Embracing Red Lake waters debate wrong GOP direction

Bemidji Pioneer Letter

My parents are died-in-the-wool Democrats, and at 18, I voted a straight-party ticket. Nevertheless, during my college years at a private Christian college in Missouri, I began to adjust my way of thinking and have since been a single-issue voter for the life of the unborn. In the past, I have supported Republicans like Doug Lindgren due to his “pro-life” platform.

With the Republicans attacking native American sovereignty, promises made in the article, “Tribal waters at issue Red Lakers, GOP discuss sovereignty,” Lindgren stated that his first bill would be to seek clarification on the waters of Red Lake. It is likely that we will see a repeat of the previous do-nothing session that pampered the wealthy and neglected the needs of this state. Unfortunately, the only value accomplished this past legislative session was the eminent domain bill initiated by a DFL representative.

So, on the one hand, we have provided legislation to protect voters’ property rights from wrongful governmental encroachment while, on the other hand, local Republicans promise to bully and force wrongful governmental encroachment against the sovereign rights of the Red Lake Indian Nation that have existed for over 100 years. Such actions, by Lindgren and Barrett, are not only delving into the bitter roots of bias and prejudice that all citizens of tolerance have worked laboriously to remove from our society, but returning to bitter confrontation and debate, over historical native American rights and sovereignty postpones leadership and accountability to the voters.

Launching another futile legislative session has me in variance to the party, and I hope local Republicans revisit their position, remove them from the state Republican leadership’s position of fear and bias, and work toward assuring fair and equal treatment for all in Beltrami County.

Patricia Gould

Bemidji