City voters give views on Iraq at Udall town hall
Zsombor Peter
Staff Writer
GALLUP — "Nowadays, people don't get involved in politics,
they feel that it's a spectator sport," said U.S. Representative
Tom Udall, D-N.M., Friday.
This time, however, the popular roles were reversed, with the
congressman as spectator, listening to the comments, concerns
and requests of his constituents.
Udall, running for re-election as New Mexico's 3rd Congressional
District representative, made his final stop in Gallup Friday
afternoon during his latest round of town hall meetings.
Among interspersed local concerns from the 40-plus crowd, a discussion
of U.S.-Iraqi relations dominated most of the hour.
"I don't think [George W. Bush] has made the case for us
to go in," said Udall in his opening remarks, referring to
the president's call for the ouster of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
and his regime. Invading Iraq right now, said Udall, is not only
premature with work yet to be done in Afghanistan, but could jeopardize
allied support for America's larger designs in its global "war"
or terrorism.
The U.S.'s unilateral actions in the past have already done much
to erode the potential strength of that alliance, said one man,
who, like most who spoke on the issue, opposed invasion. "If
anything, we've been alienating other neighboring nations [surrounding
Iraq]."
That's why, said Udall, the U.S. should focus more on getting
weapons inspectors back into Iraq, which the Bush administration
claims has been working to acquire nuclear capabilities. Resuming
weapons inspections is one option much more in tune with the current
international mood.
"That should be our big push at this point," said Udall.
The time for weapons inspectors is over, said another man: "I
believe there is sufficient reason to wage war against him ...
all you have to do is look at history," he said, referring
to Mr. Hussein's past aggressions.
"To me, that's testament enough, to the world, that 'That's
what I'm about.' ... He's gonna do the same thing as he's done
in the past as soon as the opportunity presents itself."
Udall asked the man if, on that basis, he would be willing to
send his son to the front lines if the U.S. were to invade; the
man said he would. Although Udall disagreed with the man's call
to war, he said he respected his commitment.
The solution to America's Middle East interests lies not in aggression
on more weapons inspections, said another man, but in reducing
the oil dependence that so blatantly drives U.S. policy in the
region.
"Then we could say to them (the oil-producing countries of
the Middle East) — not only to Saddam — 'See you later!'"
One study, he said, claimed that North Dakota alone could generate
enough wind energy to power the entire country.
Udall agreed with the need to develop alternative energy sources
in the near future.
"In the next 30 years, we have to completely shift where
we get our energy from," said the congressman, mentioning
the possibility of more aggressively harvesting energy from the
wind and the sun; he did not mention nuclear power.
Comments also touched on the value vs. impracticality of a Department
of Homeland Security, which the president has proposed and Udall
supports.
On another note, Mervin Tilden of the Eastern Navajo Diné
Against Uranium Mining addressed Udall about the group's concerns
regarding the Fort Defiance Housing Corporation's plans to develop
an Indian housing community just north of Church Rock.
He says studies by the Southwest Research Information Center show
radon levels — from past uranium mining — on the proposed
site of the Springstead Estates that may pose health hazards to
future residents.
The development is part of an effort to move Church Rock residents
out of their dilapidated residences into new homes.
Tilden says the group is not opposed to the move, but wants more
studies on the safety of the proposed sites and contracts guaranteeing
them a home before they move out of their current dwellings.
Other issues discussed included the recently passed Corporate
Accountability Act, expanding Navajo business opportunities and
the future of local water supplies.
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County domestic violence worsens
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Love really can be the end of you.
That was one of the findings of the New Mexico Female Intimate Partner
Violence Death Review Team, which released its second investigation
of violence against women, "Getting Away with Murder II."
The details are from 1996-97, years with complete data.
One of the study findings is that 15 women a year are killed by their
partners in New Mexico.
The team is made up of representatives of agencies such as the Bernalillo
County Metropolitan Court, the Department of Children Youth and Families,
the Attorney General's office, Albuquerque Police Department, Albuquerque
Public Schools, the district attorney's office, the New Mexico State
Police, the University of New Mexico, the Office of the Medical Investigator
and many women's groups.
McKinley County Sheriff's Department Investigator Deidre Gonzales,
who handles violence against women cases in the county, said violence
toward partners in the county is only getting worse. When a man hits
a woman, that's a sign of trouble, she said. It usually leads to more
beatings and often to death.
"I guess he figures if he can't have her, nobody can have her,"
Gonzales said.
In a recent case, a man is accused of battering a woman for more than
24 hours, and if it hadn't been for a kind gentleman who gave them
a ride to the Crownpoint hospital when the woman quietly asked, this
case might have ended in death, according to records.
