Yokuts Valley naming process was democratic, not a ‘dictatorship’ | Opinion

‘S’ Valley debate is full democracy

The movement to change the name of ‘S’ Valley is the exact opposite of government dictatorship. There are local members of the community out protesting and petitioning the government for change. If this was government dictatorship, these folks would not need to protest and garner public support to pressure local government into listening to their voices and enacting a name change.

Jim Spitze mentioned that they spoke to S Valley residents; however, they never specified whether those residents were indigenous. The name is offensive to the indigenous population, so the opinion of a few non-indigenous folks who do not believe it to be offensive holds no value in this conversation.

Furthermore, the term “squaw” was never OK. It was always a slur used against first nations. The only difference is that more people are bringing awareness to its meaning and speaking up against its use now. That is the embodiment of true democracy: listening to and valuing every citizen’s voice, not just the voices of the few.

‘S’ word not used by native people

With reference to the opinion piece authored by Jim Spitze entitled “Yokuts Valley renaming is government dictatorship,” appearing in the April 24 issue of The Bee, I make the following observations:

If Mr. Spitze wants to fully appreciate the impacts of “government dictatorship” he need look no further than the brutal conquest of North America’s original people. Federal and California policies enforced by federal and state militias made certain that “the self-evident truths of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” did not apply to the original people. Their lives, liberty and happiness meant nothing to the authors of this country’s founding documents.

Here in Central California, treaties affecting the ancestors of Yokuts Valley and nearby tribes were deliberately sabotaged by state legislators and never ratified. Now I respectfully ask: Who are the real victims of government dictatorship?

As for the “S” word: nowhere in the lexicons of the western Mono and various Yokuts tribes will you find the word “squaw.” To ascribe that word – a word that has historically been used to objectify and dehumanize native women – to the ancestors of the native people now living in Yokuts Valley is manifestly absurd.

Robert Kennedy Jr. is a Republican

Robert Kennedy Jr. announced his candidacy for president in 2024 on, of all things, Tucker Carlson’s program.

With that, and his wacko anti-vaccine views and his comments about Anne Frank, he should switch from being a candidate on the Democratic ticket to the Republic ticket, where I think he would do well.

Get facts right on Madera hospital

Regarding state Sen. Brian W. Jones’ recent opinion piece on AG Bonta’s role in the closure of Madera Community Hospital: Jones seems to claim that the agreement included a hard price cap that had no provision for price increases. I just read the agreement and that is not the case.

Yes, there was a price cap, but they were limits on how much prices could increase, not saying they couldn’t increase.

I’m very tired of people being sloppy with the facts as it contributes to the polarization of our politics. It is a shame that the hospital has closed, but I suspect the reasons behind it go far beyond AG Bonta.

This story was originally published May 7, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Yokuts Valley naming process was democratic, not a ‘dictatorship’ | Opinion."