Letters: Forgiveness is quite a journey

I am Lenita Yellowhorse and I am from Wide Ruins, Arizona. I’m currently incarcerated at the women’s prison facility in Goodyear, Arizona, serving a three-year prison sentence for aggravated DUI.

About four years ago on July 21, 2012, my best friend, my late little brother Lyman Yellowhorse was murdered in Sanders, Arizona. He was 26 years old.

Three weeks before his 27th birthday, his life was brutally taken by six people. My brother was murdered three times.

The autopsy revealed that he was attacked from behind with a 2 x 4, then stabbed 17 times and was literally beheaded.

He represented the Navajo Nation, was proud of who he was, where he came from and did many great things for his community. He would chop wood for my grandmother when she was still alive, for his aunts and the abandoned elders that resided in Wide Ruins and Sanders community. He had a big heart, was very loving, respectful and compassionate about his Diné elders.

His body was thrown off Highway 191, south of Blue Bird Road. His murderers left him there. That summer night of July 21, 2012, I will never forget the call I made to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office 911. MCSO then dispatched Apache County and the Navajo Nation police department for me.

I was living in Phoenix, Arizona. There was no way I could have helped him or be there when my so-called friends murdered him and left him there.

I can’t imagine the torture he suffered, the brutal gruesome murder. Where was I? Why him? These words reverberate in my heat today while I’m doing time behind bars.
What’s even more disturbing is: today these 6 individuals are walking free and living their life. The shoddy work of the Navajo Nation Justice System and the F.B.I Authority are unwilling to make a case to prosecute these murderers, holding them accountable for my brother’s murder.

What happened to my brother was not an accidental act. It was premeditated murder.

Last year July 7, 2015, I received a call from the F.B.I Victim Specialist asking for my address to return my brother’s personal belongings.

The U.S. Attorney abandoned the murder case due to their shoddy investigation. Mind you, these suspects bragged about murdering my brother and even confessed their gruesome act to mutual friends of our family.

Today, I’m in prison for Aggravated D.U.I. I never came to terms with the loss of my brother, the betrayal of my so-called friends, and those involved in the murder of my brother. The gross injustice weighed on me so I looked for solace by drinking to comfort my grief.

My mother was never able to see her son one last time. My aunts who loved their nephew like their own child weren’t able to see him again. His nieces and nephews were left wondering what happened to their uncle and many friends amongst family were never able to say peace one last time.

The staff at Silver Creek Mortuary mourned with us and told my mother and myself that we need to push for justice, and this has been one of the worst deceased they had to prepare to lay to rest.

I didn’t murder anyone, I didn’t harm anyone, nor did I bring any type of pain on anyone’s family, yet, I’m in prison. The justice system has the wrong person behind bars.
Without any closure or healing due to the corrupt system has led me to drink my sorrows away. The loss of my bother took a toll not on me, but the rest of my family. How am I supposed to move on without any justice? I am very sure many families are going through what I’m enduring.

My brother was a warrior — a gentle giant — served his Diné elders and taught his nephews to learn: how to chop wood; how to respect and listen to our elders and emphasized how to sustain our culture through our Diné language; taught them to pray in our native tongue; taught them to make bow and arrows; how to hunt; and taught them to be a man because some of his nephews didn’t have father figures.

He did what could to help his aunts by cleaning their lawns, visiting the elders in nursing homes to keep them company, letting them know their sheep are prospering in numbers and that their cattle were in good hands, and that their homes were taken care of.

My brother is deeply missed today, and as I sit here in prison, he is constantly in my thoughts, in my heart.

As July 21st nears, I’m truly sadden that it has been four years since we lost him, but it feels like yesterday. These feelings of grief are enormous and every time it rains, I shed tears, reminding myself my brother is with me in spirit and wants me to overcome his loss and move forward with life, to carry those precious memories and remember what he stood for, instill the values, morals, and principals he taught, because that’s what he would want for me and all of the Diné nation to do.

