Commentary
Congress needs to protect ‘Dreamers’
As the chaplain of St. Peter’s Medical Center in Helena, I work to preach humility, support those in need and promote togetherness. That is why I support expanding protections for Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants who contribute tremendously to our country. Undocumented immigrants and their families live in limbo because they lack permanent legal documentation. […]
State hospital’s funding termination could affect every community in the state
Las month, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent a letter to Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs announcing the termination of their provider agreement due to the failure of the Hospital to meet health and safety standards, after four patients died in what investigators said were “preventable” deaths. This means that the State Hospital […]
Montana’s Constitutional Declaration of Rights: For the Ages
Fifty years ago, I was unbelievably blessed to be the research staff for the Declaration of Rights Committee of the Montana Constitutional Convention. As we approach the 50th Anniversary, I must give a solemn nod to the recent passing of two giants: Bill of Rights Committee Chairman Wade Dahood and Committee member Bob Campbell, primary reasons […]
How to really protect old growth forests
On Earth Day, President Joe Biden announced a new policy to protect mature and old growth trees which store the most carbon. Unfortunately, the president’s order will not ban logging of mature and old-growth forests or even protect the trees. Instead, the President’s order is the latest version of a long bipartisan, Orwellian plan to subsidize the destruction […]
The unhoused: America’s refugees
Who are unhoused people? We all have various ideas of who is an unhoused person and how they became unhoused. These are based on what we see in the media, stories from friends and family, or what we see in the street. There simply is no such thing as the “typical” unhoused person. No one […]
Hypocrites on the left, right
In San Francisco and other cities there is a big homeless issue. It is due to many factors both economic and drug related, but in this most liberal city solutions such as building high density housing are rejected because those neighborhoods fear that the projects would (take your pick): Increase crime, lower property values, ruin […]
Why is climate change a partisan issue?
These days, protecting the very systems that enable life on Earth has inexplicably become a partisan issue. But why would that be? We all need clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, clean soil in which to grow food and a functioning, life-supporting climate. Without those essentials, life as we know it is imperiled […]
Hungry children just too much bother for the state of Montana
“For I was naked and you clothed me. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. And I was hungry, and you decided against feeding me because of the administrative burdens.” Jesus’ words don’t quite have the same ring to them when translated for today’s political environment, I guess. Of course, I adapted his famous […]
The BLM should protect Fort Belknap Indian Community from more pollution
Imagine living in a rural community and watching your waterways run red with contamination from a nearby, poorly planned, now-closed gold mine. This scene is a reality for the Fort Belknap Indian Community which watched in horror as their once pristine mountain waters became no longer safe to drink, let alone touch. That is why […]
City of Billings targeting legal massage therapists instead of going after criminals
In the April 20 article concerning the massage therapy lawsuit against the City of Billings, Mayor Bill Cole remarked that, “They (massage therapists) didn’t seem to want to compromise in any way.” He implied that we didn’t want to be inconvenienced. I disagree. I’ve been involved in writing, supporting or opposing massage therapy laws on […]
How to end our use of synthetic fertilizer
As the world’s farmers watch the cost of synthetic fertilizer continue to increase, and food prices shatter records kept by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the global food system so many of us have come to rely on is being stressed like never before. This upheaval in the global food system just demonstrates its inherent vulnerability. […]
Montana Constitution applies to all Montanans (including the governor)
In the many years I had the privilege of teaching Montana history, one of my absolute favorite chapters was on the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention. The diversity of people gathered at our state capitol during the wintry months of 1972 created a document that has stood the test of time and been admired and emulated […]