Embattled retail store Target donated funds to a group calling for the closure of the historic Mount Rushmore because they claimed it is “an international symbol of white supremacy.”
In 2022, Target gave money to a South Dakota-based nonprofit, the NDN Collective, which called for closing Mount Rushmore, stating that returning the land and all public lands in the Black Hills of South Dakota is “our cornerstone battle.”
“Not only does Mount Rushmore sit in the heart of the sacred Black Hills, but it is an international symbol of White Supremacy and colonization,” NDN stated.
“To truly dismantle white supremacy and systems of oppression, we have to go back to the roots. Which, for us, is putting Indigenous Lands back in Indigenous hands,” the group added.
NDN Collective President and CEO Nick Tilsen stated in a press release:
“Mount Rushmore is an international symbol of white supremacy, and as people across America rightfully pull down statues of white supremacy, we have to look long and hard at how this national monument in the Black Hills upholds and maintains white supremacy on Indigenous lands.”
“Our LANDBACK efforts started at Mount Rushmore as we not only took a stand against white supremacy and Trump’s racist rhetoric that day, but also in demanding that Mount Rushmore be shut down as a national monument and that all public lands in the Black Hills be returned to Indigenous people,” he continued.
NDN Collective’s “Landback” campaign has declared, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free,” a mantra used by terrorist organizations who hate Israel.
“The U.S. military is in the explicit business of taking land away from communities all around the world and using their presence on their land to carry out their own agenda for the inhabitants of that area,” NDN Collective has stated.
“Violence is fundamental for the U.S. to maintain its presence, and the military is how they establish dominance domestically and internationally, wherever they may be,” it added.
“The origin of the U.S. military and police is rooted in the establishment of informal militias composed of newly arrived settlers looking to make money and own land,” NDN continued.
“The purpose of these informal militias, however was not to keep the police or protect citizens, but to clear the land of as many Natives as possible by killing indiscriminately and catching runaway enslaved Africans.”
Last month, Target was forced to remove its LGBT Pride Collection and “satanic” items following a major backlash.
Some of those items Target removed following the backlash included LGBT-themed apparel and accessories with an occult and satanic aesthetic produced by Abprallen, a London-based firm.
The merchandise features horned skulls, pentagrams, and satanic occult images.
The spokesperson said, “For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work.”
“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.”
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