Stop Insanity: Save the Indian Mound Station Cemetery from development and grave robbers. Let the people rest in Peace
In order to respect the living, one must first respect the past and those who have gone on before. Throughout America Indigenous peoples do not even have the basic right to “rest in peace”
In Florida Indigenous cemeteries are routinely looted, desecrated, and robbed by grave robbers with degree’s and those without, with impunity. Despite a state law prohibiting the desecration or looting of Indigenous cemeteries irrespective of whether the sites are marked or not, there hasn’t been a single arrest or a single prosecution. Not one in the sixteen (16) years since the passage of Florida’s Unmarked Human Burial act. Not when looters are caught red-handed by Park Service police as in the case of Mr. Goodrich who removed human skeletal remains from the Cape Canaveral national seashore. Florida declined to prosecute Goodrich for that. Nor when John Rabe was caught on videotape looting skeletal remains from the Reedy Mound in New Port Richey. In that case video, and four (4) eyewitness affidavits were not enough evidence for Pinellas-Pasco prosecutors to arrest or prosecute Rabe. These cases instead of being isolated can be seen throughout Florida repeatedly. Yet when non-Indigenous cemeteries are desecrated, such as one recently in Pompano Beach, this brings a swift response from Governor Jeb Bush, the Attorney General, and local authorities.
The so-called Indian Mound Station Indigenous cemetery has suffered looting and desecration since the 1870’s. Recently Mr. Mark Stephans desecrated the site on at least one (1) occasion removing human skeletal remains. Mr. Stephans brazenly attempted to loot further from the site during a clean up of the site sponsored by Keep Brevard Beautiful. Only through the intervention of KBB and Brevard AIM Support Group members was Mr. Stephans prevented from desecrating the site. Stephans again attempted to loot the site during a meeting with Brevard County Sheriffs deputies, who prevented him from digging further. Stephans and other archaeologists have attempted to claim the only way to “preserve” the mound and “protect the resource” is to desecrate and rob the mound.
Florida AIM demands these Indigenous peoples be allowed the respect and dignity of resting in peace. We will tolerate nothing less. We know the dominant society would demand the same for their relatives and ancestors. Florida AIM will use any means necessary to protect this site and insure the sanctity of this Indigenous cemetery. We call upon all human beings to contact Norm Wolfinger, Brevard County State Attorney, and demand the investigation of Mark Stephans and others who have looted the Indian Mound Station Cemetery and prosecute them for violations of Florida’s Unmarked Human Burial Site. The time has come to give Indigenous peoples past and present-simple human respect and afford Indigenous peoples simple human dignity.
Please send letters, and fax’s to Wolfinger at Titusville Branch Office
400 South Street Titusville, Florida 32780
(321) 264-6933 fax 321-617-7542
Email to us and we will fax to his office.
For More Information contact
AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENTY OF FLORIDA
136 4th Street North Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 826-6960 Fax (727) 550-2207
Email AIMFL@aol.com
Web site http://Hometown.aol.com/AIMFL
2003-05-08 18:10:00