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Arizona Snowbowl

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To many, the United States is the land of opportunity, as long the opportunity is toward the success of white people. For people of color, America is a representation of a long history of death, oppression, and destruction. The local community is no exception to this discrimination, specifically with Native Americans. One of the most popular attractions in Flagstaff, Arizona is the Snowbowl located on the western slopes of Humphreys Peak on the San Francisco Peaks. The alpine ski resort provides an enjoyable experience for most people, yet it is rarely considered how the Snowbowl has negatively impacted Indigenous beliefs. However, this sacrilege Native Americans endure from the Snowbowl is nothing new in terms of history. The colonization …show more content…

The American society should strive to obtain higher standards of respect for the majority as well as the minority communities. There are not many people who are aware about the controversy and issues that the use of reclaimed water at the Snowbowl has created. Yet this disrespect to Indigenous belief has a long path in American history and Native American people. Indians were stripped of their land in 1829 because of the Homestead Act, which granted white people the right to claim up to 160 acres of land as their own. Even as the Constitution states that “all men are created equal”, Native Americans have faced discrimination, oppression, and racism due to their culture and skin color. Through a simple evaluation of past behavior, it is apparent that Indigenous people have always been disregarded, and were taught the harsh lesson that equality among men does not exist. However, this behavior is not in the past, as racism continues on everywhere including the San Francisco Peaks of Flagstaff, Arizona. Native Americans and the Snowbowl are just a small portion of nationwide racial issues that are forever occurring in the United States. A solution to these discriminating actions could be possible, at least in the mountains, by having the owners of the Snowbowl cooperate with Native Americans to stop this disrespect and oppression of their religion. This could honor their belief systems and culture in a way that was far too sparse in the genocide of Indians and the colonization of the United States, as well as possibly paving the way to a more accepting

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