We all know the history - the U.S. government was built largely by stealing American Indian land. The thing is, it's not just history.
The theft is still happening. In a blatantly racist move in May, white Arizona politicians like John McCain gave away sacred Apache land to a foreign company called Resolution Copper Mining - against the wishes of the San Carlos Apache.
A few politicians had tried to give away the land, called Oak Flat, for years, but their bill was always rejected. This time, McCain and his fellow AZ Senator Jeff Flake made a last-second addition to a giant must-pass defense bill, and the theft of Oak Flat passed before most senators even knew it was included.
McCain and Flake were joined by McCain's likely Democratic opponent, Rep. Kirkpatrick, as well as GOP Reps. Gasar, Salmon, Schweikert, and Franks. Shame on all. As Lydia Millet writes in the New York Times, "The deal is an impressive new low in congressional corruption, unworthy of our country’s ideals no matter what side of the aisle you’re on."
The good news is that there is a new bill from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, and Rep. Raul Grijalva that would overturn this decision, and given historical opposition to the theft, it might pass! San Carlos Apache activists support the bill, and this petition stands in solidarity with them.
Tell your senators and representative today: Enough racism - politicians have stolen too much Native land already. Pass the Save Oak Flat Act!
Stealing land from American Indians has always been wrong. There's absolutely no excuse for it to continue in 2015 - and yet that's exactly what John McCain, Jeff Flake, and Ann Kirkpatrick did with their corrupt last-second addition to the National Defense Authorization Act in May, giving away the sacred land Oak Flat to a foreign mining company against the wishes of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
Please right this wrong and pass the Save Oak Flat Act today! It was introduced by Rep. Raul Grijalva in the House and by Senators Bernie Sanders and Tammy Baldwin in the Senate. I know I can count on you to do the moral thing, and not cause further harm to America's Native nations.
