News & Commentary

I was traveling along HWY 12 to Helena from Missoula. My coworker was driving our rental vehicle, and we were headed there for meetings. About five miles outside of Avon, a Montana Highway Patrol car driving in the opposite direction made a swift U-turn in the middle of the highway after passing us. The patrol car’s lights flashed. We knew we were about to be stopped.

As organizations who work tirelessly to combat racial discrimination in Montana, we share the concerns of the Indigenous community regarding the racially inflammatory costumes and behavior displayed during the Helena Vigilante Day Parade. The perpetuation of Native American stereotypes exemplified by the Buffalo Jump float in the parade is unacceptable. We are calling on the Helena Public Schools administration to review and update their approval policy for floats in order to provide for adequate vetting.

The movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline or, on social media #NoDAPL, has been a Native-led, organized effort. Indigenous activists, lawyers, and media have taken to social media so make people aware of the civil rights violations happening under the watchful eye of the North Dakota Governor and the Morton County Police Department.Although #NoDAPL is miles away in another state, Montanans feel very passionate in showing solidarity with them. Here are a few events that ACLU of Montana has been involved in:In October, in partnership with The Montana Racial Equity Project based in Bozeman, we organized “Montana Stands with Standing Rock,” an event at the Headwaters of the Missouri River. Indigenous leaders prayed and blessed the headwaters and Indigenous activists and community le

The movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline or, on social media #NoDAPL, has been a Native-led, organized effort. Indigenous activists, lawyers, and media have taken to social media so make people aware of the civil rights violations happening under the watchful eye of the North Dakota Governor and the Morton County Police Department.Although #NoDAPL is miles away in another state, Montanans feel very passionate in showing solidarity with them. Here are a few events that ACLU of Montana has been involved in:In October, in partnership with The Montana Racial Equity Project based in Bozeman, we organized “Montana Stands with Standing Rock,” an event at the Headwaters of the Missouri River. Indigenous leaders prayed and blessed the headwaters and Indigenous activists and community le