Lately, though, the county seems to be experiencing a lot of sexual
assaults, Gonzales said. Those can eventually lead to deaths as well,
according to the study.
Gonzales agreed that most of the patterns the Death Review team discovered
are true for McKinley County. For instance, the team reported the
average age of the victim is about 36, with the suspect "just
under" 40 years old. Usually the killer is about 10 years older
than the suspect.
Three-quarters of the women died in their homes. More than half of
the murders were committed with a firearm. If a woman
was stabbed to death, it was usually 11 to 50 times, called an "overkill."
In over a half of the cases the team examined, children witnessed
the homicide. That appears to be because a lot of the domestic killings
occur in the evenings, when everyone is at home, Gonzales said.
In one-third of the cases, the perpetrator committed suicide after
they killed their partner.
In the cases where the killer lives and is convicted, the average
sentence is 14 years, although the team pointed out that most of the
people serve half their term.
Even after a disfiguring beating, women usually go back to their partners,
and most refuse to testify against them.
"You can educate them as much as you want, but they say, 'He
loves me.' It's the mind set they are put in, or denial — they
don't want to admit they have a problem. It's low self-esteem, and
they'll return especially if they have children. How are they going
to feed them?" Gonzales said.
Besides public awareness to violence in the home, the study recommends
having workplace violence prevention programs to familiarize workers
with what to do about possible violence when they finish work for
the day. School Violence programs are also a help.
The study discussed a "Bullyproofing Your School" program
to help those violent behaviors stop almost before they begin. "Intervening
with the bullying student can reverse this learned behavior early
in the process to decrease the risk of this student perpetrating violence
as an adult," according to the study.
The study includes a "checklist" of signs of danger for
people trying to get out of bad relationships:
Threats by the former partner of suicide or homicide.
Depression.
New relationships.
Access to weapons.
Severity of violence increases.
Forced sex or threats of rape.
Ignoring court orders.
The partner is extremely jealous.
Threats to harm children
Pet abuse.
The team recommends if a person recognizes any of these signs, she
should contact the police or a domestic violence shelter.
Jealousy and control seem to go hand-in-hand, Littlefield said. "Like
if you have to clear everything with your partner before doing it,"
she said.
The team recommends the judicial system take domestic violence cases
more seriously and enforce penalties. There also should be violence
training available for the accused.
The amount of violence Gonzales has seen disgusts her. "A dog
doesn't even deserve that."
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Local Muslim loves U.S., but not its
policies
Andrea Egger
Staff Writer
GALLUP — A Gallup man hopes residents remember that Sept. 11
was a tragic day for Americans of all races and religions — including
American Muslims.
Ahmad Khweis has been in America for decades and has made Gallup his
home, when he isn't traveling on business, and he said he enjoys the
freedoms that Americans have as opposed to Palestinians.
"Sept. 11 was a sad day for American people no matter where they
come from," he said.
Khweis said just as Jewish people have been discriminated against
and finally, killed in Germany during World War II, people in America
today automatically assume trouble when they see Muslims. "That's
not right," he said.
"In Gallup, I have no fear. There is one God. We call him Allah.
No matter what he is called, it is the same God," he said.
He added if he dies, he believes it is God's will.
But he said people should not be so quick to judge what they don't
understand and make assumptions, referring to the treatment Muslims
receive at airports in America.
Some thought the Oklahoma City bombing incident at first was the work
of mid-East terrorists, newscasters describing how terrorists have
now struck at America's heartland. "I'm glad they caught the
one who did it, and he wasn't Muslim," Khweis said.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, Arabs are harassed at every airport,
made to stand in long lines, and scrutinized, while other Americans
of varying races walk through security with no hassles, he said.
But the Sept. 11 terrorist activity doesn't represent the wishes of
all Islam, and definitely not those Muslims in America, he said. "I
love this country. I found freedom in this country. I have rights.
We are part of the American people. We share the sadness with the
families of those who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy,"
Khweis said.
Khweis does see some changes that need to be made in American and
other countries' foreign policy. Instead of the eye-for-an-eye tendency
in times of war, Khweis said the American government needs to stop
and think what the problem is, and try to solve it with love and help,
such as spending those millions for food for those starving to death
in the middle East, rather than warfare.
"Put love on Afgahnistan soil, and you will sow love," he
said.
Rather than bombing innocent people, Americans should find out who
the terrorists are and target them, as killing the innocent doesn't
bother the terrorists at all. He added when Americans bomb Muslim
countries, it doesn't just kill the Muslims, it kills everyone.
