Letters: Is Council trying to frighten president?

In the Navajo Times letter titled, “President disrespected by Council,” by Mervyn Tilden (Feb. 7, 2019), he reports on how some of the Navajo Nation Council delegates voted against a state of the nation address from the new president due to lateness.

The Council delegates believe lateness is not acceptable but forget that there are other pressing issues that need to be addressed, instead of focusing on punctuality.

For delegates Otto Tso, Edison Wauneka and the Council to begin with this kind of attitude towards the newly elected president is absurd. Are they trying to frighten him or make his administration miserable? Is that necessary? Making this kind of move for the new administration is not a good sign.

Delegates by now should already have defined priorities to work with the new administration and better service the people and not exhibit this kind of selfish behavior. I agree that lateness should be discouraged but I feel the step taken by Council delegates is an act of disrespect and not to deter the re-occurrence.

I believe that our views in life are shaped by a variety of factors, which influence our opinions and attitudes toward one another. I believe that the president should recognize that he determines the state of affairs of the nation, and that he needs to be more attentive to the needs of the people by communicating better and being more transparent.

There can be differences between the president and Council delegates but it shouldn’t be personal. The president and the Council delegates should work together to bring out the best in a new administration, concerning supporting the economy of the nation and making life easy for the people.

Samson Aiyemonisan
Teec Nos Pos, Ariz.

Horse museum, sanctuary needed

I have brought this subject up before in numerous posts, emails, comments, etc., to tribal officials with no response. What is needed here on the Navajo Nation is the Navajo Horse Museum and Wild Horse Sanctuary.

This would be created on scenic land where herds of wild horses saved from being rounded up and sent to slaughter would find a permanent home and be managed in a traditional humane, ethical manner and those herds grazing or galloping peacefully be viewed with beautiful red rocks as backdrop by people who would find that scene captivating, uplifting and spiritual, as I do.

Funds could be raised privately, from grants or tribal resources, but not be under control or management by tribal government. Tourist dollars would flow in as we all know the No. 2 reason foreign tourists travel to the Southwest is their interests in Native American culture, providing employment for all the related industries such as hotels, gift shops, etc.

Along with the sanctuary would be a museum and gallery-gift shop, library research center, highlighting the role of the horse in our history, traditions and culture and other First Nations, as well as art, gifts that tourists would be able to purchase and to research topics on the horse.

On the walls would be murals painted by top Navajo artists and there would be equine therapy healing centers, bringing together troubled youth, veterans, or the general public together in a one-on-one relationship. Horses have been proven to be beneficial to both. Veterinary clinics, horse riding stables, a children’s Shetland ponies riding stable, tours, artist studios and horse-themed art market vendors village could also be part of this to provide an outlet for Navajo artists and craftspeople to sell their art directly to tourists, as well as an RV camp.

It would be the first of its kind anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. It is a win-win for both our sacred horses and the Navajo people. This is just a vision I had, but it is up to the Navajo people to make it a reality.

Thank you.

Ron Toahani Jackson
Indigenous Horse Nation Protector Alliance
Window Rock, Ariz.

Listen for newborns need safety seats

On behalf of the Winslow High School Class of 1964, founder/sponsor of Navajo NewBorns Need Safety Seats, I invite all Navajo Times readers to listen to KCNR 96.5 FM (this) Monday morning, March 25, at 9 a.m. (reservation time) or 8 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time), which is the same for Arizona and California.

From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., (reservation time) two, possibly three, people will be interviewed. The first will be Norma Bowman, program manager, NDOT/Highway Safety Department, Window Rock; second will be Dr. Mary Ellen Rimsza, a Tempe, Arizona, pediatrician who’s also chair of the Arizona Child Fatality Review Program.

Rimsza was interviewed by Navajo Times’ Pauly Denetclaw for an article (Dec. 17, 2017), concerning the horribly high fatality rate of reservation babies when they’re involved in vehicle accidents.

The third interviewee? Mr. Jonathan Nez, the “youngest ever” president of the Navajo Nation, has been invited to participate primarily because KCNR 96.5 FM co-host, Carl Bott, has a deep affiliation with the Navajo, as he served in Iraq with a fellow (career) Navajo Marine (early 2000s) and was stationed in New Mexico (early 70s), near the Navajo Nation capital in Window Rock, with significant-and meaningful-interaction with the Navajo. Maybe Mr. Bott would like to ask President Nez about Boeing Company CEO Dennis Muillenburg, who’s (seemingly) committed to building a propeller repair factory on the rez.

And how about the South Korean glove manufacturing company coming (soon?) to Church Rock, New Mexico, Rhino Health LLC. What is Lockheed Martin planning? Is the Navajo going to be compensated for Wells Fargo rip-offs? What’s up with the Navajo Generating Station? Are there more benevolent companies and concerned individuals interested in the economic success of the Navajo Nation? Finally, everyone reading this is hereby invited to visit Walmart.com and purchase a Graco Snugride Click Connect 30 or 3OX infant car seat for around $100 and free ship it to the Gallup Wal-Mart, 1650 West Maloney, Gallup, N.M. 87301, c/o Norma Bowman, who’ll see to it that it ends up in the hands of an expectant Navajo mother.

Jerry Sanchez Sr.
Redding, Calif.

Know of any Diné in Britain?

Would you be good enough to ask your readers if they know of any Navajo members currently living in the United Kingdom that I could get in touch with? I am 76 years old and have been interested in the Navajo Nation for as long as I can remember. My email address is spiritbird@sky.com. I live in the center of England, near Worcester and Stratford upon Avon. Thank you.

Ed Hooper
Bromsgrove, Worchestershire

---