Navajos: Welcome to 'Apartheid Arizona'

[Bobbieo]

WINDOW ROCK – In less than a month, Arizona has gone from being referred to as the “Grand Canyon State” to “Apartheid Arizona,” with calls for boycotts from cities across the nation and threats of lawsuits from Tucson to Flagstaff.

The Navajo Nation is not far behind with a resolution approved Monday, 9-1, by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee expressing opposition to Arizona Senate Bill 1070 for “unlawfully infringing on the constitutional, civil and human rights of indigenous peoples in Arizona.”

http://nativeunity.blogspot.com

[tblue]

1. We are all Navajo now!

I'm with them!

[hlthe2b]

2. Me too..

I cheer them on.

[David Zephyr]

3. Good for the Navajos.

They should be asking the Governor of Arizona for her papers.

[political_Dem]

4. I'm very glad the Navajo nation did so. Because 1070 does exactly what they say.

America has had a long history of exploitation built upon racism, discrimination of the law and ruthless oppression. The Arizonan law lacks humanity, honor and dignity.

It makes me very proud that they decided this measure because the only way to demonstrate that such draconian laws are not to be tolerated is to fight back.

[Bobbieo]

5. I do believe there are 21 recognized tribes in the state of Arizona.

[political_Dem]

7. The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona also opposed 1070. I'm sorry for forgetting this important note.

:(

Above all else, this law needs to be fought on many fronts. And as before, I am very happy that people are fighting back--especially within the state of Arizona.

[PSzymeczek]

21. I hope the Tohono O'odham

join in on this. The border crosses through the Tohono O'odham Nation.

[Ed Barrow]

6. K&R

[EFerrari]

8. Welcome to DU, Ed Barrow!

[Bobbieo]

9. Welcome Ed and stay with us on this..

[MrScorpio]

24. Barrow? From Alabama?

Are you related to Joe Louis in any way?

[Ichingcarpenter]

10. My uncle was a Navajo not by blood but my marriage in New Mexico

I went to the Navajo nation with him a couple of times to visit his relatives.




Good for them.

[dkf]

11. American Indians are afraid they will get tossed out as illegal immigrants?

The irony is simply hilarious.

[CreekDog]

15. is it funny?

hmmmm.

[dkf]

18. I find incredibly ironic.

In those cases I just gotta laugh at the stupidity.

[CreekDog]

20. calling Navajos stupid?

i know you support the Arizona law --we've had that discussion before.

i don't know what's stupid about not wanting to be boycotted for what the geniuses in Phoenix thought up.

and i don't know what's stupid about being concerned they might get jailed when the state tries to enforce the law, since Navajos tend to be darker.

[boppers]

19. "The border crossed us..."

An incredibly large number of latin americans have native american blood in them, meaning they have even more of a right to be in the US than your average european immigrant.

[tomm2thumbs]

12. as a sovereign nation, can the Indian people grant amnesty and legal status to their nation?

it might be a good way to do a complete end-run around this Arizona stupidity - and it would bring those two groups together in unity as a force against the nutjobs running the state's govt.

[sweetloukillbot]

13. There is another problem in southern AZ w/ enforcing immigration on Native lands...

The Tohono O'odham reservation is on the border and while the bulk of the tribe is in Arizona, a large population lives across the border in Sonora - right in the heart of the smuggling routes. The government used to allow members to cross freely, but they have been cracking down on them in recent years. Members on the American side are hassled when they visit relatives on the Mexican side, and the tribal government is on the American side, which hurts those on the Mexican side, who cannot get in. I believe there have also been sovereignty issues with the border patrol.

[KonaKane]

17. I wish, but they aren't technically sovereign.

I heard they have something called "conquered nation" status which allows them a degree of self rule but not autonomy and they are still subject to the US constitution/goverment.

Sucks but thats how it is.

[tomm2thumbs]

22. so I guess they can't citizen-ize hispanics into their nation?

I always wonder what things they aren't benefitting from that they have the power to, just because they have been beaten down so many times

[femrap]

14. Isn't there a Hopi

reservation in AZ as well?

They should be ruling the state, not the stupid white man.

[Bobbieo]

23. Yes, the Hopi Tribe is in Arizona.. Right in the middle of the Navajo Nation.

[KonaKane]

16. Ya'at'e!

They got that one right. Dineh (Navajo) are darker than Mexicans!