Letters | Power to the people

Sharing thanksgiving thoughts from yesterday’s 12-member family text group.

My 6-year-old granddaughter was chatting with her mother about her day at school as she made dinner and oh boy, she had a lot to say.

My granddaughter said her teacher was talking about the three-day feast the Europeans and the Native Americans had together on the first Thanksgiving. My granddaughter said she raised her hand and said, “I’m Native American. The Europeans stole the Native American land and called them savages.”

When her mom picked her up from school and talked briefly with her teacher about her behavior in class. The teacher said she was doing better at focusing in class and very excitable.

Her auntie texted – she is such a spitfire and always speaks her truth. Power to the people.

Her mom texted she said her 13-year-old cousin is her teacher, he is in the military academy.

Grandpa texted a response to her: Tell her, our restitution is the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Constitution: we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Our forefathers were led by the spirit of the Lord of the greatest country in world. They were grandfathered into owning slaves but knew in their hearts it was wrong. Then to make it right and grant freedom to the slaves they fought the bloodiest battle in American history that pitted brother against brother and righted a powerful wrong.

Everyone in this blessed nation has the opportunity to get ahead if they want to work for it. All of our family, ancestors sacrificed to get to where we are today and have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded to us under the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Justin D. Yazzie Jr.
Farmington, N.M.

Bad moon rising

My cheii says there is a bad moon rising.

The Navajo Nation Council, Indian Health Service and their friends are pursuing construction of a new hospital within the Gallup city limits, even though the president and people on social media have publicly spoken out against the notion for many reasons. It seems lines have been drawn and the Council started taking steps. It’s going to be a war.

A lot of money is at stake with expenditures expecting to reach almost a billion dollars. Everybody in town is trying to get their piece of the pie. Everybody is going crazy. They see dollar signs and it is like gold fever. Because of the high stakes, it seems there is going to considerable fireworks ahead. Sadly, it seems it is fast becoming a political football at the expense of the intended — the sick, elderly, women, children, et cetera. (Bad moon rising.)

It seems this has been going on almost in secrecy — behind closed doors — with a lock on it. There was no open public discussion, no public hearings, no mic night on KTNN to let out the information, referendum, et cetera — with very little information being released to the Diné public. Which brings to question, “Why all the secrecy?” Leading to another question, “Are they hiding something?”

Cheii wants to know what is going on? He says the people need accountability and they are not getting it. He wants a discussion with his delegate in the Diné way, but he fears the delegate does not really understand the words he is saying. He thinks everything is Bilagáana. (Bad moon rising).

It seems any type of k’é is also thrown out the door and has been left out there. Cheii says without k’é (and all its far-reaching teaching given to us by Changing Woman), they are acting like Bilagáana. (Bad moon rising)

Historically, (based on the k’é system) the people did not move forward on the subject matter until it was discussed thoroughly resulting in a consensus or agreement.

This was before Hwéeldi (and the start of federal government influencing our decision-making process). In the midst of political maneuvering and chaos, we must not forget that.

It seems the actions taken sends a bad message to the world saying that the great Navajo Nation cannot resolve its internal problems (action being disputed by the perceived head of the tribe) and must seek outside intervention (IHS and its friends) to resolve its problems.

With this kind of message, we might as well be called the “almost” Great Navajo Nation, not the great Navajo Nation. (Bad moon rising.)

The people need better planning and less political football. It started on the wrong foot and that is not good. Cheii says starting on the wrong foot only leads to fumbling, bumbling and stumbling (Bad moon rising).

It seems this Council does not have a handle on this situation. It is beyond their grasp (through politics). To this, maybe we should wait until the next Council comes in and see how they do and what plans they inspire to. After all, the elections are right around the corner and many of the delegates are already campaigning anyway. Some even planning to run for president.

Obviously, the right thing is to P.L. to 93-638 it. It is a good planning tool and will point us in the right direction. It was our past Council that led to passing the act during the dreaded Indian termination period. Obviously, it reversed the termination policy.

Gallup Indian Medical Center was built at the height of this period (1955). At the time, the tribe was not consulted because it was believed that tribal governments were on their way out to be terminated. Thus, the IHS and the city of Gallup collaborated to put it at its present site. But, by using 93-638, we can decide our own destiny as intended. That is our right. It is a powerful law and we must use it. Yet, in this situation, it seems we have strayed or even taken a step backwards, which is not good.

