truthout--2020-07-02--Beware of Anti-Trump Republicans Who Endorse Joe Biden

A stampeding herd of “ anti-Trump ” Republican organizations and PACs has flooded the 2020 presidential campaign with ads attacking the president and endorsing his rival , Joe Biden .
If beating Donald Trump in November is your main thing , this would appear to be only good news .
I am forced to wonder , however , what the real intent is behind this sudden solidarity after three long years of near-silence from the deeply compromised “ Never Trump ” crew .
It has been a fascinating election already before these right-wing voices chimed in .
Trump is running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pianos on his back — his handling of COVID , the uprising and the economy — all of which he put there himself .
Trump has repeatedly proven himself to be a DIY kind of guy when it comes to self-inflicted campaign wounds .
Trump ’ s presumptive Democratic challenger , in contrast , is throwing darts from his basement and seemingly running away with the race .
Biden , whose age puts him squarely in the high-risk category from COVID , has been running as if the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his campaign .
Justly so : The mere fact that Biden is acting like a responsible human being is a good portion of the reason why he is currently ahead in the polls .
At this point , Trump ’ s campaign staffers must flinch like dogs without their ThunderShirts whenever the Trumpian fireworks start , or as is usually the case , won ’ t stop .
Case in point : Trump went back to his blankie yesterday for yet another Fox News “ interview , ” during which he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be very good with the coronavirus .
I think that at some point that ’ s going to sort of just disappear , I hope.
” Flinch .
Everything in that sentence is wrong , infuriating and cruel .
COVID is not going to disappear , even if a vaccine comes down the pipe tomorrow .
“ I hope ” is not a policy for a nation that just notched 50,000 new infections in a single day , a record which leaves the grim daily totals from March and April in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be very good ” from a president with his execrable COVID track record to date is the verbal equivalent of rubbing the electorate ’ s face in the rocks of a gravel driveway .
Donald Trump is the best campaign spokesman Joe Biden could ever wish for , because Trump will not stop damaging himself , ever .
He is incapable of staying out of the spotlight , has no interest in talking points or strategy , and almost never knows what he is talking about when he starts flapping his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lies about everything from Russian bounties on U.S. troops to the uprising to the pandemic are a feature , not a bug .
In the midst of this maelstrom , Biden pops up every so often like some grandfatherly Jack-in-the-box to remind people that , whatever else he may be , he is not that guy .
He has out-raised Trump for the second month in a row , while Trump ’ s own campaign spends its money on ads intended only to assure the president that he ’ s a great guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ momentum is on Biden ’ s side at present , and Trump is only going to help him as we lurch toward the reckoning in November .
So forgive me for being leery of this abrupt tidal wave of Biden support from Republican-based organizations .
It puts me in mind of the old joke about the French aristocrat who sees an angry mob run by and says , “ I must find out where my people are going , so I may lead them.
” The newest entry into the Republican anti-Trump push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is a collection of hundreds of former campaign and administration members who worked for George W. Bush , the war criminal 43rd president .
A list of members is not available so far as I can glean , but the group boasts a number of former Bush Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking members whose names I ’ d love to know .
Rumsfeld ?
Ashcroft ?
Rove ?
Cheney ?
Such is the possible character of Biden ’ s new allies .
“ Whether you worked in the earliest days of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January 2009 , you know a thing or two about serving the grand ideals and exceptional people of our country , ” reads the 43 Alumni for Biden endorsement .
“ Together we saw compassion in action , strength on display and the steady leadership of a true statesman who inspired us to meet some of America ’ s greatest challenges.
” I don ’ t have time to fully parse the freight of “ Oy vey ” in that paragraph ; if you lived through the scabrous eight years of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need me to tell you how much unrefined bullshit is slathered on the words “ compassion , ” “ steady leadership ” and “ true statesman.
” Those hundreds of “ 43 Alumni ” aided and abetted a murderous smash-and-grab robbery of an administration , and now they ’ re piling in behind Biden exactly when he does not need their help .
Another Republican group that has been throwing hot shade at Trump is The Lincoln Project .
The ads produced by this organization have been singularly brutal and ruthlessly timely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of them .
Each time another Lincoln Project ad airs , Trump Twitter goes seismic .
The Lincoln spots are masterpieces of inflicted political pain , and further proof that conservatives are better at making killer ads than the Democrats ever were or will be .
Many who oppose Trump have rejoiced at the way these ads have been flaying him , but it can not be forgotten that this same gleefully lethal energy also went into creating and distributing the GOP ’ s racist Willie Horton ad attacking Michael Dukakis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads attacking John Kerry in 2004 .
With friends like these , etc .
In 1976 , Jimmy Carter came out of the Democratic convention with a 33-point lead over incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford .
Despite campaigning with the grand piano of Watergate on his back , Ford had clawed his way to a polling tie with Carter by Election Day , and only barely lost in the end .
For those seeking Trump ’ s defeat in November , this is instructive history , and a warning against complacency .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifting a finger , but it is a long 17 weeks to the vote , and things can change in a day .
The effective damage these GOP-aligned groups can do to Trump between now and then should not be dismissed out of hand .
That being said , those working to get Trump gone must be deeply wary of this new “ help.
” These are the people whose policies and go-for-the-jugular campaign ethos made President Donald Trump possible , or even inevitable , in the first place .
Here they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hopes we all forget the blood and tears soaking their hands .
Furthermore , if these right-wing organizations do manage to make a notable difference in the November outcome , they are going to think they are owed something for that assistance , and anything that pushes Biden even further to the right is a menace on its face for anyone seeking genuine progressive change .
Simply put : Never , ever forget who it is you ’ re dealing with here .
These groups do not oppose Trump because of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is bad for the Republican brand , full stop .
The enemy of your enemy in this case is not your friend , at all .
It feels too much like The Scorpion and the Frog all over again , and folks by now should be heartily wary of getting stung .

A stampeding herd of “anti-Trump” Republican organizations and PACs has flooded the 2020 presidential campaign with ads attacking the president and endorsing his rival, Joe Biden. If beating Donald Trump in November is your main thing, this would appear to be only good news. I am forced to wonder, however, what the real intent is behind this sudden solidarity after three long years of near-silence from the deeply compromised “Never Trump” crew.
It has been a fascinating election already before these right-wing voices chimed in. Trump is running for reelection with a trio of grand pianos on his back — his handling of COVID, the uprising and the economy — all of which he put there himself. Trump has repeatedly proven himself to be a DIY kind of guy when it comes to self-inflicted campaign wounds.
Trump’s presumptive Democratic challenger, in contrast, is throwing darts from his basement and seemingly running away with the race. Biden, whose age puts him squarely in the high-risk category from COVID, has been running as if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was in charge of his campaign. Justly so: The mere fact that Biden is acting like a responsible human being is a good portion of the reason why he is currently ahead in the polls.
