Letters: Standing with Natives at Standing Rock

My heart is breaking over the recent events. The U.S. government doesn’t care. I am shocked at the government, but I probably should know better.

I am writing you because my late maternal grandmother Anna Mae Langford Leigh Clark had three Navajo foster children, Elsie, Paulina, and Les Johnson.

I knew Les. He was a few years older than me. We played together when I was in Southern Utah. I spoke with him in the ‘90s from my home in Boston, after I had left my phone with the Cedar City Navajo reservation center. Les had been known in Utah for getting over his alcoholism. (Navajo alcoholism is caused by White Man’s refusal to accept Navajos).

Because I knew Les personally, I am always pained when I read of how unfairly the U.S. government treats Native peoples.

The U.S. has not learned and does not care. The U.S. never cared.

I was in contact a few years ago with a sister of Les, Melanie Johnson, but I no longer have her current email.

About 10 years ago, I had emailed the editor of the Navajo Times to post a letter to the editor from me, asking if anybody knew Les Johnson of Cedar City, the foster son of Mae Leigh Clark of 200 West in Cedar.

That is when Melanie wrote me, sent me Les’ obituary.

I don’t have money to help at Standing Rock, and I am in Boston, so I am far away geographically, but the situation at Standing Rock is unconscionable.

I had reported in the ‘80s from my journalism program at Washington D.C, about the closing of the BIA Indian school in Bountiful, Utah, where Les had gone.

I am deeply shocked at the egregious and arrogant attitude of the U.S. government regarding Standing Rock.

Since I do not currently have any money to donate and Boston is a bit far, I am not sure if there is anything I can do to help directly regarding Standing Rock, but I wanted you to know you are not alone. Most definitely, you are not alone.

Some white people or perhaps many white people stand with you.

Kathryn Esplin
Boston, Mass.
(Formerly of Salt Lake City, Utah.)

Smoke and dust too much at competition

In reflection of the 70^th annual Navajo Nation Fair, I have words of constructive criticism for those who coordinate and are affiliated with the cultural showcase.

Many of the families in attendance made a daily journey to support their candidate of choice who competed for the esteemed title of Miss Navajo Nation 2016-2017. The cultural showcase was the finale for the weeklong competition of the eight young ladies’ talents and skills in both the contemporary and traditional competitions. It was with great anticipation that we traveled from afar to attend the coronation ceremony.

The Diné people’s health should be the first priority. The smoke and dust from the unpaved venue wouldn’t have been too much to endure if we were not sitting there for hours. The admission fees should cover decent restroom facilities and wheelchair accessibility. The highlight of the cultural showcase was to reveal the new Miss Navajo Nation, yet the contestants were not given the opportunity to properly introduce themselves or give words of appreciation to those who supported them on their journey throughout the week.

The announcers need to research the ladies, which means correctly pronouncing their names and introducing the correct communities that they represent. If we are encouraging our people to speak the language, the cultural showcase program needs to be bilingual, too.

Please take these recommendations into consideration for future events then we can promote our fair motto: “Let Us Come Together As One, Through K’e We Are Strong.”

Shawna A. Claw
Three Turkey Ruins, Ariz.

Don’t forget the ‘coal mine spill’

Senator John McCain and Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, leading contenders for U.S. Senate seat, are quick to commend the Navajo Nation lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for damages done to the Animas and San Juan River. This is good politics, a way to gain Navajo votes. Why are their voices silent on the Back Mesa “coal mine spill” that has been going on for close to 50 years under the Secretary of the Interior?

Why, for example, does the Office of Surface Mining not require Peabody Western Coal Co. to put up a Navajo aquifer groundwater reclamation plan and bond?

OSM is an agency under the Secretary of the Interior and sole regulator of Black Mesa mining. Secretary was quick to blame the Environmental Protection Agency for the gold mine spill, yet she is standing on the sidelines watching destruction of Black Mesa, which has been going on in slow motion for close to 50 years.

The world’s largest coal mining operation has ravaged the sacred homeland of the Hopi people whose ancestors settled in the area and who have been described by an elder as the footprints of our ancestors.

It is time to look into the Black Mesa “coal spill” and to take affirmative action to save the pristine sole-source water that belongs to the future generations of Hopi and Diné children before Peabody Energy closes shop and leaves Hopi and Diné people with a train wreck. Over 45 billion gallons of drinking water, stored in ancient aquifers, have been destroyed to date.

Vernon Masayesva
Kykotsmovi, Ariz.

Time to reinstate the death penalty

Thank you for me allowing the opportunity to address a very important issue concerning capital punishment on the Navajo Nation. And I am delighted to offer my support to Pamela Foster for proposing it in the form of circulating a petition.

It was a total heartbreak that the little angel Ashlynn Mike’s precious life was taken by some evil-driven wimp. His actions merit enacting a capital punishment, the death penalty, and our tribal leaders need to pay very close attention to enacting the capital punishment law.

The horrific crimes being committed on the reservation are steadily on the rise and those who commit them get only a slap on the wrist which is naïve and unacceptable. The criminals are given more justice than those who are the victims.

