Border Fence to Divide Three Native American Nations

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=c17899ed7975f1ada871e1da0c8b52f2

Three Native American nations and 23 tribes live in the borderlands between the United States and Mexico. The construction of the border separation fence approved by Congress will divide in two the ancient history of these peoples.

“The land is the place God put us from time immemorial. I can’t imagine that now it will be difficult to visit my family,” because of the construction of the fence, said Louis Gussac, chief of the Koumeyaay nation located on both sides of the California border.

These sentences are repeated time and time again on the reservations’ international limits.

The tribes’ situation has been difficult since 2001 as a result of an increase in the Border Patrol, the presence of National Guard troops in the last four months and narco-traffic activities in some areas along the border.

O'odham, Cocopah and Kickapoo are the three Native American nations that will see their culture and land divided by a fence that is at least five feet tall and, according to Congress, is expected to be completed in May 2008.

“Although the project is meant to stop the undocumented, it affects our life,” said Gussac.

[Solon]

1. OK, whoever voted for this fucking stupid assed border fence should be flogged, publicly...

what fucking idiots!

[Richardo]

2. Five feet tall?

I don't know if that's stupid, racist, idiotic, stupid or moronic. Or stupid.

:rofl:

[underpants]

5. LOL

We are building and end table for everyone to meet at and have a place to put their beer.


There have been several articles about this mess in Eagle Pass. Not one of the locals want it. It will cut off the communities from each other and ruin property damage as well as a development now in construction.

It is a horrific mess.

5 feet tall :rofl: indeed.

[Richardo]

11. I love that visual

"Belly up to the international security fence, boys....we'll match you Shiner for Dos XX." :rofl:

[underpants]

13. Vendo el propano y el propano y el propano accesorios

Mexican Hank Hill gang

or as posted below-Mexican pole vaulting team t-shirts

[Richardo]

16. I'd pay to hear the Mexican Boomhower

:rofl:

[underpants]

20. ¡Ah hombre ah hombre que digo usted qué!

[XemaSab]

17. No shit

Dude, my grandma might be hard-pressed to get over that, but I don't think it would serve as an impediment to anyone else.

It's a grandma-proof-fence. :D

[Warpy]

3. Damned few people along the border want that damned fence

They already have cameras, motion sensors, and frequent INS patrols and manage to catch a hell of a lot of people. They also know which traffic to ignore, much of it Native American and the rest extended families with members on both sides of the border.

This fence is a damn boondoggle to make California, Arizona and Texas bigots happy. It will cost billions to erect and billions to maintain since determined border crossers will just go under it, over it, or through it.

[troubleinwinter]

22. To "make the bigots happy". Nailed.

[yardwork]

4. This was probably part of the plan.

By the way, how is an unguarded five foot fence supposed to stop anybody from climbing over it, anyway?

I'm almost 50 and I believe that even I could still climb over a five foot fence - especially if I was with even one other person to give me a leg-up. I'm opposed to demonizing immigration in the first place, but this fence idea strikes me as the dumbest thing I've heard since Reagan's star wars.

[gateley]

6. I think Reagan's star wars sounds brilliant in comparison to this. nt

[yardwork]

10. Good point. Who knew things could get so much worse than Reagan?

[walldude]

15. Yeah, and at least he had a cool movie name for his stupid idea

I guess maybe we need to help Georgie boy come up with a cool movie name for his work of genius.

[frebrd]

24. It can't possibly be very successful...

at keeping out humans, but it will very effectively cut off countless wildlife migration routes. I never hear anyone even mention that.

:grr:

[KamaAina]

7. Five feet? I can see the "Mexican Polevault Team" T-shirts now...

:eyes:

[XemaSab]

19. Polevault?

More like vaulting the horse in gym class...

[DCKit]

8. The word "sovereign" holds no meaning for the neocon corporatists.

The concept is beyond them.

[racaulk]

9. Yep, it will only affect them if it hurts their wallets.

Money trumps all.