At this point, Trump’s campaign staffers must flinch like dogs without their ThunderShirts whenever the Trumpian fireworks start, or as is usually the case, won’t stop. Case in point: Trump went back to his blankie yesterday for yet another Fox News “interview,” during which he said, “I think we’re going to be very good with the coronavirus. I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope.”
Flinch. Everything in that sentence is wrong, infuriating and cruel. COVID is not going to disappear, even if a vaccine comes down the pipe tomorrow. “I hope” is not a policy for a nation that just notched 50,000 new infections in a single day, a record which leaves the grim daily totals from March and April in deep shade. “We’re going to be very good” from a president with his execrable COVID track record to date is the verbal equivalent of rubbing the electorate’s face in the rocks of a gravel driveway.
Donald Trump is the best campaign spokesman Joe Biden could ever wish for, because Trump will not stop damaging himself, ever. He is incapable of staying out of the spotlight, has no interest in talking points or strategy, and almost never knows what he is talking about when he starts flapping his gums at the cameras. His ceaseless lies about everything from Russian bounties on U.S. troops to the uprising to the pandemic are a feature, not a bug.
Donald Trump is the best campaign spokesman Joe Biden could ever wish for, because Trump will not stop damaging himself, ever.
In the midst of this maelstrom, Biden pops up every so often like some grandfatherly Jack-in-the-box to remind people that, whatever else he may be, he is not that guy. He has out-raised Trump for the second month in a row, while Trump’s own campaign spends its money on ads intended only to assure the president that he’s a great guy and everything is fine.
All the momentum is on Biden’s side at present, and Trump is only going to help him as we lurch toward the reckoning in November. So forgive me for being leery of this abrupt tidal wave of Biden support from Republican-based organizations. It puts me in mind of the old joke about the French aristocrat who sees an angry mob run by and says, “I must find out where my people are going, so I may lead them.”
The newest entry into the Republican anti-Trump push is named 43 Alumni for Biden. It is a collection of hundreds of former campaign and administration members who worked for George W. Bush, the war criminal 43rd president. A list of members is not available so far as I can glean, but the group boasts a number of former Bush Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking members whose names I’d love to know. Rumsfeld? Ashcroft? Rove? Cheney? Such is the possible character of Biden’s new allies.
“Whether you worked in the earliest days of the 43rd Administration or sprinted to the finish in January 2009, you know a thing or two about serving the grand ideals and exceptional people of our country,” reads the 43 Alumni for Biden endorsement. “Together we saw compassion in action, strength on display and the steady leadership of a true statesman who inspired us to meet some of America’s greatest challenges.”
I don’t have time to fully parse the freight of “Oy vey” in that paragraph; if you lived through the scabrous eight years of the Bush administration, you don’t need me to tell you how much unrefined bullshit is slathered on the words “compassion,” “steady leadership” and “true statesman.” Those hundreds of “43 Alumni” aided and abetted a murderous smash-and-grab robbery of an administration, and now they’re piling in behind Biden exactly when he does not need their help.
Another Republican group that has been throwing hot shade at Trump is The Lincoln Project. The ads produced by this organization have been singularly brutal and ruthlessly timely, and Trump the TV fanatic is well aware of them. Each time another Lincoln Project ad airs, Trump Twitter goes seismic. The Lincoln spots are masterpieces of inflicted political pain, and further proof that conservatives are better at making killer ads than the Democrats ever were or will be.
Many who oppose Trump have rejoiced at the way these ads have been flaying him, but it cannot be forgotten that this same gleefully lethal energy also went into creating and distributing the GOP’s racist Willie Horton ad attacking Michael Dukakis in 1988, and the wildly truthless swift-boat ads attacking John Kerry in 2004. With friends like these, etc.
These groups do not oppose Trump because of his policies. They oppose Trump because he is bad for the Republican brand, full stop.
In 1976, Jimmy Carter came out of the Democratic convention with a 33-point lead over incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford. Despite campaigning with the grand piano of Watergate on his back, Ford had clawed his way to a polling tie with Carter by Election Day, and only barely lost in the end.
For those seeking Trump’s defeat in November, this is instructive history, and a warning against complacency. Biden is booming along right now while barely lifting a finger, but it is a long 17 weeks to the vote, and things can change in a day. The effective damage these GOP-aligned groups can do to Trump between now and then should not be dismissed out of hand.
That being said, those working to get Trump gone must be deeply wary of this new “help.” These are the people whose policies and go-for-the-jugular campaign ethos made President Donald Trump possible, or even inevitable, in the first place. Here they are now, leaping on the Biden bandwagon in hopes we all forget the blood and tears soaking their hands.
Furthermore, if these right-wing organizations do manage to make a notable difference in the November outcome, they are going to think they are owed something for that assistance, and anything that pushes Biden even further to the right is a menace on its face for anyone seeking genuine progressive change.
Simply put: Never, ever forget who it is you’re dealing with here. These groups do not oppose Trump because of his policies. They oppose Trump because he is bad for the Republican brand, full stop. The enemy of your enemy in this case is not your friend, at all. It feels too much like The Scorpion and the Frog all over again, and folks by now should be heartily wary of getting stung.
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truthout--2020-07-02--A Friend of the KKK Built Mount Rushmore Monument on Sacred Lakota Land

As tribal governments call on President Trump to cancel his Mount Rushmore Independence Day celebration , we look at why Native Americans have long pushed for the removal of the monument carved into the sacred Black Hills and designed by a sculptor with ties to the Ku Klux Klan .
“ This place is very , very sacred to our people , ” says Nick Tilsen , president and CEO of the NDN Collective .
“ Stealing our land and then carving the faces of four white men who were colonizers , who committed genocide against Indigenous people , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : As the coronavirus pandemic intensifies in the United States , with a record 52,000 new cases in just 24 hours , President Trump plans to hold an Independence Day celebration Friday at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota , with a fighter jet flyover and fireworks , which are banned in the area due to extreme forest fire potential .
Some 7,500 people are expected .
And South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem , a staunch Trump ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear a mask or to remain six feet apart .
AMY GOODMAN : Trump ’ s rally comes amidst a national debate on how to deal with statues and symbols that enshrine systemic racism .
Mount Rushmore itself is named after a gold rush lawyer and speculator .
The monument features the sculpted heads of four U.S. presidents — Washington , Jefferson , Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt — blasted out of the ancient granite between 1927 and 1941 by 400 workers , directed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum .
Earlier , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to carve the huge Stone Mountain memorial to Confederate leaders in Georgia .
Borglum was close to the Ku Klux Klan and was likely a member .
Mount Rushmore , in the region now known as the Black Hills , which is the sacred center of the Lakota people ’ s universe , and the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has ordered Trump to cancel Friday ’ s event .