No mother deserves her child, her baby, to be murdered gruesomely. No sister, or brother should have to endure what I went through; no aunt or uncle should be left with no explanation of the death of their nephew. My family wasn’t even provided with a police report to this day.

I hope that other families who have been in the same situation can move onward with life, and understand that there is hope for justice.

No family deserves “no explanation” in the cause of death of their loved one with their case sitting with the cold case files.

We’re expected to move on and ask our higher power to take control, and give us a sense of peace of mind, but where there is no justice, there is no healing, no closure; we’re left devastated with loss and grief.

This is how families seek solace with the comfort of alcohol in tragedies that occur on the side and swept under the carpet as though it never occurred.

Life truly does go on, but without justice, it’s a long hard recovery in that loss. Everyday, I ask God to help me, to give me peace of mind and for my family, to mend our hearts and heal their souls, to live life again.

I also pray for those who murdered my brother, may God judge them the way he sees fit and be gentle with them as they were not with the late Lyman Yellowhorse.

Forgiveness is quite a journey I’m on. I have to come to terms with that, and if I can’t forgive, how is God supposed to forgive me? I have to forgive those who have murdered my brother, and doing that in prison isn’t so easy, but maybe God has a bigger plan for me and brought me here to heal, and work on forgiveness.

May Lyman Yellowhorse and others who have fallen as my brother did, rest in Paradise and God Bless their beloved family. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Sincerely,
Lenita Yellowhorse
Goodyear, Arizona

Searching for a friend

I am writing to you in the hope you can help me find a friend by the name of Julia Johnson. The last time she wrote me was about six months ago. She gave me a phone number of 928-209-2871. I have tried and tried that number and have only gotten a recording that says that number is not in service.
Julia’s birthday is July 8 and she is 52 years of age. She has three adult children, two boys (Tyler and Troy) and one girl (Mykeal). I have written to her last address of P.O. Box 1032, Tonalea, AZ 86044. She had been working at Inscription House Chapter.
I have tried the telephone, e-mail and letters to no avail. I have not been able to communicate with her. I would be most appreciative if you could help me. My address is 5407 Sapphire Street, Alta Loma, CA 91701. My phone number is 909-476-3767.

Rena Patterson
Alta Loma, Calif.

‘Crawling creatures’ at Northern Edge?

I was surprised when I read last week’s Navajo Times about Twin Arrows Casino and Resort receiving AAA award for the fourth consecutive time ever since its opening. They must have an exceptional marketing personnel for the operation to be successful.
It appears they are far more successful than other casinos such as Northern Edge Casino. Northern Edge is barely on the move with improving their promotions but it still needs a lot of improvements by getting on the fast track. I personally blame the marketing department for its inefficient operation.
On the other hand, it saddens me to hear community members complain about the lack of the promised compensation for giving up their land to build the casino at its location. The landowners claim they continually bring the compensation issue to the attention of the speaker of the Navajo Nation Council but ignored. He is even reluctant to attend chapter meetings.
The serious concern that is hidden from the customers is the crawling creatures that were found during slot machine upgrade, which could be life-threatening. Only a handful knows about it and is currently boycotting entertainment at Northern Edge. This is an indicator the gaming commission needs to pay up or expect more freaky things to happen.
As a result of these types of issues lead many of us to question the escalating concerns about our tribal government leadership. Are they real people we elected in 2014? Or are they robots?
Nevertheless, we need to unite and re-examine who we elected into these positions and take corrective action. We may need to consider a recall on the entire tribal council membership.
(Editor’s note: A Northern Edge spokeswoman said, “I have no idea what he’s talking about. Nothing of an animal nature, alive or dead, was found when upgrading the slot machines.”)

Vern Charleston
Farmington, N.M.

Budget policy there for a reason

First, the Navajo Nation does not make money like municipalities but relies heavily on government subsidies and what little mineral resources we have left known as “royalties” is an insignificant amount, nor does it raise enough revenue from taxation.

