San Francisco, CA (22 OCT 2021) Read the full article Apache Stronghold ‘Native Religious Sacred Sites on Federal Land have no Protections from the U.S. Government’
“Oak Flat was Apache land since before the United States existed until the United States government took it by force. Oak Flat is the center of Apache religious existence, it is the site of core religious practices that cannot be relocated, and yet our Government is planning to transfer Oak Flat to a copper mine for compete destruction and end those religious practices forever. So what we were arguing in court today, is that this action by our government is not only unjust but also violates multiple federal laws including the religious freedom restoration act, the free exercise clause of the Constitution and the Government’s own treaties entered into in 1852 with the Western Apaches,”
Apache Stronghold attorney, Luke Goodrich
The United States Government position today in Apache Stronghold vs U.S. in the Appeal hearing in the 9th Circuit Court confirmed that the destruction of Apache Religion is not a concern of the U.S Government and is not an obligation of the U.S., confirming the fact that oppression of Native people is not, never was and will not stand in the way of their actions.
“We knew where we stood all along, now the U.S. Government admits that we do not matter and that they own all federal land and the decisions about the land, our connection to it is not of their concern.”
Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr
Apache Stronghold journeyed from Oak Flat to San Francisco, visiting Tribes and gaining prayers in this religious struggle to stop a foreign corporation from destroying Oak Flat. This was allowed by the U.S. Government through a rider added to the National Defense Authorization Act in 2015 allowing exemptions to laws that protect the Earth, and protect Religious freedom.
Apache Stronghold Spiritual Convoy | October 9 – 22, 2021
Apache Stronghold is dedicated to the defense of Native American sacred sites.
On October 22, 2021, our appeal on the motion for Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction against the United States, USDA, and Tonto National Forest will be heard in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.
We are requesting in Apache Stronghold v. United States to save our spiritual lifeblood, a sacred site called Oak Flat, from being destroyed by a copper mine that would swallow our holy ground in a nearly 2-mile-wide 1,000-foot-deep crater.
The schedule for the convoy is attached. It will be live-streamed during the convoy and will also air on 90.1 FM KZSU Stanford University Radio. The Rally in San Francisco will also air via the Poor Peoples Campaign on poorpeoplescampaign.org. All links will be on www.apachestronghold.com and on facebook at apache stronghold.