Julian Bear Runner told The Guardian , quote , “ The lands on which that mountain is carved and the lands he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Great Sioux nation under a treaty signed in 1851 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and I have to tell him he doesn ’ t have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time , ” he said .
The government acknowledged tribal sovereignty over the Black Hills in two separate treaties and committed the land , quote , “ for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupancy of the Sioux.
” But gold was discovered there in the 1870s , and the Army drove the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indigenous resistance to the waves of settler colonists that followed ended with the Army ’ s brutal massacre of Lakota women , children and the elderly at Wounded Knee on December 29th , 1890 .
All of this comes as Indian Country has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic .
Well , for more , we ’ re going to Rapid City , South Dakota , not far from the Black Hills , where we ’ re joined by Nick Tilsen , president and CEO of the NDN Collective , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota .
Nick , it ’ s great to have you back with us .
Can you describe the organizing that ’ s going on around President Trump ’ s Friday , July 3rd , visit and Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore and why you ’ re protesting ?
NICK TILSEN : Absolutely .
Great to be back on here , Amy .
The organizing that ’ s going on is about building , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s this narrative being pushed by the president and by the governor to celebrate this falsehood of democracy that has not ever worked for us as Indigenous people , and it ’ s also ignoring this deep , deep history of white supremacy and oppression towards Indigenous people .
So we ’ re actively organizing young and old Indigenous people , and our allies , and bringing people together around building power and organizing in the community to counter that narrative and to counter the narrative that this is the shrine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it ’ s a shrine of hypocrisy .
AMY GOODMAN : You said to The New York Times , “ Wherever you go to connect to God , that ’ s what the Black Hills are to the Lakota.
” Talk about the significance of Mount Rushmore , designed by a sculptor with links to , and maybe was a member of , the KKK .
Talk about what these four carvings of the heads of four presidents means .
NICK TILSEN : Yeah .
I mean , the Black Hills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language , is the place that we connect to creator .
It ’ s the place we go pick our medicines .
Our people have been traveling there for thousands of years in following the actual star constellations to go to our sacred sites at different times , and so this place is very , very sacred to our people .
And so , the act of , one , stealing our land , and then carving the faces of four white men , who were colonizers , who committed genocide against Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
And then , furthermore , for it to be celebrated as the shrine of democracy , you know , some people don ’ t know — I mean , people talk about Abraham Lincoln as being one of the better presidents in the history of the country .
Well , you know , people don ’ t realize that , on one hand , he signed the Emancipation Proclamation , and then he also ordered the largest mass hanging in the history of the United States , when he ordered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uprising in Dakota territory in southern Minnesota .
And so , these parts of this history are the truth and the reality .
And so , this is an act of violence and aggression against us , and it ’ s also pushing this falsehood narrative about American democracy , when we actually really should be uplifting the truths of what happened throughout history and how those truths are directly connected to the disparities that exist today in society amongst Indigenous people .
AMY GOODMAN : Kristi Noem , the governor of South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required , though they ’ ll be given out , and there will be no social distancing .
Thousands and thousands of people are expected to crowd in .
This , of course , follows the Tulsa event , this catastrophe for President Trump , where he said something like a million people might be turning out , and something like 6,000 did inside .
And now we have the images of his campaign staff removing social distancing stickers inside the arena .
And now we know that most of the campaign staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving from Tulsa , where he had to move his event from Juneteenth to the 20th because of outcry , on the 99th anniversary month of one of the worst massacres of African Americans in U.S. history , to Mount Rushmore , and President Trump , just this week , calling for the protection of Confederate soldiers , and the images of Black Lives Matter symbols being “ symbol [ s ] of hate .
Your thoughts of what he is trying to convey , and especially now with this fireworks display , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of forest fire potential ?
NICK TILSEN : Yeah .
I mean , it ’ s astonishing to me , but I guess , in some ways , it ’ s not [ inaudible ] seen , you know .
Pushing this falsehood narrative and trying to wrestle up his base and pretending that rural America — right ?
— backs Trump , when rural America doesn ’ t back Trump , and so I think — and I think that this makes it actually like a very dangerous situation , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy , and he ’ s digging in deeper and deeper , and he ’ s using these symbols , these symbols of grave injustice , and couching them as part of the great American story and using it as an opportunity to try to catalyze his campaign forward , when , in reality — AMY GOODMAN : And your thoughts , Nick , on Trump tweeting , “ I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth ‘ Pocahontas ’ Warren ( of all people ! )
Amendment , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other bad things ! )
of Fort Bragg , Fort Robert E. Lee , and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars , is in the Bill !
” him referring to her again as “ Pocahontas ” and then talking about preserving the names of these bases named after Confederate leaders ?
NICK TILSEN : I mean , it ’ s the reality that we have a white supremacist and a racist who ’ s the president of the United States currently .
And that ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these narratives , we have to realize that we ’ re mobilizing and organizing for the betterment of our nation , not just resisting a racist president , but that we actually are pivoting to actually building power , because we have to build a country that we all collectively believe in and are fighting for .
And so , it ’ s so important for us to come out not just in resistance of the president , but actually in the protection for the future that we ’ re all trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOODMAN : When you talk about protection , in early May , leaders of the Oglala and Cheyenne River Sioux refused a request from South Dakota ’ s Republican Governor Noem , a close ally of Trump , to remove checkpoints leading to their reservation , that they say helped to protect the tribe from the coronavirus — of course , especially in Navajo Nation in New Mexico , a hot spot for coronavirus .
This showdown that has happened around coronavirus , and now President Trump and his ally , Governor Noem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing ?
NICK TILSEN : Yeah .
I mean , the tribes have been doing a great job in this region for protecting our borders , and using tribal sovereignty to protect our community and our people .
And we have seen , you know , the act of aggression by Governor Kristi Noem to try to limit tribal sovereignty and try to prohibit tribes ’ ability to protect their own community , when there ’ s already legal precedent in place that tribes already have tribal sovereignty to control who comes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already have tribal sovereignty for the purpose of protecting our communities and our people .
And so , it ’ s egregious that there ’ s these aggressive attempts and attacks on tribal sovereignty for the sole purpose of pushing a false narrative that a global pandemic is not happening .
And so , we continue to dig in here , and our tribal leaders of Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe continue to step up in great leadership to continue to protect our communities and our people against these false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AMY GOODMAN : Nick Tilsen , we ’ ve heard about white supremacist militias in the Black Hills , a couple of dozen of these militias .
We ’ ve heard about the massive Klan march in the 1920s ; in this area of South Dakota , one of the largest chapters of the Klan existed .
If you can talk about that background and how you ’ re organizing for tomorrow ?
NICK TILSEN : Yeah .
