Letters: Concerns about dog treatment

I attended the Navajo Nation Mobile Vet Clinic in Many Farms, Ariz., on Aug. 18, 2015, and I took eight dogs. Five females developed post-operative infections and two died from their infections. Blackhat Humane Society had a puppy that developed complications and required antibiotics.

Every NNMVC encounter I have with their employees has been burdensome. They are hostile and unhelpful to the point of being obstructive. I thought the purpose of the mobile vet unit was to decrease the number of unwanted pets on the Navajo Reservation.

I am involved in dog rescue and assist my neighbors with their pets. Living in Kayenta, it is travel, time or money to get care for my dogs. I was willing to tolerate their non-existent customer service because I needed my dogs fixed. Now they have proven to be clearly incompetent and I will no longer be using their services.

I have made my concerns known to Glenda Davis who oversees the program and she has not communicated her findings. NNMVC has made no attempt to correct this ordeal even if it meant refunding my money. It does not cover the additional vet bills and doesn’t bring my dead dogs back to life, but it would be a small token of trying to right their wrong.

If your pet has suffered complications from attending one of NNMVC, please contact Glenda Davis, Navajo Nation Veterinary & Livestock Program Mobile Vet Services, P.O. Box 1450, Window Rock, AZ 86515, or call to 505-371-5220 or 505-371-5218.

Bernadette Rosenberg
Kayenta, Ariz.

School board story contains misinformation

Our School Board Association, the Diné Bi’Olta School Board Association was dismayed to see an article by Bill Donovan concerning local school boards in the Sept. 17, 2015 issue of the Navajo Times. The article was based on an “update” made to the Navajo Nation Board of Election Supervisors by Navajo Superintendent Dr. Tommy Lewis and members of his/the “Sovereignty in Indian Education” consultants.

The article contained seriously false information reportedly based on statements made by Dr. Lewis. In checking with the meeting minutes of that meeting, Dr. Lewis’ statements appear incongruent.

To the point, Dr. Lewis reportedly stated that, “each school board imposes its own rules concerning compensation to school board members.”
Dr. Lewis should be aware that the Navajo Nation Code (10 NNC Section 204) states that school board members are to be paid “at rates set by the Education Committee of the Navajo Nation CouncilÉ.”
Furthermore, 10 NNC Section 106 (G) (3) (n) clearly places the responsibility to “establish procedures for the enforcement of Navajo educational laws” as well as the enforcement of such laws squarely on the shoulders of the Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education. In other words, if there is a violation of the rules established by the Education Committee (now the Health, Education and Human Services Committee), it is a specific duty of Dr. Lewis to correct the problem.

Another assertion is that some local school boards are “controlled by families who have held power for decades.” It appears that in spite of the democratic election process, some families, reminiscent of the Corleone family in The Godfather, have apparently seized control of Bureau schools and are running them for their own benefit.

The proposal that Dr. Lewis was talking about concerns only Bureau operated schools, not the contract/grant schools.

DBOSBA, for many years, has contracted with the Bureau to handle the payments to these local school board members in accordance with federal and tribal laws. We have carried out this function and have had squeaky clean annual audits throughout all those years.

Dr. Lewis is also requesting that the Election Board extend the terms of current school board members so that “a new election could be held in 2017 when a change would take place.”
This is a puzzling request. The plans from DODE that we have seen are in draft form and have received almost uniform opposition from the local school boards and communities.

As written, the plans would violate both the federal and tribal laws currently on the books concerning the establishment and authority of local and agency school boards. The plans also violate a long-standing policy of the Navajo Nation in support of local governance of schools and other programs.

The amended Navajo Education Code (Title 10) establishes a balance between tribal-central and tribal-local. The tribe itself is to assume the regulatory functions that govern and oversee the Navajo Education System.

The local boards are responsible for decision-making on operations at the local level. This same basic approach is the way most state education systems are set up. While DODE seems to be neglecting implementation of its clear regulatory responsibilities, it seems to be seeking dramatic changes that would eliminate local school boards. To what end?

Finally, Dr. Lewis should show proof of his statements and be aware of the libelous statements he is making against school board members. In question is the honorarium received by his selected, hand-picked SIEG members; last we understand they received $500 per meeting, $500 per work product – doing work to circumvent tribal and federal laws in the guise of developing a Navajo education system.

Fernie Yazzie
President
Diné Bi’Olta School Board Association
Window Rock, Ariz.

How can anyone support Republicans?

