Send Immigrants Back

Charges of Racism

Immigration problems exist in Las Vegas as in many parts of the United States but some of the local natives recently spoke out passionately at a rally. The feds were called in and patiently listened to all arguments. They got an earful. More than 200 people attended the rally and it was clear that the locals had made their voices heard - immigrants are causing problems now and have been causing problems for decades in the area. Charges of racism and the government's right to make decisions in the matter were discussed but the message rang clear - "those people came here uninvited, many illegally, and they continue to cause problems." Now they are trying to use the federal government to force their right to be here and enjoy the kinds of activities to which they feel entitled. One of the leaders even accused the others of racism.

The setting for this rally was of course Las Vegas and the topic was whether or not the federal government should be permitted to bury some 77,000 tons of nuclear waste deep underground in Yucca Mountain, just north of Las Vegas. The immigrants who want to place the poison near the Valley of the Dollars are people who have come from other places with their nuclear waste. They want to use Nevada and Yucca Mountain as a garbage dump but many locals are fighting the move. Among them are the real locals - members of the Western Shoshone Nation who have lived in the area long before the white, black, brown, and yellow immigrants arrived in the desert.

The Western Shoshone were not asked to provide input on the proposed dump site and that caused their leader to hurl angry words at the planners.Western Shoshone Nation Council member Ian Zabarte spoke, "Transportation of waste to Yucca Mountain would place a disproportionate burden on the Western Shoshone Nation. It is environmental racism."

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman countered claims that the waste material was not harmful. "If it is as safe as we're told it is, let it stay where it presently exists."

Nuclear waste is generated from a number of sources. In the process of making nuclear power and military applications, toxic waste is created. The federal government has proposed dumping all that waste in a big hole in the ground dug under Yucca Mountain. The current administration has been trying to bulldoze this plan through since they first got into office but Nevadans have been able to stave off their efforts thus far. Perhaps the theory is that Nevada is mostly desert so it must be wasteland. Perhaps they feel that since LAs Vegas has neon glowing all night, another glow from Yucca will complement the view. Whatever the logic of the Beltway Boys, Nevada's native sons and daughters will continue the fight to keep the nation's toxic trash at arms length.. A little blogging music maestro.... how about "Light My Fire."

Dr. Forgot