So , I mean , the history of white supremacist groups in this region is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a hotbed for Indigenous resistance .
And so there ’ s been , you know , extremes here .
And so , we will continue to organize and march .
We will do so without any fear , but with caution .
And so , you know , nowadays everybody tries to make threats to try to prevent people from organizing and protesting , but in our particular situation , we have been fighting for our land for thousands of years , and we intend to continue to fight for our land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regardless of white supremacist groups that are in the region , because we believe in the power of the creator and the power that exists amongst the elders and the young people to help to protect our communities .
And so — AMY GOODMAN : What do you want to see happen with Mount Rushmore , Nick ?
NICK TILSEN : Long term , we want to see Mount Rushmore closed as a national monument .
And the decision-making power on what to do with it needs to be transferred back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the region .
AMY GOODMAN : And finally , your own family ’ s remarkable history , going back to your great-grandmother , Meridel Le Sueur , the great writer ?
NICK TILSEN : Yeah .
You know , our family has been organizing for generations on both sides of my family , and really even here in the Black Hills .
In 1980 , my father and mother and many other leaders came together to organize the Black Hills Survival Gathering in this region , which was the convergence of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the anti-nuclear movement .
And there ’ s still the roots of that organizing that continues to happen here .
So , yeah , I ’ m definitely honored to be a part of a family that has had generational organizing taking place .
AMY GOODMAN : Nick Tilsen , thanks so much for being with us , president and CEO of the NDN Collective , dedicated to building Indigenous power , citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota , one of the organizers of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day celebration at Mount Rushmore on July 3rd .
Before we go to break — coming up , we ’ re going to be talking about vice president — former vice president , presidential candidate Joe Biden .
And then we ’ ll talk about what happened to Vanessa Guillén .
Stay with us .

As tribal governments call on President Trump to cancel his Mount Rushmore Independence Day celebration, we look at why Native Americans have long pushed for the removal of the monument carved into the sacred Black Hills and designed by a sculptor with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. “This place is very, very sacred to our people,” says Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective. “Stealing our land and then carving the faces of four white men who were colonizers, who committed genocide against Indigenous people, is an egregious act of violence.”
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: As the coronavirus pandemic intensifies in the United States, with a record 52,000 new cases in just 24 hours, President Trump plans to hold an Independence Day celebration Friday at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, with a fighter jet flyover and fireworks, which are banned in the area due to extreme forest fire potential. Some 7,500 people are expected. And South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a staunch Trump ally, says people will not be required to wear a mask or to remain six feet apart.
GOV. KRISTI NOEM: We’ll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one, but we won’t be social distancing.
AMY GOODMAN: Trump’s rally comes amidst a national debate on how to deal with statues and symbols that enshrine systemic racism. Mount Rushmore itself is named after a gold rush lawyer and speculator. The monument features the sculpted heads of four U.S. presidents — Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt — blasted out of the ancient granite between 1927 and 1941 by 400 workers, directed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Earlier, he was recruited by the Daughters of the Confederacy to carve the huge Stone Mountain memorial to Confederate leaders in Georgia. Borglum was close to the Ku Klux Klan and was likely a member.
Mount Rushmore, in the region now known as the Black Hills, which is the sacred center of the Lakota people’s universe, and the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has ordered Trump to cancel Friday’s event. Julian Bear Runner told The Guardian, quote, “The lands on which that mountain is carved and the lands he’s about to visit belong to the Great Sioux nation under a treaty signed in 1851 and the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 and I have to tell him he doesn’t have permission from its original sovereign owners to enter the territory at this time,” he said.
The government acknowledged tribal sovereignty over the Black Hills in two separate treaties and committed the land, quote, “for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupancy of the Sioux.” But gold was discovered there in the 1870s, and the Army drove the Indigenous people out. Decades of armed Indigenous resistance to the waves of settler colonists that followed ended with the Army’s brutal massacre of Lakota women, children and the elderly at Wounded Knee on December 29th, 1890.
All of this comes as Indian Country has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Well, for more, we’re going to Rapid City, South Dakota, not far from the Black Hills, where we’re joined by Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective, a national organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. He’s a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
Nick, it’s great to have you back with us. Can you describe the organizing that’s going on around President Trump’s Friday, July 3rd, visit and Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore and why you’re protesting?
NICK TILSEN: Absolutely. Great to be back on here, Amy. The organizing that’s going on is about building, you know, a collective resistance, because there’s this narrative being pushed by the president and by the governor to celebrate this falsehood of democracy that has not ever worked for us as Indigenous people, and it’s also ignoring this deep, deep history of white supremacy and oppression towards Indigenous people. So we’re actively organizing young and old Indigenous people, and our allies, and bringing people together around building power and organizing in the community to counter that narrative and to counter the narrative that this is the shrine of democracy, when we really feel like it’s a shrine of hypocrisy.
AMY GOODMAN: You said to The New York Times, “Wherever you go to connect to God, that’s what the Black Hills are to the Lakota.” Talk about the significance of Mount Rushmore, designed by a sculptor with links to, and maybe was a member of, the KKK. Talk about what these four carvings of the heads of four presidents means.
NICK TILSEN: Yeah. I mean, the Black Hills, or the He Sápa, in our language, is the place that we connect to creator. It’s the place we go pick our medicines. Our people have been traveling there for thousands of years in following the actual star constellations to go to our sacred sites at different times, and so this place is very, very sacred to our people.
And so, the act of, one, stealing our land, and then carving the faces of four white men, who were colonizers, who committed genocide against Indigenous people, is an egregious act of violence. And then, furthermore, for it to be celebrated as the shrine of democracy, you know, some people don’t know — I mean, people talk about Abraham Lincoln as being one of the better presidents in the history of the country. Well, you know, people don’t realize that, on one hand, he signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and then he also ordered the largest mass hanging in the history of the United States, when he ordered the hanging of 38 Dakota people after the uprising in Dakota territory in southern Minnesota.
And so, these parts of this history are the truth and the reality. And so, this is an act of violence and aggression against us, and it’s also pushing this falsehood narrative about American democracy, when we actually really should be uplifting the truths of what happened throughout history and how those truths are directly connected to the disparities that exist today in society amongst Indigenous people.
AMY GOODMAN: Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, said masks will not be required, though they’ll be given out, and there will be no social distancing. Thousands and thousands of people are expected to crowd in. This, of course, follows the Tulsa event, this catastrophe for President Trump, where he said something like a million people might be turning out, and something like 6,000 did inside. And now we have the images of his campaign staff removing social distancing stickers inside the arena. And now we know that most of the campaign staff had to self-quarantine afterwards. So, moving from Tulsa, where he had to move his event from Juneteenth to the 20th because of outcry, on the 99th anniversary month of one of the worst massacres of African Americans in U.S. history, to Mount Rushmore, and President Trump, just this week, calling for the protection of Confederate soldiers, and the images of Black Lives Matter symbols being “symbol[s] of hate. Your thoughts of what he is trying to convey, and especially now with this fireworks display, when fireworks are banned in the region because of forest fire potential?
