Red Lake Band can’t ignore U.S. Supreme Court rulings

Bemidji Pioneer Letter

Messrs. Kevin Leecy and George Goggleye allowed that most Minnesotans are accustomed to the craziness of election years. They went on to say, “Most politicians disdain the politics of personal destruction.” That thought must have lasted about 11 seconds.

Michael Barrett wrote a reasonable and truthful column on the Opinion page of the Pioneer citing Supreme Court decisions that Red Lake waters belong to the state of Minnesota. Leecy and Goggleye immediately called Barrett a racist and bigot. Difficult to be more crazy and negative, but that is what bullies do. When losing an argument intellectually, they resort to such tactics.

On Feb. 2, 1926, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that it is settled law that navigable waters within a state belong to that state. Until the Supreme Court decided otherwise, Mr. Spaulding is correct.

I am disappointed that Roger Moe and Frank Moe have decided it is better to ignore the high court and pander to the Red Lake Band by handing over complete ownership of Red Lake waters. Nor surprising though, Democrats know they need the Indian vote to win an election.

How many other high court decisions will Moe ignore? How about Roe? That decision has weaker standing than either decision mentioned by Mr. Barrett.

Anne Huhtala’s silly little rime demonstrates the magnitude of her ignorance. Indian tribes fought, enslaved, “stole land” and plundered weaker tribes. When you talk about greed, you need only to look inward. This continent was very sparsely populated and a civilization with better arms claimed land that Indians tried to claim but could not keep. It was inevitable that Europeans settle this nearly empty continent. As a result, American Indians now have every right and protection allowed to whites … and a little bit more.

Andrew J. Brown

Bemidji