[Buddha-l] Buddhist stupa to be moved from NM Petroglyph Park

[Richard Hayes]

On Oct 1, 2012, at 8:45 PM, Christopher Fynn <chris.fynn at gmail.com> wrote:

> Was this stupa already there when the NPS acquired the land?

As I understand it, it was built on NPS land, but I'm not sure how permission was granted. I'll see what I can find out about that. 

> Or is the NPS also going to
> start removing existing natural features that may be sacred in Native
> American religion?

There has been a tendency to return sacred lands to the native people. The Hemish (Jémez) people are petitioning to be given back Valles Caldera, which is now National Forest land. The resurgent volcanic dome known to white people as Redondo Peak is completely off limits to anyone who is not a member of the Hemish tribe.

During the past quarter century almost all native religious artifacts that used to be on display in museums have been returned, and displays of burial sites of have taken off display. 

> Perhaps the US Treasury should also remove "In God
> We Trust" from US currency notes.

That goes without saying. It is a clear violation of the separation of church and state. The motto began appearing on coins after the American civil war and did not appear on paper notes until 1957. The motivation to refer to God in the 1950s was to distinguish the USA from the godless communists. Those of us who ARE godless communists have been made to feel like second-class citizens in our own country. I personally blame Facebook for perpetuating this injustice.

Richard Hayes