AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT Middle Tennessee Support Group
DECLARES WAR!

Statement of Michael Sims - Chairperson
American Indian Movement, Middle Tennessee Support Group

Whereas, Grave Desecration is one of the most serious issues facing Indian people in this day in age; and

Whereas, Grave Desecration in the forms of archaeological digs, construction, and the search for burial items goes unchecked throughout America; and

Whereas, AIM, Middle Tennessee Support Group has begun a strict and stringent policy of Zero Tolerance for grave robbers and desecrators;

Therefore, Now, Middle Tennessee Support Group of the American Indian Movement hereby declares WAR against anyone who disturbs the graves of our ancestors for profit or by doing so without following the guidelines of NAGPRA and any pertinent federal statutes.

It is incomprehensible to us that if someone is digging in their yard or field and comes across the grave of an American soldier...say from the Civil War...that the remains are transported and buried with honors in a veterans cemetery; yet if they uncover the remains of an Indian person...the remains wind up on museum shelves and the funerary objects and artifacts many times find themselves being auctioned off to the highest bidder...there to sit as conversation pieces on the coffee tables of affluent non-Indian people. In Tennessee if someone disturbs a native grave it is a class A misdemeanor while disturbing any other cemetery is a class E felony. Lest we not forget, the buying, selling and trading of artifacts in Tennessee is a very lucrative business practiced by people of all walks of life. This includes many prominent political persons who, along with many Tennesseans view this practice as their God given right. We with the AIM Middle Tennessee Support Group stand with AIM Arizona and Indigenous Peoples every where to stop this horrendous practice.

We strongly urge ALL AIM Chapters, Indian individuals, and all peoples concerned with this issue to take such a stance against Grave Desecration in your respective areas. Stand for the protection of the last resting place of our grandparents. Stand for the return of sacred items to the Nations to which they belong. Stand against the sale of our ancient treasures.

Like most non-Indian people, we never expected the graves of our relatives to ever be dug up again let alone become a business venture. Yet this is happening at an alarming rate all over Turtle Island.

STAND UP...SPEAK OUT...FIGHT AGAINST THIS ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL PRACTICE!

Questions regarding NAGPRA and Grave Desecration can be addressed to:

Vernon Foster
Southwest Regional Director American Indian Movement
AIM Arizona (602) 668-8926

Michael Sims
Chairperson AIM Middle Tennessee Support Group
(615) 621-3361