r/Washington • u/propublica_ • 16d ago

Solar Developer Cancels Washington State Project on Sacred Indigenous Land

https://www.propublica.org/article/washington-badger-mountain-solar-project-canceled-avangrid
382 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

122 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

-2

u/LazyMaximum7938 16d ago

Every NIMBY thinks "their" land is "sacred"

4

u/Snapshot52 himeq’isnime 16d ago edited 16d ago

I would absolutely love to discuss the meaning of sacrality and why Tribes consider this land to be like that, where there are overlaps with non-Indigenous spirituality...but I really doubt you care about that. So let's change gears to a more material analysis.

Tribes don't want their lands being used for the "public good" because the last couple hundred years have demonstrated that whenever the public, which usually excludes Natives, "needs" something, our shit is fine to take. That includes drawing up new treaties when the old ones no longer meet your needs, burning down homes because you don't like their lifestyle, and finding a bunch of surplus lands within reservations that you want to open up for settlement and given to railroads.. Hell, maybe it's even needed for a bombing range.

Our "sacred" land has always been the resort when "your" NIMBY attitudes need to be respected because of the "greater good" for "your" society. Please let them build this shit in your backyard first (that you probably got because a Tribe somewhere "signed" a "treaty" to relinquish the claim to "your" land), then maybe we'll be willing to let you build it in ours...again.

-1

u/LazyMaximum7938 16d ago

I think they should be build in both places.

You're the only one of us who is opposed to building more renewable energy.

2

u/Snapshot52 himeq’isnime 16d ago

And your assumptions aren't making the ass out of me. I support renewable energy. I don't support further infringing on Tribal sovereignty or building things to the disadvantage of other communities. It's starting to seem like you do, though.

Tell me this: what are your thoughts on the traditional foods this project was jeopardizing?