Alcohol sales protested
Group rallies against liquor sales in Smith Lake

Community members marched along Hwy 371 on Wednesday to protest the sale of alcohol at the Chevron gasoline station in Smith Lake. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

Stephanie Smith, of Church Rock, holds a sign declaring her opposition to the sale of alcohol near tribal land during an anti-alcohol rally along Hwy 371. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

SMITH LAKE — As Eddie McCarthy, 56, walked alongside the median on Highway 371, he stepped carefully to avoid tripping on empty beer bottles scattered on the ground.

Walking alongside him was his son, Anthony McCarthy, 19, and his mother, Alice Joe-Ben, 82, all from Smith Lake. In one hand, McCarthy carried the flag of his late father Jimmie Joe-Ben while in his other hand, his cane.

"Today is a special day," said McCarthy, of Smith Lake.

McCarthy and his family were among 50 marchers and over 200 people total that came out to take a stand against alcohol. The community members of Smith Lake, Crownpoint, Thoreau, as well as neighboring communities stood together to get one message across: they want the Chevron Gas Station on Highway 371 to stop selling alcohol.

As McCarthy walked, he couldn't help but think of his late brother, who died in front of the Chevron Gas Station. He was drinking at the time he was attacked and killed.

Many people who marched Wednesday morning had a story of tragedy that involved alcohol.

Linda Brown, 56 of Borrego Pass, lost her mother, brother, and sister in vehicle accident when she was just a teenager. Her mother was drinking when she got into the fatal crash in Thoreau. Only Brown's 2-year old niece survived.

"There were 3 caskets in the church," recalled Brown. "It was so sad."

Brown said her mother was decapitated in the accident, and her head had to be sewn back onto her body. Her little sister's arm also had to be sewn back onto her body.

Wednesday morning, as Brown waited for other marchers, she remembered the first time she had a drink.

"I came back from (boarding) school at Brigham City, Utah and my mom was drinking. "I asked her, 'Why are you drinking?' She said, 'I don't know. I just like drinking.'"

Brown told her mother that they were supposed to be in church. Brown's mother then shared with her some of the problems with family when she was away at school.

"Then I thought, 'Oh well. I can't resist my mom,'" said Brown. "I said, 'Give me one can so I can feel better with you.'"

They bought a quart of beer from Johnny's Inn bar in Thoreau. "It was just for fun," said Brown. "Now it's scary."

The ugly side of alcohol
For over 18 years, Brown said she and her husband Eddie were ruled by alcohol. When one of her sons was a teenager, she said they got in a fight and her son punched out eight of her teeth. She now has veneers. Years later, when she and her husband were partying, she said somehow, they set their house on fire and lost everything. Those were the times that led to the bottom of her addiction.

Looking at the Chevron Gas Station, she remembers the days when she begged for change, even in the early morning hours, to finance her alcohol addiction.

"I used to pretend to fill up gas right here," said Brown, pointing at the Chevron Gas Station.

Now when Brown sees active alcoholics outside the gas station, she said she feels sorry for them. She won't give them change, because she knows first-hand that it will be used for alcohol. Instead, she said she buys them a pop or chips.

Nellie Ration, 63, remembers how quiet and peaceful Smith Lake was when she moved there in 1962. But since alcohol has slowly seeped into the lives of families, that peace is gone. Today, Ration said things like neglect, child abuse, elderly beatings, and teenagers being served alcohol are common. She is certain that alcohol is the reason behind the social ills. Just the other day, Ration said there was a grandmother who explained at a chapter meeting of how her 10-year old granddaughter bought a wine cooler at the Chevron Gas Station.

"The grandmother noticed it and brought it back to the store," said Ration.

The incident was a topic of recent discussion at a local chapter house meeting.

"They're selling to people who are already drunk and who are juveniles," said McCarthy.

Tragedy in a new Generation
Gavin Smith, 23, and his brother Julian Smith, 26, both of Gallup came to support the efforts of the local community. They also lost a brother to alcohol, but cared not to share the details of his death.

Chris Morris, 16, of Smith Lake and his cousin Dana Thompson, 18, also of Smith Lake, led a group of marchers from the north end of Highway 371.

They held signs that read "no liquor sales" and "you are killing my family."

Thompson remembers when she was 15-years old and her family got a call around 2 a.m. that her 20-year old cousin died in an alcohol related accident.

Thompson said they hear of classmates having parties all the time, and know that their fellow classmates will be drinking in the woods and boonies to celebrate graduation.

"Graduation is close. That's the main reason for the march," said Fran George, of Smith Lake.

George is one of many community members who cannot understand why there are still alcohol sales so close to the Navajo Nation. Even more disturbing to George is that the store carries a wide variety of alcohol.

As you walk into the Chevron Gas Station, customers immediately notice the 7 refrigerators of alcohol to the left, next to 5 refrigerators of water and sodas drinks and 2 others with foods. Behind the cashiers counter, the backdrop is decorated with bottles of hard liquor of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

"It makes it look appealing," said George. "It's endangering the lives of Navajo people."

Louise Antone, 59, of Mariano Lake, wants to see the end of liquor sales at the gas station. Antone said she has young kids at her home, and when she son gets drunk, it causes problems.

"He gets drunk and he gets violent," said Antone. "I can't control it."

George said efforts to meet with owner have not been successful. She also said that the chapter and community are not even sure who the owner really is. Gas station attendants said the owner is Abe Garcia, but they don't know where he resides.

Garcia could not be reached for comment.

Personal vs. business responsibility
Community members who have attempted to talk to management at the gas station said they are told that the decision to purchase and consume alcohol is up to the individual. The community strongly disagrees."They said it's really up to the person," said Ration. "I said, 'Are you going to help pay for the funeral if something happens?"

"They are the ones getting the money," said McCarthy. "They don't care about us."

Since the 1980's, McCarthy said the community has voiced their concerns about the gas station, and have wanted the sale of liquor to cease.

After years of being sober, Brown was comfortable sharing the raw details of her addiction. She said she used to smell of vomit when she drank. She said people cringed when they saw her and her husband.

"Now people really love us. They don't hate us," said Brown. "Now when people see us, they really hug us. It's really happy now." "I want my family and relatives across the Navajo Nation to get out of drinking. I want them to start living good," said an emotional Brown as she wiped a tear forming in her eye.

McCarthy said it wasn't the first time he walked against alcohol.When McCarthy was 12 years old and his sister was 8, he woke up one summer night to find that he and his sister were all alone. "My mom and dad were drinking at Johnny's Inn," said McCarthy. For no particular reason, he said he decided to walk to the church down the highway where he heard music playing at a church revival. "I just dressed my little sister and we started walking," he said. He said they prayed at the church that night that his parents stop drinking. Years later, his mother and father did stop drinking. His late father Jimmie Joe-Ben, a former chapter president for Smith Lake, was one of many elders who stood up against alcohol.

"To the last breath they took, they said that they don't want this," said McCarthy, as he walked alongside the liquor and beer bottles that littered the ground. "We just can't sit here and let alcohol beat us."