Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

CARPINTERIA, California (March 16, 2009) -- On Tuesday, March 17, the school board of Carpinteria, California will meet to vote whether or not to rescind their own 2008 decision to remove all imagery that stereotypes Native American peoples from Carpinteria High School. The town of Carpinteria is staging the meeting in such a way as to intimidate the Native people choosing to participate. (photo of Eli Cordero by Paul Wellman)

Details: Carpinteria votes on reinstatement of racist mascot by AIM-West

CARPINTERIA, California - The small town of Carpinteria, California is the latest battleground in Native Americans' fight against racism. The controversy over a supposedly "harmless" high school sports mascot has alienated the Native American population of Carpinteria, who have come to fear violent reprisals from the non-Native community.

The Carpinteria "Warriors" mascot is the standard Indian chief stereotype, complete with generic plains-style war bonnet and stoic gaze. The school logo consists of a spear with dangling feathers; a visual symbol also associated with plains Indian cultures.

Last spring, 15 year old Chumash youth Eli Cordero voiced his objections to the use of this stereotypical imagery by Carpinteria High School. On April 22nd, 2008, he brought his concerns before the school board which then voted to retire the use of all Native American imagery. . . . Since that time, the 15 year old has received death threats and his family has been harassed. Some citizens of Carpinteria shouted racial epithets at John Orendorff, a Native American Army Reserve colonel who spoke at a school board meeting in favor of removing the racist imagery. . . .

Complete update: Racism and Intimidation in Carpinteria by AIM-West | | You Tube video

On Tuesday December 11, 2007, I joined in a community effort to welcome and support a coalition of Native American Nations and environmental justice groups in their ongoing effort to defend Arizona's San Francisco Peaks from proposed ski area development. The coalition had traveled from Arizona in order to be present for a Federal Appeals Court hearing in which developers would challenge a precedent-setting court victory won by the coalition, which halted plans to expand the skiing business by making fake snow out of sewage waste. This case is viewed as precedent-setting in the realms of religious freedom and public health, and particularly in establishing an interpretation for the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

As a person of faith, what struck me about the gathering is how deeply important the theme of religious freedom was. . . Full report from newswire: This is how we (could) pray by Amy L. Dalton

Report on the court proceedings: Tribes & Environmental Groups Defend Religious Freedom & Human Health in Federal Court | | Report with photos: March and Vigil to Save the San Francisco Peaks by Self-Hating Caucasian | | More photos: by Raul Roa | | Related: A Native American on How Non-Indigenous People Can Stop Colonialization

The San Francisco Peaks are a unique mountain ecosystem which are managed as public lands in Northern Arizona. The Peaks are held Holy by more than 13 Indigenous Nations. A small ski area is threatening expansion and attempting to make fake snow from treated sewage effluent filled with harmful contaminants. A coalition of tribes and environmental groups have unified to prevent the environmental destruction, community health hazards and extreme desecration that would be caused by the proposed development. Although the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the ski area plan, the case will be reheard in Pasadena on December 11th, 2007. See: SAVE THE PEAKS CALL FOR SUPPORT! - Legal Battle to Protect Sacred Site Comes to Pasadena by Indigeneous
Additional coverage: Uprising Radio, Uprising (follow-up, Dec. 7)
From the Calendar: Defending the Land: Indigenous Cultural Survival

On Wednesday April 30 and Friday May 2, there will be demonstrations against L.A.-based Occidental Petroleum over pollution and illness caused by nearly 30 years of oil sdrilling in the Peruvian Amazon. The first event, a mock clean-up will take place at the company's headquarters, the second will be outside the annual shareholder's meeting. According to Amazon Watch, Occidental Petroleum is sensitive to this kind of publicity. Full story: Two Upcoming Events to Expose Pollution, Sickness in Peru Caused by Occidental Petroleum by RP Announcements: Wednesday event Friday event