Dine need education about Colonization culture

Kendra Becenti

This is a great column from the Navajo Times, Indigenous student voices: "Colonization is not my burden". Kendra Becenti is from Crownpoint, a student at Stanford University who is studying in Spain. She is half Navajo, but she identifies with her native side as she talks about her struggle as a Native women immersed in, and sensitive to, the culture of colonization. She talks about the ignorance and insensitivity of the Spanish people, the tour guides, and tourist and how they perpetuate a culture of oppression and colonization. I think we also need to discuss our own people, Dine, who are ignorant, or choose to avoid, this culture of oppression that's pervasive in the United States and European countries. Articles such as these give us a window to become educated in what is on the other side of the world, from a Native perspective. Our own people, especially the older generations, perpetuate this racism and insensitivity, but this does not mean just them.  It's a lot of us Dine, we need the education.  If you have time, I would suggest reading this great article. Fantastic job Kendra! You're a role model for us!

Typical Rez-Prez Nez Tactic: Just show up when all the work has been done and take the credit

President Nez finally took a stance against NTEC trying to take advantage of the Navajo People's beeso.  ("NTEC must keep public, nation informed..")  He terminated NTEC's attempts to use the Navajo funds to back the environmental mining cleanups.  It is clear that those are very risky requests despite what the NTEC board says.  I hoped that Mr. Nez made a stance sooner.  He cannot just be waiting for Council to determine his own stance.  What a follower.

In related news, Council Delegate Amber Crotty called out the Nez-Lizer Administration for just showing up when all the work has been done and taking credit with photo ops. ("Displeasure shown over Navajo Leaders' handling of Women's Task Force") Crotty has been working with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women efforts to try to get our politicians to address this crisis more.  Nez's wife recently joined the New Mexico task force (New Mexico Task Force to Begin)(bravo), and our Rez-Prez met with the families of the missing and murdered only once this year (boo).  When Lizer showed up with Donald Trump signing the law for this effort, Crotty sent some strong words that President Nez needs to put in the work and shouldn't just be taking credit for other people's work.  Good job Crotty.  You said what everybody was afraid to say.  Our Dine President needs to start working.

Considering Trump's lockerroom phrase, "You just grab them by the p#$@", I was shocked that President Trump took the stance of supporting Native American efforts for missing and murdered women. He signed an Executive Order creating a task force to address the missing native women epidemic.  Now why would Trump want the Native support?  And why doest our photo-op president not want a picture with Mr. Trump?  He always sends his Vice-President to take that picture.  ("Where's all the news about Trump and Lizer?")  But our Rez-Prez needs to watch out for number one.  First, the Nez-Lizer Administration is already associated with Trump, and is seen as supporting the Trump Administration.  VP Lizer is a part of Nez's Administration and he confirms this.  Lizer might just have a stronger backbone than Nez.  Second, what comes around goes around.  Nez already backstabbed Begay.  Now Lizer is thinking ahead and already making his bid to be the Rez-Prez, so Nez needs to watch out!  Okay enough banter about tribal politics, but as they say, pictures are worth a thousand words and one can only hypothesize.