Letters: Navajo Veterans Act has a lot of problems

The quality of legislative drafting provided by the Office of Legislative Counsel and/or the Navajo Nation Department of Justice leaves much to be desired when it comes to the Navajo Veterans Act.

The legislative findings section of the Act does not provide statements of fact that support the purpose of the legislation. Generalizations in this section that Navajo veterans should be recognized for their service states the obvious.

Nowhere in the legislative findings does it state the population of Navajo veterans. A preliminary review of several federal, state, and tribal census sources place the numbers of Navajo veterans anywhere from 6,000 to 15,000.

The disparity in the population of Navajo veterans would lead a legislative drafter to conclude, as a statement of fact, that an accurate Navajo Nation driven veteran’s census is needed.

The legislative findings section does not provide statistical information on the lack of infrastructure, poor housing, or lack of complete utilities that Navajo veterans live with. Nor does it include a detailed review of the hardship Navajo veterans face in accessing veteran’s health care.

Unbelievably, the findings section does not include the Navajo Nation’s hiring preference for Navajo veterans. This information would underscore and support the need for the legislation, and it would also provide legislative advocacy support for when Navajo leaders visit Congress or the White House to advocate for increased veterans funding and services.

The main thrust of the act is the creation of the Navajo Veterans Administration headed by an executive director. Yet, the act provides no specific language on the administration’s organizational structure and relationship with Navajo Agency and Chapter Veterans Organizations.

The act does provide specific language on the duties and responsibilities of the executive director to address Navajo veterans housing needs, education/training/and job placement, health care coordination with the federal Veterans Healthcare Administration and the Indian Health Service, or coordination with the federal and state veterans administrations to provide or support services to Navajo Veterans.

The act does not provide language establishing a recurring appropriation for the development, implementation, and operation of the Navajo Veterans Administration.

Current budget figures provided by the Human Resources Department (which provides administrative and budgetary oversight of the current Navajo Veterans Affairs Department) puts the operational costs of the Navajo Veterans Affairs Department over $7 million.

With the increasing costs of inflation and extending benefits to the Navajo Veterans Administration’s employees, the cost to develop, implement, and operate a new Navajo Veterans Administration would surely increase well beyond $7 million.

This leads us to the questions many Navajo veterans have asked and no answer has been provided by either the Navajo Nation Office of the President or Vice President, nor from the principle sponsor of the legislation Council Delegate Jonathan Hale: How much will this legislation cost and will the Navajo Veterans Trust Fund be used to pay for this act?

And finally, nowhere in this Act is there legislative language that prohibits meetings outside of the Navajo Nation.

As such, it is foreseeable that a select group of Navajo veterans and political advisors from the Office of the President and Vice President, and council delegates will eventually hold meetings in Las Vegas, Nev., during the National Finals Rodeo in December – while thousands of Navajo veterans face cold winds blowing through their substandard homes, hitchhike hundreds of miles to the VA hospital for health care, or endure bone crushing poverty and hardship. Hold meetings within the Navajo Nation for ensure accountability and transparency to Navajo veterans.

In the latest “final draft” of the act, nowhere are Navajo veterans comments and concerns from the public hearings substantially included. The “final draft” of the act is nearly the same legislative language that was proposed several weeks ago. One notable change: the executive director in previous drafts was to be appointed by the president and would serve at the “pleasure of the president.”

Given these challenging issues with the “final draft” of the Navajo Veterans Act, could it be that President Begaye and Council Delegate Jonathan Hale are pulling a fast one over Navajo veterans? Could it be that they just don’t care to get the legislative language right the first time around by including the substantial comments and concerns presented by Navajo veterans during public hearings? Or is blame to be placed on the Office of Legislative Counsel and/or the Navajo Nation Department of Justice attorneys for this shoddy piece of legislative drafting?

As a veteran who honorably served in the United States Marine Corps, I find this lack of professionalism appalling and extremely disrespectful to Navajo veterans who have sacrificed much in the service of their country and the Navajo Nation. Given the sacrifices we have made as veterans, shouldn’t we at the very least expect the very best from our Navajo leaders and the highly educated attorneys? Whatever the case may be, Navajo veterans deserve better.

Milton Bluehouse Jr.

Ganado, Ariz.

Leaders should be praised for attending rodeo finals

I am responding to a letter titled “Instead of Planes, give Bennett Freeze residents the $20M” by Patrick A. Benally, of Flagstaff, dated Dec. 23, 2015. Specifically, the parts I’m responding to are fifth and sixth paragraphs.

Mr. Benally in-part states, “… I recently read that the president and vice president of the Navajo Nation went to the rodeo finals in Las Vegas. Why?”

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association National Finals Rodeo was held in Vegas, Dec. 3-12, 2015. Personally, I’m glad President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez attended the PRCA NFR. I am certain they went in support of three young Navajo cowboys that qualified for the NFR in team roping. In any sporting event as a participant you need family there. President Begaye and Vice President Nez are family to our NFR qualifiers.

There were many other Navajo families of the Navajo NFR qualifiers present proudly waving the Navajo flag on national television Dec. 12. What a proud moment!

One of the Navajo contestants, Aaron Tsinigine, of Tuba City, won a PRCA World Championship as a team-roping header. Never in Navajo rodeo history has this happened. What a wonderful accomplishment!

The Navajo adult and youth rodeo associations and families should be proud because that’s where our Navajo PRCA NFR qualifiers came from. It’s inevitable this could happen. Rodeo is historic on the Navajo Nation.

In 2008, two young Navajos, bull rider Spud Jones, of Twin Lakes, N.M., and team roper Derrick Begay, of Seba Dalkai, Ariz., opened the doors for all other Navajo rodeo enthusiasts by qualifying for PRCA NFR.

