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Mary Pember: Racism surfaces in war against Wisconsin mine





Mary Annette Pember reports on racism and threats against Native people as debate over mining in Wisconsin continues:
The dispute over iron ore mining in Wisconsin has taken to Facebook and includes shocking racist statements and photographs as well as threats of violence. It’s difficult to sort out either the players or their motivations in these heated exchanges. A Facebook page entitled Wisconsinites for Safe Mining, has been the home of some of the more egregious racist slurs.

A post that has since been removed includes a historical photograph depicting a black and white portrait in the Edward Curtis style of a stoic-faced Native man dressed in regalia. The author has placed the following caption on the top and bottom of the image, “Tries to Explain How Natives Are a Proud People, Too Drunk to Form Words.”

The administrator took down the racist photographs and posts and has subsequently claimed that the page was hacked by anti-mining interests in order to discredit the pro-mining folks. “We here at Wisconsinites for Safe Mining do not agree with racism or racist posts.”

Get the Story:
Mary Annette Pember: Racism & Violent Threats: Wis. Mining War Gets Uglier and Scarier (Indian Country Today 7/16)

Related Stories:
Mary Pember: Bad River man sneaks up on guards at mine site (7/15)
Mary Pember: Tribal activists reach out to guards at mine site (7/11)
Mary Pember: Tribal activists find armed guards at mining site (7/10)
Mary Pember: A new approach in fight against Wisconsin mine (7/8)

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