Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)

Opinion


Sorted by date  Results 26 - 50 of 1828

Page Up

  • In the end, there's no good reason to legalize marijuana

    Apr 28, 2023
    3

    In his State of the State address, Gov. Tim Walz vowed to make Minnesota the best state in the country in which to raise a family. Now the governor and his allies are poised to diminish Minnesota's public health and quality of life by legalizing recreational pot. Extensive data from other states shows how legalization will unfold. There will be a sharp increase in traffic fatalities. A statistically small but very real cohort of people - thousands of them, disproportionately young - will develop...

  • Minnesota Rep. Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, has introduced a bill that would allow border counties to secede from the state

    Mike McFeely|Apr 24, 2023
    3

    MOORHEAD - Now you know Minnesota Republicans are getting serious. Blanked in statewide elections for 17 years and currently in the minority in both houses of the Legislature, they've discovered what they believe to be the magical elixir. This is very serious stuff to illustrate the well of good ideas they have to attract more voters and make the state a better place. Drum roll, please. Republicans introduced legislation that would allow counties bordering North Dakota and South Dakota to...

  • 'You need a dream to fix broken wings.'

    Apr 14, 2023

    Olympic great Billy Mills (Lakota) believes dreams can come true. His dream certainly came true when he crossed the finish line of the 10,000-meter race at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo to win a gold medal. Not expected to win, he shocked the world when he came from behind to take first place. Crossing the finish line and winning gold were longtime dreams for Billy. Seeing it come true changed his life forever. But it changed more than Billy's life. That moment propelled him to change the...

  • A LETTER FROM SHERIFF JASON RIGGS ON RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

    Apr 7, 2023

    As Sheriff of Beltrami County, I was elected to enforce our laws and keep the public safe. With the Minnesota Legislature considering the legalization of recreational cannabis, my job may be changing substantially in the near future. These bills have been moving through the legislature at a rapid pace, and I am concerned that state lawmakers may not address some key public safety issues that would arise if cannabis is legalized this session. Currently, law enforcement lacks an instant, on-site test for cannabis intoxication, similar to a...

  • Trump charges: The strongest/weakest case you've ever/never heard

    Apr 6, 2023

    For weeks, Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has come under heavy fire for pursuing a case against Donald Trump. Potential charges were described as being developed under a novel legal theory. And criticism has come not only from Trump and his allies, as expected, but also from many who are usually no friends of the former president but who feared it would be a weak case. With the release of the indictment and accompanying statement of facts, we can now say that there's nothing...

  • Empowering Tribal Colleges: The Urgent Need for Minnesota House Bill 750

    Dr Helen Zaikina-Montgomery, Leech Lake Tribal College|Apr 5, 2023

    Minnesota House Bill 750 is crucial to providing much-needed financial resources to tribal colleges in our state, opening doors for countless students who might otherwise be unable to pursue their academic dreams. As president of Leech Lake Tribal College, I am proud to support the mission of our institution and the intent of all tribal colleges: preserving and promoting Indigenous culture, languages, and heritage empowering students to become leaders within their communities and giving them...

  • How a president's arrest can strengthen democracy

    Mar 31, 2023

    In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant was arrested by a police officer for speeding in his horse-drawn coach in Washington. The officer stuck out his hand to signal a stop, and Grant obeyed and then accompanied the officer to the police station. Did that demean the presidency? No, I'd say it was a beautiful tribute to democracy. What was unthinkable for the French Sun King, Louis XIV -"L'état, c'est moi" ("I am the state") - is appropriate in a system of equality before the law. The New York...

  • Reproductive Freedom Defense Act Passes Minnesota House

    Mar 22, 2023

    St. Paul, MN — Today, the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act (RFDA) passed the Minnesota House, taking the bill one step closer to becoming law. The bill would protect patients in Minnesota, coming to Minnesota from a state that bans abortions, and doctors who practice in Minnesota or outside of Minnesota. In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade eliminating the federal right to abortion. This decision was a shattering blow to the right to access abortion in the United States, leaving even more people...

