A sacred Indian mound in Oxford, Alabama is being destroyed so that the city can use the dirt as fill for a Sam's (a retail warehouse store). In spite of a report from the University of Alabama commissioned by the city itself that says the site is significant culturally and archaeologically, the mayor of Oxford has declared that the site was formed naturally and "only used to send smoke signals". The destruction of the site has preceded over the objections of many locals who consider the site sacred. (The Online Magazine for the Institute of Southern Studies has the complete story here.)
This destruction of heritage needs to be stopped! Please sign the petition asking the Alabama Historical Commission to step in and stop the mound from being torn down any further.
A sacred Indian mound in Oxford, Alabama is being destroyed so that the city can use the dirt as fill for a Sam's (a retail warehouse store). In spite of a report from the University of Alabama commissioned by the city itself that says the site is significant culturally and archaeologically, the mayor of Oxford has declared that the site was formed naturally and "only used to send smoke signals". The destruction of the site has preceded over the objections of many locals who consider the site sacred. (The Online Magazine for the Institute of Southern Studies has the complete story here.)
This destruction of heritage needs to be stopped! Please sign the petition asking the Alabama Historical Commission to step in and stop the mound from being torn down any further.
We the undersigned are asking you to step in and stop the destruction of the sacred Indian mound in Oxford, Alabama.
We are appalled by the ruination of such an important part of the heritage of Native Americans and, indeed, all Americans. The sacred spaces of American citizens should not be used as construction filler, nor should an archaeological site of such importance be allowed to be mined for dirt.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
We signed the "Stop the Destruction of a Sacred Indian Mound" petition!
# 576:
3:59 pm PST, Nov 18,Sonia Fullenwilder, Virginia
# 575:
11:45 pm PST, Nov 13,Helmut Drexler, Austria
# 574:
9:54 am PST, Nov 12,Robin Broadway, North Carolina
# 573:
9:08 am PST, Nov 12,Mikki Taylor, Australia
If this was a Catholic gravesite, would this be done? If this was an Anglican cemetry, would this be acceptable? If this was your family's tomb, would you be ok with this? Would you be happy if your ancestors were shown such contempt & disrespect? Wal-Mart, remember that its people that keep you going, that without you could not survive. Why then do you choose to disrespect the culture & ancestors of some of these very people? Do you think that only 'their people' will care about this? Do you think that no-one else is going to stop & wonder if their ancestors gravesites would be next? Is it wise to underestimate the power of people?
# 572:
7:52 am PST, Nov 12,Delores Taylor, Oklahoma
It is time we demand respect for the Indigenous people and burial sites!
# 571:
8:58 am PST, Nov 11,Name not displayed, Florida
Haven't the white men taken enough already?
# 570:
12:40 pm PST, Nov 10,Dusty Ellison, Georgia
# 569:
11:39 am PST, Nov 9,A. Torres, Massachusetts
# 568:
5:12 pm PST, Nov 8,Tonya Butts, New York
# 567:
10:20 am PST, Nov 3,Cecilia Armstrong, Ohio
This land is sacred land there is more land elsewhere come on people have a heart do the right thing,not the wrong thing.
# 566:
9:56 pm PDT, Oct 29,Sue Frang, New Mexico
# 565:
4:11 am PDT, Oct 25,Can Atik, Turkey
# 564:
7:50 am PDT, Oct 24,Gino Mazzella, New York
How ugly can we get in America! To use the ground honored by people as fill for another mega-store? How would churches like their places of worship torn down to make way for fill? This is an abomination! SHAME ON YOU if this site is destroyed due to a SAM"s club!
# 563:
6:56 pm PDT, Oct 23,Rebecca Yontz, Minnesota
There HAS TO be another way they could be going about building the Sams Club or whatever.
Whatever, disgusting.
You know the kinds of sacred burial belongings they find when they do this stuff? UNCOOL.
# 562:
1:29 pm PDT, Oct 23,D'Arcy Johnson, South Dakota
# 561:
12:42 pm PDT, Oct 23,Debra Hayes, Illinois
Debra Xiangjun Hayes
# 560:
12:41 pm PDT, Oct 23,Dylan Brown, Florida
# 559:
8:38 am PDT, Oct 23,Angela Layton, Texas
# 558:
11:52 pm PDT, Oct 22,Ara Cruz, Colorado
# 557:
3:59 pm PDT, Oct 22,Barry Layton, Texas
How would you like it if someone had dug up your parent's and other ancestors graves? It's illegal to grave rob, but when someone does it to the Native Peoples of the World, it's all of the sudden ok and good? Wrong!!!!
# 556:
6:23 am PDT, Oct 22,Kristy Baker, Tennessee
# 555:
4:27 am PDT, Oct 22,Ganesh Chandran, India
# 554:
7:57 am PDT, Oct 20,Marcus Pollett, United Kingdom
# 553:
1:44 am PDT, Oct 20,Brian Draper, United Kingdom
You have such a rich and tremendous heritage; please respect and safeguard it for future generations. We watch from the UK with interest.
# 552:
12:50 am PDT, Oct 20,Huw Spanner, United Kingdom
How can you take something that has had meaning and value for many people for many generations and use it as landfill? Please do not do this!
# 551:
12:04 am PDT, Oct 20,Lynne Gray, United Kingdom
The mound was there many years before the 'white man' came ~ it is not yours to destroy.
