The Navajo times. [volume], December 01, 1959, Page Page 2, Image 2

About The Navajo times. [volume] (Window Rock, Ariz.) 1959-1960

Image provided by: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ

                
Page 2
EDITORIAL
As of this writing all 6.000 copies of
the “Navajo Times" (November issue)
have been distributed and more is be
ing requested by schools, hospitals, lib
raries, individuals, etc.
The response has been tremendous
and the congratulations for the publish
ing of the "Times" should be showered
on the Navajo Tribe as a whole, for its
forward look and for its ever increas
ing initiative to find new ways towards
improving its programs for its people.
In last months issue we stated the
purpose of the “Navajo dimes" and for
whom it was intended. In the short
time that “Times” has been in circula
tion demands have been made to our
office that this paper be circulated
throughout the reservation.
We feel this request should be com
plied with. In accordance with purpos
es for which funds were allocated the
off-reservation schools an d hospitals
will come first, but we’re sure enough
copies will be left over for distribution
to the reservation schools, hospitals and
communities.
DILLON PLATERO—Editor
EDITORIAL
From:
Gallup Indian Community Center
Legends out of the past expressing
the essence of life, stories of events far
and near told around the glowing em
bers of a hogan fire this was the
“newspaper of an earlier day.
Today our people are spread far and
wide over a vast area. It is natural then
to resort to the printed word for that
which is meaningful and which we
need to know and to tell and share. We
of the family of the Gall u p Indian
Community Center salute you, the
Navajo Tribe in this vital step toward
informing The People through this
newspaper. We hope that it will serve
as a bridge between the new and the
traditional, the p a s t and the future,
the younger and the elder, the familiar
and the untried. For this is indeed an
age in which all peoples everywhere
must build bridges of understanding
founded on truth and knowledge. Yours
is a great opportunity and a challenge.
THE GALLUP INDIAN COMMUNITY
CENTER FAMILY
(The Green House Beside the Arroyo)
“LOOKING AHEAD”
I wish to direct the substance of this
discussion to those Navajos who are in
terested in contributing their efforts to
wards the development of the Navajo
Civilization. My primary concern is
over the reasoning potential of the var
ious minds that would be associated
with the advancement of the civiliza
tion.
At this time there is in existence a
THE NAVAJO TIMES
I
certain Navajo society, and the nature
of its existence defines t h e sp.ritual,
political, and economic forces which
directly or indirectly control the destiny
of the Navajo. The mechanism which
develops, maintains, or destroys these
forces can almost absolutely be associa
ted with the ability of Man to reason.
Perhaps we can go further and equate
reason to the mechanism. The quality
of this power of reasoning will definit
ely give us some idea on the nature of
the existence of these forces.
Therefore, it is extremely important
that we question the nature of our rea
soning ability. If any individual poss
esses a mind that is highly qualified in
regard to reason, there will exist a high
probability that the individual will he
interested in developing a n effective
system of control over the various for
ces that are associated with the develop
ment and maintenance of, say. the Nav
ajo Civilization.
One may ask, iiow does one go about
questioning the nature of one’s reason
ing ability’?
A certain portion of the answer lies
within one’s association with the var
ious forms of logical thinking and to
what extent this association has been
in existence. The various schools of
thought are distributed throughout the
entire network of professions w h i c h
are associated with the various social
forces. Only following a systematic
careful analysis of the various exam
ples describing the systems of thought
will one begin to answer the above
mentioned question.
I here exists a great n e e d for men
v ho can reason; men who can reason
w i t h superb excellence. There is no
room for the 1 a z y lot in this restless
world. The development of the Navajo
Civilization must be executed with
haste, however, we must not proceed
with haste at the expense of quality. A
maximization of haste and quality
would be the desired conditions for the
proper execution of the advancement
of the culture of our people.
It is not enough to discuss the exis
tence of Man; also, \ve must specif\
the quality of the existence of Man. B\
virtue of the existence of the Navajo
implies that the Navajo has been grant
ed the opportunity to challenge what
ever forces which contribute to the min
imized state of quality inherent in the
N a v a j o Civilization or even to the
downfall of the civilization. These ill
laden forces are merging their strength
to wipe out the Navajo Civilization.
What are you, the Navajo people, go
ing to do about this? Obviously, time
has forn led an alliance with these ill
laden forces. However, nature has come
to assist us with her natural resources.
W e have available materialistic wealth,
but do we have the determination to
advance .... do we have the neces
sary power to successfully cope with
this advancement? We must develop a
power for logical thinking and merge
our efforts with Nature to elevate the
standard of living for the Navajo Na
tion and give an element of quality to
the Navajo Civilization. This would
certainly assist with the perservation
and maintenance of peace for the Uni
ted States of America.
W hat duration of time is required to
develop the Navajo Civilization to a
state comparable to that of the Western
Civilization is greatly depended on how
soon the Navajo people decide to direct
their efforts towards this objective, and,
also, how many people make this deci
sion.
Whatever your position in the pre
sent Navajo society, your decision for
action in developing your power to rea
—Continued on page 7
December—l9V