Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D., Tim Giago Column Story-Date: 01:17 p.m. PST Sunday , October 12, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D., Tim Giago Column By Tim Giago, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News Oct. 13--MACDONALD SEEKS PARDON: The saying goes something like this: "A man can do one thousand good deeds, but it is the one bad deed he does for which he will be remembered." This is what has happened to the four-term chairman of the Navajo Nation, Peter MacDonald. Pete was elected by popular vote to serve his people for four, four-year terms. It was during his final term he came under the Justice Department and he was tried, convicted and sentenced to 15 years in a federal prison for accepting kickbacks and then attempting to conceal this illegal action. Two things bother me about this entire episode. First of all, none of the non-Indians involved in the illegal acts received prison sentences. Second; why did the Navajo Nation allow their very popular and effective chairman to be tried in a foreign court? The Navajo Nation is, indeed, a sovereign nation. Peter MacDonald was tried in a federal court off the reservation by an all white jury. Why did the Navajo people allow this to happen? Do they not believe in their own sovereignty? I believe there is more to this entire scenario than meets the eye. Pete did admit wrongdoing and he did apologize to his people for his actions. The Navajo Tribal Council passed a resolution requesting an early release from his severe sentence. It has been ignored. Several very influential people have written letters asking that he be pardoned. Former President Jimmy Carter requested he be released because he is in poor health having suffered a heart attack and because it would help to heal the wounds in the Navajo Nation. Former Senator Barry Goldwater wrote to President Clinton outlining the charges Mr. MacDonald was convicted of and he requested a pardon for the former Navajo chairman. "The important thing is, he has paid his debt to society," Sen. Goldwater wrote. Sen. Pete Dominici (R-N.M.) wrote to the President seeking a pardon. "He has served three years 1/8four at this writing 3/8 and suffered heart problems while in prison. I believe his release would not jeopardize a single person, and it would do wonders to advance this healing process." While in office, Peter MacDonald took the Navajo people from the status of people residing upon a reservation to people belonging to a nation. He fought long and loudly for tribal independence and sovereignty. In so doing, he alienated many people in powerful positions who had grown accustomed to ripping of the natural resources of the Navajo people for a pittance. Pete stood up to the coal, oil and gas companies and forced them to compensate the Navajo Nation at a fair market price for their coal, oil and natural gas. He stood on the premise that the Navajo lands were sovereign and believe me, having lectured on this subject at several conferences, colleges and high schools, the topic is one fraught with danger. Non-Indians are adamantly against anyone professing sovereignty for the Indian people. Peter MacDonald was born in poverty on the Navajo Reservation 67 years ago. His first and only language, at the time, was Navajo. He was shipped to the Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school in Phoenix, Ariz., and forced to accept the ways of a new country even though at the time he was not considered a citizen of the United States. Peter MacDonald is Haskonhazohi born for Betani. His mother's clan was Haskonhazohi and his father's was Betani. These two names will tell any traditional Navajo everything they need to know about him. It is something totally foreign to the white man. He served as a Navajo Code Talker during World War II even though he was still not considered a United States citizen. This would not happen until 1946. An extremely traditional man, he brought his spirituality and traditional beliefs to the office of the Navajo presidency. Who knows what causes a man to do wrong. Peter MacDonald has admitted he did wrong. He is paying for that wrongful act at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. He has suffered a heart attack, now has an aneurysm in the upper chamber of his heart, suffers from extreme arthritis, worn hip joints, prostrate problems and borderline diabetes. He takes 11 kinds of pills daily. Pete has said that if he is to die, he would like it to be on the land he loves, the Navajo Nation. What harm would it do the United States government to allow him this last request? Sen. Jim Wright of Texas has written a letter to the president requesting an early release for Pete and the legislative body of the state of New Mexico passed a resolution also requesting an early release. The largest Indian organization in America, the National Congress of American Indians, recently passed a resolution requesting a federal pardon for Mr. MacDonald. Perhaps my reasons for supporting Peter MacDonald are personal because he and his lovely wife Wanda have been friends for many years and I know there is a good and strong leader deep in the heart and soul of this man. Perhaps some of my readers will think so also and write letters of support for this man who did a thousand good deeds in his lifetime, but is now paying for the one bad deed. Peter MacDonald deserves to come home to the Navajo Nation. He has served his time in hell both as a U.S. Marine and as the leader of the largest Indian nation on this continent. The division amongst his people, the pain and the sorrow have divided a great people. Going home would do much to heal the wounds of the Navajo Nation. ----- Visit Indian Country Today on the World Wide Web at http://www.indiancountry.com/ ----- (c) 1997, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News. ------------------------------------------------------------