  • A promising life derailed by marijuana

    Mar 16, 2023
    2

    Catherine Mayberry was an honor student at Minnetonka High School. An award-winning artist. A varsity tennis player who also loved skiing and softball. A loving sister and daughter. On Oct. 8, at age 24, she died from an accidental overdose of meth mixed with fentanyl. Sadly, her parents, Trent and Jane Mayberry, consider this her "second death." In their view, they'd already lost her after she began using marijuana heavily in her late teens. As Catherine's mental health relentlessly...

  • Activists out of control in Minneapolis disputes

    Mar 2, 2023
    1

    The out-of-control, threatening behavior of some activists to try to intimidate Minneapolis officials has to stop. And there must be legal consequences for those who harass officeholders. Last Thursday, protesters disrupted a City Council meeting over a plan to demolish a warehouse in south Minneapolis and build a city facility on the old Roof Depot site. Protest is one thing, but shutting down a council meeting while security is called in to clear the chambers is unacceptable. Three council...

  • Native people will not be silenced

    Feb 28, 2023

    Last week, members of the Little Earth Defenders and the American Indian Movement began a ceremonial occupation of the Roof Depot site in East Phillips, where Minneapolis wants to build a new Public Works building ("Move ahead with Roof Depot project," editorial, Feb. 25). I was there at dawn, with my daughter and granddaughter. And I was there that night, when police surrounded us to evict our peaceful camp and try to silence the voices of Indigenous people ("Activists ousted from city site," Feb. 22). I'm not a protester, and I've never done...

  • Minnesota budget surplus: Spend every penny (and then some)

    Feb 27, 2023

    This week, Minnesota budget authorities will release their semiannual update on the state's finances. Barring major surprises, it will show that Minnesota has a considerable surplus. The announcement will renew an 18-month-old debate about what to do with the funds. Most conservatives will continue calls to "give it back" through tax cuts, while most Democrats will champion a mix of tax cuts, targeted tax credits and increased funding for public goods and services like schools, child care and...

  • States shouldn't deny equal treatment for Indian kids

    Feb 22, 2023

    "For too long, a lot of our kids have been lost in one system or another, whether it be this system or through residential schools," Montana State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy told his colleagues last week. "It's time to wake up and kind of move forward." Rep. Windy Boy is leading the charge for Montana to pass a state version of the Indian Child Welfare Act, before the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down as unconstitutional the federal version of that law, which many believe it may do this spring. ICWA...

  • New assisted suicide bill would pose dangers to Minnesotans

    Feb 17, 2023

    ST. PAUL — Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) strongly opposes legislation just introduced that would legalize assisted suicide in Minnesota. The bill would authorize doctors to prescribe lethal drugs for certain patients to intentionally end their own lives. “This legislation has gone nowhere in past years, and for good reasons. Assisted suicide is a danger to all of us,” said MCCL Co-Executive Director Cathy Blaeser. “The truth is that legalizing assisted suicide would pose real risks to Minnesotans. Lawmakers in St. Paul...

  • State awash in surplus, schools drowning in deficits

    Feb 1, 2023

    School districts across Minnesota are drowning in deficits driven by "cross subsidies" - the cost of unfunded state and federal mandates. Within the next 10 to 12 weeks, many will begin announcing staff and program cuts for the 2023-24 school year. Sometimes a local example helps people understand the scope of the problem. My district, Farmington Area Public Schools (ISD 192) currently projects a $5.7 million deficit for 2023-24. Our cross-subsidy payments are $8 million - again, for...

  • Rez Dogs Are A Real - and Sometimes Deadly - Problem on Indian Reservations

    Jan 30, 2023

    It is common to pull into a parking lot of a restaurant or a hotel located on an Indian reservation and have a stray dog hanging around for some attention and maybe some food. These dogs are commonly referred to as reservation dogs. Reservation dogs are real, dangerous, and sometimes deadly. The problem goes beyond begging dogs in parking lots being nuisances. Earlier this week, Native News Online reported on a brutal attack on Saturday, January 21, 2023, on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in...

