Our View: Despite the bad stuff, a lot is going well at Rocky Boy

Things have been rather tumultuous at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in recent months.

The newly elected chair of the Business Committee was tossed out of office by committee members either because he sexually harassed some employees or, as many believe, because he was talking to federal officials about widespread corruption.

Six people are facing charges from said corruption.

In a controversial decision, the election board has refused the former chairman and opportunity to run for the seat he has been booted from.The sense of hopelessness by some residents has taken its toll. Drug use is apparently increasing. There are reports of more violence on the reservation.

This is all terribly said, but it masks some tremendous things that have been going on.

A widespread effort aimed at reducing drug use has been launched. The anti-drug protests are aimed at rallying the anti-drug forces that sometimes cower in fear and at letting drug dealers know that people are keeping an eye on them.

Friday, more than 40 people graduated from Stone Child College, the model educational institution that offers higher education to to the tribal community. The graduates will make more money and live fuller lives because the college is there.

Shortly, Box Elder and Rocky Boy high schools will holding commencement exercises, as young people begin a new phase of their lives. too many will have dropped out of school before graduation, but far fewer than used to be the case.

Programs to curb diabetes and improve the health standards of residents are in place.

Domestic abuse has long been a problem, but groups of men and women are demanding a halt to the tendency of look the other way at incidents of abuse.

All of this says a lot about the people of Rocky Boy, the folks without fancy titles, but who see something wrong and take it into their own hands to do something good about it.

The future of Rocky Boy is bright, despite the leaders who sometimes go astray. The people are making a better place of their hometown despite bigotry from outside the reservation and greed from inside.