https://vimeo.com/event/1405568

Join the California Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival & stand with the Apache Stronghold/Save Oak Flat:

– Wednesday October 20th, 4-6 pm: Prayer Vigil, US Federal Bldg (across from US Ninth Circuit Court, 7th and Mission, SF)
– Thursday October 21, 10 am-2 pm: Day of Prayer, Civic Center Plaza (at Larkin St between Grove and Fulton, San Francisco)
– Friday October 22nd, 9 am-1 pm: Listening Session, Civic Center Plaza between Grove and Fulton, San Francisco)

“As it was in the beginning of our people, one drum, one prayer, and one circle, again we must defend all of humanity with one drum, one prayer, and one circle.” – Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr.

Apache Stronghold brings its case to California court: Oak Flat, known in Apache as Chi’chil Bildagoteel, is a sacred site in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest where Native Americans have gone to worship, pray and conduct religious ceremonies since time immemorial.

The Federal government protected the sacred site for more than six decades—but in 2014, a rider was attached to a must-pass defense bill directing the government to transfer the land to Resolution Copper, a foreign-owned mining company, which plans to construct a mine that would turn the sacred site into a nearly two-mile-wide, 1,100-foot-deep crater.

Apache Stronghold sued the government in federal court, arguing that the destruction of their sacred site violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and an 1852 treaty promising that the United States would protect their land and “secure the permanent prosperity and happiness” of the Apaches. After the trial court declined to halt the land transfer, the Apache Stronghold filed an emergency appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Just six hours before the government’s response was due, the government announced that it would withdraw the environmental impact statement that triggered the land transfer, delaying the transfer for several months.

Now the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, located in San Francisco, is scheduled to hear the case on October 22, and the Apache Stronghold will be there—making stops along the way to pray and gather support.

YOU CAN ACT NOW TO HELP SAVE OAK FLAT:

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced H.R.1884, the Save Oak Flat Act (SOFA), earlier this year. It is now included in the House’s $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill. H.R. 1884 will repeal the Section 3003 land exchange of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced an identical bill (S.915) in the Senate. Contact your member of Congress and ask them to protect Oak Flat by keeping the H.R. 1884 Oak Flat withdrawal language in the budget reconciliation bill.

Find your representatives and senators or call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Watch via livestream 10/20 & 10/22.