:mad:

[EFerrari]

12. Is that fence even legal?

God, I hate these m@therfuckers.

[underpants]

14. Texas Town Leader Fights Border Fence-Group Says Federal Government "Abusing Our Liberties"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/06/national/main3796693.shtml

[walldude]

18. From the article in the first reply to your post:

Eagle Pass was the first community to be hit with a lawsuit after the federal government began demanding access to the land to survey it for the fence. A federal judge ruled in favor of the government Jan. 16, the same day the complaint was filed and before city officials had even been served with legal papers.

Apparently it doesn't matter if it's legal. Man I wish my Texas dream gal Molly Ivins was around to put this in it's proper perspective.

[EFerrari]

23. I stupidly used the term "legal" as if it meant something any more.

:grr:

[suffragette]

25. Sadly, unless they managed to change part of REAL ID

that was included in that heinous bill.

From Thomas:

SEC. 102. WAIVER OF LAWS NECESSARY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF BARRIERS AT BORDERS.

Section 102(c) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended to read as follows:
`(c) Waiver-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the authority to waive, and shall waive, all laws such Secretary, in such Secretary's sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section.
`(2) NO JUDICIAL REVIEW- Notwithstanding any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), no court, administrative agency, or other entity shall have jurisdiction--
`(A) to hear any cause or claim arising from any action undertaken, or any decision made, by the Secretary of Homeland Security pursuant to paragraph (1); or
`(B) to order compensatory, declaratory, injunctive, equitable, or any other relief for damage alleged to arise from any such action or decision.'.

I remember posting repeatedly about that being part of the problem with that damnable piece of legislation.
Searched and found one from that time referring to this above the law clause in REAL ID and with links to how people had been divided and would be further affected by this.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3442251#3443439
I remember posting another that had some environmental impact info as well.
That atrocious bill needs to be repealed.

[countryjake]

26. They are filing suit against holdouts...

according to this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021503303.html?nav=hcmodule


"In December, officials sent warning letters to 135 private landowners, municipalities, universities, public utility companies and conservation societies along the border that had turned away surveyors. Landowners were given 30 days to change their minds or face legal action. More than 100 of them -- 71 in Texas -- let the deadline pass.

Over the past several weeks, U.S. attorneys acting on behalf of the Homeland Security Department have been filing lawsuits against the holdouts. Already, federal district judges have ordered one landowner in California, 11 in Arizona and 11 in Texas -- including the small city of Eagle Pass -- to temporarily surrender their properties. The mayor of Eagle Pass, which is located about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio and stands to lose 233 acres of city-owned land, said the city is planning to appeal. Suits are also pending against 14 landowners in California and 44 in South Texas, including Tamez.

News of the lawsuits has sent a chill through the chain of tiny centuries-old South Texas settlements that dot the Rio Grande like beads on a necklace. Like Tamez, many residents of these hamlets are descendants of the Spanish settlers who colonized the region in the late 1700s. But significant numbers of them are now impoverished, and even those who have become middle-class professionals, such as Tamez, lack deep pockets for a legal battle.

Nonetheless, many are following the example of Tamez, a widow who has sought free legal help from the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law."


****************


I imagine that they could use eminent domain if they wanted, to confiscate the land, if the landowners continue to defy Homeland Security. Not sure about that, tho.

[countryjake]

28. Oh, did you mean as far as honoring treaties...

from the articles I read on these tribes back a few years ago concerning the wall proposal, (can't find those bookmarks now) yes, it would be in violation of several treaties and also ignores a couple of laws enacted that placed protections on the sanctity of native burial grounds and religious heritage.

As we all know, none of that matters to those who want even more repression of any and all minorities who try to survive in this nation.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

21. K&R n/t

[OneBlueSky]

27. to paraphrase Ronald Reagan . . . "Mr. Bush, tear down this wall!" . . .

of all the asinine ideas flowing from BushCo (and there's plenty of them), this one ranks right near the top of the stupidity scale . . .