Louis Farrakhan, the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, addressed the Navajo Nation Council on Wednesday, urging the tribe to be more self-sufficient.

Farrakhan said Navajo people need to start their own businesses. "I saw Basha's here, I saw other supermarkets where's yours?" Farrakhan said, referring to a grocery store chain on the reservation. "Nobody is going to respect a people who aren't producing."

Bennie Shelly, a council delegate, agreed with Farrakhan's message. He said Navajos need to develop their own economy on the reservation. "The federal government acts like a father and we're the children. They treat us like we have to depend on them all the time," he told The Gallup Independent.

Get the Story:
Farrahkan: Navajos must demand respect (The Gallup Independent 7/20)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Navajo Nation Council - http://www.navajonationcouncil.org

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