QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The ego is the ugly little place that lives underneath the bridge between
your mind and your heart."
--Dennis Miller
Rhino here:
The loss of life and property from the wildfires in the American west has
been devastating for those effected. Another terrible outcome has been to
racial relations in Arizona from the reaction to news that an Apache man was
responsible for starting one of the two burns near Sho Low, AZ. No such
racial component to the fire in Colorado started by a white forest service
official. The White River Apache will have a long battle to regain their
footing, both from the racisim and from their economic loss from the fires.
Arizona Fire Scars Apache-White Relations
N.Y. TIMES - July 2, 2002
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY with NICK MADIGAN
CIBECUE, Ariz., July 1 - On the first of every month, Bernice Caddo
cashes her Social Security check and heads 35 miles north to Show Low to
shop for food, clothing and other family needs. Today, Ms. Caddo decided not
to go. She was frightened, she said, and many other members of the White
Mountain Apache living here were, too. "Maybe I'll go in a few weeks, after
things calm down," she said. "But not now."
Ms. Caddo, 61, and the others said they feared hatred and retribution
from white communities for the act of one Apache, Leonard Gregg, 29, a
contract firefighter who was arrested on Sunday and charged with
starting a fire that converged with a smaller one and grew into the
largest wildfire in Arizona history. Known as the Rodeo-Chediski fire,
it has consumed more than 467,000 acres and is only 45 percent contained.
Hot, dry conditions almost guarantee that the fire will burn at least a
week more.
The blaze has caused economic devastation across an area famous for
hunting, fishing and scenic beauty, and it has not discriminated. Show
Low and other communities north of here, mostly populated by whites,
have lost more than 420 homes. The Apache have lost pine forests that
supported a timber industry employing tribe members.
But as Mr. Gregg awaits a court appearance on Wednesday in Flagstaff to
enter a plea, psychological devastation is evident as well. Here in
Cibecue, home to 2,000 Apaches, it has taken the form of fear, anxiety and
even anger. Since Mr. Gregg was arrested for starting the Rodeo fire,
Apaches say their northern neighbors have shown little sympathy for their
losses, and rumors are spreading across Cibecue that Apaches are unwelcome
in white communities and that restaurants will not serve them...
SEE THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/02/national/02FIRE.html?ex=1026637051&ei=1&en=2602445d95988267
Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright
law ( http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html ).
All copyrights belong to original publisher.
Rhino's Weblog is the responsibility of The Rhino.
Gary Rhine
rhino@kifaru.com
http://www.kifaru.com
http://www.dreamcatchers.org
http://radio.weblogs.com/0103207/
“If we don’t change direction, we’re gonna wind up where we’re
headin’.”
Reuben A. Snake Jr. (Winnebago)
12:59:20 PM 
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