by Diane Thomas-Rupert, Stevensville
Why do people choose a political party over values? The answer to that question eludes me. For example, there are political signs in Ravalli County yards most likely indicating the resident supports Tim Sheehy, and his values. As voters, do their values match his political positions?
Ravalli County is named after Father Ravalli and is home to a fantastic historic mission that honors his work and the people he served. Stevensville and the Historic St. Mary’s Mission hold events to honor and celebrate Native Americans and their culture. So, what are Tim Sheehy’s values when it comes to Native Americans? Well, this is what he says and does, you decide: branding cattle on the Crow Reservation was a “great way to bond with all the Indians out there, while they’re drunk at 8 a.m.”
In 2023 at the Crow Fair, an annual cultural celebration on the Crow Reservation, Sheehy said there was a “tough crowd” that threw beer cans at him. Footage of that Aug. 19, 2023, Crow Fair parade shows there were no beer cans thrown. Then just three months later, during campaign events far from the Crow Reservation, Sheehy would cast the Crow people as alcoholics and their annual cultural event as little more than a rowdy, drunken affair.
These reports indicate: Tim Sheehy wants to portray Native Americans as just a bunch of drunks, to be made fun of. Does that action match your values regarding how you feel about people we honor here in Ravalli County?
Are you interested in knowing more about Sheehy’s political positions that demonstrate values you may or may not support? If so, you can read about some of those in The Guardian article dated 09/06/2024 titled; Trump-backed Senate candidate’s Navy Seal stories not cleared by Pentagon. That article contains a rather long list.
The questions then continue: why would you vote for Tim Sheehy if his values do not match yours? When you go to vote, please think about this last question: are your politics more important than your values? If the answer is no, then whose name will you select on the ballot?
Helen says
Diane… if the opposing political party would produce a candidate, that is somewhat decent, they might get votes from Republicans. Ever consider that? Look at Biden for the last four years. Now look at Kamala for the next possible four years. I’ll take Sheehy over any Democrat I’ve seen elected recently, Obama started a trend downward and it hasn’t come back up some of the candidates that the Republicans put out are just as bad. So what do you do about that? You choose one unless you yourself want to run for the position? Do you?