I find these water issues very challenging. My anger over how much the tribe has suffered makes me want to demand that the tribe take a very hard-line stance around water issues, justice would be served by forcing non-Indians to lose some of what they have taken. When I considered this vision of principled justice with no trade-offs, I realized that righteous indignation may be a privilege of my distance from the issues. These decisions and their repercussions will not affect me in the same way that they will affect tribal members living in Klamath. I am not a Klamath Tribal land owner who relies on their cattle ranch for income and I don’t have to go to school or church or shopping with white basin farmers who rely on agriculture for their livelihood. It’s easy for me to be principled considering the issues in the abstract; it would be much harder if I were more affected by the outcomes of these problems. I am far from Klamath and have been for a long time. When I consider solutions for Klamaths, I am influenced by the people I have encountered since I left home. My mind is full of theories I learned going to college, ideas I picked up from environmentalists, notions that came from my involvement in social justice organizations, and priorities I have gleaned from Native activists. It is easy for me to believe that my solutions are the best option for the tribe while forgetting that the foundation for some of this thinking is very distant from my own community. Sometimes I find myself criticizing Klamath Tribal leadership. When they make a decision that I don’t agree with, it is easy for me to consider them foolish, selfish, or corrupt. Then I take a moment to remember that I have known many of these people most of my life. I went to school with them or their kids. These are people that I respect, that have meant so much to me and my family. When I consider this, it becomes very difficult to make those assumptions. I realize that their intent is likely the same as everyone’s, finding the most fair and just solution for our people. Maybe if I had all of the information they have, if I could truly understand their perspective, I would see that theirs is the best path. Many viewpoints have value, those learned outside of Chiloquin and those that come from being a long standing community member. I want to remember that others may have a better vantage point. I fear that my version of justice may not be relevant or pragmatic; it might be overly dogmatic, rooted in a reality far removed from what is important to most of the tribal community. At best, I might be a little misguided, at worst, I might be an outsider who thinks I know what is best for Klamath people, something so many have done to our people for too long. I want to understand that my heart may be in the right place, but my solutions may be missing some critical information. I am going to strive to see beyond my own perspective and understand that I have a lot to learn from our tribal leaders and other tribal members. I am going to concede to the better judgment of people that may know more than I do about the water issue and support the council’s stance on the agreement. Many tribal members have worked for a long time on this complex problem. I don’t want to organize public opposition to my own tribe and its leaders; I would like to reserve that kind of activism for organizations and groups that are not made up of Native people. There are plenty of non-Indian groups that deserve to be challenged. I may not agree with everything that is going on, but I want to support the Klamath people, the Tribe, and the Council.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 05:10:28 +0000
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