Tracker Pixel for Entry

Trumpeteers

Editorial | October 27th, 2016

By John Strand jas@hpr1.com

Last week, HPR published “Trumpeteers,” an interview with several Republican candidates and leaders in North Dakota, to ascertain whether they support Donald Trump for president.

Perhaps not surprisingly, stalwart Republicans towed the GOP line, continued their endorsements of Trump and defended some absolutely – in our opinion – outlandish and unsettling planks in their party’s national platform.

Things like protections for women with regard to reproductive health care. One even stated that once successfully made illegal, women who secure abortions should in fact face penalties. Or, on the topic of gay marriage, agreeing that such rights should be overturned. Or, affordable health care, reaffirming commitments to abolish it.

No doubt, North Dakota is a conservative state and since the 1990s has leaned Republican. That party leaders and candidates can endorse policy and leadership that would outright target people is reprehensible.

And they wear these values on their lapels.

Trump has been a non-stop insult to human decency his entire campaign journey. His raising up the underbelly of human nature to the point that it’s celebrated and championed is an insult to the fundamental tenets of America.

But here we are. And over the cliff many want us – all of us – to go.

Racism. Bigotry. Classism. Misogyny. Religious intolerance. Blaming and finger-pointing. Redefining “great” with actions that undermine decency and dignity, protections and government rule for the greater good of the people.

Yes, we understand why candidates and political leaders might unyieldingly stand behind Trump. We understand, yet when such “leaders” sacrifice others for their careers within the party, because they don’t want to lose the support of the far right, they lose the rest of us. Compromising values, principles, human decency, our confidence in our way of choosing our leaders, our standing among the nations. This not the way forward.

So where do we go from here?

We say march to the ballot booth and speak your mind. Pull the proverbial curtain behind you and vote your conscience. Vote your heart, your mind, your best judgment, your principles. Vote for a greater future for not only you and yours, but for future generations. Vote for a slate of candidates who choose the high ground, not the cesspools of mankind’s dark sides.

Lend your support to the people who you believe have not only the skill sets to lead well, but their hearts in the right place. Vote for those who do not find strength in encouraging hatred. Vote for people who see opportunity in problems, who are enlightened, respectful and loving.

Vote for statesmen and stateswomen. And, for president, we encourage you to vote for anyone else on the November 8 ballot -- just not Trump.

But vote.

Seeking peace in the Peace Garden State

While writing this editorial, Jesse Jackson was making an appearance at the Standing Rock protest site. Just north a bit, reports substantiate an immense military buildup that suggests an impending head-on collision between protesters and law enforcement.

All this as the world watches what’s unfolding in North Dakota.

We are worried that the situation could implode and all hell break loose. It’s at this point a no-win situation and potential leaderless chaos, widespread bodily injury or worse.

Officers across North Dakota and the Upper Midwest have been called to duty by their governments. They’ve joined the effort to keep the peace, so to speak. Those in uniform require oversight by our leadership, so as to avoid bloodshed and seek peaceful resolution.

Similarly, people across North Dakota, the Upper Midwest, the country and in some instances around the world, have joined those at Standing Rock who are standing in protest of policy and action they don’t support.

Nobody will win in this, truly. But we don’t need losers either.

We wonder what Warren Christopher would advise, the esteemed native North Dakotan who negotiated peace in times when wars were the likely alternative. We wonder how he, if he were still with us, would lead us out of this quagmire.

People on every side of this issue are our shared priority. We need our best effort now, to be able to say to ourselves that we did our best for everyone, those there in service as well as those there assembling and speaking up.

Time is of the essence. Greatness acts, it does not simply ponder.

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.com The business of Indian Hating is a lucrative one. It’s historically been designed to dehumanize Native people so that it’s easier to take their land. ‘Kill the Indian, save the man,”…

By Johnathan Campbell history@nd.gov Since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I’d share three mysterious — and mildly creepy folktales — that have been shared about the Former Governors' Mansion State Historic Site,…

Thursday, November 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, FargoThe Minneapolis indie rock duo Bad Bad Hats hits the Fargo stage promoting their brand new, self-produced album titled “Bad Bad Hats.” Their name came from a song…

By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com As a political columnist, I know I should be writing an election preview for the issue of this paper that comes out just a couple weeks before what is being labeled, once again, as “the most…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill We Ever Recover from the Trump Virus of Universal Hate?Just a month ago, the primary doctor of 336 million U.S Americans,U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory on the mental…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Local band Zero Place has been making quite a name for itself locally and regionally in the last few years. Despite getting its start during a time it seemed the whole world was coming to…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s sophomore feature “Dandelion” is now playing in theaters following a world premiere at South by Southwest in March. The movie stars KiKi Layne as the…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Ted Martin, retired educator and western North Dakota native, currently has his art on view at Mind Virus Counter-Culture Books and Media. The exhibition features Martin’s colorful ink drawings…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By John Showalter  john.d.showalter@gmail.comThey sell fentanyl test strips and kits to harm-reduction organizations and…

Rynn WillgohsJanuary 25, 1972-October 8, 2024 Rynn Azerial Willgohs, age 52, of Vantaa, Finland, died by suicide on October 8, 2024. Rynn became her true-self March 31, 2020. She immediately became a vocal and involved activist…

By Dina Butcherdina.wtba@midconetwork.com In 1938, when my parents were living in Germany, my father — along with 30,000 other Jewish men — was rounded up by Nazi Stormtroopers during an event known as Kristallnacht. He was taken…