Wow, a Navajo republican! I thought the Indian cowboy was as oxymoron our people can get but this takes the cake. Let’s see, Mormon descendent. I guess that’s the explanation for the Republican choice.Ê The multi-national corporation that believes in “a return upon their investment” and will make money as any cost in the name of religion. HmmmÉ sounds like another dominant religion that ordered the extermination of our people upon first contact.

Again I wonder, what possesses a Native American to be Republican, let alone support them?
I understand the party was founded by anti-slavery activists with Abraham Lincoln as their first president, but this is definitely not the same party. Since the 1960s when most of the conservative southern whites joined the Good Old Party (GOP) and it hasn’t been the same instead it’s been the Good Ole Boys party who looked down upon everyone else who didn’t share in the same discriminating capitalist dream.

This is the same party since the 1960s that has not supported Native American policies but rather stripped us of our sovereignty, our land, our water and natural resources little by little. How quick we forget the two republican senators who tried to get our president to sign away the Little Colorado River water and recently a republican senator, who we all know, deliberately finagled the sacred lands (Oak Flats) from our brothers, the San Carlos Apache, to excavate and mine copper.

This same party shut down the government a year ago without any remorse that left many government workers without a paycheck. And again are planning to shut down the government so all you government workers (BIA and IHS workers) and Navajo Nation better be prepared not to receive a paycheck for some time.

In conclusion, Republicans at the state and federal level have done more damage to Native governments and have been unreasonable in their dealings with Native affairs. They would rather do away with our reservations, our treaties, and our status as a recognized nation/state and become average American citizens like everyone else.

At the end of the day, the Good Ole Boys party will not stand with you when it comes to your Native issues, but would rather have you trade it away if you are not “returning upon their investment”. Thus becoming homeless and government-less on our own lands. So think about which party benefits Native peoples, Native tribes and Native issues before jumping on the bandwagon to rub shoulders with the Good Ole Boys to further your career or yourself.

As Diné people and as Native people we have an obligation, a responsibility to our mother earth and our father sky, as we are the caretakers. We have forgotten how our decisions affect this responsibility greatly.
Unlike the dominant society and yes, the Republicans who are in it to make as much money as they want without regard to global warming, chemical spills in our river, unsafe emissions into our air and utilizing all our water both above and below ground. Why? Because they can and have no conscience.

Randall Benally
Rio Rancho, N.M.

Thank you, police

Let’s take a moment or two to thank our local area law enforcement agencies for the work that they do in keeping our communities safe.

As we approach the Halloween weekend, we should all be aware of the extra efforts that law enforcement will be taking to keep our young ones safe. They will be patrolling neighborhoods, watching for potential DWIs, trying to keep our teenagers safe by watching for underage drinking parties, and helping our young people make good choices and avoid risky behaviors.

Our kids are their kids, as they are part of our community and they devote their lives to making our communities good places to live.

Thank you officers, for all that you do for us. And thank you, parents and community, for helping them to do their jobs.

Pamela Drake
Executive Director
San Juan County Partnership
Farmington, N.M.

The selection of a queen for the Newcomb Chapter

Imagine having a queen pageant not open to other contestants so that the sole individual who showed up for a pageant will represent a chapter?
The rush was explained later that the chapter needed to meet a Shiprock Fair parade deadline.

Imagine, too, that the pageant was not made available or broadcasted on the airwaves, or Internet to other youth contestants, or other parents of youthful significances. In fact, this writer is a chapter vice president and he, too, was never informed, as a goodwill gesture, which the crowning of the queen represents.

Instead, the bias process does not preserve the basic cultural significances when the selection of Miss Newcomb was based on political clout.

I had assumed, for any pageant, it started with a judge panel interviewing about Navajo history, Navajo government, myths, traditional stories, and current issues. Names of the judging panel, who served for the selection, and the questions they asked should be released to Newcomb community parents and youth between 13-18 years old residing within the Newcomb community.

These crowning recognitions are earned. Such is the not the case here, and this lso jeopardizes the Miss Navajo Nation fundamental principles. Parents need to be extremely concerned since the title can be used as a steppingstone for future moral values.

I challenge former Miss Newcomb, past Miss Navajo, Newcomb parents, Central Consolidated School representative, and the Indian Education Committee chairperson to attend the next Newcomb Chapter’s planning meeting and chapter meeting to discuss, or reverse, this undignified process. This is false representation of the honorary title.

Irving Gleason
Newcomb, N.M.

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