The sad truth I wish to allude to is the state of New Mexico abolished the death penalty in 2009 under Bill Richardson’s administration. It’s time to reinstate it without further ado.

Another reason to reconsider reinstating the death penalty is the recent death of a child in Albuquerque, who was sexually assaulted and killed while her mother watched. Reinstating the death penalty in New Mexico is the only way justice will be given to the victims.

Why the state legislators decided to abolish the death penalty is insane, inhumane, and unacceptable. The horrific crime is on the rise in state as a result of abolishing the death penalty. The criminals know they will return to the streets or public soon and repeat their actions. They are even killing law enforcement officers nowadays.

I am troubled by the recent comments by the chairman of the Law and Order Committee of the Navajo Nation Council who appears to oppose enacting capital punishment on the reservation due to cultural teachings. Is he saying alcohol and drug abuse resulting in horrific crimes are also a part of cultural teaching? I wholeheartedly disagree.

Due to the degree and nature of Pamela Foster’s pain and hardship she suffered by losing her precious daughter, she is circulating a petition for the tribal leaders to enact and/or adopt capital punishment. The reservation is on federal land and those who murder should be given the death penalty. A good time to expedite the petition is at fair events like the upcoming Shiprock Fair.

Additionally, it’s good to hear Governor Susanna Martinez is in favor of reinstating the death penalty in New Mexico. We need to give her our full support inclusive of our tribal leaders and push the state legislators to reinstate the death penalty.

In light of the above, I wish to say it’s time to come together and combat the increasing horrific crime on the reservation. Let’s all unite behind Pamela and push our tribal leaders to enact and/or adopt capital punishment on the reservation. Thank you.

Vern Charleston
Farmington, N.M.

Still looking for Native classmates

The Winslow High School Class of 1964, with its reunion slated for Aug. 10, 2017, inside La Posada’s Turquoise Room, extends heartfelt gratitude to The Navajo Times, for editorial and advertising coverage, resulting in early success regarding our outreach to approximately 22 Native American, primarily Navajo, classmates.

Almost two months ago, you published a large story, plus photographs, of the names of our Native classmates, which has resulted in our re-connecting with Donald Price, Evelyn Yazzie, Freddie Riggs, Lorraine Williams and Herbert Harvey.

With more than 10 months to go before our reunion, we will continue our outreach to these WHS Class of 1964 classmates: John Attaki; Albert Baldwin; Leo Herman Begay; Madeline Begay; Helen Marie Bennett; Marie Kee Brady; Dr. Verna Mae Clinton; Elson Dennis; Marlene Dixon Estadillo; Roy Fuson; Mabel Cody Hunter; Luke John; Dolores Nelson Lewis; Henry Lewis; Anna Lee Little; Stephen Maktima; Rosemary Nelson; Grace Paddock; Bernice Sage; Alan Todacheenie; George Williams; Lorraine Williams and Sally Joe Yazzie.

Our Native classmates are encouraged to call 602-275-4743 to get information on WHS’s Class of 1964 reunion, or email whs64class@gmail.com.

Jerry Sanchez
Winslow, Ariz.

Let’s not mar canyon’s beauty

An interesting guest column written by R. Lamar Whitmer, a managing partner of Confluence Partners LLC (“Escalade would join myriad structures in Grand Canyon,” Sept. 22).

Definitely, I agree with the late U. S. President “Teddy” Roosevelt’s statement, because he was referring to greedy people like you and your partners who would make a living off Mother Nature’s natural wonders as an attraction. And you go on to say there are countless business improvements to blame someone else, to imply it gives you permission to “mar” its timeless beauty too. I’m sure some my Native people have held their remarks in tongue and cheek, but the Times probably has plenty of opposing opinions and which to print is a dilemma. You mentioned playground and water parks, yet you want put in a tram that will take tourists to the canyon floor and marvel at the canyon monolith; a quick lift up and down. You failed to understand Roosevelt’s aesthetic appeal to save the Grand Canyon, for us, and the future generations. All you see is money in your eyes.

Artistry and design in the creative sense have no restrictions or rivals, and it does not exclusively belong to man, it belongs to Mother Nature ultimately — she invented beauty and art. An artist knows exactly what I mean. That artist would love to test his talent and gift to brush against one of the greatest — Mother Nature. Nature is mesmerizing and a visual distraction to behold that is appealing to our soul. For an artist to paint a tram coming down the natural beauty of canyon walls is like graffiti. You see what I’m getting at? It would be hard to visualize this in an artist’s mind. A tram as you describe, would take away nature’s creativity and artistry every world famous artist would love to capture on his canvas, if you can understand R. Lamar.

“Grand” means, majestic, untouchable, and imposing to the minds of millions to behold; to some, a once-in-a-lifetime view. Yes, some shake their heads in awesome disbelief that such a beautiful place can exist on Mother Earth. A place like the Grand Canyon is becoming rare, as a matter of fact, Grand Canyon is “one of the rarest.”

