AZ's McCain Unfit for Public Office

A tip of the ear to my buddy at Blog for Arizona for this definite "need to know" piece.

Did you think forcing Native Americans off their ancient lands and stealing their resources was a thing of the past? Think again. This hideous story centrally involves the Republican presidential candidate, spans 18 years, involves over 10,000"relocated" Native Americans, and entails cruelties that most Americans do not think are possible in this country on this scale. In addition to McCain, it involves many of the same old DC Republican/Neocon insiders and corrupt corporations, and gives us a real big clue where McCain's heart will be on energy, and why.

Please, folks: Read this report summary, follow its links, and help us get the word out. This repulsive story deserves the widest exposure, and in a centered, balanced, sane world, would be widely reported. For, in the words of the spokewoman for the UN Human Rights Commission:

The Black Mesa region in Arizona, USA is home to the indigenous communities of the Dineh (Navajo) and Hopi peoples. This region also contains major deposits of coal which are being extracted by North America's largest strip mining operation. The coal mines have had a major impact on families in the region. Local water sources have been poisoned, resulting in the death of livestock. Homes near the mines suffer from blasting damage. The coal dust is pervasive, as well as smoke from frequent fires in the stockpiles. Not coincidentally, the people in the area have an unusually high incidence of kidney and respiratory disease.

The Dineh (otherwise known as Navajo) were stripped of all land title and forced to relocate. Their land was turned over to the coal companies without making any provisions to protect the burial or sacred sites that would be destroyed by the mines. People whose lives were based in their deep spiritual and life-giving relationship with the land were relocated into cities, often without compensation, forbidden to return to the land that their families had occupied for generations. People became homeless with significant increases in alcoholism, suicide, family break up, emotional abuse and death. -- Marsha Monestersky for the UN Commission on Human Rights and Women Enacting Change at the UN. "The forcible relocation of over 10,000 (Dineh) Navajo people is a tragedy of genocide and injustice that will be a blot on the conscience of this country for many generations."

Study synopsis:

ACSA study reveals that after assembling a team of "pro-Peabody Western Coal" Indians and obtaining a false "Hopi-Navajo" Tribal Counsel designation by the [notoriously corrupt US] Bureau of Indian Affairs for these paid Tribal representatives, in the period 1974-1996, Senator McCain was able to get large bands of the Dineh-Navajo relocated off their lands, so that Peabody Western could mine the coal under their farms at nominal expense. Common Cause has suggested McCain was indirectly compensated by street name cash contributions to his Federal Election Fund during three Presidential runs, and through family business with Las Vegas Casinos who benefited from the coal driven power he supplied.