Alex Soto on Occupy Phoenix

As an Tohono O'odham, who lives in Phoenix, let alone an Indigenous person of this region, we live through the nightmare of the 1% total disregard of Indigenous self-determination and overall Human Rights. I would HOPE all who are now mobilizing in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, would stop and think about what does that mean? Is Occupy Phoenix solidarity symbolic in meaning (i.e. rallying against Bank and the overall financial system downtown), or is it very intentional in challenging the destructive behaviors that the capitalist system, and all those in power that horde it (the 1%), release towards our communities? If the second (which I get from the comparison to Arab Spring by the Occupy Wall Street site), then we ALL need to address colonization, because if not, then this is just another "white" revolution, that perpetuates the initial destruction of the 1% (i.e. European setters), that nearly wiped the 99% population of Indigenous folk off the continent. I would hope any mobilization against Capitalism here in AZ starts with local and regional context, and provide space for those who have been fighting capitalism (the 1%!) for 519 years(Indigenous People, who contrary to popular belief, ARE STILL HERE!).

My people are fighting against the proposed two billion dollar South Mountain Freeway (out on the Gila River Indian Community, ) and Border Militarization (on the Tohono O'odham Nation). THESE two examples stem from Neo-Liberal projects, such as NAFTA! Freeways, Border walls all benefit capital (i.e. Wall Street). Walls regulate the flow of goods, manage labor and destroy communities with roads paved to transfer capital from Mexico to Canada (CANAMEX trade corridors). Believe it or not, the Financial system (Wall Street) benefits off this shit. My people are stuck in this nightmare! So if you want to challenge the 1% (the rich who benefit off this destruction) with Occupy Phoenix solidarity, PLEASE…provide space, then address capitalism (colonization) here, and be in solidarity the first 99% of resisters, us Indigenous folk…

http://www.solidarity-project.org/
http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/04/movement-demands-autonomy-oodham.html
http://nosouthmountainfreeway.wordpress.com/
http://survivalsolidarity.wordpress.com/
http://truesnow.org/
http://oodhamsolidarity.blogspot.com/2011/06/border-patrol-headquarters-occupation.html