You see, that tram as your money-maker and you don’t like to be left out of the “elitist playground.” I take this to mean; “enough is never enough” for you Mr. Whitmer. You would love to swim in your own confluence of money down the Grand Canyon. Our Hopi relatives have a wise saying, “If you are not spiritually connected to Mother Earth, it is doubtful you will make it.” Right now, the Sioux people of the Dakota Nation is making a stand at Little Rock, North Dakota, with a gathering of nations, of tribes and non-Indians alike all across the country on that same principle against what they call the “Black Snake.” The Sioux Nation is taking a protective stance as “protectors” of ancestral land, where their people are buried (sacred burial sites) who fought for an “ancient right” to live in peace and harmony with the environment as is. On the other side of the same coin, “enough is enough.”

This not a protest stance. There is a difference between these two causes. To protect is to guard against encroachment in whatever form, defend with life and to shield from harming detrimental effects to life and family, homeland and a host of time-honored values.

Let me make another analogy of “enough is never enough” as you compared the impoverished hardship in the “Bennett Freeze” area. Don’t feel sorry for us to justify your profits. It is not a state we wish to put ourselves in; it’s political and the federal government’s doing. NASA has a little extraterrestrial robot on Mars doing a similar thing Native American Indians do on Mother Earth, like collecting precious stones to make offerings. The robot is there to collect scientific data, observe the planet in its true form, not to introduce or upset the natural state of life; such as, bringing in foreign organisms to contaminate the environment. It is assumed man might live there one day. If man ever does: What do you suppose he will do to that planet? There are other ways to bring economic prosperity, like alternative clean businesses.

Understand the pressures of the Caucasian World. It is their way of making money and let’s not be too hasty. Diné are Nature’s People. Let us not mar it, but keep it as timeless as Mother Nature intended for us to remember and enjoy her beauty.

Teddy Begay
Kayenta, Ariz.

Set aside funding for patients

I feel prompted to share with the affected Navajo readership a growing issue that doesn’t seem to merit any attention by our Navajo government leaders. I don’t know what good it will do to submit this article but if unwavering support comes from affected Navajo families, this article could serve as a wake-up call for tribal leaders and redirect or reprogram a significant percentage of the tribal funding to this issue. Many affected families don’t have a big bank account and thus, they have to borrow money or pawn their jewelry to cover costs during their stay in the big cities, close to a hospital facility. This is the current scenario but tribal leaders don’t seem to recognize this family shortfall. With the high cost of living, many families are barely making ends meet and can’t afford unexpected long distance travel-related costs. It would be interesting to find out how many families are affected.

Today, many Navajo infants are born premature and end up in off-rez children’s hospitals in Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Flagstaff.  I am certainly not a contemporary scientist and I don’t know what causes this growing health issue. Perhaps, it is the food we consume from the supermarkets – like genetically engineered organisms and re-cloning of poultry products. You can certainly taste the difference between GMOs and natural harvested food products. Now, researchers are coming across findings that processed meat products have steroid and antibiotic injections. Perhaps, it has something to do with environmental “injustice” issues like contaminated water and harmful contaminants found in the atmosphere. More than likely, this health issue can also be attributed to violating time-honored cultural archetypal standards.

In the interim, it would serve in the best interest of Navajo people and other tribal societies to designate a cohort study on premature infants. If scientific studies have been conducted, relevant research should be shared with the Navajo public. Something is certainly not right when these problems and issues continually persist, year after year, and are not directly addressed. Forget about your rhetorical political platforms and realistically and actually do something that will significantly benefit Navajo families. Think ahead and think about the future of our children and grandchildren. If you can’t walk the talk, please don’t wave your hands in the tribal fair parades with a false smile.

Many affected family members end up at the children’s hospital without any preparation. This also applies to Navajo people in general. This means many family members don’t have the necessary funding resources that would cover transportation, hotel, and food expenses while waiting for a loved one to be released from the hospital. It is very costly. Many family members don’t have a place to stay throughout the duration of a family member‘s hospital stay. Even if a room accommodation for indigent family members are available near the hospital facility, a waiting time is always in effect. I am making specific reference to the Ronald McDonald House or the Talbot House in Flagstaff. There may be other accommodations. This means family members have to sleep in their vehicle out in the cold or in the waiting room. Some family members are fortunate to have immediate or close relatives who reside in the big cities.

Better yet, tribal leaders and Indian Health Service executives should start planning to build exclusive comprehensive hospital specialized facilities, on the reservation, where Navajo patients can be treated, with dignity, by highly trained and specialized medical doctors. It appears current IHS doctors are not adequately or don’t have specialized training or simply doing residency or on-the-job training. One day they are here on the rez and the next day they are gone.  Isn’t this why we elect tribal leaders into public office? Currently, all Navajo patients are sent or referred to off-reservation hospitals where they receive specialized diagnosis and treatment. When Navajo patients are referred, they are transported by air and that in itself is very costly. Just ask those patients who have gone through this process. Sometimes, they receive a hefty hospital bill after their hospital stay when they are not referred by IHS.

If nothing else, please set aside some emergency funding for those family members who might be in dire need of funding to cover their transportation, hotel, and meals while providing comfort, spiritual support, as well as family support to their love ones. A doctor’s statement should suffice to validate and account for costly family expenditures.

Anthony Lee, Sr.
Lukachukai, Ariz.

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