Each fiscal year, the Navajo Nation is always looking for money that just isn’t there and its credit standing is uncertain to outside businesses, therefore there is no guaranteed solvency to stand on. The total sum is negligible to run a government the size of the Navajo Nation and this new member (Leonard Tsosie) of the Budget and Finance Committee wants to open the floodgates for another “discretionary fund” fiasco. Guys, grab this guy’s coattail and sit him down or we all go down.

To state, “I don’t want to mess around with the work session because I thought it was very clear,” is egotistical and “(you) thought” the popular thing to do is to streamline, shortcut, and make quickies, which are not very popular in accounting and the financial world. You are going to put us out on the street begging. There will be nothing left of the Permanent Trust Fund but an empty brown bag within a few years.

Finance policies are there for lots of reasons—mainly to stay solvent. That is the reason why it’s like going through firewall after firewall to get approval as it should be. A good budget and finance controller will say no, no, no and no four times, because it’s survival for all of us, to mean what comes in, must be greater than what goes out. There is a “correctness” of spending money that isn’t yours Mr. Tsosie. Your “maii-ness” you dare quote in The Times is coming out very clear.

Teddy Begay
Kayenta, Ariz.

Please skip the graphic details

I read an article entitled, “Child mauled to death by dogs” and I felt I needed to write a letter and ask in the future to refrain from publishing graphic detail when addressing a the death of a child.
I am a father of a six-year-old and I cannot imagine the pain I might feel if my child were in an accident and I had to read the details in a publication. The Navajo Times is a great paper and I feel this incident tarnished the great newspaper that reports the “Truth Well Told.” It appears the
truth in reporting a six-year-old male child’s injuries that resulted in his death was not reported with dignity and respect.
The parents of the child are still in shock and so is the community. Please give time for the mother to grieve her child and please refrain from details that might be of use in a police and coroner report.
I understand the public deserves the right to know what happened to the child however there are some details which the public does not need to know.

Respectfully,
Sean A. Begaye,
Fort Irwin, CA

The real reason for prosecutor shortage

After reading the July 14, 2016 article regarding the Navajo Nation office of the Prosecutor’s shortage of staff and the reason for this shortage, I am compelled to write to the editor.

After serving the Navajo Nation as chief p for five years and nine months, I left my position as chief prosecutor in June 2015 due to family matters. This was within weeks after the Begaye/Nez Administration was put into office by the Supreme Court. Upon my departure, Attorney General Ethel Branch invited me to return to the Office of the Prosecutor when my family situation improved. When it improved in December 2015, I applied for a prosecutor position (not chief prosecutor). Navajo Nation Department of Personnel Management deemed me qualified for the position and my application was forwarded to the deputy chief prosecutor (who is a non-Indian). Yet, nearly seven months after applying, my application remains on the desk of the deputy chief prosecutor with, I assume, the AG’s knowledge. In fact, I e-mailed Ms. Branch days ago informing her of this fact and she failed to reply.

There are few individuals beside myself more qualified to prosecute crimes on the Navajo Nation. The Navajo public should not be misled about the status of the Prosecutor’s Office. The Gallup Independent published an article on Jan. 21, 2016 citing a meeting on Oct. 14, 2015 in Ramah, New Mexico, discussing Ramah’s lack of a full-time prosecutor. At that meeting, AG Branch “promised” to address the issue, but had done nothing as of Jan. 21, 2016. Your readers should “do the math” here.

In the Times’ July 14, 2016 article, the AG stated that the biggest barrier in hiring a chief prosecutor is that s/he must be the Navajo. Currently, Title II statutorily requires that the chief prosecutor be a member of the Navajo Nation. This is nothing new. The Navajo Nation government, and the people through which the government speaks and acts, requires that certain key naat’aanii positions be filled by Navajos. Other positions which must be held by Navajos include the president, vice president, council delegates, chief justice and judges. So long as the Navajo Nation is sovereign, Navajo preference in employment must be honored. Navajo law requires that the chief prosecutor be Navajo. Fundamental law must be respected and a Navajo attorney can most effectively balance fundamental law with the criminal statutes.

