18. "Uranium Mine Endangers Native Americans"

One of the world's largest and oldest open-pit uranium mines is located near the Laguna Pueblo Reservation in New Mexico.

The leftover radioactive uranium tailings are blown over the reservation.

The tailings emit radioactive radon gas which is absorbed into the body: The water and grazing land will be contaminated.

To date, more than 100 babies have been born with some form of birth defect.

The state government acknowledges no relationship between the mine and the birth defects.

The uninformed residents of the reservation feel that since no one has died yet, there's no reason for concern.

The failure of the media to publicize this gross lack of concern for the residents of the reservation qualifies this story for nomination as one of the "best censored" stories of 1978.

SOURCE:

New Times, November 27, 1978, p. 21, "Miners Ignore Indian Maladies," by Peter Melnick.