To the point, since no word of Indian self-determination has leaked out to the public and nobody is screaming it behind closed doors, I am assuming that discussion is not on the table (not being pursued).

Cheii says he is hoping this Council is not giving up that right our previous Council gave us. This may be happening on behalf of the intended without consulting them. That is a very dangerous move, politically and legally, by way of abrupt lawsuits on behalf of the intended as the parties and stakes climb, and as the mob mentality begins to creep in by way of protests.

Cheii gets dangerous when he gets worked up and starts swinging his cane wildly.

Raymond Yazzie and Cheii
Window Rock, Ariz.

Bank of America branch in Gallup closing

My name is James Baca and I run a consumer advocacy project called “The Notorious Banker,” which helps people deal with big bank issues. I am also a born and bred New Mexican.

I was in the banking industry for 13 years and I got to learn a lot about the financial needs and challenges a lot of Native Americans have on a day-to-day basis. The first branch I worked at was in Socorro, New Mexico, near the Alamo Navajo Reservation, and made many friends with my clientele there.

For the last several years, I have been counseling clients across the region and the U.S. who are being severely under-banked or unbanked as a result of branch closures and issues such as COVID-19. It is a serious, yet almost unspoken part of life in non-metro areas. The limitations of being able to easily access money or financial advice are real.

It pains me to announce that I got word of Bank of America closing their branch on 1006 W. Aztec Ave. in Gallup, on Feb. 15, 2022, per a filing with the OCC and a flyer being distributed in branch. No reason is being cited for the closure, though I have lost a job due to a closure, and Bank of America always cites the majority of their clients choosing to adopt to digital banking on their app or on a computer as a reason for closure.

As a lot of you know, cell service near Navajo Nation can be sporadic at times, as can high-speed internet access. There are also other challenges that Navajo people face on a daily basis, and frankly, help with their financial needs is one of them. Bank of America leaving the area is another signal in companies such as this abandoning the areas that need them the most.

Anyone who banks or works there can attest to how the first week of the month is an important time for Navajo families to make their trip to the bank to get money to take care of their responsibilities.

I would see upward of eight family members going into a branch at once when I worked there. It was important to me to make sure clients were serviced properly, as that was their only time in the bank. That is why I felt compelled to write this today.

Being a former manager at Bank of America, I am privy to the knowledge that the Gallup branch has always been one of the busiest branches in the New Mexico Footprint of Bank of America, which is why this bugs me. So many people are going to be displaced and underserved, and not many people will realize it is closing, until it is too late.

Bank of America claims to keep the ATMs there at that location indefinitely, but from my experience of working at a closed branch, they will likely disappear in a matter of months, subjecting customers to ATM fees using non-Bank of America ATMs. Money is as tight as it is already.

The nearest financial center will be in Farmington, about 90 miles away. The Four Corners area already lost two branches in recent years, one in Farmington, and one in Aztec, so this area with hundreds of thousands of people in need of financial services will be under-banked a little more. It’s frustrating.

I implore the readers of the Navajo Times to express your feelings to the New Mexico market president of Bank of America, and to any associate who works for the company. Take your customer surveys, tell your friends and family, and let them know what an awesome community you have that they are abandoning.

You can find me on Twitter @BankBetterGuy, and I would be happy to discuss this further with anyone who wants to learn more.

I also created a video explaining my thoughts further at http://www.unbankinggallup.xyz.

Thank you for your time, and I am hopeful that my words can help the amazing people of the Navajo Nation.

James Baca
Las Cruces, N.M.

Bank of America Gallup still operational

Last Wednesday (Nov. 10), I went to the Bank of America branch in Gallup, and was told that they will be closing that branch on Feb. 15, 2022. I asked why and was given a photocopy letter that might also be in my mailbox.

They assured me that the bank is still operational and they’re just closing the Gallup branch. You can still go to Farmington (111 miles away) or Albuquerque (125 miles away) to do your banking and the ATMs will still be available.

My great-uncle is also a Bank of America customer. He’s very “old school” and doesn’t use the ATMs. He deals in either cash or cashier’s checks. He’s in his 80s, which is probably a lot of other Bank of America patrons.

Just thought your readers should know, in case they bank there.

Germaine Martinez
Standing Rock, N.M.

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