Could you turn down $5 BILLION dollars, this guy did!

That is a really remarkable dude! I would like to think I would do the exact same thing. Though I would imagine it would be a big and hard decision. To know that for the rest of my life and my childrens childrens ects life they'd be taken care of. On the other hand - there is very little beauty left in this world and it's our responsiblity to take care of this earth. I think he made the right decision :)

He has to love this land he has and if he feels he was intrusted with it for sacred and burial site he is the care taker of this land and he feels he has to save it as it is for going in there to mine it would be such a waste of the land.SOme people dont thin k money is worth distroying burial and sacred site . Power to him and I would stand behind him all the way.

That is the kind of Golden incorruptible man that the world needs, he is a pure gem who loves posterity more than his own life now-he is forward looking, he is just a lone in this world of earstwhile,greedy mortals who can even kill a neighbour for a mere $10 assasination fee!I just wish he were the leader of the world!

Hello Craftcatcher, Wow you're right, Jeffrey Lee certainly is a principled man! I suspect that his decision is a little easier because he is making the decision for the whole of the Djok Clan. The decision might be much more difficult if it was his own personal property. Even so, I really respect his commitment to his clan's history. Although I do wonder if the rest of his clan feels the same way that he does? Or, if the clan would be willing to allocate a portion of the land grant to mining, so as to insure the future financial stability of the clan. I cannot say what I would do in his shoes either. $5 billion is certainly alot of money, yet history and the preservation of the clan's lifestyle is invaluable. This is a toughie for sure. I hadn't heard this anywhere else, so thanks for bringing this to our attention Craftcatcher.

That is a totally awesome thing to do. To turn down such a huge amount of money based on principles and convictions alone. That is really cool of him. However, I am afraid they would try other means to extract the uranium. May be go through the government and dig up some loopholes in legislation or the constitution or something. These big corporations do not really care about the environment or anything else for that matter. All they think about is profits.

Hi again, Finally having some time to fly around and visit friends' sites. Keeping up with responses has kept me busy this week. Such great additions to topics..I have read and re-read them more than once...your's included! Still having trouble picking the best of the best..but I will. Thank you for posting this Crafcatcher...it is such a refreshing change to hear of individuals like this. So much of the news is about the plunderers of the earth's natural resources. This story does create a hmmmm...let us pause for a moment, get real..and ask ourselves what we would do in a similar circumstance? I think he is a living testimony to the idea of wealthy verus abundant living. If he has all his basic needs inwardly and outwardly within the life he is living...then he has abundance and the wealth isn't the reason for him being here. Sure would like to meet him and sit down and chat. Sounds like an amazing planetary citizen! Cannot help but wonder who he is within his spiritual essence...obviously a guardian of some kind. Anyway, thanks for providing an inner smile for me today. Makes me happy to know how many people are living a conscious life and walking their talk..everyday heros that often don't represent the greater good on news coverage. Great thing about Mylot and inter-netting...we can provide other 'perspectives. Good post...great topic material. Cheers!

Well good for him. I'd like to think I would do the same in his position but to be honest I'm not sure. Money like that is a huge temptation. You're right - it would be a real test of moral fibre and I have a bad feeling that I might fail! I notice he's the sole member of his clan - I wonder what will happen to the land once he's not around. At least he's only 36 so hopefully that issue won't arise for some time.

Well love we cant all have the things we want but there are some stupid buggers around and they are very hard to under stand,and it is a bit of a worry this day and age,lots of hugs.

Not sure that I would do the same either- maybe just allow them to mine only in a certain area and thats it no more after that, hard to say- guess it would depend on a lot of things- but Kudos to him for doing the right thing.

My first words would be "Where do I sign" then next would be "Where's my check". 5 Billion dollars is more than the GDP of a lot of countries in the world. Imagine the wonderful things that you coudl do with all that money to help people. Yeah, one stretch of wilderness goes bust for it, but so much more could be done. yeah, I'd have to spend some on myself and family and friends but a lot goes to charities and scholarships. Education is something everyone shoudl have a chance to get and I'd make that a priority.

Wow... that must be a very special and sacred place. I would hope that, inspired by the kind of beauty that he is blessed to live in, I could do the same. I don't know for sure that I would, though, that's a pretty solid, self-contained, happy-with-his-world kind of person to resist $5B!

It looks like God gave the land to the right person to take care of!

Hello Craftcatcher, this is a great story of moral and integrity. This is very good news to know that someone like that exists somewhere. However, knowing the big money companies, they won't give up that easily. The land will somehow fall into their claws as there is too much money at stake. This is the sad reality. I think the guy won't give in but the big money corps will find their way. The government should give him protection and make the site into a national park or something of that order. But governments are as gullible as anyone.

I can also turned down that much money. If the catch would do more harm than I earn $60 bucks a week. See the thing yes money makes the world go round . But does the world care about you family's sake. Its better for to earn money on my own sweat. You reap what you sow is best describe to this situation.

Good for him. I am glad to see that someone doesn't care for money but cares for what is important to him and what is/was important to his people. So many people would have sold out. I don't know what I would have done, I would like to say I would do the same but then I would like to give my kids the world too.

It might be now that he will die for that ground. Being in the news and eveyone now knowing about the uranium the bad guys might come his way and take it. Whatever it takes. So sorry that is was found and now it is in the news. I hope he does not meet his end. Would be too sad to hear.

Oh yes. I would say he is admirable. Could I turn it down? I don't know. I would probably look for a way around it without disturbing the sacred sites. That would be a big temptation.

Well, that makes perfect sense. If someone wanted to hand me 5 billion bucks, I'd ask what strings are attached for sure. But if they wanted to rape the land to give me that money, 'I'd say no, too. I admire him and I hope we could all aspire to be less greedy and have better morals, like him.

I applause this men. I think that he is a true believer and does fallow his believes, and there are not alote of people that have this character, at least people that i know. I think that it is wonderful, and i wish that i could love life and my country and nature like this man does.

It'd be very hard to turn down that much money, but I could never look at myself if I sold out to my culture.