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Navajo Pros And Cons

Decent Essays

Carelessness, manipulation, apathy, these words convey the actions against the Navajo Nation by outside parties like mining companies. Throughout history, Native Americans have generally been taken advantage of by outsiders; and this trend is a common theme between the articles Coal Mining On Navajo Nation In Arizona Takes Heavy Toll and Navajo Nation Slams Door on Deal That Would Have Allowed Uranium Mining. The first article evaluates the effects of coal mining on the Navajo Nation. The second article gives an overview if the troubles of the Navajo due as they try to prevent uranium mining on their land. Despite the difference in how each article approaches the common theme of exploitation, both use examples of how the detrimental consequences resulting from the mining and the selfish acts of …show more content…

Although there appears to be multiple benefits to allowing mining on Navajo land, the majority of them are not in favor of people of who reside there. One of the major benefits resulting from mining is the increase in employment opportunities, which is in the opening of the article when a resident discusses how “under a shady tree, they offered steady work at union wages,” (Rowe). As the article continues, benefit of jobs appears to be only positive outcome for Navajo inhabitants, while people who live in other regions benefit from the mining. The author of the article, Claudia Rowe, talks about how the coal is for “cheap electricity for much of the residential and business development in the Southwest”. The emphasis of the positive effects of mining on Navajo land and people show how the benefits they receive are practically nothing comparing to the benefits of those not residing in Navajo

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