Khweis reminds readers that during the incident in Panama, American
soldiers went to Panama and found Manuel Noriega, and put him in prison.
The Americans didn't just bomb it, hoping to catch him.
"Children are dying every day because there's not enough medication,"
in the Middle East, he said.
American leaders have ties with leaders of every foreign country in
the middle East. "They know who is violating the rights of people,"
Khweis said.
He said the leaders should take up where former President George Bush
left off and go after the killer, like Hussein, rather than adding
to the massacre.
American Muslims don't like it when they see a Kuwait person suffer
during Iraq occupation, he said, but that doesn't mean war is the
answer.
"We want America to give love. We want Americans to feel safe
in the mid-East," Khweis said.
"I'm Palestinian. This country gave me dignity," he said
of America.
He said Palestinians don't hate America, but they hate the American
foreign policy, the idea of bombing and violence.
American Muslims feel for their people in Palestine and want change
as well.
"We are not your enemies. We are Americans. You represent us,
and we want you to change your foreign policy," Khweis said.
"Why not help the Palestinians have peace? We plant justice,
we will see the results. In absence of justice, there will never be
peace."
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MacDonald's wife wants her name written
into history
Bill Donovan
Staff Writer
GALLUP — Her husband and daughter have run in numerous tribal
elections but for Wanda MacDonald, her entry into Arizona state politics
marks the first time that Arizona Navajos will get a chance to vote
for her.
The former First Lady of the Navajo Nation will be a write-in candidate
for the Republican nomination for State Representative District 2
on Tuesday. But while she has no competition, there is still a major
hurdle that she has to overcome to get on the general ballot.
She must get 140 voters to write in her name.
While there are several thousand Republicans in District 2, which
includes the Hopi Reservation and the Flagstaff area, MacDonald said
Thursday that the problem is that state law is very specific —
the voters must write in her name as Wanda
MacDonald and not as Mrs. Peter MacDonald or some other variation.
She said she was also worried that voters will write in Wanda McDonald.
"State officials have said they will not accept McDonald because
there is no one by that name who is running," she said.
Her husband, former Navajo Tribal Chairman Peter MacDonald, is out
of tribal politics and her daughter, Hope, is running in Tuesday's
tribal primary to get a position on the ballot for one of the four
tribal council seats in Tuba City. Wanda MacDonald is charting new
territory for herself.
"I actually made the decision to run in late July," she
said. "At that time I didn't know who would be running."
But she decided that it was time, after 30 years of being in the spotlight
mainly as Mrs. Peter MacDonald, to make her voice heard in the state
legislature so she could get more state help for programs needed on
the Navajo Reservation.
"We here in Northern Arizona have largely been neglected by the
state," she said.
Everyone on the reservation, of course, knows the Peter MacDonald
story. But people may not be aware of what has been going on in Wanda
MacDonald's life during those years.
Her most public period was probably in the mid-1970s when she worked
as a volunteer in the Chairman's Office as coordinator of the popular
Navajoland Festival of the Arts, which ran for several summers and
provided youth training in everything from crafts and acting to dance
and drama.
Once her husband was suspended and then sent first to tribal jail
and then federal prison, she began looking for employment and found
that the MacDonald name provided a lot of problems.
"For a long time, I could not get a job on the reservation,"
she said.
So she went to Flagstaff where she worked as a counselor for the severely
mentally ill at the Flagstaff Guidance Center. Later, when the political
climate on the reservation settled down, she began working for the
tribe's behavior health program, where she is still working today
to try and help alleviate the problems of alcohol abuse in the Tuba
City area.
But another aspect of her life isn't on her promotional brochures
that she is handing out all over northeastern Arizona. All during
the time that her husband was in federal prison on conpiracy and bribery
charges, she was out there with other members of her family drumming
up support, whatever they could to get her husband pardoned or get
the sentence commuted.
She visited Window Rock frequently to keep the support of the tribal
council, which finally pardoned the former leader and passed resolutions
asking others to get on the bandwagon. She visited members of Congress,
petitioned President Clinton annually and never once during that whole
period, with year after year of no action, did she waver in her belief
that one day she would be successful.
She now promises to bring this same level of dedication to getting
the state legislature to fund programs to provide more
services for the elderly, the veterans and the youth that live on
the Navajo Reservation.
She believes, as does her husband, that federal funds that go to the
state to help out the reservation are being diverted by the state
for the larger cities.
"I think this is a problem throughout rural Arizona," she
said, and one that needs to be addressed. "They just don't have
the clout in the state legislature to get all the resources need to
solve the problems."
