From: beaver.cs.washington.edu!gnosys!anchor.esd.sgi.com!lyn (Lyn Dearborn)
Subject: Re: ACTIVISM: Mt. Graham Action Alert!!
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 20:02:39 GMT

Original-Sender: anchor.esd.sgi.com!lyn (Lyn Dearborn)

[I have edited this to reconstruct lines apparently cut off short by the
editor and/or mail system.  I hope I've not introduced any errors in the
process. mkk]

Interesting dispute going on here without a lot of research on the part of
Mr. Coffman, and an informed irritated response on Gary Trujillos part which I
KNOW was carefully thought out, but comes across as terse and unfeeling,
which I KNOW isn't true.

Fact:  There are a ZILLION "anglo" do-gooders out there that love to stir
up hysterical frenzy anytime any native group yells sacred land at ANYONE
interested in listening.  (Get a Life, Gary COFFMAN!)

Fact:  There are equally as many stupid groups willing to trash sacred land
in the name of science or "progress" ... as is the case of the "NO-GO" road
protest in northern calif. affecting the Yurok, Hupa and Karuk people.  If
you know what it is all about, great, keep up the good work.  If you don't
know, you don't need to know and would only contribute "do-gooder frenzy
that does more harm than good".

Fact:  Native Americans are tired of being "crapped" on by the gov'ts tendency
to do what they want, when and where they want to, the environment or
"history" of native cultures be damned.  Proof:  Nuclear waste on tribal
land, regardless of Uncle Sam's saying "they agreed to it" .... starving
people will agree to anything, even if they are shortsighted and neglect
to reason that their future generations will pay the price.

Fact:  There are very few great observatory sights available, and we as a
people stand to benefit from them.

Fact:  Those who only know how to spout off on the keyboard need to do more
thinking, less hysterical babbling, and mind their own business so that
those who contribute to the REAL LIFE workings of our tribes, our country,
our LIVES, our future, and our REAL NEED TO KNOW can go about their business.

Fact:  Gary is very patient and does an incredible job and still hasn't lost
his mind.  If he gets ticked and interjects, there is a need for people like
Mr. Coffman to go look into a mirror and say:  What is YOUR problem?  Is it
really the downtrodden "poor Indian" you are concerned about?  We actually
do quite well without hysterical "others" taking up false battles for us.
"Not my tribe, not my business" IS NOT my philosophy, BUT THINGS ARE SELDOM
WHAT THEY APPEAR, so before I butt in, I TRY to do some REAL research.  I
would hate to see another "bad mouthing" war similar to the one last summer
with Ed Looney (it was LAST summer, wasn't it).  The tempers flying completely
obliterated the value of the original exchange.  In this particular case,
there MAY BE some validity to the claim of sacred land, and there may not.
Leave that to THE PEOPLE IN A POSITION TO KNOW.  If you DON'T have any REAL
background information, stay out of it (Mr. Coffman, and anyone else).  The
frenzy created by uninformed do-gooders does us more harm than good.  This
year, of all years, we want "white America" to pay attention to our REAL
GRIEVANCES, and WANT to learn the truth (if we can find it, collectively)
and begin righting the wrongs, continue teaching children that racism is
wrong, and the ruling of the weak by the strong is wrong; poisoning the
reservations is wrong, and defiling the dead is wrong.  It can best be done
calmly and logically, not rudely and hysterically, Mr. Coffman, so my
"GET A LIFE!" still stands.  The debate of "Gee, if my grandfather was
buried there, I'd rather have an observatory looking into the heavens on top
of him, than the decay of nuclear waste and the poisoning of the earth" isn't
an issue here, though it should be considered.  I'm not interested in caring
on a verbal battle in answer to this either, in fact I'm heading for a
"holier" area north and east of the polluted Bay Area to visit an observatory
en route to tribal happenings, so I won't be able to carry on a battle
even if I were interested in doing so.  so lets all
    ** BACK OFF, THINK, RESEARCH, ETC ** before adding fuel to the
proverbial fire.  The Apaches don't need uninformed help; the gov't doesn't
need to be blasted with hysterical non-indian protestors; the real concerns
get clouded and emotional decisions are made that we all live to regret.
		AMEN!

lyn

Xref: sparky alt.native:780 talk.environment:3008