Comments about ‘Obama nominates BYU law professor to lead Indian Affairs’

Congratulations to Larry. He is an excellent choice and I'm sure he'll make his university, his church, and his state proud.

Nice story.

congrats dad.... we'll be cheering you on.

President Obama has made the worst possible choices of officials he could possibly have made--starting with our dear former governor Janet to Homeland Security.
This appointment gives me hope that the president may actually appoint some qualified people to important positions!
My son is a BYU law school graduate, and he had great respect for Dr. Echohawk.
Good luck!

I'm surprised the extensive reporting in this article and coverage devoted to Mr. Echohawk's religious experiences. While such information was interesting and in same ways intriguing, it also raises questions as to whether or not such coverage also represents the extent to which Mr. Echohawk would also bring religion, particularly the Mormon religion into his federal position if appointed. How compatible Mormonism is with the various Native American religious and spiritual beliefs I know not. But with the medium comes the message and if the extensive coverage of Mormonism in this article reflects Mr. Echohawk's own prominence he would bring to his government office, then other Native Americans may need to look more carefully at their own beliefs and if Mr. Echohawk truly reflect them.

Mr, Tab L. Uno. Do you think that people of other religions have no personal bias? Or do you think only Mormons can't set aside their biases and be objective? Either shows your bias.

I am one of the last guys the LDS Church will call on to be a poster boy. So understand that mormonism is not a big deal in my life. But comments like "How compatible Mormonism is with the various Native American religious and spiritual beliefs I know not" have nothing to do with this matter. Why would the Mormon religion have anything to do with this appointment? Please explain why religion is an issue in this case. Echohawk sounds like a good choice to me.

Tab L. Uno, You don't make any sense. Just because the article dedicated a significant part of its writing to reflect upon his church service doesn't correlate to your assumption that his church service will bleed over to his practice of law. Did Mr. Echohawk write the article? No. It was simply the choice of the reporter who works for conservative newspaper that has many ties with the LDS church to write about his church service. Why does this surprise you? Do you know anything about the Deseret News?

I suspect the emphasis on his Mormon-related experiences were put in because a number of the readers are Mormon and would find it interesting. It may also be the reporter didn't have access to much of Prof. Echohawk's writing that would be related to his new proposed job. Hope he does well.

As a student of Professor Echohawk set to graduate from BYU's Law School this month, I can honestly say that there is not a better-qualified person for this appointment. He is smart, diligent, honest, caring, and wants to fix the plight of the Native Americans. The religious references simply reflect his life experiences and character, as well as his integrity. I would be honored to help him in anyway in his new position, even if it is just by cheering from the sidelines.

Congratulations to my law school mentor and to a great great man.

I want to extend my congratulations to this fine man and I believe he will make an excellent Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and I want to wish him the best.

As a side note it is good to see a Mormon Democrat appointed to such a high position. I'm glad that more Mormon Democrat are finding their way into our Government and that righteousness is returning to Mormon's involvement in government. We have for far to long see the wicked Republican Party and those who adhere to the cause of Satan hijacking the name of Mormons when it comes to involvement in federal and state government.

May God bless him and may he do a lot of good and may more people come to realize that the principles and platforms of the Republican Party are almost entirely inconsistent with the doctrines and principles of the gospel and of His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The wicked Republicans will have to come to repent when they realize that their party has chosen to follow Satan's fake gospel

I met Larry and his family in Farmington, NM. Pres. Obama has finally found an appointee who will have paid an honest tax.

Maybe they spoke about his religion because many in the community have had contact with him in that context. If a local bike store owner were elected to a national office, you might expect them to talk about that since it represented their participation in the local community. For me, for example, I have no contact with President EchoHawk as a law professor. Until a few weeks ago, he was my Stake President at BYU and had interviewed me for a temple recommend renewal. People like me are the ones who read this newspaper, since it's a local paper, and I would be disappointed if it left out something that is important to me.

With that said, the article barely mentioned the LDS relationship, and, even if it was all about that, it still would only be a reflection of the nature of the newspaper and reporter and not the way President EchoHawk would run the BIA.

And if you have issues with LDS references, themes, and bias, the Deseret News is almost certainly not for you.

Heaven's to assume that Mormons are all programed to only do what their leaders tell them to do in all aspects of their lives and jobs, is crazy. While many have to know "what the Prophet says before getting out of bed, turning on the TV or going to a movie, along with eating, not all are that way. The "Glory of God is Intelligence" we have all been given the right to decide for ourselves by thinking. What the prophet says is HIS OPINION, unless you hear comments preceded by "the Lord speaketh". Do you think all the GA's are on the same page and think the same way? They don't they argue, they have different ideas, etc. I find few members who are now willing to admit that the ban on Blacks was anything more than Brigham's 1800s views on race, and this was never changed, but revelation hell, NO.

tp "So far, in my opinion", you clearly know nothing about the Administration and are hard core right wing Republican. There have been some excellent choices, and for a new Administration with the problems they were handed, these folks are doing a very good job, particularly in changing policy direction on a number of matters. As for Echohawk, he has done a great job over the course of his career and will do great in Washington. Finally Utah will have little bit of impact on the national level. It is too bad that Utah is so hard core that it freezes itself out every time there is a Democratic Administration.

Mr. Echohawk, come on out to the reservations in SD and see what the problems really are. Last 7 weeks we have had 6 attempted suicides in the city of Wanblee by our teenagers. Our unemployment rates range from 75-85% across the state's reservations. Diabetes is rampant, gangs are in control of the night, and there is such dysfunationalities that it reminds me of a third world country. Romania.

The BIA is hated in SD. But they build good roads.
Roads ... nothing but roads... come on out, sit down with people from the Tree of Life Ministry in Mission and on the Crow Creek and get the low down, not the spin down. Come on out and watch the drunks wander the streets of Mission.
Come on down and see how the casinos on some of the reservations simply take what little money there is in the local population and put it in the hands of the controllers from Vegas. Disgusting.

It is a mess, sir. It is a very big mess. Check on things with the Reservation Recreation Project at South Dakota State University. They will give you an accurate picture.

Good luck. You will need it.

RE: Tab L. Uno, I believe you don't have any idea what you are neither saying nor do you have any idea what kind of individual Larry is. Why the bias toward a well read and principled individual who claims to have become a better person by adhering to the principles taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Larry is not a supporter of gaming on Native American lands because he can document that it doesnt benefit his people in lifting them from poverty, or lift them socially. He is wise enough to know that any dole does not build character socially. It must be earned. Every American needs to realize our country will be better because of Larrys service.

If being a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints influences an individual to become more refined, dedicated, committed to correct principles, law abiding, and honest, then why shouldnt Tab L. Uno praise Larry for what he has become. Larry is all too wise to legislate his religion on others; however Im confident he will invite all to examine it for themselves, by his example.

Congratulations from another former student. Mr. Echohawk understands the law and the plight of Native Americans and will work tirelessly to improve their situation and the relationship between Indian nations and the rest of the country.

it will be interesting to see if this pawnee is like his forefathers ..who wiped out other natives back in the day..in a genocide kind of way...wasn't pretty for sure...we will see where his heart is by his actions...i and others of the native community await his actions as there have been others in the past who have shown no action...then i will judge but for now i will accept him and welcome him as a brother , may his destiny and journey amongst the native people be a good one!!AHO!!