We must recognize -- again!! -- the inherent racism within our past and present (and, in all likelihood, our future). Governments consider indigenous people inferior and subhuman. This is true whether their land has oil, natural gas, and/or precious minerals/gems, or even if it simply has a popular hallucinogen. Moreover, those in power believe it is "ours," not "theirs."
Returning to the peyote issue, you correctly note that "we've seen how 'help' from outsiders usually plays out." This is true, and it has almost invariably been disastrously.
We must recognize -- again!! -- the inherent racism within our past and present (and, in all likelihood, our future). Governments consider indigenous people inferior and subhuman. This is true whether their land has oil, natural gas, and/or precious minerals/gems, or even if it simply has a popular hallucinogen. Moreover, those in power believe it is "ours," not "theirs."
On a related note, El Salvador has just lifted a mining ban, prompting this frightful headline from THE GUARDIAN: "‘Live sick or flee’: pollution fears for El Salvador’s rivers as mining ban lifted" (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jan/01/el-salvador-environment-rivers-water-pollution-mining-ban-repealed-authoritarian-nayib-bukele-protest).
Returning to the peyote issue, you correctly note that "we've seen how 'help' from outsiders usually plays out." This is true, and it has almost invariably been disastrously.