The daughter of former President Russell Begaye has pleaded guilty to DUI in the Flagstaff crash that totaled the tribal vehicle last year. Karis Begaye pleaded guilty last month to misdemeanor impaired driving and criminal damage, and to a felony count of endangerment. She was sentenced to three years probation and must pay restitution to the tribe. The felony count may have ruined her career.
This is a wake up call for some of tribal employees who are battling alcohol addiction. Recently, some of our Navajo police have been involved in DUI deaths in the Flagstaff and Phoenix. Our society is struggling with alcohol addiction. The tribe is dry. The Dine people get their alcohol from the surrounding bordertowns. It's just not the "drunks", it's also the working people including the professionals such as lawyers. Some of the alcohol is consumed in the bordertowns which causes the towns to be filled with "Indian drunks". Some of it is smuggled back into the rez where it is bootlegged to the people. The alcohol contributes to the crime and poverty and dui deaths. The alcohol industry benefits from the alcohol sales that make the manufacturers wealthy, and that keep the politicians in place. The alcohol severely weakens the Navajos and keeps our society dependent on outsiders. It's a strong cycle that our society can't seem to kick.