Also according to the Times article, the AG suggests that the Law and Order Committee — the “oversight committee” for the Office of the Prosecutor and Department of Justice — lower the standard(s) for tribal prosecutors. Currently, Navajo prosecutors must at least hold a bachelor’s degree. This standard mirrors the Navajo Nation Bar Association’s requirement that all the Navajo applicants taking the bar exam hold at least a bachelor’s degree. When I began working as the chief prosecutor in September 2009, the Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor was staffed by many tribal court advocates (non-law-school-trained practitioners licensed to practice law on Navajo Nation) — many of whom held a high school diploma. Under this agreement of hiring “prosecutors” at a low salary, past administrations (including the president and attorneys general) were able to fully staff all of the Navajo Nation’s 11 judicial districts with limited concern of job vacancies. While this may have been desirable, the actual result of such a practice proved to be disastrous indicated by a 70 percent dismissal rate. These court advocates were ignoring the rights of victims, violating equal protection of the law, were settling cases without input from the arresting officers, had never tried a case in years before a judge or jury, were losing discovery motions to public defenders, were losing all types of defense motions, were engaging in criminal activities (for example, dismissing criminal cases in exchange for sheep and claiming this agreement was a form of “k’é”), were unaccountable to the public and were simply not doing the essential work of a true prosecutor. For these reasons, I lost several tribal prosecutors when I assumed office. Their departures (through termination, resignation, and retirement) allowed for other law-school-trained prosecutors to join the office and truly prosecute crimes. During 2013 and 2014, the Prosecutor’s Office employed seven attorneys and seven tribal court advocates.

Lowering the standard(s) via the Law and Order Committee is a precarious option. There should be further concern that those tribal court advocates who were grandfathered in when the NNBA standards changed are reaching retirement age. Consequently, the issues with the lack of tribal prosecutors will only increase.

I would submit that the reason that there is a lack of prosecutors is simply the result of politics. There are many Navajo attorneys. Any one of these Navajo attorneys, myself included, can serve the Navajo Nation as its chief prosecutor (provided that they have a background in criminal prosecution). While the AG suggests that the standards for prosecutors should be lowered (again, lowered from its present requirement that the applicant hold at least a bachelor’s degree), I would submit that it is a dangerous suggestion capable of bringing back many of the unfortunate circumstances and perilous responses to justice as elaborated above. Our Nation must look forward to progress and true reform that satisfies the needs of the Navajo people. The Law and Order Committee needs to act as swiftly yet cautiously as it acted in politically demanding that the Begaye/Nez Administration hire a police chief within 30 days. Here the chief prosecutor position — which is statutorily recognized by the Navajo Nation as the “chief law enforcement officer” — is in a position to address many of the issues relating to drugs, gangs, DUI, homicides, sex assault and other crimes on the Navajo Nation.

My intent is to bring the truth out to the Navajo public. The AG’s statements praise the current deputy chief prosecutor and offered suggestions to disregard the current law which requires that the chief prosecutor be a Navajo member (ostensibly to justify the selection of the non-Indian). The AG’s statements further attempt to justify changing the current requirement that Navajo prosecutors hold at a minimum a bachelor’s degree. The AG should make truthful statements to the Navajo public (the Navajo people are the employers of public servants) and offer realistic suggestions that comport with existing law. In our Navajo culture, we are taught doo hwi yooch’iid da and hazaad jidisin. The same should be expected of the AG including her statutory duty to employ an enrolled Navajo member as chief prosecutor.

The issues with the criminal justice system go beyond the Prosecutor’s Office — the lack of law enforcement officers (at one time, I calculated that there was one police officer for every 2,000 Navajo residents), corrections (although new jails were built, there is no funding for additional corrections officers), courts, probation services and social services should be of serious concern to the Navajo Nation Council in determining how they can deliver optimum public safety for the Navajo Nation.

