If you have signed yet, PLEASE do so right away. Also please have all your family members sign separtely, each individual sig makes a difference! Thanks again for your support everyone! Tamra
Protect NAGPRA Laws!
To: Congressman Doc Hastings & United States Congress
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act public law 101-601 was created on November 16, 1990 to protect burial sites, cultural items, associated funerary objects,unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects and cultural patrimony of both Native American (which includes Alaskan) and Native Hawaiian people(s).
The NAGPRA law would require that specific guidelines be followed if a site is suspected or determined to be, a Native American site. This requires that the local tribes in which the site was found, must be consulted.
On July 28, 1996 a discovery of a 9,000-year-old skull was found on the Columbia River shore in Washington State. This discovery is now known as "Kennewick Man." This was documented as the oldest remains found and scientists immediately started to study them against the tribes wishes.
Several tribes in Washington including the Nez Perce, Umatilla and Yakama filed a appeal objecting to the remains being studied, they fought to stop the further disrespect and desecration of their ancestor, this case was fought in court for 10 years and unfortunately, recently lost.
A new bill announced on August 10, 2006 sponsored by Congressman Doc Hastings, seeks to make changes to the NAGPRA law. Hastings was quoted as follows;
"The fact that it took nearly a decade to reach a decision about the fate of Kennewick Man is proof positive that the law needs clarification," Hastings said in a statement. "Scientific study of ancient remains is important to our understanding of early history and can be done while respecting today's tribes."
The NAGPRA law was enacted to protect our ancestors and their sacred belongings. It was created to stop this type of desecration and disrespect of Native American sites.
We MUST let Hastings and Congress know that our Native Nations and Tribes of this country in addition to the citizens of the United States do not support this law change! The laws being modified in order to suit their studies or museums will not tolerated any longer!
If you support protecting sacred sites, burial grounds and want to halt to this potential law change, PLEASE support this petition by signing and forwarding it to everyone you know!
We must take a stand for change and end this continual disrespect of our ancestors!
The full text of the NAGPRA law can be viewed at the following link: http://www.nagpra.org/nagprafull.pdf
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
The Protect NAGPRA Laws! Petition to Congressman Doc Hastings & United States Congress was created by and written by Tamra Brennan ([email protected]). This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.
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Tamra
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