Let’s build safe homes, treatment centers run by locals using traditional methods of healing, and other programs that are beneficial to our communities so that our people can begin healing using traditional methods. The Western way of putting people in jail is not working, we’ve got to work with our people in order for them to heal. When our folks are put into jails, all they do is, eat, sleep, lockdown and stare at four walls all day — where’s the healing taking place in that scenario?
We can put all the troopers, VPSOs and police in our villages that we want, provided the funding is there, but will the problems go away? Not likely, and no healing takes place. Some of our villages already have troopers, VPSOs and VPOs, but are the problems being resolved? We’ve got work on what is best for our fellow members and what better way than building facilities that are beneficial to our people.
Don’t tell me it can’t be done; it can be done and we are tired of hearing that it can’t be done. Give us half a chance to prove for ourselves. Thank you for taking this into consideration.
— Wassillie Gust Sr.
New Stuyahok
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