by Blaine Billman, Stevensville
There have been some letters recently bemoaning the treatment of representative Zooey Zephyr by the Montana legislature. According to these writers she was silenced for voicing her opinions against HB361 and that censoring her was both unethical and against Montana morals and spirit. She was bullied and treated unfairly.
Let’s take politics out of it and call it what it is. Baloney. Zephyr was not censored for stating opposing beliefs. She was not censored for being different. She was not and is not a victim. In her statements to the legislature Zephyr was way out of line in attacking the spiritual beliefs of some members and attempting to heap shame on them in the process. She made it personal. She showed no respect to her colleagues by doing so which violated her sworn oath of office. She was asked to apologize for her insensitive words – not to retract her beliefs. She refused. In plain english – she would not apologize for her rudeness and lack of decorum – therefore she was not allowed to speak further.
Many in our country no longer show common courtesy and good manners. That’s a shame. Their aim is to draw attention to themselves and their agendas in any way possible because in their minds, it is all about themselves. Representative Zooey Zephyr silenced herself, plain and simple.
Larry Campbell says
“Zephyr was way out of line in attacking the spiritual beliefs of some members….”
Would you please quote what Zephyr said that triggered this comment?
You say, “Many in our country no longer show common courtesy and good manners. That’s a shame. Their aim is to draw attention to themselves and their agendas in any way possible because in their minds, it is all about themselves.” That is a very good description of our former President Trump.. He corrupted public discourse like nobody else prior to his reign of self-indulgent hate mongering..
Zephyr is a very brave woman to stand up in the midst of MAGA ignorance, knowing she would take flak when their sensitivities and insecurities got aroused.
Will Walker says
Republican Montana senators have committed far more grievous breaches of etiquette than Rep. Zephyr without reprisal. She called out the bill for what it was- an attempt to drive trans teens to suicide and hiding. If we are censuring our representatives because they fight for the lives of their constituents, then we do not live in a democracy. We live in a totalitarian regime.