Letters | Charles-Newton/Crotty would be a good team

I thought of taking this opportunity to recognize and praise the work of two female delegates who I believe are performing an outstanding job on behalf of the Navajo Nation – Eugenia Charles-Newton and Amber Crotty. As always, my comments are short and to the point.

I feel the pair are doing the job of the president and vice president of the Navajo Nation and will be great candidates for the 2022 tribal election.

They are demonstrating true commitment of helping the Navajo people. There are many times they have been rudely mistreated by their fellow male delegates, but remain strong with their determination and commitment to address the issues they believe are in the best interest of people.

Eugenia Charles-Newton is constantly on Facebook making status reports on what the Navajo Nation government is dealing with in terms of the real issues our nation is facing, something the president and vice president should be doing. She is even participating in demonstration walks for the missing and murdered Navajo people.

Amber Crotty speaks out for the people, not only for the chapters she represents, but the Navajo people reservationwide. Though she’s not fluent in the Navajo language she’s a proven leader and is outspoken on issues related to women and children. She is well perceived by the general public.

I believe existing laws, if any, should be amended that will be more punishable than a slap on the hand, more time behind bars and hard time while incarcerated, and more probation time than a few months. Also, enforce the deadbeat-father law for those that ignore or disobey the law.

The two female delegates realize that Navajo leadership is not as strong as they were some 30 to 40 years ago and are doing what they feel is necessary to fill the gap.

They deserve a chance of becoming the president and vice president in the 2022 tribal election and will make a good team.

I wish I could say more, but due to health reasons I am not able to do so. Thank you for this opportunity.

Vern Charleston
Farmington, N.M.

Cheii may run for Council, even prez

Cheii is thankful the Navajo Times let him voice his opinion. He says it felt empowering (good).

Inspired, now he is thinking of running for Council or even president. He said he was concerned about the language. He said, “Doo Dineh yah deeh stii’ da” meaning “they do not hear Dineh.”

Cheii wanted to know about this issue and Dineh leadership. We looked at the three branches.

The Judicial Branch (1959) is a product of the Indian termination period —as a reaction to the state of Arizona attempting to establish its own court system within Dinetah.

The chief justice by tribal law is required to have a doctorate degree in Biligaana law. The chief justice understands, speaks, reads and writes the Dineh language.

The Supreme Court even established the “Dineh Fundamental Law” in the language. Many of its legal opinions are written in Dineh, as well as English, and refers often to Dineh ancient laws and the holy ones. It seems they have a firm understand of both worlds and apply it to the rulings.

The presidency (1990) is the product of the Indian self-determination period. At the time, the Council was charged with reforming the government after the 1989 riot that killed Dineh citizens because of a perceived corrupted government by the people.

The main requirement for the president is to be able to “speak and understand” the language. This issue went to the Supreme Court. It ruled that language is the primary ingredient in any sovereign nation.

The other requirement is that the president be able “read and write” English. As a result, by law, the president must communicate proficiently (fluent) in both languages to do his job effectively.

Sadly, the Council (legislators) did not take the next step and reform itself. Several Councils attempted to reform with no results. They just couldn’t do it. Seemingly, giving up, failing itself.

Corruption and bad decisions set in. The final straw was the “discretionary funds” disaster whereby they were filling their pockets with tribal money at their own “discretion” and at the expense of the people. And, they were really filling their pockets and cleaning out the accounts. Thus, abusing their “discretionary powers.”

Ninety percent of the Council of the almost 90 members were found guilty as charged for bad behavior, along with paying the money back, the Council was significantly reduced and a presidential “veto” power was installed.

Ironically, instead of solving the problem, they became the problem. They became the infamous “bad boys” — as they continued bad spending and bad behavior.

For the people, some reforms resulted from keeping a check on bad behavior, as mentioned above. The reforms were instituted by the other two branches and the people, and not the Council.

The Council seems to be the weakest of the three branches. Its origin is the longest as it was created as a “puppet” government during the treaty days. The Council was not set up to be very responsive to the people.

Seemingly, no significant changes have been made since. There is no requirement to be a lawmaker, except have a census number. The Council does not hold itself to any standard at all. With no standard imposed, incompetence in one or both worlds can become a legislator. Furthermore, it may have happened.

This deficiency became glaring. For example, a former speaker was in public and on KTNN introducing himself. Sadly, he had trouble naming his first three clans and not very clear about it, then, he could not name his fourth clan.

This is in the face of the Supreme Court proclaiming that the K’e system is the Dineh constitution spelling out the rights and responsibilities of a Dineh citizen. The glaring truth is the delegate did not know the Dineh constitution that he swore to uphold, especially since the hardcore grassroots say one ceases to be Dineh when one ceases to know one’s clan. Since then, the speakers have been making fewer public appearances and speeches.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court (2014), in setting the law of the land, ruled that all “Nataaniis” are held at a “higher standard” than other jurisdictions in the U.S.

That “higher standard” is the two languages spoken. In short, “Nataaniis” need to “understand and speak” both languages, not just one or the other, to effectively do their jobs. Drunk with power, they did not listen.

Based on the above information, they may be incompetent to the Dineh world. Therefore, ineligible to hold office. This, seemingly, by the Dineh law and fullest extent of the Biligaana’s Black letter law, the legislators, as a group, does not meet the “Nataanii” standard. To this matter, the other two branches are in full compliance with it.

Armed with this information, I think Cheii may decide to run for delegate and voice his concern on the Council floor, if the present Council does not address the issue(s).

He likes to say “fire for effect” from his war days, which may be his intent and slogan. The Saaniis love it when he talks that way and he loves talking in Dineh, especially when he gets excited (worked up), except that he may need a translator on the floor.

Thank you very much.

Raymond Yazzie
Window Rock, Ariz.

Smoke a health hazard

Last week in Shiprock, we watched as giant plumes of smoke formed along the south river bank of our sacred San Juan River. My first thoughts were arson – or worse.

Later, I found it was a BIA controlled burn. The smoke was thick, slow and wafted southward over and into hundreds of homes, shoppers, students, visitors, and who knows who else.

The elderly, sick with COVID, infants, and homeless affected by the smoke were never considered by this insane operation. Only the BIA with little reason to exist can make such irresponsible decisions.

If only they put as much energy into helping economic development in Shiprock.

Hello! We want answers!

Barbara J. Morgan
Shiprock, N.M.

Thanks for infrastructure vote, now Build Back Better

I am writing to thank Congressman Tom O’Halleran for his vote to improve life on the Navajo Nation by supporting the recent federal infrastructure bill.

This bill will provide much-needed water infrastructure to our communities. But, sadly, given the damage done to our aquifer by decades of coal mining, there is much, much more to be done.

We need Congress to pass the Build Back Better Act to pay for environmental clean up efforts, create clean energy jobs, build climate-resilient infrastructure, and lower pollution. The bill will also provide money to clean up abandoned uranium mines.

We need our congressman and our two senators to vote for the Build Back Better Act as soon as possible.

Percy Deal
Big Mountain, Ariz.

Thanks for sharing thoughts

I commend Kenneth G. White, Jr., and thank him for taking the time and effort to share his thoughts about the art of politics (“The fart of politics,” Navajo Times, Nov. 18, 2021).

I mostly share his views on the state of affairs of state. I also envy his confidence in the wisdom of his ancestors, his kin and the elders of his community.

Alas, I cannot share in that, in my own case, as so many of my own kin and community relish the foul reek of which he speaks which emanates from the East Coast these days.

Hence, I fear for our nation and his nation as well. May the force be with you all.

Dennis Nelson
Marshall, Michigan

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