The evening began with this Native American group doing a dance for us. The format was that the drummers would drum a highly dancable rythm for a while and then stop suddenly. One of the dancers would say some pithy comment like "for us dancing is a way of connecting with the cosmos, as praying is to you." Then they would dance some more. The group had the feel of a community organization on a special trip to the Big City.

Then we saw Defending The Sacred, a new movie by Tamara Turner about saving Ward Valley from becoming US Ecology's nuclear waste dump. The film had lots of good information in it, including basic stuff like "Ward Valley is in the south western desert of California".

We all listened and watched. I like how the banner behind the microphone the speakers used was the same one that sat behind Bradley in the movie. All around the room were banners that I have seen other places. It was just another way the GreenAction team prevents pollution by reusing messages with lasting power.

Bradley explained how putting Nuclear Waste in aging 55 gallon drums into unlined trenches and then covering them with dirt was dangerous. It would eventually result in very toxic leakage into the Colorado River watershed, poisoning the drinking water for millions of people, and the crops of many farmers. The guy has a detailed and practiced manner, and it is clear that he knows what he is talking about.

I put away the camera at that point. There was some intense footage of a standoff between US Ecology and the Tribes that lasted longer than any other in many years. They discussed how strings had been pulled in Washington, resulting in GreenPeace firing Bradley Angel for doing his job (he was SouthWest Regional Toxics Coordinator). That had been the begining of GreenAction, and the battle for environmental justice is still ongoing, seven years later. Thankfully, US Ecology has still not suceeded in dumping nuclear waste in the lands of the Colorado River Tribes. In fact, they seem to have gone away with their tail betweent their legs.

The Chief said "that's really the way it was". He thanked Tamara Turner for putting together a fine film. He talked about how it wouldn't have been possible to fight the Corporations without Bradley Angels help. He gave red tailed hawk feathers to key people in the struggle. Bradley, Tamara, and Floyd Red Crow Westerman all recieved one each. He reminded us that the struggle is all about passing on to the next generation a world they can live in.

Grandmother remembered with us some of the people in film that are no longer with us. She said that nonviolence was the only way to go in fighting the big battles. She reminded us that dancing is a powerful way to keep the spirits up in long struggles.

Floyd Red Crow Westerman rounded out the evening with some good songs. After it was over he sold and autographed copies of a Cheif Seattle Speaks poster form with the words over his picture. He also sold his music. I got one of the CDs. It has songs like Custer Died for your Sins and The Land Is Your Mother on it.

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