Our new Republican governor, senator, representative and legislature have barely been in office three weeks now and already seem hellbent on doing things and passing legislation that smacks of hypocrisy. Sen. Daines and Rep. Rosendale decided to join in an effort to propagate a lie about the election and overturn the certified Electoral vote counts in other states. The Legislature appears to be close to deciding that allowing every Tom, Dick and Harry to carry a concealed weapon almost everywhere, including on college campuses is a good thing for Montana. Hikers are advised to carry bear spray since it is more effective than handguns against predators but many lawmakers think that arming college girls is the safest form of self defense.
Gov. Gianforte, in the midst of a pandemic, repealed restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus and has stated that he will repeal the state-wide mask mandate. He argues that he prefers personal responsibility to government-imposed restrictions.
If Montanans were really responsible, we wouldn’t have one of the highest drunk driving rates in the country. And now, after all of this talk about ‘Montana values’, ‘states rights’, ‘government overreach’, and ‘personal responsibility’, the legislature is reviewing legislation to restrict access to abortions.
So, my question is this, “If you are so concerned with ‘government overreach’ and want to promote ‘personal responsibility’, why do you think you have the right to stick your government noses into a personal decision that should be the solely between a woman, her partner and the doctor?” A woman is responsible enough to decide to carry a gun, to go to a crowded bar in the midst of a
pandemic but she is not responsible enough to make decisions about her own reproductive health?
Your words are hollow and ring loudly with hypocrisy.
Michael Miller
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 1/29/21