Letters: We seek a platform to voice our opposition

First of all, we are not protesting (“Men protest fracking near Buffalo Pass,” Sept. 21, 2017). To protest is to make a statement expressing disapproval of something. Believe me, we are way beyond protest.

What we are doing, in our heart and spirit, with prayer, is protecting the land and our relatives, which means to keep them safe from harm or injury; to restrict by law access to or development of (land) so as to preserve its natural state by all means necessary.

Let’s be clear about this, my intentions, before you go getting the story twisted, are to get the voice of our local elders heard. We want to create a platform where we can all voice our opposition.

We are the ones who are living (dying) with the consequences of these extraction methods. If scientific proof is what you want, I urge that assessments be done with more studies to follow.

Also, look to the methane cloud, 2,500 square miles, hanging over the Four Corners region of the Southwest. Look at other fracking sites, look at the many “unintentional and undocumented accidents,” many of which involves workers and could be fatal.

I, Bobby Leonard Mason, with the help of a few people took action and to our local community to confront an oil and gas crew I heard to be fracking near Buffalo Pass of the Chuska Mountains. To no surprise, we only found a company production manager, Gary Wooten, and contracted company employees from M&R Trucking, who were hauling water and water tanks.

I’d like to acknowledge a few documents which I strongly believe are important to this cause: the Treaty of 1868, the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and a newly passed Lukachukai Chapter resolution.

Passed Sept. 21 by Lukachukai Chapter, a resolution opposing resource extraction (hydraulic fracturing and mining of radioactive materials) in and around the community of Lukachukai, not limited to the areas of the Lukachukai/Chuska Mountains.

We challenge our tribal government to recognize our true sovereignty, granted to us by our Diiyin and solidified in our fundamental laws. We challenge our tribal government to enforce our treaty rights agreed upon by our chosen ancestral headmen.

We challenge our tribal government to hear the cries and worries of our elders, our relatives in need, to hear the voices of those yet to be born as well as our past ancestors. What do you think they, the unborn as well as the ancestors, would have to say about how we are living today?

Our elders opposed this desecration of our ancestral, sacred homelands in the past only to have their voices neglected and their disapproval ignored. The industrial resource extraction machine is not only a complex, in a traditional sense, it is a monster, destroying our lives. So we are obligated to do what is necessary to ensure our cultural survival.

To the Navajo Times, you have a chance to open a dialogue between the people, the tribal officials, the federal government and the corporations raping the land and making decisions, with or without the people’s consultation or agreement.

You have a chance to share the concerns and the voice of the people, which has been ignored for over half a century. It is not hard to explain the illnesses when there are studies linking resource extraction processes to them, illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, birth defects, kidney disease and so much more.

So I question, if helium is all they say are “fracking” for, why is it such a mystery to the local people, including our elected chapter officials? But a source tells me otherwise, that there is oil being extracted in a few areas. So if you want to tell us that fracking helium is safer, than what is safer than safer?

Meanwhile, one of your “journalists,” Cindy Yurth, worked on a story published in your publication, “Men protest fracking near Buffalo Pass.” I was amazed that she could get these “facts” from the company when I couldn’t get a straight answer or cooperation from a work crew we confronted at the beginning of the month. We were actually treated with a racist/patriarchal attitude.

I see her interview with the CEO of the company coming off as a bit white privileged. I see a bit of systematic prejudice towards our cause. I also sense a bit of bias from a reporter who is supposed to report all the facts. Instead she bought and sold a lie, a story on how this type of (helium) fracking “yes and no” is safe for us and the land.

We have the opposite (view) to say, “Any and all resource extraction is not safe, and time will prove it.”

This issue will continue to be controversial. We will continue to oppose the further desecration and continuing encroachment on our home territories. They will continue to tell us it is safe, while we notice the changes in our surroundings and in nature, none of which are good. We will continue to look for the truth hidden behind empty words spoken by these professional liars.

Ban resource extraction on Diné lands now!

Bobby Leonard Mason
Lukachukai, Ariz.

2 answers to ’embrace change’ theme

I just learned that the theme for the Western Agency Fair, Oct. 12-15, is “Embrace Change and Make a Difference.” What a fantastic theme! Kindly permit me to offer two answers to “Embrace Change.”

First, embrace means to hold tight with two arms. Onto what? Life.

Life from day one involves moving electrons in the brain. One has the choice: 1) To embrace, or 2) Not to embrace. Embracing involves intensity of “mental grip” called neurology.

A-type personalities have intense grip; phlegmatic (easygoing) personalities deliver a somewhat looser grip, as in a “very loose hand-shaker.”

Secondly, change can also involve intensity in accepting/not accepting a directional view of life. Directional change can involve a zero degree of change or a 180-degree about-face change.

Any alcoholic/sex offender must do a “180” if he/she is to continue life as a viable contributor to the well being of today’s society.

Creator God Sanh a’ naghei Bike Hozhoon (One Who Walks Around Old Age and is The Sovereign Peacemaker) created first man in His image, according to the Bible. He breathed into first man the breath of life after fashioning His form out of mud.

You have a choice to accept and believe what the Bible says, or you must explain to your mind what creator God is called in your version of the Dineh language. The created universe demands the existence of a creator God who made it.

