Silence on racial remarks deafening

When someone tells you who they are, believe them.

Tim Sheehy joked about one of his experiences as, “a great way to bond with all the Indians while they’re drunk at 8 a.m.” or throwing beer cans at cultural events. He then repeated his racist remarks to other audiences for their entertainment. He tells us who he is. There is no doubt his racist statements reflect his values.

Mr. Sheehy’s racist belief, declared and repeated, inflicts devastation on Indigenous people. His hurtful words are felt by us all. They are particularly damaging as they perpetuate an ugly stereotype almost all of us have had to overcome for generations. Substance use disorder is one of the contributing causes to the health disparity existing in Montana, where Indigenous people die a generation younger than our non-Indian neighbors.

Response to Mr. Sheehy’s racism must be non-partisan. It is not about being a Republican or Democrat, but a Montanan with Montana values to care for each other. While Mr. Sheehy is a candidate for one of the highest federal offices to represent all Montanans, everyone living in this beautiful place should be appalled. Now that the media has exposed these racist comments, we are waiting for his response. His silence is deafening.

I understand Tribal leaders have called for an apology. While an apology would be nice, it does not go far enough. It must be followed with concrete actions, demonstrating he is willing to change. This must include meaningful engagement with Indigenous people with an open mind and heart, to gain a full understanding of who we are as people and citizens of Montana. While we wait, allies of Indigenous people must join us and demand better from our elected officials.