NICK TILSEN: Yeah. I mean, it’s astonishing to me, but I guess, in some ways, it’s not [inaudible] seen, you know. Pushing this falsehood narrative and trying to wrestle up his base and pretending that rural America — right? — backs Trump, when rural America doesn’t back Trump, and so I think — and I think that this makes it actually like a very dangerous situation, when he’s pushing these narratives of white supremacy, and he’s digging in deeper and deeper, and he’s using these symbols, these symbols of grave injustice, and couching them as part of the great American story and using it as an opportunity to try to catalyze his campaign forward, when, in reality —
AMY GOODMAN: And your thoughts, Nick, on Trump tweeting, “I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ Warren (of all people!) Amendment, which will lead to the renaming (plus other bad things!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars, is in the Bill!” him referring to her again as “Pocahontas” and then talking about preserving the names of these bases named after Confederate leaders?
NICK TILSEN: I mean, it’s the reality that we have a white supremacist and a racist who’s the president of the United States currently. And that’s why, when we mobilize and organize against these narratives, we have to realize that we’re mobilizing and organizing for the betterment of our nation, not just resisting a racist president, but that we actually are pivoting to actually building power, because we have to build a country that we all collectively believe in and are fighting for. And so, it’s so important for us to come out not just in resistance of the president, but actually in the protection for the future that we’re all trying to build together in this nation.
AMY GOODMAN: When you talk about protection, in early May, leaders of the Oglala and Cheyenne River Sioux refused a request from South Dakota’s Republican Governor Noem, a close ally of Trump, to remove checkpoints leading to their reservation, that they say helped to protect the tribe from the coronavirus — of course, especially in Navajo Nation in New Mexico, a hot spot for coronavirus. This showdown that has happened around coronavirus, and now President Trump and his ally, Governor Noem, saying there will be no social distancing?
NICK TILSEN: Yeah. I mean, the tribes have been doing a great job in this region for protecting our borders, and using tribal sovereignty to protect our community and our people. And we have seen, you know, the act of aggression by Governor Kristi Noem to try to limit tribal sovereignty and try to prohibit tribes’ ability to protect their own community, when there’s already legal precedent in place that tribes already have tribal sovereignty to control who comes and leaves in their reservation, and we already have tribal sovereignty for the purpose of protecting our communities and our people.
And so, it’s egregious that there’s these aggressive attempts and attacks on tribal sovereignty for the sole purpose of pushing a false narrative that a global pandemic is not happening. And so, we continue to dig in here, and our tribal leaders of Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe continue to step up in great leadership to continue to protect our communities and our people against these false narratives and against the global pandemic.
AMY GOODMAN: Nick Tilsen, we’ve heard about white supremacist militias in the Black Hills, a couple of dozen of these militias. We’ve heard about the massive Klan march in the 1920s; in this area of South Dakota, one of the largest chapters of the Klan existed. If you can talk about that background and how you’re organizing for tomorrow?
NICK TILSEN: Yeah. So, I mean, the history of white supremacist groups in this region is well known, and so has this been a hotbed for Indigenous resistance. And so there’s been, you know, extremes here. And so, we will continue to organize and march. We will do so without any fear, but with caution.
And so, you know, nowadays everybody tries to make threats to try to prevent people from organizing and protesting, but in our particular situation, we have been fighting for our land for thousands of years, and we intend to continue to fight for our land, without any — regardless of threats and regardless of white supremacist groups that are in the region, because we believe in the power of the creator and the power that exists amongst the elders and the young people to help to protect our communities. And so —
AMY GOODMAN: What do you want to see happen with Mount Rushmore, Nick?
NICK TILSEN: Long term, we want to see Mount Rushmore closed as a national monument. And the decision-making power on what to do with it needs to be transferred back to the Oglala — to the Lakota people of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: And finally, your own family’s remarkable history, going back to your great-grandmother, Meridel Le Sueur, the great writer?
NICK TILSEN: Yeah. You know, our family has been organizing for generations on both sides of my family, and really even here in the Black Hills. In 1980, my father and mother and many other leaders came together to organize the Black Hills Survival Gathering in this region, which was the convergence of a movement, of the environmental movement and of the anti-nuclear movement. And there’s still the roots of that organizing that continues to happen here. So, yeah, I’m definitely honored to be a part of a family that has had generational organizing taking place.
AMY GOODMAN: Nick Tilsen, thanks so much for being with us, president and CEO of the NDN Collective, dedicated to building Indigenous power, citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, one of the organizers of the protest at President Trump’s Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore on July 3rd.
Before we go to break — coming up, we’re going to be talking about vice president — former vice president, presidential candidate Joe Biden. And then we’ll talk about what happened to Vanessa Guillén. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Jamaican guitarist Lynford “Hux” Brown, age 75, died on June 18th.


truthout--2020-07-02--Trump Says COVID Is “Going to Sort of Just Disappear” as New US Cases Top 50k

President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Wednesday that he hopes the coronavirus will “ sort of just disappear ” on its own , remarks that came on the same day new infections in the United States topped 50,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic .
After touting May ’ s record retail sales , Trump insisted that “ we ’ re headed back in a very strong fashion ” even as Texas , California , and other states paused and reversed some of their reopening steps as new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re gon na be very good with the coronavirus , ” said the president .
“ I think that at some point that ’ s going to sort of just disappear , I hope.
” “ You still believe so ?
Disappear ?
” Blake Burman of Fox Business replied , alluding to Trump ’ s numerous previous predictions that the coronavirus would simply “ leave ” or even vanish “ like a miracle.
” “ Well , I do , ” Trump said .
“ I do .
Yeah sure , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to have a vaccine very soon , too.
” “ These reckless statements are false — and coming from the president , they are dangerous , ” responded Sen. Patty Murray ( D-Wash. ) , ranking member of the Senate Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions ( HELP ) Committee .
The U.S. on Wednesday reported 52,982 new Covid-19 cases , the largest single-day total since the pandemic began , according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project .
In total , more than 2.7 million people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. and at least 128,000 have died .
As the Washington Post reported , “ California , Texas , Arizona , North Carolina , and Georgia all broke their previous single-day records for new coronavirus cases on Wednesday , while Louisiana ’ s infection rates continued to rise.
” California and Texas have both taken steps to roll back their reopenings in recent days in an effort to mitigate new outbreaks .

President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Wednesday that he hopes the coronavirus will “sort of just disappear” on its own, remarks that came on the same day new infections in the United States topped 50,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
After touting May’s record retail sales, Trump insisted that “we’re headed back in a very strong fashion” even as Texas, California, and other states paused and reversed some of their reopening steps as new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations surged.
