A procession of supporters of two bills establishing an Indigenous Peopleâs Day in Montana offered their personal stories Wednesday to illustrate a broader lack of understanding of Native American history â as well Columbus Dayâs namesake â in the state.
âWhy celebrate a man who committed deplorable and horrendous acts against humanity?â Billings resident Ben Pease asked the Senate State Administration Committee. âYeah, Christopher Columbus was a murderer, we know this. But more importantly today, why teach an alternate, false history to our children and ourselves, and continue to lionize such a horrible human being?â
Pease, an Apsaalooke artist who is one of the co-founders of Indigenous Peopleâs Day Montana, said the new holiday would offer a chance to celebrate Montanaâs diversity while correcting long-standing misperceptions about the violent colonization of the continent.
Montana Lawmakers Consider Local Option Sales Tax Bill
Montana lawmakers will once again consider a bill that would allow for a local option sales tax. It’s a policy that’s been seen and rejected in past years at the state Legislature, amid a long-running debate over how to make the most of tourism dollars and tax locals fairly.
Rep. Dave Fern, a Democrat from Whitefish, is sponsoring House Bill 187, and admitted he doesn’t think it’ll get much support this year. However, he lives in a town with a local resort tax and thinks it’s a good model to ease the burden of other taxes.
As House Bill 112 moved through the Montana House Judiciary Committee on Thursday morning, the chorus of voices against the legislation grew louder.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and dozens of Montana civil rights groups have joined in opposition to HB 112 and House Bill 113, both of which are pieces of anti-trans legislation.
The Judiciary Committee will vote on HB 113 on Friday morning.
The HRC is the largest LGBTQ+ organization in the country. A Montana coalition against anti-transgender legislation, called the Free and Fair Coalition, is comprised of the Montana Human Rights Network, Montana Women Vote, ACLU of Montana, Empower Montana, Forward Montana, the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, the Montana Gender Alliance, the Montana Chapter of the National Social Workers Association, the Montana Racial Equity Project, the Indigenous Organizers Collective, Planned Parenthood of Montana, Pride Foundation, and Trans