  • Collecting taxes, Minnesota steals assets of the vulnerable

    Jan 6, 2023

    Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here. In 2015, officials in Hennepin County seized an elderly woman's condo and sold it, over about $2,300 of unpaid property taxes, plus $12,700 in penalties, interest and fees. They sold that home for $40,000 and kept every penny, robbing elderly Geraldine Tyler of her home equity. And that's just one example. From 2014 through 2021, local...

  • Living Generously – How Values Guide Us

    Jan 5, 2023

    Inflation and the economy have recently been in the news and discussed on social media. As someone who is part of a big family, I am only too aware, like so many of you, of the tensions between financial security and meeting the great needs of others. These were especially acute during the holiday season, and with the severe storms and the high costs of heating and food in the face of a long winter. But I am an optimist, and the actions of others have shown me that we have every reason to be hopeful for better times. This is also a time when I...

  • This Day in History: December 29, 1890 - Wounded Knee Massacre

    Dec 30, 2022

    Opinion. Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by Native News Online in December 2013. It has been updated to reflect 132 years that have passed since the tragic day. One hundred and thirty-two winters ago, on December 29, 1890, some 150 Lakota men, women and children were massacred by the US 7th Cavalry Regiment near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Some estimate the actual number closer to 300. Snowfall was heavy that December week. The Lakota...

  • Trump must not be above the law

    Dec 21, 2022

    The Jan. 6 House committee has concluded its 18-month investigation, appropriately, by unanimously recommending that the Justice Department charge former President Donald Trump for inciting insurrection; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government; obstructing an official act of Congress, and conspiracy to make a false statement. The move is without precedent in U.S. history. But it was made necessary by a president who, from the moment he was elected, was convinced that the law and rules did not...

  • Trump is a threat to the Constitution

    Dec 8, 2022

    Former President Donald Trump's bids for attention are becoming increasingly outrageous, desperate and even dangerous. His latest ploy is the most alarming yet: an explicit call for "termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution," as part of his ceaseless attempt to invalidate the results of the 2020 election. He did not, as some news outlets reported, call for a suspension of the Constitution. It's just a word, but words matter, and the intent carried...

  • Minnesota's legalization of marijuana will be the nation's best

    Nov 28, 2022

    When I started working on a bill in 2019 to legalize cannabis for adult use, Minnesota was not ready for that idea to become law. Proposals were confused and contradictory. Neither the House nor the Senate DFL had the votes necessary to pass it, and Republicans in the Senate were actively blocking cannabis legalization for their political benefit. Most important, Minnesotans had not been heard on what goals lawmakers should pursue in creating a new cannabis marketplace. So much has changed in...

  • Red Lake Nation completes population study results demand action

    Samuel Strong and Nicole MartinRogers|Nov 18, 2022

    Many tribes including Red Lake Nation are experiencing population declines and an overall aging of their populations. We all have relatives who cannot get enrolled because their blood quantum isn’t high enough. Tribal members and leaders may worry about what this means about the future of the tribe. A recent population projection study conducted by Wilder Research on behalf of Red Lake Nation confirms that we have reason to pay attention to this issue of tribal enrollment. And we, as a tribe, must act soon! If Red Lake keeps our current...

  • Could Trump campaign from jail? Absolutely.

    Nov 17, 2022

    Former President Donald Trump's "BIG" announcement coincides with the increasing likelihood that he will be charged, perhaps convicted, and possibly even incarcerated for one or more federal or state offenses. This leads one to wondering whether he could still run for president again under any of those conditions. The answer is decidedly "yes." The most significant risk he faces in the many venues in which he is undergoing scrutiny may be for potential federal charges arising out of his...

  • Trump's appeal may finally be ebbing

    Nov 14, 2022

    It's tempting to jump on sweeping narratives that explain election results. That's convenient but can lead to disastrous results similar to the widespread "red wave" predictions that took on the aura of conventional wisdom just before voters flipped the script. That said, and without overinterpreting the results, there are a few broad trend lines we can take from this election. One is that ex-President Donald Trump may not be a spent force just yet, but there are growing signs that he at long...

Page Down

Rendered 03/28/2024 12:47