Best regards,
Bernadine Martin
Gallup, N.M.

Red flags flying over Escalade

Two-and-a-half years ago, I wrote a letter that was printed in the Navajo Times re: The Escalade project which raised questions that were valid at the time on this project being built on the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Objections were raised by thousands upon thousands of our Diné, whose voice was heard and this foolish project was stopped. Or so we thought.

Here I am writing a letter … again. This foolishness has reared its ugly head again like a bad nightmare and it continues to cause turmoil, disharmony and unbalance among our Diné. The OUTSIDE Developer from Scottsdale decided to try again to dazzle the new Council Delegates and new President with his promises … painting himself as the savior of our Diné, though he is now asking to borrow $65 million from us … the Navajo Nation so he can build HIS resort.

Why are NN Council Delegates continuing to entertain the idea that this Escalade is a good thing to do? All of the concerns listed in my letter I wrote in 2014 are still valid and now more questions and concerns have arisen. In addition to the cultural and spiritual aspects that are and will be affected by building this development, I believe that we Diné are not being told the full and complete plans that are being contemplated by OUTSIDE developers and instead we are being fed spoonfuls of sugar to hide the taste of the bitter.

My first question is: How will the NN Council Delegates find $65 million without raiding the Permanent Trust Fund or the Sihasin account? Shouldn’t we be using those funds for roads, electric lines, waterlines, scholarships for our children, helping our elderly, veterans and the thousands of real needs that our Nation can provide instead of GIVING a biligáana developer and his partner Albert Hale our much needed funds? This is bitter.

Number 2 Concern: As was raised in my first letter … who ARE the Investors that “Mr. Scottsdale” and Mr.Hale keep alluding to who are supposedly at the ready to pour money into this development and why is this being kept secret? More importantly … why is Mr. Scottsdale asking to borrow money from us (WE Diné are the Navajo Nation) when said Investors and partners are said to be biting at the bit to fund this fiasco? This is bitter.

Number 3 Concern: There is no water where this is being built … Where will thousands of tourists go to use the restroom? Oh wait. Mr.Scottsdale and Mr. Hale have indicated that they will build a sewage pond. Good. But … There. Is. No. Water. We are suffering from droughts in Western Navajo. We hardly have water for our basic needs and yet Escalade will be given priority. Can you imagine the odor emitting from our beloved western lands and the magnificent Grand Canyon? Tourists are not going to want to be near sewage ponds. That is a fact and it is bitter.

Number 4: A glowing picture has been painted of how the Navajo Housing Authority will build houses for workers. Council delegates: There. Is. No. Water. NHA has been embroiled in controversy for several years. Do you delegates really and truly expect that this will come to fruition? We want and need houses … yet Escalade will be afforded priority. This is bitter.

Number 5: Where will electricity be found to power gondolas that are expected to haul tourists to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up to the top … 24 hours a day/seven days a week? The Bennett Freeze has affected Western Diné in every aspect of our lives. We want electricity … but Escalade will be given priority. That’s really bitter.
Number 6: Liability issues come to mind. Thousands of tourists will be riding in the air in the gondolas to the bottom and back up. People are already falling into the Grand Canyon weekly, some intentionally. Imagine the NN being sued for people accidently or intentionally falling to their deaths. That’s the nightmare that is the Escalade. Very bitter.
The list of concerns and questions ( ie: “Red Flags”) is quite lengthy. I’ve listed the ones that are most concerning to me.

