By ROBERT JUMPER
Tutiyi (Snowbird) and Clyde, N.C.
Sometimes, the government and media are at odds. I know that comes as a shock, but it is true.
Government, because of its political nature, strives to create an image of leadership perfection. Voters determine who sits in elected seats. Voters have expectations of provision and security. They want someone who projects an image of being able to supply that provision and security. The more a candidate may act like they can provide and secure, the more likely they are to see the community vote for them. So, to sit in and maintain an elected seat, those seeking office must convince the community that they are the ones to provide for them and make them feel safe.
I’m not saying that is a bad thing. I don’t know the hearts of politicians, just like I don’t know the hearts of anyone else. As old folks used to say, what is in your heart is between you and your creator. Personally, I think most politicians at least start with good intentions. Maybe they have had a life of public service through charitable work. Maybe they lived in areas where living conditions were not great, and they felt compassion and a sense of duty to change things for the better. Or maybe they have observed poor or corrupt politicians and the damage that they do and feel that they must try to change the course of what is going on. For whatever reason, those brave souls enter the political arena to try to make a better world, or at least a better community.
And maybe their focus on doing good and governing well remains good for years. Then, the power of position starts to change the way they think about their duty to the community. Like the old story of the frog in the frying pan, the heat is turned up so slowly that the frog doesn’t even realize that he is being cooked. A little shortcut to make a process or move go more smoothly. A small misdirection to ensure that what they think is a positive outcome is realized. Before they know it, they are slaves to the system that they wanted to change or do away with by running for office.
Most of you will be familiar with the adage, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. The saying implies that holding unchecked power leads to moral decline, causing politicians to prioritize self-interest over the community. As authority increases, the likelihood of corruption becomes absolute.
Our tribal system of government is ripe for fulfilling this adage. Don’t believe me? Read the tribal Charter and Governing Document. Read it thoroughly and count the number of references to the community you see. Count the civil rights included in the document.
Our Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) has legislative powers, as it should, but it also has executive and judicial powers. They have the power to make law, to interpret law, and to execute law (Charter Sections 23-24). There is an Executive Branch or Committee. There is a Judiciary that many tribal members think should be a true branch of government. But empowerment and separation of powers will be a very difficult sorting, if it ever comes to pass. The tribe, be it government officials or community activists, has attempted to create a constitution for decades. The most recent effort started approximately a year and a half ago. They are working from a draft constitution that took six years to produce. That draft was first approved for a referendum vote, then rescinded by the Dinilawigi. We do not seem to be any closer to creating a real “by the people, for the people” constitution than we were eight years ago.
Modern news media thrives on dramatic, passionate, provocative stories. They find chinks in the armor. The community wants to know the truth, well, most of the community does. But the community wants much more than just the facts. Check out your favorite social media feed. It will be filled with “facts” from friends, family, solicitors, and so-called news providers. These stories, represented as factual, are very likely to be embellished and spun, providing readers and viewers with not “just the facts” but opinionated prose that is geared to either tickle your ears or lead you to a particular conclusion about what is being told to you. News has become a victim of the desire to make a profit. Because of this, those in charge of news organizations, particularly for-profit news organizations, feel obligated to entertain their audiences. Publishers and producers have great power, much like politicians. Another classic adage goes like this, “never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel”. There is some truth to the sentiment that one shouldn’t challenge a newspaper or media organization unless you have more influence, resources, or a larger audience than they do.
But, along with great power, also goes the temptation to use that power for self-gain instead of communal good. Again, we can see where power might corrupt and absolute power might corrupt absolutely. And I am afraid many of our news organizations have fallen into that trap of conscience. I have witnessed it from both sides: as an editor being asked to compromise my values for the sake of a political agenda, and as a government official being scrutinized by an overzealous reporter with an agenda to create a political slant. The community should never assume that the motives of a reporter match their own, nor should a journalist compromise the facts to satisfy a need for sustenance. We want to believe that a “free” press protects us. We, the press, are indeed supposed to be watchdogs for the community, serving as neutral observers and documenters of history in the making.
But politicians, media, you, and I are all human. And humanity is imperfect and prone to making choices for the good of the one, not the many. Personally, I believe perfection comes from the Divine, and none of us is close to Godly. So, we must rely on discernment. Even “good” hearts with “good” intentions make mistakes. We must have the wisdom to take information without bias, from within us and from without. Many times, motive matters as much as action. We must know that leaders and media can and sometimes do have personal agendas that will surface in their actions. The key to retaining an elected seat in government is the vote. The key to retaining ownership of a media outlet is the dollar. Be careful to factor those facts into any information you see from both.
The old saying, “Life is hard. Life is harder when you’re stupid,” is very relevant to our lives today (Higgins,1972).
