Navajo leader hopes Democrats will help

Ron Burgundy · 11-09-2006, 02:01 PM

AP - The newly re-elected president of the Navajo Nation said he hopes that the Democrats' takeover of Congress will help the nation's largest American Indian reservation, saying it was hard to win federal money from Republicans.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, the day after the Navajo general election, Joe Shirley Jr.'s thoughts were partly on how the political shift in Washington will translate into federal action on his reservation, which is home to about 300,000 people in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

"We're going to have a lot more friends in Washington," said Shirley, a Democrat. "I'm very much looking forward to continuing on with my quest as president and for more funding for our hospitals, for our schools, for our social services, for our health services, for the different things we get help with (from) the federal government."

Shirley compared working with a Republican-controlled House to "trying to get blood out of a turnip."

By treaty, the Navajos are a sovereign nation with their own government and laws. Like other American Indian tribes, they receive money from the federal government for social services, schools and infrastructure.

Many Navajos are poor, and unemployment hovers around 50 percent.

On a wall in Shirley's house is a poster that depicts the time when Navajos were forced to become dependent on the federal government, something that angers him and reminds him of his ultimate goal as president.

"When you really come down to it, you're talking about a sovereign nation," Shirley said. "The more money, the better off we are almost immediately. But in the long term, we need to get back on our own two feet, and revenue and jobs is what can do (that) for us."

Although hopeful about the Democratic-controlled Congress, Shirley said he's disappointed about another Election Day result: Arizona voters approved a measure making English the official language.

With the majority of the reservation's land in Arizona, Shirley said the measure will discourage Navajos from speaking their native language.

"If that's not genocide, I don't know what is," Shirley said. "We have our language, we have our color, we have our culture, our way of life, and we need help to preserve and protect that."

Publius · 11-09-2006, 02:10 PM

"Hey guys, we don't want you telling us what to do. We don't want to obey your laws or be answerable to your police forces ... But we want you to give us lots of your tax money."

kinggovernor · 11-09-2006, 02:28 PM

if you are sovereign then you are sovereign, file a report with the state department if you want foreign aid

Stylerod · 11-09-2006, 02:45 PM

"We're going to have a lot more friends in Washington," said Shirley, a Democrat. "I'm very much looking forward to continuing on with my quest as president and for more funding for our hospitals, for our schools, for our social services, for our health services, for the different things we get help with (from) the federal government."

On a wall in Shirley's house is a poster that depicts the time when Navajos were forced to become dependent on the federal government, something that angers him and reminds him of his ultimate goal as president.

Holy shit!

So, she plans to become less dependent on the federal government by begging for even MORE money from the federal government. This is why I love Democrats!

Nonphixion · 11-09-2006, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Holy shit!

So, she plans to become less dependent on the federal government by begging for even MORE money from the federal government. This is why I love Democrats!

I am almost sure that they wouldn't need any of this funding at all if we hadn't, you know, taken over 3.3 million square miles of the land they depended on to live.

kinggovernor · 11-09-2006, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

I am almost sure that they wouldn't need any of this funding at all if we hadn't, you know, taken over 3.3 million square miles of the land they depended on to live.

shit happens

Scrum · 11-09-2006, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

shit happens

Publius · 11-09-2006, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

I am almost sure that they wouldn't need any of this funding at all if we hadn't, you know, taken over 3.3 million square miles of the land they depended on to live.

i didn't take a single inch of land from them, why should I be paying them?

kinggovernor · 11-09-2006, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

countries and people have been getting conquered since the beginning of time

Publius · 11-09-2006, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

countries and people have been getting conquered since the beginning of time

I know I have some Celtic blood in my family lineage. Thus my ancestors were forced off their lands by the Normans back in the 11th century. I want reparations from the Normans!

Scrum · 11-09-2006, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

countries and people have been getting conquered since the beginning of time

Then we should have just finished the job. Then you wouldn't have to worry about such things.

edit -

Negative rep for this post responding to a "shit happens" about genocide? Get a life.

Scrum · 11-09-2006, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

i didn't take a single inch of land from them, why should I be paying them?

My father stole plans from your father to an invention and made billion off of it.

I don't owe you shit because it wasn't me that did it.

Publius · 11-09-2006, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

My father stole plans from your father to an invention and made billion off of it.

I don't owe you shit because it wasn't me that did it.

I agree.

kinggovernor · 11-09-2006, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

Then we should have just finished the job. Then you wouldn't have to worry about such things.

i would have no problem with

Dumpy Dooby · 11-09-2006, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

I agree.

My sentiments exactly.

Stylerod · 11-09-2006, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

I am almost sure that they wouldn't need any of this funding at all if we hadn't, you know, taken over 3.3 million square miles of the land they depended on to live.

What happened to them was terrible. But that was a 100+ years ago. I think it's time for them to stop drinking the fire water, decide they don't want to be sucking on the governments tit anymore, and make something of themselves.

How much more do they want? They get everything paid for already. Now they are bringing in 100's of millions in gambling money (tax free!?).

People immigrate here with a whole shitload less and make something of themselves. I'm sick of them playing the victim after all these years. They live in the same country as the man from Bangladesh or Poland or Mexico came to live in and started their own business and is doing well. Get the fuck over it.

Stylerod · 11-09-2006, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

My father stole plans from your father to an invention and made billion off of it.

I don't owe you shit because it wasn't me that did it.

So our dads took land from the Indians? Hell, my family has only been here since the early 1900's. They came from Luxembourg.

Publius · 11-09-2006, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

So our dads took land from the Indians? Hell, my family has only been here since the early 1900's. They came from Luxembourg.

My grandfather was born on a farm out in east Texas and lived there until he moved into an already developing suburb of Dallas, where my father was born and then I was later born in the town next to it. My grandfather didn't even take land of Native Americans, and he was born 84 years ago.

Scrum · 11-09-2006, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

I agree.

Pistols at noon?

Stylerod · 11-09-2006, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Publius

My grandfather was born on a farm out in east Texas and lived there until he moved into an already developing suburb of Dallas, where my father was born and then I was later born in the town next to it. My grandfather didn't even take land of Native Americans, and he was born 84 years ago.