Recent news on the Navajo Indian Reservation housing scandal reveals a much larger problem. Why are there no nice-looking homes on any reservation? Why are there no nice lawns or landscaping? Why do all the buildings have an unappealing drabness? Why do there appear to be no entrepreneurs, that is, anyone who is excelling at anything and building something beautiful? Being on an American Indian Reservation is basically very depressing, except, of course, for the wonders of nature like at Monument Valley or the ancient ruins like at Canyon de Chelly.
For any construction program to be successful, such as new housing, there must first be pride of ownership. But, that cannot exist if there is no ownership, that is, if tribal members cannot own the land their home is on.
Many years ago, James Watt, Secretary of the Interior, opined that, if you want to see how well socialism works, just look at an Indian reservation. We need a new approach.
Roy Miller
Phoenix