Others followed like Kassidy Dennison, of Women’s Professional Rodeo Association in barrel racing in 2014, and in 2015 team ropers Begay, Tsinigine, and Erich Rogers of Round Rock, Ariz., qualified. Others are knocking on the door to qualify for the biggest prize in all of rodeo. I believe Navajo rodeo contestants have set a high standard for all Native Americans to follow.

This why I believe the top Navajo Nation leaders went to the big show to witness our Navajo professionals compete at the PRCA NFR. This is why I support their attendance, and travel money well spent.

Furthermore, our Navajo leaders saw firsthand what our rodeo and major sporting events need on the Navajo Nation, which is a huge indoor year-round facility. Similar to Thomas and Mack Event Center in Las Vegas, where the NFR is held for over 30 years with all the amenities.

During the initial hearings of how to spend the $554 million Navajo Nation and federal government settlement money last year, the president and founder of the Native Rodeo Historical Society, Ken Peterson et la testified that NRHS needed funds to pursue a Hall of Fame and Indoor Rodeo facility on the Navajo Nation.

I testified at the Chinle hearing before the Budget and Finance Committee of the Navajo Nation Council to request consideration for funding. So, NHRS is on record in requesting for some of these funds.

The Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department has a master blueprint to build an indoor rodeo facility. This was shared by the Honorable Navajo Nation Council Delegate Nelson Begaye at a NRHS meeting in Gallup last year. The idea was for NRHS to help take the lead in such a facility development. The NHRS is very supportive of such a partnership and to build such a facility. For more information, contact Ken Peterson at 505-409-0504.

The support of Begaye and Nez, Navajo Nation Council, and Navajo people are needed. I believe the rodeo expertise is there and ready at NRHS organization.

Eugene Charley

Kayenta, Ariz.

Why I wore a flour sack on my head at MLK event

It was very interesting at the Martin Luther King Day event in Gallup, as speeches filled with historical events. I was wearing a blue bird flour sack over my head, carrying the great Navajo Nation flag and a full-length beautiful blue Pendleton jacket.

Why you might ask the blue bird flour sack over my head? I’m sure everyone else at the event was wondering, too. My personal belief is “Titles attached to anyone’s name is not important to make a positive difference in the world.”

I also marched in the Martin Luther King Celebration in Albuquerque, on Saturday, Jan. 16, and it was not very different from Gallup’s event until exactly at 2:46 p.m., I heard the between the eyes truth. I could breathe fresh air for only one day.

All in all, the summary of guest speaker Radmilla Cody’s activism was truly accelerating as she spoke the truth for her Diné brothers and sisters. She didn’t have to say what she said because she is Navajo royalty and only speaks nice words.

She’s an entertainer and she could have only sung nice songs. She had every Native American in that gym clapping, whistling and yelling. I thought for a moment I was on the winning team during a basketball game. It clearly made the other people uncomfortable. She said, “Racism still exists in Gallup!”

As I peered through my little holes wearing my blue bird flour sack I saw no Anglos. Even the mayor of Gallup showed no response, they sat in silence. I asked myself why? In city hall, businesses, schools, and where racism should not exist is in churches, you are not exempt. We were proud and excited of the truth well told.

Yes, Miss Radmilla was eloquent, beautiful and bold. I want to thank you Radmilla Cody from within my heart because we, as activists, stand on the front lines protecting and promoting justice. People will never appreciate what we do and that’s OK. We will continue to fight for people who cannot.

In closing, she sang a Navajo song about k’e and also stated, “We are all of the five-fingered clan and you are no different from me.” As she sang I stood up with my flag, blue bird flour sack and danced gracefully for her.

My New Year’s resolution for 2016 is to love thy neighbor as thy self. So, I challenge you, please give a hug, say please and thank you, and pray constantly for our leaders.

Nicole Walker

Gallup, N.M.

Hozho letter shows very little hog

In response to Ralph Davis, “Hozho is a way of living,” there was little hozho in the letter and it seemed very negative.

First, our Native language is very special and while it’s a shame we are slowly losing our language, there are no more excuses. If you want your children to learn Navajo teach them or find a way to teach them, it’s a parent’s responsibility.

Second, people have to live and they have to sell their items in order to make end’s meet and do what is necessary to provide clothes, food, and the necessities of living, even if this means selling their items at wholesale to traders and shop owners in border towns. Yes, we export our items to shop owners who sale our wares and are able to turn a profit, but people have to eat.

Third, keeping money on the reservation is a dream worth investing in. This requires economic development and honestly most people don’t want to hassle with all the “red tape” that’s required.

Furthermore, in any business model it’s about location, location, location, and supply and demand. So while someone might get the idea of building a Wal-Mart in Chinle, is this really viable? Will all Navajos descend upon a lone Wal-Mart in Chinle like locusts? I don’t know, but you have to do a cost analysis.

Fourth, if you want to change the districts, we are the captains of our destiny, there is no more excuses for using BIA or the government. If you don’t like it talk to your councilmen, create a petition, talk to be people, and get it changed. No we are not sheep, however, the times have passed when the BIA had absolute power over us.

Fifth, government reform is within our grasp and it’s possible if people work together, it’s possible if Navajos put some thought into what they want to reform and us, their local government, how its supposed to be used.

“White Conditioning” and attacking religion is not the right answer. The concept of hozho is about finding harmony. A person has to find harmony with nature and their spirituality. Not every one is traditional Navajo, not every Navajo is Christian, and not every Navajo is Native American Church, but everyone is human and each human is entitled to finding his or her own harmony in this life.

I agree that each life is special and holy, but it’s not right to bash other’s way of earning money and finding their harmony in their life.

Sean Begaye

Fort Irwin, Calif.

 

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