Letters: Council not listening to people

The continued alarming issues plaguing the Navajo Nation government continues. This time, as most of you have heard, the Navajo Nation Council is pushing to remove President Begaye’s line-item veto privileges. This is very eye-opening to me, for I believe this issue was presented to the Navajo people in 2009 and we voted to give ‘our’ elected leader the authority to this issue. So, by my understanding, it now seems the Council is pushing to ignore the voices of the people yet again.

I simply state this, because it is becoming a recurrence action with our leaders when it involves any type of monetary values. As you can see, this legislation Council is sponsoring is only benefiting them, to give them the authority over the monetary decisions of what is for the Navajo people. I do not want to believe all the current delegates are in favor of this action, yet with their 22-0 vote on the issue it seems the people should stand up and tell their elected delegation it’s time for you to step aside. By this I am referring the issue that nothing will be solved with the current Council continuing to act as if the issues of the Navajo people are not that important. I’m sorry, but isn’t it a part of their oath of office to stand up and preserve the integrity of the Navajo people?

As the saying often goes, ‘Money is the root of all evil.’ This simply can be seen very clearly with the actions occurring within our Navajo Nation government, these transgressions our leaders bring among the nation should no longer be ignored. The Navajo people are tired and want a leader who will stand and offer help rather than just abuse their power by ignoring their constituents. I am saddened when I read or when I’m approached by elders who tell me that veterans in their families are forgotten; these individuals placed their lives on the line for our ‘sovereignty,’ yet they are treated as if they are not as important as your petty issues of the whole $20 million dollar debacle to purchase planes. That word ‘sovereignty’ does not really benefit us, it is a misnomer and a mistranslation; for if we were truly sovereign then we would not rely on the assistance of the federal government.

In closing, I plead with our leaders and the public; it is time for a change. The continuance of these types of actions will be our own downfall as a people we have, like I said, persevered through many hardships and our ancestors did not sacrifice for our leaders to ignore the people’s voices. They fought for the integrity of the future of their children and grandchildren to become stronger individuals rather than become the very people they fought against on the long trek they endured.

Jay Ross Slivers
Lukachukai, Ariz.

Begay playing ‘musical chairs’

As a Democrat who voted Carlyle Begay into office, now he jumped political party affiliation to the Republican is like playing musical chairs with his loyal constituencies. He did not say, ‘Vote for me as your Democrat senator from your district, but I’m going to turn Republican when I’m elected.’ If he had stated as such, I would not have voted for him. The consequence of this is playing right into the hands of the Republicans who will do whatever they can to divide and weaken when it is better to hold together and strong as a people.

There is a sense of betrayal because Republicans have a very different political ideology on their agenda when it comes to dealing with minorities. Now Begay has swayed my opinion Q he only thought of his career. As a junior senator, it’s like certain political suicide to jump ship in the middle of serious negotiation impacting the future of the Navajo people. I quote, ‘Isn’t it up to me to become more effective, regardless of the letter after my name?S As has been opinionated in previous Times newspapers by Navajos of opposing party views, which is their right, but to exacerbate the matter brings back memories of the MacDonald-Zah split which took years to heal. To maintain unity as a whole, we are strong — divided we are weak.

Let’s face it, Arizona is a Republican-controlled state and has been for many decades. Understand why any opposing political party, whether independent, liberal, Green Party or Democrat is an uphill battle for them; that’s why conditions about minorities have not changed. We get thrown a bone or two. Under the Republicans, there has been a staggering growth in inequality of our economy and civil rights with racism running rampant. Begay was to have been our ‘David’ against a ‘Goliath.’

The Republican Party nowadays is altogether a different caucus since Barry Goldwater ran for president in the 60s. Goldwater was a conservative and he wouldn’t recognize the Republican ‘Freedom Caucus’ of today. They are made up of freshmen legislators who want to change the rules and run the country right now, not later, and are supported and influenced by billionaires, the oligarchs. Oligarchy is a government in which a small group of very wealthy businessmen can exercise control, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes. You could say our government is no longer in our control. That is why so much is made about the 99 percent vs. the 1 percent that grew out of the ‘Occupation Movement’ as general knowledge not to privatize everything under corporate control; if you care to read in depth about it. I could go on and on, but you get the gist of it.

I had an English/literature professor who published a book about ‘Rhetorics’ and required it as a subject study, which I’m glad he did. The niceties of words and prose of correctness does have its place. How it is articulated, polished with traditional percept in context and intent is quite another to convince the grassroots people Q he is for them. The majority of grandparents give the same advice universally to their grandchildren regardless of political affiliation.

I quote Begay again: Don’t say RShS (give it to me). Never accept a handout as a way up,S is sound behavior advice for all our youth to understand. But in the realm of partisan opponents, when a person steps into the political limelight, it is what we call, RY kw?dilniilj??nS (a scapegoat), in the RNaayS (a challenge in the way of survival) term. It is a stronger rule of life’s action, also a traditional saying that is more fitting; putting you at the whim of every man, woman and child — good or bad. g’zd? ts’??? doo?ee? (to work on behalf against all odds). Leaders do bring themselves on stage who want it. It is not for everyone.

We were just barely beginning to know Carlyle Begay. He has not quite proven himself yet, except for a lot of publicity. If he is thin-skinned and was never committed to your political party ideals, his people will think twice about him. He was appointed by a Republican governor to finish out a vacated elected Democratic seat, was he not?

Now, he has to face them with hard-line Republican rhetoric coming from him as a member of the 1 percent against the 99 percent of your people of the ‘have nots.’ The Republicans don’t take too kindly to ‘moderates.’ They think of them as too weak.

Firm and loyal Democratic and Republican Party stands are heavily debated on national media right now. If he or she changes political parties after one of them is elected for their party as president of the United States, imagine the upheaval and chaos in our political system?

I wish you luck.

Teddy Begay
Kayenta, Ariz.

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