Over the years, both while her husband has been in office and during
the time he wasn't, she has been active in a number of health and
educational organizations, including the Navajo Nation Family Planning
Education Committee, the People Against Drug Abuse Program, the Northern
Arizona Library Association (where she helped start up the Navajo
Bookmobile program) the Navajo Way Foundation (co-founder), and the
Native American Preparatory School (where she was the first president
on the Board of Trustees).
As she goes throughout the district campaigning, she said that the
name "MacDonald" helps because it brings instant recognition.
"My personal life has been exemplary," she said, adding
that she has beenand is very family oriented and supportive of her
daughters in their pursuit of their various careers.
On the campaign trail, she spends a lot of time showing people just
how to fill out the ballot for a write-in candidate because of the
fear that a lot of the votes she will get will be discarded because
they are improperly filled out.
Voters will be getting an envelope to put their ballots in. On the
front panel of the envelope when it is opened are a series of lines.
In order for the vote to count, voters must write on the top line
State Representative and on the second line her name — Wanda
MacDonald.
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Area Sports
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — After finishing second twice in the past,
Oklahoma cowboy Corbin Warren made sure that he was the undisputed
all-around champion.
The 29-year-old all-around cowboy pocketed winnings totalling $5,388
after the conclusion of a marathon four-and-a-half hour short go finals
during the 56th Annual Navajo Nation Fair Rodeo before a capacity
crowd on a wet, muddy Sunday afternoon.
"I'm tickled to death," the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Warren said
about the all-around honor after finishing as the all-around runnerup
on two different occasions. "I've been in this rodeo five or
six years in a row. I've been second twice and now first so it's been
real good to me. It's one of the best Indian rodeos around."
Warren, who travels with former world champion and 1996 Navajo Navajo
Fair Rodeo all-around champion Howard Edmundson of Dewar, Okla., lost
the all-around honor during the 1999 Navajo Nation Fair Rodeo by a
slim $100 to Scott Rogers of Warm Springs, Ore.
Three contestants, all former all-around champions of the Navajo Nation
Fair Rodeo, were packed close to each other.
Canadian cowboy Clinton Bruisedhead, the 1992 all-around champion,
finished with winnings of $3,708; Dikon, Ariz. cowgirl Janelle Manygoats,
the 1997 champion, had winnings of $3,641; and former world champion
John Boyd Jr., a five-time champion, of Greasewood Springs, Ariz.
was next with winnings of $3,537.
Warren, who also received a three-horse trailer along with a jacket
and buckle, amassed the majority of his winnings in the calf roping
with $3,003. He also picked up the $1,000 winner-take-all Final Four
calf roping showdown.
Warren nailed down the calf roping average with a 30.8 total that
was worth $2,263. He also won the short go finals with an 8.1, the
fastest of the rodeo. Warren then capped it off with a 11.1 during
the Final Four to pick up an additional $1,000.
Former Navajo Nation Fair Rodeo all-around champion Scott Rogers claimed
the calf roping's first go with an 8.8 second clocking and then won
the second go with an 8.5.
Warren also won the steer wrestling second go with a 4.2 second run
that paid $1,385. Defending INFR all-around world champion Ed Holyan
won the first go with a 4.1, the fastest of the rodeo. Sheridan Jodie
won the short go with a 5.0.
Canadian cowboy Clinton Bruisedhead claimed the bulldogging average
with a 16.2 total.
Warren, who also produces rodeos in Oklahoma, says that the week started
off badly when his truck broke down in Elk City, Okla. en route to
Window Rock for the rodeo.
Team ropers Tedson Yazzie and Shawn Nelson hauled in the most money
of any rodeo contestant. Yazzie and Nelson teammed up for total winnings
of $12,402 for the pair or $6,201 per person. The pair won the short
go finals with a run of 5.7 seconds, finished second in the first
go with a 5.6 and placed second in the average with a 20.1 total.
The pair also won the Final Four with a 5.7 second clocking.
The team of James Begay and Nate Blackrock won the first go with a
5.5 second run while the team of Reginald and Roderick Tso claimed
the second go with the rodeo's fastest run of 5.0 seconds flat. The
team of Merle Smith and Shawn Nelson won the team roping average with
a 19.8 total on three runs.
The daughter-mother combo of Nicole Welch Romo and Gracie Welch were
1-2 in the barrel racing.
Nicole Welch Romo dominated the competition with winnings totalling
$3,858 which included a win in the $1,000 Final Four.
Nicole won the average with a 51.11 total with mom Gracie second with
a 51.65. Nicole claimed the short go with a 16.84 while finishing
fifth in the first go and tied for fourth in the second go.
