Trump administration’s slight of tribal sovereignty is unconscionable

Independent Newsmedia/Charlene Bisson

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What are your thoughts on the Trump administration moving forward with its border-wall project in Arizona over a Native American tribe’s objections? Tell us in 300 words or less at yourvalley.net/letters, or email your comments, name, address and contact number to AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

OPINION — Should construction of the border wall on Native American land be continued? A resounding no.

The Tohono O’odham tribe should not have their sovereign reservation redrawn, impinged or taken. Nor should their sacred areas be defiled regardless of the purported reason.

They need to use the tools of the White man — the almighty dollar and the bargaining clout they have. I’d think uranium mining rights on the Navajo Nation would be worth the entire border wall (but make them clean up the legacy sites first). Maybe some of their Colorado River water rights would be worth the cease-and-desist of the Resolution Copper mine and the formal recognition of the San Carlos sacred site.

This administration’s continuous degradations and slights, not just against the tribal nations but against all Americans, is truly unconscionable.

We all should be revolted by their behavior. If the majority of readers think that’s OK, we really are in a terrible place as a country.

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