N. Scott Momaday, a Kiowa writer, says:
“ . . . more Indians going to school, more Indians becoming professional people, more Indians assuming full responsibility in our society. We have a long way to go, but we’re making great strides.”
I agree with Momaday, but I would state it differently. I would say Indians are indeed making great strides forward, but we have a long way to go, with the emphasis on “... a long ways to go,” especially in the area of ethical behavior in the workplace. Here are two examples of why I feel this way.
a. First, several months ago, a friend of mine forwarded me an email that was sent out by a former tribal business manager who resigned because a newly elected tribal council member wanted the tribe to pay off what he owed on his old car, which he would than trade in for new car, and the tribe would pay the difference.
b. Secondly, while attending a national school board conference a friend of mine from another reservation told me this about a tribal official. While on travel with several members of his tribe they ate lunch at an expensive restaurant. They were going to use cash to pay for the meal when the tribal official said, “Give me your money. I will pay for the meal with my credit card. I need cash,” he said. As he was getting his credit card out of his billfold, it dropped to the floor and everyone saw it was not his personal credit card, but the tribe’s credit card.
Consider these two examples for a few minutes and what they say about us – can or cannot Indian Country benefit from a course on ethics? You be the judge. If you believe so, than continue to the next section.