The
Kidmans have a deep respect for the Navajo language, the Navajo
culture, and the Navajo people, who are called "Dineh," which is
the Navajo word for "people." The English policy of RD's
Drive-In is part of the Kidmans' respect for the Navajo language.
RD's policy is not an attack on the Navajo language, nor does it
reflect a lack of appreciation for the Navajo language.
Navajo employees and customers have complained to the Kidmans that
the use - or, more accurately, the abuse - of the Navajo language
by some employees was offensive to them. Navajo employees have said
that they feel that their language should be used with respect,
not used as a method to insult or speak ill of others or to cause
conflict, suspicion, hurt feelings and to create an unpleasant environment
for others.
The Kidmans' support for the Navajo community is reflected
by the fact that approximately 90% of the employees who they have
hired to work at the drive-in are Navajo. Unlike employers
who do not take a personal interest in their employees and who refuse
to provide job reference information, the Kidmans go out of their
way to help their employees. They often write letters of recommendation
to help their employees get admitted to college or to obtain college
scholarships.
Unlike the big national fast-service restaurant chains against whom
the Kidmans must compete, RD's Drive In is an older drive-in located
near the center of town, not near the highway. Consequently, the
overwhelming majority of the customers of RD's Drive-In are local
residents, not tourists who pass through town on their way to Lake
Powell or the many other scenic attractions in the area. A large
percentage of the customers of the drive-in are Navajo, and the
continued excellent service, friendship, and support between the
Kidmans and their Navajo friends and customers is crucial to their
business.
The Kidmans' appreciation for the Navajo language is part of their
respect and admiration for the Navajo culture. The Navajo Nation
is the largest Native American reservation in the country, with
a land area about the size of the State of West Virginia and approximately
250,000 residents. The Navajo Nation includes some of the most dramatic
scenery in our nation, such as Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly,
Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell, which is just north and east of
the Grand Canyon. Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park are just a
few miles to the north in Utah.
Historians believe that the Navajo people emigrated to the American
Southwest from western Canada in the 1200's - 1500's. One of the
most famous incidents in Navajo history is their horrible mistreatment
by the American cavalry in 1863 - 64, when they were forcibly evicted
from their ancestral homelands and deported on foot to Fort Sumner,
New Mexico. Known as the "Long Walk," they endured unspeakably harsh
conditions until they were allowed to return to their land, which
included their four mountains regarded as sacred.
The Navajo language is a very sophisticated language, and its complexity
has played a vital role in American history. The United States military,
particularly the Marines, used what became known as the Navajo "Code
Talkers" to communicate vital military information and messages
during World War II. The 550 Navajo Code Talkers created and used
what has been regarded as the only unbreakable code in modern military
history. They played a crucial role in many battles in the Pacific,
including Iwo Jima, saving many lives through the information they
communicated in Navajo, without being deciphered by opposing forces.
After the war, the U.S. military required that their contributions
remain a secret for nearly a quarter century.
With such a rich and distinguished history of the Navajo culture
and language, the Kidmans are saddened that the federal government
would sue them because they attempted to prevent the Navajo language
from being used as a way to insult, degrade, and be rude to fellow
employees. Certainly the federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission ("EEOC") has a vital role to play in today's society.
The Kidmans fully support efforts to prevent discrimination. It
is shameful that the federal government will use taxpayers' money
to sue the Kidmans, rather than addressing legitimate issues of
discrimination.
The Kidmans were trying to prevent the offensive treatment of co-workers
through the use of the Navajo language. That is a goal that the
EEOC should agree with and support. It should not pursue a lawsuit
against the Kidmans to try to win the right for workers to swear,
be rude and mistreat other workers or insult customers as long as
workers do so in a language other than English!
The Kidmans are proud of their record of support for the
Navajo community. They appreciate their many friends and
neighbors in the town of Page and in the adjacent Navajo Nation
who have expressed their support for the Kidmans and who have been
shocked and dismayed that our government would seek to attack and
potentially destroy the Kidmans' life work.
If you would like additional information about the Navajo Nation,
please visit www.navajo.org.
Information about the Page and Lake Powell areas can be obtained
at www.pagelakepowellchamber.org
and www.powellguide.com. |
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