Jami Stevenson of Upper Fruitland was the top breakaway roper as she
pocketed winnings totalling $3,026 by capturing the first two go rounds
with times of 2.7 seconds and 2.9 seconds respectively.
After not placing in the first two go rounds, Dr. Germaine Daye bounced
back to finish strong in the breakaway roping with the rodeo's fastest
clocking of 2.4 seconds during the short go finals that gave her an
average total of 10.8 to finish with winnings totalling $2,728.
Former world champion Bennie Begay, who was the 2000 Navajo Nation
Fair Rodeo all-around champion, was one of two big winners in the
bareback riding competition. Begay amassed winnings totalling $3,632.58
by placing second in both go rounds with a pair of 72-point rides
to easily win the average with a 222 total. Browning, Montana cowboy
Mike Brown was a close second with winnings totalling $3,614.71 with
a first in the first go with a 77, a second during the short go finals
with a 69 and another second in the average with a 202-point total.
Brown also grabbed the $1,000 winner-take-all rideoff with a 78 score
after a reride. J.R. Chino won the second go with a 76.
Ramos Benny hauled in winnings of $5,341 in the saddle bronc competition.
Benny won the first go with a 78-point score, then tied for first
in the second go with Todd Rangel with 78s. He also placed second
in the short go with a 72 and easily grabbed the average with a 229-point
total that was worth $1,707. Rangel, formerly of Prewitt, also enjoyed
a productive week with winnings of $4,168 that included a second in
the average, a second in the short go, a tie for first in the second
go, a tie for fourth in the first go and a first in the Final Four
with the rodeo's top score of 84.
Bull rider Derrick Davis amassed the most winnings of any bull rider
with cash winnings of $6,074, which included winning the long go with
a 83-point ride that was worth $2,662. He also placed second in the
short go finals with an 81 and then easily won the average with a
184 total on three heads that again paid $2,662. J.P. Paddock of Dilkon
won the Final Four an impressive 92 score.
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5 win 56th Navajo Fair parade entries
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — The judges decided that the five winners from
Saturday's 56th annual Navajo Nation Fair parade best reflected
this year's theme of "Sovereignty, Faith and Freedom, Remembering
Our Heroes."
And, as if honoring that theme, the rain let up just as the marchers
started heading downhill on construction-marred Ariz. Route 264
from St. Michaels, past the Fairgrounds and on up the hill on BIA
Route 12 towards the Window Rock...
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Court asked to rule on public records law
SANTA FE (AP) — A Quemado outfitter seeking information about
the ownership of a horse has asked the state Court of Appeals to
enforce a law requiring agencies to pay fines if they fail to produce
public records.
David Derringer and organizations that have joined him are asking
the court to enforce the state law that provides for $100-a-day
fines if public documents are not turned over promptly...
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State cops again patrolling on motorcycles
Tom Purdom
Staff Writer
MILAN — Some 60 years after the New Mexico State Police
phased motorcycle cops out of the force, the special officers
are back ... one step at a time.
In Milan, Albuquerque, Los Lunas, Las Cruces, Santa Fe and
Espanola, the state police put officers back on the backs
of these powerful black-and-white BMW motorcycles...
Deaths
Harrison Naswood
FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — Services for Harrison Naswood, 62, will
be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10, at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrement,
Fort Defiance. Burial will follow at Fort Defiance Cemetery.
Naswood died Sept. 5 in Fort Defiance. He was born Feb. 3, 1940,
in Chinle, Ariz., into the Edgewater People Clan for the Tangle
People Clan.
Naswood attended Window Rock High School and Baylor Business College,
Dallas Texas. He was employed with the Navajo Nation Purschasing
Department. He was a Champion Bullrider, athletics and referee.
Survivors include his sons, Elton Naswood of Los Angeles, Calif.,
Elmer Naswood, Elbert Naswood, and Elroy Naswood all of Fort Defiance;
daughters, Evangeline Naswood of Mesa, Ariz., and Evangelita Samora
of Pueblo, Colo.; brother, Wilson
Naswood of Fort Defiance, Ariz.; sisters, Louise Naswood of Chinle,
Ariz., and Judy Armstrong of Whiteriver, Ariz., and three grandchildren.
Naswood was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus Naswood and
Yanabah Naswood and son, Eldon Ebba Naswood.
The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services
at Saint Dominic Hall, Fort Defiance.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Kinsey Lee Wood
CROWNPOINT — Services for Kinsey Wood, 72, will be announced
at a later date.
Wood died Sept. 7 in Crownpoint. He was born Oct. 2, 1929.
Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
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