Letters: We need to take a hard look at corruption

I am Danielle Jackson and I go to the Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico. I’m taking a class called Senior Honors Project, which is a requirement for all seniors in order to graduate.

In SHP, we choose a topic that affects our community and do a yearlong study to understand it deeply and initiate change. I’ve chosen to title my project “Ensuring Honesty Among Tribal Leaders on Native Lands.”

My main focus has been embezzlement — the social aspects of it, its connection to colonization, and strategies to detect it. I know this topic is very sensitive, but people need to know that this is happening. We need to talk about the effects it has on our community members, and we need to find ways to prevent it.

In my scholarly research, I found an interesting diagram of a “fraud triangle” made by American criminologist Donald Cressey in 1953. In most embezzlement cases, says Cressey, rationalization, motivation, and opportunity are the three components of the triangle that need to be present for someone to commit the crime.

Rationalization is the act of explaining why you conduct these actions with logical reasons (an example of rationalizing is telling yourself, “I had financial problems and this money was in front of me. I was going to borrow the money and pay it back later.”) Motivation in this context is having the willpower to conduct the actions.

Opportunity means having the high position in office to proceed with the idea. Once you have these three elements, plus pressure from within yourself or from outside, then it’s a matter of time until a person in power considers committing fraud. All of this conflicts with our way of living.

In the Diné way, we are taught to care about Mother Earth and everything on it, especially the elders and the future of the people. We need to think of others before we think of ourselves. We are taught to use everything that is provided and waste nothing. In newspapers today, I’ve seen many stories of corruption. It’s not only happening on Diné land, but in other communities, too. The corruption is like wildfire and it’s growing everywhere.

We read about it happening in Russia, in China, in the U.S. government, and in our own Native communities like the Pueblos and our nation — even as our leaders promise us that they will lead with honesty. When our chairman, Peter MacDonald, was found guilty of embezzlement in the 1990s, he was sentenced to jail but got out due to illness. Today, he is the president of the Navajo Code Talkers. I’ve told many people at the SFIS these stories. They all respond, “Aren’t there laws to prevent the people from going back into business and office?” or “I think that happened in my pueblo!”

One person shared with me the stories of a tribal leader who embezzled. Apparently, the governor of the tribe was embezzling money and a person who worked for him noticed the issue. Instead of hiring an investigation team, he did it all himself. He found bank statements and printed it out on one page, saying that he found an issue. He later placed the printout on every door in his pueblo and let his people know what was really happening.

On that same day, officials came around and collected the paper. But the people knew what happened. According to the students I talked to, their parents couldn’t believe what was happening, and they were angry. In other research, I’ve found that in many businesses they require their future employees to take a fraud class.

This class shows the employee the signs and hints of someone embezzling. Also, this class gives them information to contact someone and not to be afraid to speak up. I believe more tribes and businesses should require employees to take this class. I’m not pointing a finger at anyone in particular, but this corruption needs to end for the benefit of the people and Mother Earth because we are the Diné people.

I want to see my people happy and not suffering because I am a Diné woman. I am calling on all of us to be more vocal so that the problem won’t continue for future generations. We don’t need money going into politicians’ pockets; we need it going into building and repairing roads, creating healthy water and food systems, installing basic services in our homes, improving our structures with renewable energy, and creating a healthy economy. It’s time to change. As the saying goes: “If not us, who? If not now, when?”

Danielle Jackson
Santa Fe Indian School
Santa Fe, N.M. (Hometown: Page, Ariz.)

Let’s put our cards on the table

Ya’at’teeh to my people from Totah. This is a true story by virtue of what many customers witnessed at Northern Edge Casino, which I would like to share with the general public on Navajo land.

It’s no secret there are multiple issues that currently exist at the Navajo casinos, which need to be addressed and corrected by the Navajo Gaming Commissioners. I tried to document these issues by filling out their in-house complaints but to no avail.

On the evening of March 10, 2018, an elderly Navajo man barely starting eating and choked on his food at the Cedar Bow Bar and Grill. Sadly, there was no casino official readily available on site and no one to help him other than his wife. The security personnel and managers are supposedly trained to render aid in this type of situation but that seems to not be the case in this particular incident. Two of the casino’s security panicked and freaked out while the man suffered for about 10 or 15 minutes. He managed to catch his breath on his own.

