Navajo Wanda MacDonald: McCain is anti-Native

Open letter to Native America
'Native Americans are in danger of becoming an endangered species'

By Wanda MacDonald
Former First Lady of the Navajo Nation
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

TUBA CITY, Ariz. -- Native America and all my relations, we need to inform and think for ourselves. I want to appeal to all Native voters that electing a US President should have nothing to do with party affiliation (the non-Native party system) as far as our needs are concerned in Native America.

I am a Republican, but I always stand for what is best for our people first. We must look at who will be good for Natives. We need to show our nationalism in this election.We are a big voting block, if we band together.

Otherwise, Native Americans are in danger of becoming an endangered species under a McCain/Palin administration.

Palin does not support her own Native Alaskan rights.

McCain has always been anti-Native although he acts like a friend, as shown by his absence to almost all Arizona reservations to observe the pathetic living conditions!
As a matter of fact, he has not ever offered how he could or would assist us towards socio-economic growth and ultimate self sufficiency.We have hundreds of individual Natives who are capable entrepreneurs, but the federal government bureaucracy run by Republicans maintains policies to keep us from prospering and standing up for ourselves -- that would be a threat to them.

And by the way, establishment of casinos is not the best answer -- that keeps us working FOR someone else -- with a substantial portion of profits going off reservation and into other pockets.

The Navajo Nation Treaty of 1868 with the United States ensures us health care, education and socio-economic sustenance.

But, as it is, we Natives almost have to demand these things. This indifference to our continued existence has been set in stone for decades by the feds.Another thing is, did you hear Palin state that McCain is the ONLY man who put his life on the line for Americans?How about the hundreds of other American POWs and MIAs?And what about all the other active military forces and veterans -- thousands of whom are Native Americans?

The current Republican "war" has taken hundreds of our young Native people and will continue to do so under a McCain/Palin administration -- perhaps in McCain's words, 100 years?

My daily work in behavioral health presents individuals, many returning veterans, who suffer from PTSD, alcoholism and substance abuse, mental health disorders and so forth, with little hope in sight.
Bottom line: lack of self-esteem for lack of personal stability caused by no regular paycheck for themselves and their families. Being a mother and a grandmother, this environment concerns me for our future.

We need to help our people by electing leaders who care and will work with us -- not someone like John McCain with millions in personal financial independence and so many houses that the economic crunch does not affect him.
I urge all Natives to realize that we face a bleak future, IF John McCain and Sarah Palin are elected.

Again, I am a Republican, but I support the BARACK OBAMA/JOE BIDEN ticket. My Navajo people and Native America -- John McCain and Sarah Palin are not a choice.

Ha' goh' nee' and Ah ho',
For The People,Wanda LeClere MacDonald
Former Navajo First Lady
Tuba City, Arizona

Posted by brendanorrell@gmail.com