LETTER: Title 2 laws need to be changed for the benefit of all Navajo people

To the editor:

Despite the years in politics, it is shocking to witness the behavior of Speaker Morgan and his loyal followers of their inability to learn from past mistakes and tendency to interfere where they should not.

One of the richer sources of persistent bad judgement is their diligence meddling in the affairs of the Executive Branch's area of responsibility.

Yet the Speaker and a handful of Council members loyal to him and to themselves are trying to influence others on the Council to support an idea that would serve only to further set back the Diné Nation­

If they get their way, the situation will hurt some of Navajo's poorest citizen even worse, and dictate the outcome of a government reform effort with no input but theirs, despite the fact that Navajo voters have spoken they want the number of Council seats reduced.

There are a number of critical issues that the Speaker and his few loyal Council followers have not touched upon as they continue to point fingers at everyone but themselves: including health care issues, the violence, alcohol and drug abuse, gang problems, and other abuses on the reservation.

The main drawback starts with the Council under the leadership of the Speaker, due primarily to a governing system that gives more control to the Council and Speaker, and it has been a huge disappointment.

Unfortunately, this small group of so?called leaders is living in a dream world by spending morey that they do not have. Poverty is growing, schools are failing, health care is sick, services for the needy are in chaos, college graduates are unable to get jobs on the reservation and dilapidated correction facilities.

When we the voters tell them how to spend our money and what we want accomplished, they whine and swivel.

Lets hope that someone on the Council will take the mantle of leadership in the way that we expect her or him to do.

That they will rally the Council to restructure their priorities and call for a Diné tribal government convention to amend Title 2 tribal laws, with emphasis on protecting the civil rights of Navajo people and ensure accountability of tribal government. We the voters told them to work at reducing the number of council seats.

This is something that has been urgently needed since Title 2 was amended several years ago in response to a crisis that no longer exist.

Thousands of Navajo people are being sacrificed. Hundreds are unemployed and their talents wasted at a time when our tribe's internal infrastructure needs rebuilding and our environment needs saving. These things alone could generate thousands of jobs.

It concerns groups like people over 50, and Navajo people who took care of their families and never got a college degree - completely new classes of people who have become disenfranchised, hopeless, homeless, and destitute because they cannot find a job.

We need real practical solutions from a forward?looking government that really cares about Navajo people, not a Council misled by a Speaker who would rather ignore us because they don't care what we voted for.

Wallace Hanley

Window Rock, Ariz.

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