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Show AROUND THE BEND AGAIN: In San Juan County By Ken Sleight A proposal was made to the Commission to study a possible change of county government from a Commission to a Council form comprised of five members so that the Navajo people could experience more equitable representation. Not surprisingly, the two white commissioners rejected the proposal. In opposition to this, the Commission initiated, because of racial issues, a study to split the county into two counties along Navajo Reservation lines. This was but a maneuver to divide the county rather than bring the diverse cultural groups together into a unified whole. The two-party system in San Juan is nearly non-existent among the whites. The Democratic party in San Juan and the state are in shambles. Authoritarian and radical-right government, accustomed to bullying and ruling the roost, remains alive in San Juan County. Equal participation by the enslaved poor and discriminated peoples is not at all possible. Our political leaders continually fail to meet the challenges of change which has risen to destructive intensity. Oppressive taxes are mounting to the point of discouraging capital investment and productive stimulus. The county justice system is in desperate straits. The County Attorney can’t keep up with his case work—resulting in cases not filed on time and in cases lost-—and justice denied. There’s been too much time spent in fighting the condors and throwing an innocent kid, trying to protect the environment and the law, into jail. Surely misplaced priorities. And once again the perilous nuclear industry attempts to buy us off and to seduce us into accepting hazardous waste. We've been lied to over and over during past years by the industry, and still we take the poisonous bate. The huge corporations are at our throats as APATHY AND ITS CURE IN SAN JUAN COUNTY My good friend Jim Stiles and I were talking about the differences in the degree of energy or apathy shown by citizens toward various issues encountered through the years. Apathy tends to be an ebb and flow cycle. At times, the energy expended for a certain project, such as the Book Cliffs road, was phenomenal. And for other projects a high degree of despair set in. But why so much apathy and despair in people today? Why aren’t issue-involvement so important to people any more? Why aren’t more people voting? And I wonder if this lack of involvement is my perception only or is it something else. Let us look at a few of my concerns, if you would, and the overall problems facing us. Essential information was desperately needed in all of the following issues, but in most cases it was not forthcoming. distances. Their travel expenses are astounding as they traip across the state and nation to satisfy their own ideological agenda. They should stay put on their own porch, rather than neglect many immediate and urgent local issues that need their attention. Witness this. The teetering health system of San Juan County suddenly found itself some $500,000 in arrears and sinking fast. If it was a private business it would be bankrupt now, but county taxes bailed out the department. The Commission paid out huge sums of money in the past few years for projects in which it should not have involved itself. For instance, the white-elephant airport near Hall's Crossing drains needed county funds. Furthermore, money is expended continually to pay other counties’ legal expenses—-fighting and tilting against the establishment of the new Escalante National Monument. This mimics the Commissioners’ past support of the defunct Book Cliffs road. The concentration of wealth in the hands of the few is disrupting the county, resulting in a growing inequality and poverty among our people. Racial problems continue to fester, and we seem unable now to outgrow that intolerance even though, hypocritically, we boast of our good works at church. b RED © > their communities and about the impact it might entail. Commissioners Ty Lewis and Bill Redd shot the idea down. Lewis said that the people didn’t need the information and even if they had it they wouldn’t understand it any way. Only Commissioner Mark Maryboy pushed for hearings and meetings. But the resistance to providing specific information also permeates our state and federal agencies. For instance, I’ve been trying to get environmental information from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for three months and have not yet received it. At a followup nuclear waste meeting, I asked for the same environmental information of one of its officer's, a Mr. Holonich, but again I did not get it. I finally sent a Freedom of Information request to NRC, but still the agency stands in defiance. Similar negative efforts are disheartening to.all citizens that need help. It is small wonder that so many citizens give up and lapse in a state of hopeless apathy and indifference. We must all join together and seize opportunities to fret and act on the stage too. But where are these young people who are full of action and vim and vigor who can ferret out the information? Someone In San Juan County, in energetic youth are being entering politics and local school or to enter the work is desperately needed to take over the reins of local government. nearly each issue of the San Juan Record, I note that many of our sent on church missions, but damned if I see few of them government service. Others of our young people leave to go to force. Once out of the community, most never come back home ALASKA! Rock mountains and awesome SP ae = a DIRT vital information could be provided the public concerning the proposed and threatening new nuclear waste dump to be established near White Mesa. County citizens had extremely little information about the haul of uranium and related chemicals that would pass through It bas taken millions of years to form these magnificent Red & ?> gL cxO %, “It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment." Treviewed a long list of those things that might bring on feelings of apathy and despair. An important one is apparent. This is the act of denying and withholding vital information "that rightfully belongs to the public. It’s such a hard struggle to get the details on varied issues from hostile or non-caring government officials. As it takes so much effort, with but little time available to the layman, it becomes extremely tiring to continually beg for the facts and essentials that would make life easier to live. Whereas the denial of this data throws me in a quandary, I’m sure it also equally discourages many other people from participating in civil matters. The withholding of these specifics takes many forms. I give an example. A couple of months ago, I requested of the San Juan Commission that public hearings be held so that To begin with, a number of our San Juan County officials continue to promote their mythical "sagebrush rebellion" ideology. They fight against the introduction of the condors. They grade and tear up the landscape where roads have never been. And while fighting wilderness designation, they promote hazardous nuclear waste dumps. The environment has taken it on the chin and our lands are a mess. Our commissioners, with the exception of Mark Maryboy, travel often and at long < our officials sell us down the river. There are so many problems before us, they now seem insurmountable. And because : of the strong-armed local government, a cheerless apathy raises its ugly head. Citizens that used to be active, aren’t any more. And because of a feeling of hopelessness, havoc will surely continue to rein in San Juan County. Great minds preach against the workings of cynicism and apathy. Robert Maynard Hutchins said: "The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. SHIRT Made with 100% Pure Red Dirt Paradise Sportswear Southwest Division canyons. In these special places, erosion has uncovered the deep Red Dirt that is used to hand-dye this unique 100% natural shirt. This Red Dirt, which is famous for its longlasting properties, has been blessed and is believed to bring good luck to the wearer. Wear it with strength, power and respect for the land. 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