Navajos are tired of the lies of politicians, energy corporations and the media
By Sarah Jane White
Dine CARE
Joe Shirley Jr. President of the Navajo Nation talks about the “Big Projects” and “Navajo Nation needs jobs” showed in several articles published in July 2007, Joe Shirley, Jr. was cited as saying “some homes on the reservation have only a blanket as a door cover”, th
is is questionable because people hosting a Dine traditional ceremony are the ones who would have a blanket covering their doorway as a signal to the deities that there is a ceremony taking place at a particular place. It is hard to believe that statement.
Joe Shirley, Jr. has made his campaign speeches last year to improve quality of life for the Navajo people living on the reservation, including those living off the reservation, such as in Phoenix and Albuquerque. We don’t see him trying to live up to those words. Instead, is he calling on corporations to make improvements for the Navajo people on his behalf? He made a contradictory statement for being self-reliant or self sufficient.
Joe Shirley, Jr. may have over-committed the Navajo Nation for the sake of “big projects” or the corporations are calling on him to collect their fees? Recent newspaper interview indicates a sign of desperation?
Desert Rock project will only benefit a handful of people, particularly the politicians and those associated with the development, since Desert Rock, LLC, is a corporation of non-Navajo ownership. We don’t expect the middle age workforce to be working at the “big projects” listed by him. Not to mention when week after week, we see job advertisements for licensed educators and industrial jobs in the local newspapers. Who will fill these positions?
Currently there are people associated with Desert Rock trying to garner support to make it look like the Draft Environmental Impact Statement hearing were widely supported by the Navajo people when the truth is there are more people opposed to the third proposed plant. Residents of the Four Corners deserve to be heard; after all, smokes emitted by these plants know no boundaries and all will be affected by it.
Furthermore, Indian Country Today’s article “Desert Rock project: Trouble and toil for a model in the making” on July 27, 2007 reflects policies to streamline the process and that more natural resources from Indian Country be converted into energy at cheap prices.
It is time the Navajo politicians quit calling the elders “Grandmas” or Shimasani”. Most Navajo politicians are middle age and are grandparents themselves so use appropriate terms when referencing elders as so much emphasis is made on K’e (relationship/kinship) by them. The elders prefer to be called “Shima” or “Shicheii.”
In conclusion, the Indian Energy Policy Act of 2005 and its amendments have created a nightmare for the Indian Tribes across the country. The Navajo nation government is taking the lead as illustrated by local and national newspaper interviews with Joe Shirley, Jr. on the big projects, specifically the Desert Rock project.
By Sarah Jane White
Dine CARE
Joe Shirley Jr. President of the Navajo Nation talks about the “Big Projects” and “Navajo Nation needs jobs” showed in several articles published in July 2007, Joe Shirley, Jr. was cited as saying “some homes on the reservation have only a blanket as a door cover”, th
is is questionable because people hosting a Dine traditional ceremony are the ones who would have a blanket covering their doorway as a signal to the deities that there is a ceremony taking place at a particular place. It is hard to believe that statement.Joe Shirley, Jr. has made his campaign speeches last year to improve quality of life for the Navajo people living on the reservation, including those living off the reservation, such as in Phoenix and Albuquerque. We don’t see him trying to live up to those words. Instead, is he calling on corporations to make improvements for the Navajo people on his behalf? He made a contradictory statement for being self-reliant or self sufficient.
Joe Shirley, Jr. may have over-committed the Navajo Nation for the sake of “big projects” or the corporations are calling on him to collect their fees? Recent newspaper interview indicates a sign of desperation?
Desert Rock project will only benefit a handful of people, particularly the politicians and those associated with the development, since Desert Rock, LLC, is a corporation of non-Navajo ownership. We don’t expect the middle age workforce to be working at the “big projects” listed by him. Not to mention when week after week, we see job advertisements for licensed educators and industrial jobs in the local newspapers. Who will fill these positions?
Currently there are people associated with Desert Rock trying to garner support to make it look like the Draft Environmental Impact Statement hearing were widely supported by the Navajo people when the truth is there are more people opposed to the third proposed plant. Residents of the Four Corners deserve to be heard; after all, smokes emitted by these plants know no boundaries and all will be affected by it.
Furthermore, Indian Country Today’s article “Desert Rock project: Trouble and toil for a model in the making” on July 27, 2007 reflects policies to streamline the process and that more natural resources from Indian Country be converted into energy at cheap prices.
It is time the Navajo politicians quit calling the elders “Grandmas” or Shimasani”. Most Navajo politicians are middle age and are grandparents themselves so use appropriate terms when referencing elders as so much emphasis is made on K’e (relationship/kinship) by them. The elders prefer to be called “Shima” or “Shicheii.”
In conclusion, the Indian Energy Policy Act of 2005 and its amendments have created a nightmare for the Indian Tribes across the country. The Navajo nation government is taking the lead as illustrated by local and national newspaper interviews with Joe Shirley, Jr. on the big projects, specifically the Desert Rock project.
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