Observations and random thoughts Vol. 1.6 (2018)
By WILLIAM LEDFORD
Observation: Jay Z and Beyonce are basically the Sonny and Cher of the music world now…or, the Captain and Tennille. Seems that there’s one set every generation. And yes, they’ve been irrelevant for a while now. All’s they need to do now is to record, “I Got You, Babe”.
There was a recent editorial in the One Finger regarding voting in elections off the Rez. I totally agree with this. Voting is important. Very important. If you don’t believe me look at what staying home and not voting resulted in last November. He’s orange and because he didn’t get to buy into Indian Gaming way back when, still hates Indians.
It’s obvious. Decisions and laws are made by officials of Swain, Jackson, Graham and Cherokee counties and by the districts electing North Carolina representatives to the House and Senate. These things all affect us as a nation and we need to be involved. And, even though I don’t make my home on the Rez anymore, I do take part in all of the elections in New Mexico, specifically for candidates that have pro-Native agendas. And no surprise, we vote for Democrats for the New Mexico Senate and House. Whether you like it or not, most times…usually…GOP interests do not reflect EBCI interests. Green and Independent Party ideals actually are closer but they have no real national backing which leaves…yes…them Democrats. This year, get up off the couch, go to the local poll, look for the “D” by the name of the female candidate on the ballot and vote for her. If enough women are elected to Congress, Trump will pray to that god that he doesn’t really believe in for help, and continue hating on women that don’t listen to his crap.
Question for you out there: Should entertainers and administration reps be punished for making charged statements? Should Roseanne Barr be fired because she’s as racist as the guy she supports? Should Sarah Huckabee Sanders have been asked to leave a restaurant because she’s the visible face of an administration that would rather lie about everything instead of being occasionally honest and also because she and her father are simple-minded virulent racists? Should Samantha Bee be ostracized for saying the same thing about Ivanka Trump that Trump supporter and fellow draft-dodger Ted Nugent said about Hillary Clinton? BTW, although he denies it now, Uncle Ted used disgusting tactics to avoid service.
Another topic of another One Finger editorial that interests me is Hemp. Cannabis Sativa Hemp is the miracle plant that has been lumped into the same category as it’s more funner brothers Sativa and Indica by ignorant and unwashed detractors such as Jeff Sessions. That guy seems so dumb I’m amazed that he remembers to breathe. Sorry, I wandered. Hemp can be used for fabrics, textiles, paper and heating or fuel oil. It also can be used for food. But just as importantly, it gives up a thing called CDB which has amazing beneficial medicinal properties while also neutralizing THC. And importantly, because it grows easily, it’s a highly renewable asset and has the potential to be a lucrative endeavor for the tribe. Plus, due to the low THC content, you can’t get high smoking the stuff. Proof? Ask anybody that has gone to Haskell JC and learned the hard way about “K” pot, they know exactly what I’m talking about. I get a bad headache just thinking about it.
No more politics today. Something else has my attention. And it’s a curious thing. I occasionally see guys with gray or white hair and/or receding hairlines or lately, no hair on a shiny, shiny dome cruising around in convertibles or other sports cars and think to myself, “wow, that’s…really kinda sad”. And believe me, it is, it’s very sad, on many levels. I realize that the individual is probably going through the proverbial midlife crisis and as a near 63-year-old dude perhaps I should feel empathy. I don’t, not at all. I call these vehicles, “mid-life crisis-mobiles”. But, even though I don’t empathize…I do understand. I too have always wanted a Camaro SS, a TransAm, a Barracuda, a Chevelle SS or a GTO, all those models from the late 60s, early 70s muscle car days…my days, but now that I can finally afford it I know I’ll look hopelessly desperate tooling around in one so, that’s not gonna happen. Just because you finally can, don’t always mean you should. Words to live by. I’ll stick with my truck or admit defeat and go get a Hyundai or a Subaru. Or a minivan. Yeah, no, I’ll probably stop driving before any of that happens.
Ledford is an EBCI tribal member currently residing in Albuquerque, NM.
