Mardi Gras is tomorrow! Come out and support a great cause- Jazz, wine, snacks and the opportunity to snag some sweet swag for cheap- plus excellent company! 7 pm Emerson Cultural Center, Bozeman.
Category Archives: Montana
NYT Weighs In On Montana’s Medical Marijuana Snafu
Kirk Johnson of the New York Times covers the economic angle of repealing Montana’s medical marijuana referendum:
Questions about who really benefits from medical marijuana are now gripping Montana. In the Legislature, a resurgent Republican majority elected last fall is leading a drive to repeal the six-year-old voter-approved statute permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which opponents argue is promoting recreational use and crime.
If repeal forces succeed — the House last month voted strongly for repeal, and the Senate is now considering it — Montana would be the first to recant among the 15 states and the District of Columbia that have such laws.
In Bozeman, a college and tourism town north of Yellowstone National Park, construction jobs and tax collections dried up just as the marijuana business was blossoming; residents and politicians here say the interconnection of economics and legal drugs would be much more complicated to undo.
Something the morality economy-geared legislature seems to be forgetting. For those with few options, marijuana can be an excellent idea. I do not use it myself, but I know people who have benefitted greatly- with pain management issues, insomnia, low appetite and nausea- all issues persons with chronic illness such as HIV can have as a result of legally prescribed medication. It makes sense that this relief also be legally prescribed.
If it becomes illegal and you knew it had helped you, would you break the law?
Flathead News Alert!
Cowgirl reports that Frank Miele, editor of the Flathead Daily Interlake is a vitriolic birther, who’s defending Billy Bob Wagner’s bill to require presidential birth certificates to be on the ballot in Montana. Miele also goes after Anderson Cooper, on whose show Wagner was completely unmasked as a redneck jackass (apologies to Democrats).
Must be seen to be believed. Read it here.
Enough is Enough. Isn’t It?
According to Wulfgar it is. I missed this when I was fighting with my internets the past two days. Still so worth reading.
Excerpt:
But, simply put, the Montana online right is getting to the point that even I can’t read them any more. That’s a sad admission coming on a sad afternoon after many such sad afternoons. It’s also very true. The same old lies, the same old ignorance. It’s kinda pointless.
…It’s pretty obvious at this point that the Montana GOP doesn’t give a flying shit about jobs, or Montana, or even a balanced budget. And the only thing coming from the Montana “Dextra” is the sad soft whine that these people should be more what they want and less what they don’t want.
Oh, yes, he did.
Read the rest here.
The Montana Taliban’s Jihad
Yesterday, the Montana House of Representatives voted to nullify any local anti-discrimination ordinances (Missoula and Bozeman), forcing cities and towns to rely on state law which doesn’t protect LGBT persons from discrimination. 60 Republicans voted for the bill, all 32 House Democrats joined by seven enlightened Republicans voted against. From The Missoulian
It was the second bill that passed Tuesday to nullify a locally adopted policy in Missoula. Earlier, the House banned enactment of local initiatives such as the one Missoula County voters approved in 2006 to make marijuana crimes the lowest priority of law enforcement.
“It is ironic that the first bill of the day and the last bill of the day both intend to override the expressed will of Missoulians to govern ourselves as we see fit,” said Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula.
It’s time to call a spade a spade.
There is only one way to describe the faction of the Montana Republican party which is voting to legislate their own arrogant morality, usurping the clear will of persons in municipalities to govern themselves in favor of theological, idealogical and biblical precepts while blatantly ignoring science, reason and due diligence: Religious extremism.
Like The Taliban.
And there is not much they won’t do to erode the rights of other human beings- including ignoring valid democratic processes. I almost believe that they won’t be happy until the statue of the Goddess of Liberty is torn from the top of the Capitol Building and replaced with a cross….
In my opinion, term limits have simply contributed to this process, giving people no chance to cultivate relationships and actually govern. Instead, people are focused on issues and positions, not long-term goals and objectives.
Montana’s Taliban needs to be called to accountability. I refuse to believe that the will of the people is to strip other human beings of protections which were carefully put into place by those who know them best. I refuse to believe that the majority of Montanans approve of the ignorant, dirty dancing these legislators are doing in the name of God their constituents. I refuse to believe that most Montanans want LGBT persons discriminated against, maimed- perhaps dead, because of a lack of protection.
