Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

October 26, 2011

News reporters clench paychecks, lose their moral compass

US Border Patrol on Tohono O'odham Nation
with spy cameras pointed at traditional O'odham homes.
Photo by Ofelia Rivas.
Copyright Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

TUCSON -- Before supporting an American Indian casino, people should examine the facts for themselves.
In the case of the Tohono O'odham, O'odham are living in desperation as millions from the Desert Diamond casino go to non-Indian management companies, the state of Arizona, and into the pockets of a few corrupt politicians.
All it takes is for reporters to drive through the Tohono O'odham Nation to see that the desperation has not changed in a decade of millions pouring into the Desert Diamond Casino.
O'odham elderly and women with children suffer the most. Many O'odham are without food, without gas, without safe drinking water and without wood in winter.
But reporters would rather live in front of their computers than go out and discover the truth. If they drove out to the Tohono O'odham Nation, they discover the truth: The casino money is not going to the people.
If reporters did go out to the Tohono O'odham Nation, they would likely be illegally detained by the US Border Patrol, which is common practice now.
They would also discover that the Tohono O'odham Nation does not allow freedom of the press. It does not allow outside reporters to attend their council meetings (as the Navajo Nation does.) This allows the Tohono O'odham Nation to conceal its human rights violations of traditional O'odham who protest the corruption.
Will any reporters respond and examine the facts, out on O'odham land, for themselves? The fact is that most of the Indian media at the national level rewrites web material, or posts articles they did not write. They do not investigate the facts.
At best, the reporters make a phone call, victimize the victims and collect their paychecks.
In the worst case scenario, they plagiarize content and produce spin that is dishonest and has longterm damaging effects on the people.
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To republish this article, please contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

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