“I think we’re gonna be very good with the coronavirus,” said the president. “I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope.”
“You still believe so? Disappear?” Blake Burman of Fox Business replied, alluding to Trump’s numerous previous predictions that the coronavirus would simply “leave” or even vanish “like a miracle.”
“Well, I do,” Trump said. “I do. Yeah sure, at some point, and I think we’re going to have a vaccine very soon, too.”
Watch:
Trump ludicrously claimed to Fox Business just now that “I think we’re gonna be very good with the coronavirus. I think that at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope.” (The virus will not disappear on its own.) pic.twitter.com/ZkLtjKUEDu — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 1, 2020
“These reckless statements are false — and coming from the president, they are dangerous,” responded Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
The U.S. on Wednesday reported 52,982 new Covid-19 cases, the largest single-day total since the pandemic began, according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project. In total, more than 2.7 million people have been infected with coronavirus in the U.S. and at least 128,000 have died.
As the Washington Post reported, “California, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia all broke their previous single-day records for new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, while Louisiana’s infection rates continued to rise.” California and Texas have both taken steps to roll back their reopenings in recent days in an effort to mitigate new outbreaks.
States reported over 50k cases for the first time today, another new record. The national positivity rate is over 7% now, despite ever higher testing levels.
Hospitalizations are now at late-May levels. pic.twitter.com/erSW8W37jj — The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) July 1, 2020
In his testimony before the Senate HELP Committee on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci rejected the notion that the Covid-19 crisis will fade away any time soon and said he “would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 [new coronavirus cases] a day if this does not turn around.” “We’re going to continue to be in a lot of trouble, and there’s going to be a lot of hurt if that does not stop,” warned Fauci, who recommended that everyone wear face coverings in public settings and endorsed a proposal by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to distribute masks for free to everyone in the U.S. “I am not satisfied with what’s going on because we are going in the wrong direction if you look at the curves of the new cases, so we’ve really got to do something about that and we need to do it quickly,” Fauci said. “Clearly we are not in total control right now.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-02--Markey Bill Backed by Sanders and Warren Seeks to Abolish Qualified Immunity

In the wake of the recent killings of George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky — which sparked a national uprising against racial injustice and police violence — Sens .
Ed Markey ( D-Mass . )
, Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , and Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
on Wednesday introduced a new bill in the U.S. Senate that would end “ qualified immunity ” for law enforcement officers accused of excessive force and violating the constitutional rights of civilians .
An antiquated legal doctrine that has insulated police for decades from serious prosecution of even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement that qualified immunity “ makes it almost impossible for a victim of excessive force by a police officer to hold that officer accountable in a court of law.
” Such legal protection , given the harm it has caused and the manner to which it roadblocks justice , said Markey , must come to an end .
“ If we want to change the culture of police violence against Black and Brown Americans , ” Markey explained , “ then we need to start holding accountable the officers who abuse their positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That means once-and-for-all abolishing the dangerous judicial doctrine known as qualified immunity.
” Spearheaded by Markey , the “ Ending Qualified Immunity Act ” is co-sponsored by Sanders and Warren in the Senate and serves as a companion piece of legislation previously introduced in the House by Reps. Justin Amash ( I-Mich. ) and Ayanna Pressley ( D-Mass. )
.
While the demand for ending qualified immunity has been longstanding , the doctrine has found staying power in the nation ’ s courts and a political commitment by many U.S. politicians and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misconduct .
As CNN reports : Though the Supreme Court could still announce that it will take a closer look at qualified immunity at some point , the court has decisively signaled an unwillingness in the short term to overturn its previous rulings , punting the issue to Congress .
In recent years , legal scholars , judges and justices on all sides of the ideological spectrum have criticized the legal doctrine , arguing that it is not grounded in the proper legal authorities and too often shields officials from accountability .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broad support across the Democratic caucus and resistance within the GOP .
Specifically , according to Markey ’ s office , the new legislation : • Amends 42 U.S.C .
§ 1983 ( “ Section 1983 ” ) to explicitly state that the qualified immunity doctrine invented by the Supreme Court does not provide public officials that violate civil rights with defense or immunity from civil liability for their actions ; and • Clarifies Congress ’ original intent for Section 1983 and notes the history and necessity of this protection .
Facing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a more right-wing Democrat Rep. Joe Kennedy III ( D-Mass . )
, Markey ’ s leadership on the issue of police reform was celebrated in the wake of the bill ’ s introduction : With Black Lives Matter demonstrations nationwide demanding serious and tangible reforms to policing , ending qualified immunity has been a central tenet when it comes to holding individual police accountable for violent criminal acts against the very people they are meant to serve and protect .
Without such a reform , say critics , it is impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who often act as though they are above the laws which they are otherwise duty-bound to enforce .
“ At a time when unprecedented numbers of people are demanding an end to police murder , brutality , and impunity , we have got to finally abolish ‘ qualified immunity , ' ” said Sanders .
“ This is not a radical idea : Police officers must be held fully accountable for abuses they commit — no one is above the law .
If we are serious about real police reform , the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immunity Act.
” Warren said that “ ending the racist violence that has stolen far too many Black lives must begin with accountability ’ for police officers and departments as a whole .
“ For too long , ” Warren said , “ qualified immunity has shielded police officers who have engaged in unconstitutional and appalling conduct from being held accountable in court — it ’ s past time to end this doctrine .
I ’ m proud to join my colleagues in cosponsoring this bill and putting forward reforms to help end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America .
”

The antiquated legal doctrine has insulated police for decades from serious prosecution of even wanton misconduct.
In the wake of the recent killings of George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky — which sparked a national uprising against racial injustice and police violence — Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday introduced a new bill in the U.S. Senate that would end “qualified immunity” for law enforcement officers accused of excessive force and violating the constitutional rights of civilians.
An antiquated legal doctrine that has insulated police for decades from serious prosecution of even wanton misconduct, Markey said in a statement that qualified immunity “makes it almost impossible for a victim of excessive force by a police officer to hold that officer accountable in a court of law.” Such legal protection, given the harm it has caused and the manner to which it roadblocks justice, said Markey, must come to an end.
“If we want to change the culture of police violence against Black and Brown Americans,” Markey explained, “then we need to start holding accountable the officers who abuse their positions of trust and responsibility in our communities. That means once-and-for-all abolishing the dangerous judicial doctrine known as qualified immunity.”
Spearheaded by Markey, the “Ending Qualified Immunity Act” is co-sponsored by Sanders and Warren in the Senate and serves as a companion piece of legislation previously introduced in the House by Reps. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).
