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Montana—home to 12 federally recognized tribes—is the latest battleground over damaging rhetoric by public officials. One legislator floated a resolution calling on Congress to abolish reservations. The text was reportedly drafted by a businessman heading up what he calls “The States Rights Coalition”. Another official publicly questioned why Native Americans should be allowed to vote. He told a reporter that view is “the consensus opinion among conservatives” in the state. Today on Native America Calling, we’ll look at the continuing verbal, legal, and legislative affronts to tribal sovereignty based on outdated, stereotypical, and uninformed perspectives to which tribal officials are forced to respond with Ta’jin Perez (Totanac), deputy director for Western Native Voice; State Sen. Shane Morigeau (D-MT 48th/member of the Confederated Tribes of Salish and Kootenai Tribes); and State Sen. Susan Webber (D-MT 8th/member of the Blackfeet Nation).
Break 1 music: Wake Up Song (song) Voices of Salish & Ped d’Oreille Women (artist) Heart of the Bitterroot (album)
Break 2 music: Mistahi Mewasin (Really Delighted) (song) Young Spirit (artist) Akameyimoh Baby Boy (album)
What are the names of the people who want to abolish reservations, and who asked about voting rights of Native Americans?