Prove me right. Please.
Ravndal’s Very Very Very Latest- A FREEDOM Rally. With Guns.
Yep- the man who advocated violence against gay people (fruits) is now promoting a Freedom Action Rally with a call to arms on the steps of the Montana State Capitol Building:
Are you ready to rock the steps of the capitol? grab your favorite weapon and join us on the steps of the capitol March 4th at 11:00AM. We will be focused on the Constitution and our rights. We will highlight the 2nd and 10th Amendments to our Constitution and will send a very very very loud message to our legislators who will be in the building when we are gathered outside on the steps. “A coward will die a thousand deaths, while a brave warrior will die only one!” -The Alamo (sic)
Three points.
- This sounds like a threat. Even less veiled than Denny Rehberg’s about a federal judge, or Sarah Palin’s webpage gunsights- are they getting bolder? Um, Yes.
- Ravndal knows not his Shakespeare (or proper comma usage). The quote is “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. ” This is from Act 1 Scene 2 Line 32 of “Julius Cesear”, written by William Shakespeare- but I never figured him for a classical education anyway.
- This makes my blood run cold. There have been threats of violence and war from these people. It is frickin’ scary, creepy and possibly illegal (any legal scholars want to weigh in?) and I am getting very worried.
Where will this end?
O'Sullivan, A Harvest of Death, Gettysburg July, 1863
Action Alert
House Judiciary votes to repeal Missoula and Bozeman policies
Much has happened this morning and we will get you a more in-depth email soon. We want to update you on an attempt by the House Judiciary Committee to overturn the Missoula Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, and similar inclusive policies now in place in Bozeman. We also have an immediate request for action that follows at the end of this message.
After decades of the state failing to protect LGBT Montanans, the House Judiciary Committee decided this morning to take away the right of localities to protect their own residents. HB 516 by Havre’s Rep. Kris Hansen passed on a 13-7 vote, with Helena’s Rep. Liz Bangarter joining all six Democrats on the committee voting against it.
Localities have the right and the legal ability to go beyond the Montana Human Rights Act. The Montana Human Rights Act sets the floor. It does not set the ceiling. Cities have the authority to establish ordinances and policies that protect and value members of their communities that have faced a history of discrimination.
That is exactly what the City of Missoula did when it passed its Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in April of 2010.
This will repeal not only the Missoula ordinance – but existing policies and resolutions that other cities have passed to protect their residents. People from across the state came to speak out in opposition (Helena, Cardwell, Butte, Billings, Great Falls, Bozeman, Missoula, Sidney and Opportunity, MT all came to the Capitol on Friday to stand in opposition to HB 516) – and their testimony was not only limited to ten minutes total, but cut off.
We have to believe that basic Montana values of fairness and dignity will prevail – if not in the House, then in the Senate.
We need you to contact your Representative immediately. You can use this easy webform to have your message delivered:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp
Please remember to be respectful, be direct – and share how this bill will personally impact you. Here are several talking points for your message:
- After Montana has failed to protect LGBT Montanans at the state level for decades, localities have decided to take the initiative and protect their own residents. This is the right of cities and counties across Montana. The state sets a minimum standard for protections against discrimination. Cities and Counties can expand protected classes.
- LGBT Montanans deserve to live their lives and fully participate in their communities without fear of losing their jobs or housing because or their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
- It is the right of cities and towns to take care of their residents and protect them from discrimination. The state of Montana should be in the business of extending these protections to LGBT Montanans, not repealing these protections.
- Montanans value diversity and equality, and we know our strength as a community is based on treating each other fairly and with respect. Protections like the ones now in place in Bozeman and Missoula match our public policy to our values.
Sincerely,
Jamee Greer
Montana Human Rights Network
For The Love Of Montana President’s Day Rally
Plus, there’s more!