While the demand for ending qualified immunity has been longstanding, the doctrine has found staying power in the nation’s courts and a political commitment by many U.S. politicians and lawmakers to shield police from the on-the-job misconduct. As CNN reports:
Though the Supreme Court could still announce that it will take a closer look at qualified immunity at some point, the court has decisively signaled an unwillingness in the short term to overturn its previous rulings, punting the issue to Congress. In recent years, legal scholars, judges and justices on all sides of the ideological spectrum have criticized the legal doctrine, arguing that it is not grounded in the proper legal authorities and too often shields officials from accountability. It has divided lawmakers, however, finding broad support across the Democratic caucus and resistance within the GOP.
Specifically, according to Markey’s office, the new legislation:
Amends 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (“Section 1983”) to explicitly state that the qualified immunity doctrine invented by the Supreme Court does not provide public officials that violate civil rights with defense or immunity from civil liability for their actions; and
Clarifies Congress’ original intent for Section 1983 and notes the history and necessity of this protection.
Facing an upcoming primary challenge to his Senate seat from a more right-wing Democrat Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Markey’s leadership on the issue of police reform was celebrated in the wake of the bill’s introduction:
wild to me that this guy, of all senators, is getting primaried https://t.co/24UeQc6cLQ — Kelsey D. Atherton (@AthertonKD) July 2, 2020
With Black Lives Matter demonstrations nationwide demanding serious and tangible reforms to policing, ending qualified immunity has been a central tenet when it comes to holding individual police accountable for violent criminal acts against the very people they are meant to serve and protect. Without such a reform, say critics, it is impossible to change the culture of police departments who often act as though they are above the laws which they are otherwise duty-bound to enforce.
“At a time when unprecedented numbers of people are demanding an end to police murder, brutality, and impunity, we have got to finally abolish ‘qualified immunity,'” said Sanders. “This is not a radical idea: Police officers must be held fully accountable for abuses they commit — no one is above the law. If we are serious about real police reform, the Senate has got to pass our Ending Qualified Immunity Act.”
Warren said that “ending the racist violence that has stolen far too many Black lives must begin with accountability’ for police officers and departments as a whole.
“For too long,” Warren said, “qualified immunity has shielded police officers who have engaged in unconstitutional and appalling conduct from being held accountable in court — it’s past time to end this doctrine. I’m proud to join my colleagues in cosponsoring this bill and putting forward reforms to help end the systemic racism that plagues policing in America.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-02--As Arizona COVID Cases Surge From Reopening, Indigenous Nations Suffer

In the days before Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey changed course by urging people to stay home , Scottsdale city councilman Guy Phillips donned a face covering and shouted “ I can ’ t breathe ” into a microphone at an anti-mask rally .
His mocking of the last words of George Floyd is only one more example of the racism that seems to shadow the outbreaks of contagious viruses .
That ’ s precisely what happened 40 years ago with HIV/AIDS ; that ’ s what happened a century ago with the xenophobically named Spanish flu .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lands throughout the American Southwest , where the loathsome relationship between racism and the novel coronavirus is on full display .
Our ethnographic studies include a focus on health care and health policy for the Indigenous people of the U.S. We now know COVID-19 cases and deaths within the Indigenous nations have soared , and are among the worst hot spots in the country .
Currently there are well over 7,000 positive cases on the Navajo Nation — which covers portions of Arizona , Utah and New Mexico — where per capita infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in May .
One of the reasons : When Gov .
Ducey first let expire his statewide stay-at-home-order , droves of Arizonans returned to life as usual .
They congregated in long lines and dined in crowded restaurants .
Many were not wearing masks .
Fourteen days later , COVID-19 cases began to rise .
With that , Arizona lost control of the virus .
Indigenous people already live with existing challenges to health and life .
About 18 % of COVID-19 deaths in Arizona have been Indigenous people , where they account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And still Arizonans in border regions actively resist changing their behaviors to curb the spread of disease .
Hispanic , Black and Indigenous people are more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 than whites .
And although white Arizonans are aware of that , their response , all too often is indifference and sometimes hate .
Cities on or near ancestral Indigenous lands and tribal nations may be geographically close , but politically , economically and culturally , they are worlds apart .
This racism is common in regions that border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a Facebook post , Daniel Franzen , a 34-year-old white man from Page , Arizona , urged readers to use “ lethal force ” against Indigenous people because “ they are 100 % infected.
” Local police arrested him .
And from April 2016 , an even more deadly example of violent policing : Austin Shipley , a Winslow , Arizona , police officer shot and killed Loreal Tsingine , a 100-pound Navajo woman .
The officer claimed to fear for his life because the woman was holding a pair of scissors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not allowed to administer lifesaving techniques that might have saved her .
Her body was left in the street until 6 a.m. the next day .
This was not the first time Shipley was the aggressor during his career and , as the current uprising of Black Lives Matter reminds us , Indigeous , Black and people of color often die by the hands of police .
Leaders of Indigenous social movements sued the federal government and continue to fight for justice .
In March 2020 , our research team interviewed 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
One of our questions : Is anyone to blame for the virus ?
Responses range from finger-pointing at all of China ( the “ Wuhan Coronavirus ” ) , to President Trump and “ out of control capitalism.
” As for “ who would suffer the most , ” our respondents were consistent .
Indigent people of color , they said , are most at risk .
They also discussed a need to physically distance from “ outsiders.
” Such a response suggests a pervasive idea — that associating with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission .
One white woman , an outlier , told us that Indigenous people had been “ a little slower to adopt the precaution measures … it is easier for them to forget to protect themselves.
” The woman now avoids stores where Indigeous people go .
Others said much the same thing though usually with concern and awareness .
Exposure to friends and family was OK. Interaction with outsiders was more dangerous .
The notion that Indigenous people are “ slower ” to respond to COVID-19 is false .
Tribes quickly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive orders that are updated regularly .
The White Mountain Apache Tribe closed down borders early and then again in June , after one-eighth of tribal members tested positive for COVID-19 .
Donations of hand sanitizing stations and personal protection equipment for Navajo , Hopi , Tewa and other tribes in the region continue to provide relief .
Challenges to lifesaving procedures came from outside of tribal nations .
The mayor of Page , Arizona , for example , posted a social media query to the president of the Navajo Nation in hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others responded that Nez , the president , was “ busy fighting hard for our people.
” Rather than acknowledging the actions of tribal leadership to save lives , the mayor instead chose to perpetuate the racist trope of “ drunk indians ” by writing , “ I wish he would battle alcoholism as hard as COVID-19.
” Before COVID-19 , many Indigenous people already feared the inability to breathe .
In the Southwest , children on tribal lands have a 60 % higher asthma risk than non-Hispanic whites .
For heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coal and wood-burning stoves ; the particulate matter from them is unsafe for inhalation , and long-term exposure increases the likelihood of death from COVID-19 .
