant thing in perspective.