A report by the Montana Human Rights Network says
groups dedicated to undermining Indian sovereignty and culture are
on the rise. Formed in 1990, in response to white supremacist and
other hate groups in Montana, the Human Rights Network calls the
anti-Indian movement “racist to the core.” Ken Toole, who wrote the
47-page report, Drumming Up Resentment: The Anti-Indian
Movement in Montana, says the movement is the result of
both racism and confusion about Indian history. “It’s a bad
situation that’s getting worse,” says Toole. “The understanding of
treaty rights is abysmal.” Toole says the movement in Montana is
driven by non-Indians living on and near reservations who resent
efforts to change voting districts to improve Indian representation
and tribal control of hunting and fishing rights. Groups such as
All Citizens Equal and the national Citizens Equal Rights Alliance
have aligned with wise-use coalitions and other anti-environmental
groups, he adds. Toole’s report reminds readers that reservations
are separate countries and says the anti-Indian movement is really
about stripping away the authority of tribal
governments.
To request a copy of the $7 report,
contact the Montana Human Rights Network at 406/442-5506, P.O. Box
1222, Helena, MT 59624 or visit the Web site at
www.mhrn.org.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Montana’s anti-Indian movement multiplies.
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