Dirty Dancing Exposed
Hot on the heels of my Dirty Dancing post yesterday, Charles Johnson of the Lee State Bureau (Billings Gazette, Missoulian, Independent Record, Montana Standard, Ravalli Republic) has posted an article outlining the complaints against House Judiciary Chair Ken Peterson, R-Billings. Excerpt:
Advocates for civil rights, human rights and abortion rights say they aren’t getting a fair shake from House Judiciary Chairman Ken Peterson, R-Billings, at public hearings.
They are critical of Peterson’s fairness in scheduling and running hearings, his limiting the ability of people to testify or at least state their names, and his failing to stop representatives or witnesses from making inflammatory comments such as calling abortion providers murderers and homosexuality an abomination.
For his part, Peterson, serving his fourth term in the Montana House of Representatives, defended how he runs the committee and dismissed the criticisms.
“I would say they’re absolutely wrong,” he said. “I try to be fair to everybody. That’s my goal. I’m an attorney. I know it’s very important that all parties be treated the same.”
Au contraire!
Johnson’s article continues with numerous examples complaints of unfair treatment from Planned Parenthood, Civil Liberties Union of Montana and the Montana Human Rights Network- all known organizations that Republicans fear and despise. The shenanigans on display by the Judiciary leadership provides an opportunity for Republicans to use code words to invoke a familiar response to their followers, making over these human rights groups into bogeymen, conjuring up terror in the hearts of the ignorant and easily led. More:
“The chair is shutting down public comment, he’s shutting down hearings on bills that are life-and-death situations for Montanans,” (Stacy) Anderson (of Planned Parenthood of Montana) said, adding, “I think the civility has degraded, and I think some of the questions to people are degrading.”
…One committee member, Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, said she believes Peterson violated House rules by not allowing people to come to the podium and at least state their name and their positions on four bills. She said she couldn’t recall this happening before, but figured out a way around it by reading to the committee the names on the sign-in sheet and having people stand as she called their names.
“It only takes a few minutes for people to stand and say their name,” Sands said. By not allowing people that courtesy, she said, “it shows disrespect to those people and to the legislative process.”
Diane Sands- a giant in Montana human rights as far as I’m concerned, is a shrewd and yet firmly convicted politician who has served this state- well beyond her constituency-with passion, distinction and strength. She’s well worth listening to. And Johnson’s article is worth reading in its entirety.
Maybe twice.
And Carol Williams, D-Missoula’s response for those of you who haven’t seen it:
Press Resulting From/Covering Yesterday’s Human Rights Testimony
I wasn’t prepared for the press covering the GOP’s hijacking of the rights of Montanans to speak in favor of, or against, legislation- I thought it would just be added to the pile of neglected issues stocked in the backrooms of Montana newspapers.
I was wrong.
To quote Dirty Dancing (which is what I’m calling the GOP’s shenanigans): “When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong” (which is more than they’ll ever do).
From Lee Newspapers:
Social conservatives supported a bill Friday to nullify Missoula’s ordinance that protects residents from discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender, while human rights advocates lined up against it….Some Democrats also objected to a decision by committee chairman, Rep. Ken Peterson, R-Billings, to not allow people unable to testify because of time constraints to at least stand and say their names. However, they figured out a way around it by having more than 50 opponents stand as Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, read their each of their names from the sign-up list.
From The Associated Press:
Gay rights advocates were pushing to expand discrimination protection statewide — while conservative religious groups were backing a bill that aims to repeal a Missoula ordinance extending discrimination protection in that city based on sexual orientation.
The contentious nature of the issue and very short hearings on the two bills frayed nerves, as many who drove from out of town to testify were told there wasn’t enough time due to the House committee’s workload.
Next, the blogosphere. The most comprehensive I’ve seen so far is from Towleroad– which also has excellent links, including one to the Montana Public Radio coverage:
Testimony at Montana’s legislature got ugly yesterday over a proposed bill that would kill Missoula’s anti-discrimination ordinance and prevent local municipalities in the state from enacting similar ordinances, instead forcing them to recognize state laws, which currently don’t recognize LGBTs.
Intelligent Discontent provides an excellent roundup of Montana Blog coverage of the issue- I’m proud to stand with these folks. I won’t repeat it- just go have a look.
…and I hope it just strengthens your resolve to stand firm in the face of this bullshit.
From Eternity To Here 