Life is short and life is hard. Choice making is a gift given to first man, so each of us was born with that gift — it is called volition/directional choice making.

Education is my personal “cup of tea” because I am an educator. I believe the Dineh Nation is where it is today because the Internet has become the teacher for today’s Dineh youth — the Internet does not provide the solid foundational skills needed to become a well-versed and independent synthetic thinker.

So, many of our youth have become “cookie-cutter thinkers” and decide not to pursue post-junior high/senior high school academics. College/post secondary training is for every student on the rez.

My wife and I have three adult children who all have college degrees. One has a PhD. and a second one has a master’s degree and the third is an educational writing teacher/consultant who travels the country to teach elementary students how to write volitionally and synthetically. Yes, my wife of 49 years has a bachelor’s degree.

O. Tacheeni Scott
Flagstaff, Ariz.

What equality, diversity and inclusion is all about

Without elaborating on the systematic genocide, the vicious cycle of homelessness and alcoholism and the undue suffering of our Native people and the loss of our land since 1492, the countless termination of indigenous peoples lives, the rape of our women and the enslavement of everyone else still alive and the exploitation of our cultures, it is our desire to allow healing to take place, to honor our ancestors, to educate the world, to establish our rightful place in history and to demonstrate and teach our children — to the seventh generation — what equality, diversity and inclusion is all about.

The man who was lost and about to be thrown overboard by his crew in 1492 (Chrisobal Colon) is not acknowledged by the indigenous people of the Americas and throughout the world. Here in Gallup, we intend to join others worldwide in the recognition of the correct history and celebrate “Indigenous Peoples Day 2017” with an official proclamation from the city of Gallup we are a part of this recognition and celebrate with honor and dignity.

A heartfelt “thank you” to the city of Gallup, Mayor Jackie McKinney and the city councilors (Linda Garcia, Fran Palochak, Allen Landavazo and Yogash Kumar) for their support with last year’s Resolution R2016-40 declaring the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples Day into perpetuity. This is actually “historic” because every past city council had the chance to do the same official action but refused to do so.

McKinney stated at the Sept. 26, 2017, Gallup City Council meeting that the proclamation will be placed on display in city hall. I am hoping this will also be in perpetuity as well. In this manner, indigenous people everywhere will be honored.

With that I once again extend my invitation not only to the Gallup City Council but also to the McKinley County Commission, the Navajo Nation Council, the state representatives and senators and everyone else near and far to stand with the people in our celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day 2017 on Monday, Oct. 9, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Gallup Cultural Center, located at 201 East Historic Highway 66. Bring your signs, banners, posters and prayers.

After the celebration (at 5 p.m.) there will be a short march to the McKinley County Courthouse Square, located between Second and Third Street on Aztec Avenue, in the downtown area.

Mervyn Tilden
Gallup, N.M.

Advice for those running for office

First of all, I’m a huge fan of the Navajo Times. The stories are always dripping with juicy gossips.

Now to the main part of my letter: Can you believe how 2017 is coming to end already? Navajo Nation government already started operating with their New Year’s budget!

What are your New Year’s goals? If you don’t have one, please let me suggest that you (yes, you!) consider on running for Navajo Nation Council. It is time we voted out some familiar politicians, wouldn’t you agree? If you’re already a “declared” candidate for such offices, please take my advice (It might save your life).

Next off, take a moment and realize what you can do for our great nation. You’ll gain so much valuable information and you will be “loved” by people! Well, not loved, but mostly appreciated and sometimes under-appreciated.

I know this from experience, trust me, serving as Counselor Chapter’s secretary-treasurer thus far has taught me that running for or winning a public office, you must be ready and willingly to be publicly roasted by your voter at every single public meeting.

You must also be aware of those naysayers who will say, “He or she is just stealing money.” You must get used to that, because those powerful words are usually thrown around in Navajo politics.
It’s worse if they see you driving a new vehicle or sporting the latest iPhone. My advice is that you hide all of this stuff. More importantly — don’t forget this one — “he or she doesn’t even speak Navajo.” (But they’ll be so embarrassed when you reply back in full fluency).

My advice to you is that you must grow a thick skin. You have under a year until the 2018 elections, so you have time!

The next important thing I must confess to you is that you will be accused of “only” helping your family. Although that is not true, you must get familiar with those accusations.

The next accusations will be “he or she is never at the chapter” or “we hardly see ’em” or “I shouldn’t have voted for ’em.”

Are you still with me? I hope I didn’t scare you off! The most important thing that you will learn from all of these false accusations and gossip is that you will never, I repeat, never be able to satisfy every single voter. It’s just human nature since the dawn of mankind.

All of these false accusations and juicy gossips will only make you stronger! It will make you a walking bullet proof and you will be able to stand up for our people for many years to come. It’s a great confidence builder and a great way to give back to our people.

In truth, I encourage you to run for our public offices, whether it be Council delegate or president, we need you, the next generations of Diné politicians, to rise up and stand up for our elders, our children, our animals, our values, and most importantly, our Diné Bizaad.

No matter what your educational level is or how fluent you are, go be that person who will actually change something. Go be that person who will start a movement. Go be that victor. I know you can do it!

Damien Augustine
Counselor, N.M.

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