Letters to the Editor | January 18th, 2023
Dear Editor,
The North Dakota legislative session has started to pick up. Many of the bills that have come before the committees are just cleaning up some language; others that are yet to come are troubling.
The bills that I am currently the most concerned about are as follows.
Senate Bill 2150 is meant to clean up and merge the language from multiple other statutes and counter the trigger ban currently in the court system. The new bill is the lesser of two evils; however, it is still a total ban on abortion in the state. They have carved out some exceptions in cases of rape and incest, but the time frame is too short to be effective.
They have removed the affirmative defense part of the bill that will protect doctors from prosecution and allow them to perform their job in emergency situations. However, there are holes in the bill regarding fetal defects forcing individuals to carry the baby to full term regardless of the likelihood of viability. I am against the bill in its current form because it still leaves personal autonomy out of the decision-making process. The bill will also make it more difficult to attract and retain medical professionals.
Senate Bill 2199 redefined gender as what is determined at birth and can’t be changed in the future. This bill is based on old fashion gender ideals that science is challenging every day. North Dakotans will be harmed by adding discrimination into its laws. We are struggling to attract talented individuals to the state and making it unwelcoming to a segment of society is a bad business decision.
Senate Bill 2123 is an attempt to censor books that discuss any form of sexuality that can be displayed in schools, libraries, colleges, and universities. This bill is counter to the First Amendment and takes away parental rights. We currently have decency regulations that protect children from pornographic images. Therefore this legislation is unnecessary and is government overreach. We need to protect freedom of speech at all costs and this bill is counter to that.
There are several bills that will be coming down the pipes that are anti-American and discriminatory. I am working hard to defeat these bills and create an open environment for North Dakota.
Sincerely,
Senator Ryan Braunberger
District 10 Fargo
October 21st 2024
April 18th 2024
April 18th 2024
December 10th 2023
January 15th 2023
__293px-wide.jpg)
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,”…
SHSND delves into their ornament collectionBy Jenny Yearoushistory@nd.govIn 2017 we received Christmas ornaments from the North Dakota Former Governors’ Residence. The ornaments were gifts from local chapters of the Germans from…
Saturday, December 21, 7 p.m.Drekker Brewing, 1666 1st Avenue N, FargoEmbrace the naughty and celebrate the dark side of the solstice. From 7-close, Drekker’s mavens of mischief transform their taproom. There’s a photo booth,…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com I’m really sick of the “Nobody wants to work anymore” narrative. Like, really sick. I can’t hide the eye rolls and I don’t even try to hide them anymore. In fact, I feel like they’ll…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comA new type of Civil War: “smash-and grab” capitalism and healthcare The Divided States of America has the greatest economic inequality among wealthy nations on Planet Earth and has birthed a…
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…
__300x100.jpg)
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.comIn 1974, the Jamestown Arts Center started as a small space above a downtown drugstore. It has grown to host multiple classrooms, a gallery, performance studio, ceramic studio and outdoor art park.…
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 Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…
__300x100.jpg)
By Curtis W. Stofferahn, Ph.D.Curtis.stofferahn@email.und.edu In June, two events markedly contrasted the difference between two different visions of agriculture: precision agriculture and regenerative agriculture. The dedication…