Why Piñons, Why Now?
By: Cecile Pineda
Tags: Environment, Nuclear, Western Shoshone, Trees, Global Warming

So far our Piñon Pine Tree Project has raised $1,400. towards a preliminary budget of $10,000, the cost of a memorial grove commemorating the 30 Afghan civilian piñon pine nut harvesters assassinated by drone fired by U.S. forces in September 2019. Contributions have come from New York State, Oregon, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, and Berkeley, San Francisco, and Petaluma in California.

The grove will be planted in Cactus Springs at 36°34′37″N 115°43′34″W just west of highway 95, about 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas at the southern tip of Western Shoshone land. The project has the backing of the Western Shoshone Council and its representative Chief Johnny Bobb, whom many of us have met during the times we’ve occupied Creech. Sharing the site will be a Western Shoshone Museum whose theme will be nuclear contamination of Western Shoshone land.

Piñon pine tree

Two of our subscribers have raised important questions. One $100 donor asked why the cost of the project seemed high, another asked why we were planting piñons which normally thrive at elevations of 4,500–6,500 feet in Cactus Springs with a lower elevation of 3,500 feet.. And that’s what links the two questions together. At 3,500 feet, those little piñon saplings need to be irrigated. An artesian well on site is allowed to draw 500 gallons per day. A solar pump will draw well water and distribute it through irrigation lines to the trees. Solar pump and irrigation lines represent a sizeable percentage of the project.

Planting a grove is especially appropriate now. Many of the latest drone victims were under 18, some even young children. The farmer hiring them had gone out of his way to alert the governor of the province that harvesting activity would be happening in Nangahar, a heavily occupied zone. (A U.S. investigation of the crime has been called for.)

Piñon nut bearing cone

If you haven’t already, please send your contribution either by check or money order to 2550 Dana Street, 5-B, Berkeley, CA 94704 payable to the Cecile Pineda Newsletter. You may want to add Piñon Pine Project in the memo line, or just PPP. Even small amounts are welcome. $5 or $10 adds up pretty fast, especially when so many of us are drone resisters and have been for so long. You will receive a letter at your return address acknowledging your contribution.

We intend our memorial to occupy Creech long after we are gone.

Join the Global Day of Protest Saturday, January 25th.

Sign up to protest in your city at

https://www.codepink.org/01252020?utm_campaign=iran_national_tues_j7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink,

Demand McConnell recuse himself from any impeachment trial at

https://go.fightforequality.org/page/s/McConnell-Recusal?source=MS_EM_PET_2020.01.10_B1_McConnell-Recusal_X__F1_S1_C1__NS_RS

Support Veterans for Peace war powers resolution to prevent war with Iran at

https://veteransforpeace.salsalabs.org/warpowersresolution/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8f681290-1d67-4632-8c5c-5e13f23792b3

Read more on Soleimani’s Assassination at

https://popularresistance.org/the-deeper-story-behind-the-assassination-of-soleimani/

UN orders Canada to halt work on Trans Mountain Pipeline.

25 people occupy Chase Branch in D.C. to launch a major new campaign targeting the financial industry and its underwriting of fossil fuel industry.

Poll sows Americans just don’t buy Trump’s lies about Iran.

For further reading: Today’s ICH newsletter and Popular Resistance at

https://popularresistance.org/the-deeper-story-behind-the-assassination-of-soleimani/

Citing betrayal of oath, watchdog group files formal ethics complains targetting McConnell over #45 impeachment.

AOC’s revolt against the DCCC by forming her own PAC and refusing to pay the DCCC is exactly what progressives need.

40 U.S. cities in the crosshairs are pushing back against nuclear weapons.

Six states reconsider Medicaid work requirements.

#JoeVotedForTheWar trends after Sanders camp fires back at Biden’s denial of support for Iraq invasion.

Black alliance for Peace in Baltimore demands end to policing surge.

Minneapolis activists ask local leaders to invest in communities, not cops.

Consumer safety groups sue USDA over #45 effort to privatize pork industry inspections.

Community newspaper The Devil’s Strip becomes reader-owned cooperative in Akron, Ohio.

N.Y.C. major asks for criminal investigation into Trump taxes.

Defying threat of termination, 1,200 Florida teachers rally to save public education.

Progressives slam Texas GOP Governor Abbot’s decision to refuse new refugees.

Chef José Andrés relief workers team with local group to assist asylum-seekers waiting in Mexico.