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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2003

"I'm privileged to be the second American Indian ever to hold a leadership position in the Montana Legislature. The first was Jean Turnage, who eventually became chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court. Just a few generations ago, our accomplishments - and those of the six other American Indians who currently serve in the Legislature - would have been unthinkable outside of Montana's tribal nations.

That's why I'm saddened at the Republican leadership's attempts to move the clock back. Not too many years ago, votes of American Indians were not allowed or were not counted, or were watered down to the point our communities had no voice in Montana's political decisions.

Montana is hurting. The unemployment rate on Indian reservations in Montana reaches 70 percent and Indian students drop out of school at alarming rates. The rest of the state suffers, too, with average wages that are lower than any other state. One in five Montanans does not have health insurance, yet the Republican leaders' budget cuts threaten to eliminate help for our neighbors dying from kidney disease, low-birth-weight infants and women with breast and cervical cancer. Meanwhile, homeowners and small businesses are seeing property taxes climb as a direct result of budget cutting and cost-shifting at the state level."

Get the Story:
Ensuring voting rights for state's American Indians (The Billings Gazette 2/18)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Mont. districts hurt tribal sovereignty (2/12)
Plan to redraw Indian districts 'unconstitutional' (2/7)
Indian legislators discuss priorities (01/24)
Mont. now has seven Indian lawmakers (11/08)
Mont. GOP claims Indian districts a ploy (08/12)