Calls for responsibility in government

Ya'at'eeh shi'ke' doo shi'dine, may you all walk in beauty.

Once again the overpaid delegates have illustrated their lack of concern for their constituents. With the exception of those delegates who take their jobs seriously, a recent headline in the Gallup Independent, "Summer Session ended abruptly due to lack of quorum," further demonstrates the apathy, the lack of respect, and the lack of professionalism entrusted in them by the Dine to take their jobs seriously in serving the public.

I'd like to be paid $35,000 plus fringe benefits to just not show up and finish my job--heck I'd be fired or severely reprimanded for being AWOL in the real world. But, that's the catch--working for our Dine government isn't the real world, is it?

The real world wouldn't have an unemployment rate of, what is it now? For arguments sake, let's just say around 65 percnt. Nor would the real world allow so many of our students left without educational funding, or alcoholism be so rampant, homelessness, or homes without electricity and water--the list just goes on and on!

What was also so disappointing was the number of items that were tabled on the agenda, which means nothing was accomplished. In fact, the hardest work performed was probably the weeklong recreational horse ride the week prior to the session. How much did that cost in travel benefits?

How much besso (money) did it cost the Dine for non-productive work performance for leaving unfinished business at the council chamber?

It's business as usual, so it appears, which means, NO business! It's no wonder why we're in the state we're in as a nation.

Our nation is only as powerful as its leaders! No wonder why so many of our Dine are leaving the Nation! White man's master plan of divide and conquer appears to be self-evident in the deterioration of our government from within! It's just a matter of time when it most benefits the U.S. government to step in and say, "see those Indians can't manage their affairs without too much waste and idle time, therefore it's time to take back control and since there isn't enough Navajos on the reservation anyway, let's take back the land we gave them!"

It's time to wake up, Dine! Hagoonee!

Peter June

Flagstaff, Ariz.

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