count your blessings part II
writing from the Navajo Indian Reservation...Arizona
One reader asked if anything could be done about the terrible conditions out here...
The answer is yes...but not by the US government or the Navajo government. Both entities are locked in years of bureaucratic red tape. Everybody looks, cries, and screams this "needs to be fixed".
However, everyone has there own idea of "fixed" and consequently very little gets done.
As far as the U.S. government involvement, it looks as if they will be cutting back "financial help"due to the
current economic conditions. That's just the assumption by some local Navajo Politico's.
However, the Navajo nation has changed their governmental structure from 80 plus members to 20 plus members. I am assuming that is an effort to reduce the "inside problems'" on the Nation.
Outside entities like the one I work with,"Operation 2911", help by bringing in food and clothing. We work with the churches on the reservation. Our group is non-denominational. We work with all group that need and will accept our assistance.
The really good news,on this trip, is that the Navajo Nation council is very close to approving a working relationship with a group that wants to come in and build prefab low cost housing for the reservation. Hopefully that will happen. However, the biggest problem (as I see it) out here is the inability of the Navajos to agree on projects and the ease of having any project blocked, If the housing project gets through all the local politics, the Navajo council president can veto it and then it's basically over.
more...later...after I get some sleep
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I wonder if the American Indian tribes help one another? I suppose the Navajo-Hopi issues are yet to be resolved, but I'm not well-informed on the long-standing history of just those two tribes history. When I read of other tribes Indian gaming resorts about the country I can't help wondering if the various tribes can't help one another if our government fails to provide needed assistance.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, recently I received a phone solicitation (which may or may not have been legitimate) to aid starving Indians in one of the Dakotas. Frankly, I don't trust such random contacts, but I have other obligations anyway.
Hard to believe the Nation can't get together on the basic necessities such as housing. Sounds like our Congress -- perpetual gridlock.
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