The Navajo Nation has approximately 356,000 people living on the reservation, yet from the Navajo Times on Monday 27 April 2020 we read:
“As of Monday evening, there are 1,769 positive COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation, more than one per cent of the residents on the reservation…The total number of deaths remains at 59.”
For comparison, New Zealand has a population of 5 million and has had 1472 cases and 19 deaths.
Jo Overton (Lakota) joins me to discuss an urgent developing situation on the Navajo Nation which includes a history of ill-treatment and a current state of both federal incompetence and neglect that is proving devastating.
Links to Gofundme and Facebook groups and media:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=protect%20native%20elders&epa=SEARCH_BOX
https://www.kgun9.com/rebound/coronavirus-investigations/facebook-group-organizes-nationwide-support-to-help-indian-reservations-in-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR2hAebwWWErsXsAPF2rYKDU0n50oerMtZSUgbiCnAQx0Md-6fmP0JbvgJo
Jo, two of my kids are native Canadians. When my son was younger and drinking alcohol quite a bit, he was beaten up one night after he left a pub, pretty drunk.
He was taken to hospital where he was treated shamefully because he was a drunk Indian who had been fighting – even the police officer said this was not a fight, this was a beating. His cheekbone – eye orbit bone was broken and he was all bruised and cut up. He was in shock and freezing cold. His blanket had slipped on to the floor and nobody wold pick it up for him.
It’s an enormous problem overcoming racism. I’m so sorry that the Navajo are suffering so much at any time, but especially now. Keep fighting sister.