Now, there is an alternative to Escalade that NN Council Delegates and the OPVP MUST seriously consider:

There is a major road that runs north to south on Western Navajo — U.S. 89. This road runs from northern Utah down through southern Arizona. There millions of tourists from the United States and from around the world who travel on this road to go to Lake Powell, to the South and North rims of the Grand Canyon, to go to Monument Valley, to visit Navajo and Hopi lands, to see Supai and Hualapai lands, to see the Vermillion Cliffs. There is a corridor that they travel that goes right through Western Navajo. This is where we should be building businesses to capture tourist dollars. There is already an airport that can be utilized. We can build restaurants, hotels, gas stations, convenience stores, art galleries to showcase the talents of local artists, museums, bed and breakfast inns, the lists is endless of what can be done. This corridor of US 89 runs from Marble Canyon in the north through Bitter Springs, Cedar Ridge, Gap, Paiute lands, Tuba City and Cameron to the south. THIS will bring the economic development that is so desperately needed in Western Navajo which was devastated by the Bennett Freeze Law for over 40 years. THESE businesses will bring our children and grandchildren home. We have thousands of Diné who are professionals, who are qualified to be in positions of management and to be owners of these businesses. Let’s capture the tourist business by being where they travel. We don’t NEED to be building an atrocity like the Escalade in the Grand Canyon. We Diné who live in these areas are the ones to decide our destiny … not Mr. Scottsdale or Mr. Hale.

We are the ones who hold on to these lands in reverence. We are appreciative of the bounty from our Mother, the Earth. Because we were born and have lived in the desert, water is truly sacred to us. And yes, I do say my prayers with my corn pollen. I view each day as a gift from my Creator. The Holy People do continually watch over us.

A thought for the NN Council Delegates to consider: Some of you are medicine men (healers), some of you know a medicine man … They may be your grandfather, your father, your uncle, your brother, your friend but you do know one and some of you go to them for ceremonies, for prayers. These medicine people do go to the Grand Canyon to pray, to make offerings. The Medicine Man Association already has issued a resolution two years ago that said not to build a resort at the bottom of the Grand Canyon where they pray. Why are you going against their wishes?
Thank you for reading this long letter.

Rita Bilagody
Bennett Freeze resident

We must monitor the EPA

Last week, I traveled to Albuquerque to attend the interim legislative committee meeting on radioactive and hazardous materials to learn more about what is being done to safeguard our community after the Gold King Mine Spill. It became quite apparent to me that the lasting effects of this spill are not fully understood, and that there is much ongoing study into the impacts of this unfolding environmental disaster. As we await further action, our community is concerned about the long-term public health and environmental impacts from this spill.
It is critical that we waste no time in continuing to assess the damage of this spill, its impact and how to clean it up. Water is central to our life in the desert, and its preservation should be a top priority for our elected officials and other decision-makers. We need to ensure the United States Environmental Protection Agency is following the necessary standards for investigating this spill and moving forward to effectively cleanup the contamination. The EPA must fully fund the states, communities and tribes for the damage caused by the contaminants from the Gold King Mine spill and the grant application to the EPA should be approved in the full amount.

GloJean Todacheene
Democratic candidate for state representative, District 4
Shiprock, N.M.

Looking for Snowflake classmates

Snowflake Union High School is having its 45th reunion!

It’s this Saturday, July 23, in Snowflake, Arizona. We are still looking of the following people to invite them to join us:
Robert Baldwin, Virgil Bain, Nancy Begay, Lucie Bennett, Mary Jane Betony, Marjorie Cody, Harryette Curley, Freddie Gene, Martha Interpreter, Joe Lee Jim, Johnny Jones, Francis Nelson, Sarah Nelson, Maggie Nez, Virginia Paddock, Ralph Rehair, Rex Redeair, Sandra Sandoval, Ray Sells, Irene Six, Rosemaire Small, Neddy Terry, Dennison Tsosie, Essie Mae Willard, Rosemary Willet, Gladys Williams, Judy Williams, Andy Yazzie and Marie Yazzie.
If you know any of these 1971 classmates we would love to have you forward this information: Please tell them to get information and RSVP at “SUHS 1971” on Facebook! This site will have all the information on the 9 a.m. parade and dinner at 5:30. Many people are coming only to the dinner but all the 1971 classmates are invited to ride our parade float at 9 and join us for the dinner too!
We are looking forward to finding EVERYONE!

Denise Warner
Snowflake, Ariz.

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