Clean water , too , is often inaccessible .
More than 500 abandoned uranium mines have elevated radiation levels on tribal lands in the southwest .
That means Indigenous people and their livestock depend on contaminated water .
Radiation spills , including the Church Rock spill , the country ’ s largest , continues to contain high levels of toxins .
Indigenous miners and their families are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including lung cancer , and increased vulnerability to COVID-19 .
Tribes partnering with environmental justice organizations and federal agencies are aware of these disparities and they fight to improve science and policy for healthier air and water on tribal lands , but these efforts are an uphill battle .
The racism of border town leaders demonstrates why .
In the last few weeks , Black Lives Matter brought national attention to this failure .
Finally , all of us see what Native , Hispanic and Black Americans long knew : We live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system that treats Black and brown bodies as disposable .
We are governed by a collective mindset that rigidly enforces economic disparity , political disenfranchisement , environmental injustice and extreme policing .
The difficult but doable task facing all of us now is to create a future more equitable and just for Indigenous people .

COVID-19 cases and deaths within Indigenous nations have soared and are among the worst hot spots in the country.
In the days before Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey changed course by urging people to stay home, Scottsdale city councilman Guy Phillips donned a face covering and shouted “I can’t breathe” into a microphone at an anti-mask rally. His mocking of the last words of George Floyd is only one more example of the racism that seems to shadow the outbreaks of contagious viruses.
That’s precisely what happened 40 years ago with HIV/AIDS; that’s what happened a century ago with the xenophobically named Spanish flu. Today, it’s happening on sovereign tribal lands throughout the American Southwest, where the loathsome relationship between racism and the novel coronavirus is on full display.
Our ethnographic studies include a focus on health care and health policy for the Indigenous people of the U.S. We now know COVID-19 cases and deaths within the Indigenous nations have soared, and are among the worst hot spots in the country. Currently there are well over 7,000 positive cases on the Navajo Nation — which covers portions of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico — where per capita infections quickly surpassed New York and New Jersey in May.
One of the reasons: When Gov. Ducey first let expire his statewide stay-at-home-order, droves of Arizonans returned to life as usual. They congregated in long lines and dined in crowded restaurants. Many were not wearing masks. Fourteen days later, COVID-19 cases began to rise. With that, Arizona lost control of the virus.
Indigenous people already live with existing challenges to health and life. About 18% of COVID-19 deaths in Arizona have been Indigenous people, where they account for 4.5% of the population. And still Arizonans in border regions actively resist changing their behaviors to curb the spread of disease.
Racism Toward Indigenous People
Hispanic, Black and Indigenous people are more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 than whites. And although white Arizonans are aware of that, their response, all too often is indifference and sometimes hate. Cities on or near ancestral Indigenous lands and tribal nations may be geographically close, but politically, economically and culturally, they are worlds apart. This racism is common in regions that border tribal lands.
A recent example: In a Facebook post, Daniel Franzen, a 34-year-old white man from Page, Arizona, urged readers to use “lethal force” against Indigenous people because “they are 100% infected.” Local police arrested him.
And from April 2016, an even more deadly example of violent policing: Austin Shipley, a Winslow, Arizona, police officer shot and killed Loreal Tsingine, a 100-pound Navajo woman. The officer claimed to fear for his life because the woman was holding a pair of scissors. After Tsingine was shot, eyewitnesses were not allowed to administer lifesaving techniques that might have saved her. Her body was left in the street until 6 a.m. the next day.
This was not the first time Shipley was the aggressor during his career and, as the current uprising of Black Lives Matter reminds us, Indigeous, Black and people of color often die by the hands of police. Leaders of Indigenous social movements sued the federal government and continue to fight for justice.
Distancing From “Outsiders”
In March 2020, our research team interviewed 30 non-Indigenous people across the political spectrum about the pandemic. One of our questions: Is anyone to blame for the virus? Responses range from finger-pointing at all of China (the “Wuhan Coronavirus”), to President Trump and “out of control capitalism.” As for “who would suffer the most,” our respondents were consistent. Indigent people of color, they said, are most at risk.
They also discussed a need to physically distance from “outsiders.” Such a response suggests a pervasive idea — that associating with certain groups increases the dangers of virus transmission. One white woman, an outlier, told us that Indigenous people had been “a little slower to adopt the precaution measures … it is easier for them to forget to protect themselves.” The woman now avoids stores where Indigeous people go. Others said much the same thing though usually with concern and awareness. Exposure to friends and family was OK. Interaction with outsiders was more dangerous.
The notion that Indigenous people are “slower” to respond to COVID-19 is false. Tribes quickly and proactively promoted science-based resources and issued emergency executive orders that are updated regularly. The White Mountain Apache Tribe closed down borders early and then again in June, after one-eighth of tribal members tested positive for COVID-19. Donations of hand sanitizing stations and personal protection equipment for Navajo, Hopi, Tewa and other tribes in the region continue to provide relief.
Challenges to lifesaving procedures came from outside of tribal nations. The mayor of Page, Arizona, for example, posted a social media query to the president of the Navajo Nation in hopes that tourist attractions would open for business. Others responded that Nez, the president, was “busy fighting hard for our people.”
Rather than acknowledging the actions of tribal leadership to save lives, the mayor instead chose to perpetuate the racist trope of “drunk indians” by writing, “I wish he would battle alcoholism as hard as COVID-19.”
A Battle for Clean Air and Water
Before COVID-19, many Indigenous people already feared the inability to breathe. In the Southwest, children on tribal lands have a 60% higher asthma risk than non-Hispanic whites. For heat, many families in the Southwest use coal and wood-burning stoves; the particulate matter from them is unsafe for inhalation, and long-term exposure increases the likelihood of death from COVID-19.
Clean water, too, is often inaccessible. More than 500 abandoned uranium mines have elevated radiation levels on tribal lands in the southwest. That means Indigenous people and their livestock depend on contaminated water. Radiation spills, including the Church Rock spill, the country’s largest, continues to contain high levels of toxins. Indigenous miners and their families are also at elevated risk for respiratory problems, including lung cancer, and increased vulnerability to COVID-19.
Tribes partnering with environmental justice organizations and federal agencies are aware of these disparities and they fight to improve science and policy for healthier air and water on tribal lands, but these efforts are an uphill battle. The racism of border town leaders demonstrates why.
Fighting Back
In the last few weeks, Black Lives Matter brought national attention to this failure. Finally, all of us see what Native, Hispanic and Black Americans long knew: We live in a political, governmental and judicial system that treats Black and brown bodies as disposable. We are governed by a collective mindset that rigidly enforces economic disparity, political disenfranchisement, environmental injustice and extreme policing. The difficult but doable task facing all of us now is to create a future more equitable and just for Indigenous people.
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