Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation Council went out on a limb Tuesday and endorsed Democratic candidate Barack Obama for U.S. president in hopes of a new era of federal Indian policy.

In doing so, Council snubbed one of Arizona’s own — Sen. John McCain. But according to Dennehotso Delegate Kathryn Benally, McCain has snubbed Navajo for the past 24 years. “What has he done for us? He refuses to open the door to us when we go to the Hill. He refuses our requests for additional funding, and at this point in time, he stands there and says, ‘It is my pride that I do not support earmarks.’

“You know, that is who we are — we are earmarks!” she said. “He refuses to stand up for us and give us the funding that we deserve. He’s not going to turn around in the next four or eight years and remember us.”

Delegate Leonard Tsosie sponsored the support resolution as an “emergency legislation,” saying that failure to endorse Obama is a direct threat to Navajo Nation sovereignty.

“We believe that we have looked at the position of the candidates,” he said, “and both are admirable Americans, but we want to make the case for Senator Barack Obama to be the person that will be in charge of the trust relationship tie to the Navajo Nation.” It is hoped that Council’s endorsement will influence Navajo voters to go to the polls and vote for Obama.

Tsosie cited the Cherokee Freedmen case as one reason why he believes Obama is the right candidate. “Many of the congressional people, especially the Congressional Black Caucus, wanted to add amendments to federal legislation stopping appropriations to Native people in Native communities because of the Cherokee Freedmen issue.

“Sen. Obama was the one that stepped away from that and went against the Congressional Black Caucus and said you have to respect the Indian sovereignty status of the Cherokee Nation and let this be resolved through court, whereas many of his Congressional Black Caucus said ‘No, we want to use the strong arm of the Congress to deprive funding for this particular Cherokee community.’”

Wizipan Garriott, First Americans vote director with the Obama campaign, said Obama is the first candidate in the history of political candidates for president who is most like Native Americans.

“His life experiences echo the many struggles that we, as Indian people, go through. Senator Obama was brought up in a single parent household, raised by his mother. He grew up poor. His mother often had to use food stamps just to provide for him and his sister. His mother worked two jobs and because of that he was raised by his grandmother a lot of the time.”

When he went to school he had to rely on scholarships, Garriott said, and being a half-white, half-black man, he is no stranger to ridicule and prejudice. “We all know that when we go into a store in a big city, people look at us differently. I used to go the border towns and people would follow me around in the store because I had dark skin and long hair. We all know what those experiences are like.

Senator Obama has gone through those same experiences.”

Garriott said it is those experiences that have helped Obama forge his Indian policy, “which many throughout the country say is the most progressive Indian policy that we have seen in history.” He recognizes Navajo Nation sovereignty and he recognizes the Treaty of 1868 which the Nation signed with the federal government, Garriott said.

“As president he is going to host an annual meeting at the White House every year to meet with leaders of the tribal nations. He’s going to appoint a senior White House adviser at the cabinet level to advise him every day, every week on Indian issues and to work directly with tribal liaisons. No other presidential candidate has ever taken those steps.”

Chris Deschene, Congressional District 1 pledged delegate to Obama, asked a question from the 1960s Civil Rights era. “What side of history do we want to be on?” He said the youth of the Nation, some not old enough yet to vote, have been asking questions about change. “When it comes down to it, I think our youth are asking us to have the courage to go forward with something like this.”

Tsosie said another important thing to remember is that the U.S. president nominates federal court judges. “We have the San Francisco Peaks case, we have the Peabody case that is before the Supreme Court.” Delegate Jonathan Nez said three of the justices will be departing in the next few years.

Delegate Hope MacDonald-LoneTree told council that this election year is an important opportunity for Navajo voices to be heard. “For years our Nation has suffered from policies that were adverse to our Nation and federal funding. Our land and our resources provide energy for the greater portion of the Southwest United States while more than 40 percent of our people are without water and electricity.

“We are active and aggressive advocates here on the floor for the needs of our people. If our people were able to meet Sen. Obama, they would tell him that they need jobs, they need housing, health care and infrastructure.”

She then made an amendment to the proposed resolution recommending actions the Nation’s leaders would like to see if Obama is elected. The amendment was passed 64-17 after several additions. Legislation to endorse Obama passed 59-21 with eight delegates not voting.