I felt like coming to his aid but on second thought I considered a major risk I would be taking had the incident resulted in a serious situation. Clearly, this indicated to me the casino personnel lacked experience and/or skill to render medical aid in the event an emergency occurs.

Now comes the type of food served which needs an enormous amount of improvement. It seemed like the food served at that particular moment was prepared the night before and tasted like it was warmed up. The beef and mashed potatoes were dry and may have caused the man to choke on his food.

It was apparent the elderly couple felt embarrassed and left the area without eating their food. They shouldn’t even have to pay for their food but they did which to me is unfair.

The food court is completely a different story. People come from afar on the weekends for entertainment and enjoy eating but the menu is shortened to only a few food items. The frustrating part is the disposable foam plates and bowls used like it was at the flea market. The other issue of concern is the Privacy Act currently being implemented. I’m wondering how well the higher echelons know about the PL 93-529, which established the federal Privacy Act in 1976. It’s important that the key people know the full scoop of it. I recently went to the Flowing Water Casino to talk to my niece and I freaked out when I was told that I couldn’t talk to her due to the privacy. I wasn’t asking to find out her wages or bank account. The commissioners need to revisit the Privacy Act.

Further, the majority of the Navajo people voted down gaming in 1993 and why our tribal leaders failed to listen is a mystery. Instead of spending millions of dollars building more casinos why not build a gamblers’ rehab center? I would like to recommend to the gaming commissioners they need to fund some emergency medical technicians and place them on site 24/7 for emergency situations. Additionally, properly train the supervisors and managers to be more professional and most importantly be business friendly.

In conclusion, there are more losers more often at the Navajo casinos. The slot machines are constantly upgraded to benefit only the high rollers. And I question why? Let’s be fair and put our cards on the table and tell the Navajo people the casinos were not intended for them. Thank you for allowing me to address these issues of concerns and other related matters.

Vern Charleston
Farmington, N.M.

Please make our run a success

I am so blessed and grateful to have you as part of my family. I am blessed to call you my friends.

My employer, St. Michaels Association for Special Education, is a small private school, located in Window Rock on the Navajo Indian Reservation. We are made up of a Special Education School and a Day Treatment for Adults program. Here at SMASE we have big dreams and are excited for what the future holds for our students and members.

However, our programs struggle with lack of funds for extracurricular activities, which are vital for our students’ growth and independence. It is critical for our students and adult consumers to continue to grow and be exposed to the outside world. Extracurricular activities include Special Olympics trips, training, uniforms, classroom trips and school dances.

The students and adults work together to plan an annual school prom every April for which they need donations for decorations and supplies. Also, some of our students need traditional ceremonies. They need funds available for healing. This year we are having a 5K fun run and walk to try and help raise money for our extracurricular activities.

I am asking for your help to make our 5K fun run and walk a success. On behalf of our children, parents, staff and myself we thank you for your understanding and awesome support.

Larry Curtis
St. Michaels Association For Special Education
St. Michaels, Ariz.

Missing long-lost pen pals

It is been 50 years when I had written to your newspaper to search any pen pal friend from your country. You were so kind and you published my letter in your newspaper.

I got a few letters from some people of your nation. One Navajo friend is still in contact with me; however, some contacts were lost. In the 70s and 80s there was “Iron Curtain” between western countries and my country and it was quite difficult to keep any contact with somebody in west countries.

Maybe some of them are gone; however, I would like to learn something about them. I do not remember names of all them now, only some of these. Gary Holtso, Navajo. He was student at Rehoboth High School in 1968. He was a good sportsman in school. I lost contact with him during my military service in 1969 to 1971. In that time I could not write or make contact with western countries. Where he is living now I do not know. Linda Hanova, Navajo. She was also a student at Rehoboth High School in 1968. I do not know more about her because I lost contact with her in 1969. Linda Pradt, Pueblo Laguna. She had been studying something like health education. Maybe she is living in Laguna Pueblo or nearby. I met her in Prague in 1968 and I lost contact with her in 1969.

I know it is a long time when I lost contact with these people but it would be nice to hear about them after 50 years. I am curious to know what they are doing now, how they live and more. I am living near Luhacovice, a little spa in the eastern part of Czech Republic. I am retired in pension at this time.

I was interested in Native Americans from my childhood and all the time I have kept my eyes on news regarding your nation and people. Now I watch your websites from time to time to learn more about your country and your people.

Thank you very much in advance.

Antonin Bocek
Czech Republic

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