This is an open letter to Gov. Brian Schweitzer:
I have been, in general, happy with your service as governor. Of course, it would be impossible for all of your actions or stances to be agreed with by the citizens and example of that is on clean coal and carbon sequestration. These are policy decisions that we can disagree on, however one thing that we all should be agree on is the rule of law. As you know the contentious and terrorizing climate that has developed in our political discourse has made it important that leaders such as yourself to be cognizant of how you portray our institutions.
As such I was appalled by your comments at the hunting kickoff toward the pending lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the stay of the wolf hunt while litigation continues over their delisting. I want to repeat your remarks here and, regardless of anyone’s feelings about the merits of the case, the slighting of previous or future court rulings only emboldens those who would already flaunt rules and laws because “some old judge” or “somebody in Washington” made them. I was raised in the south during the resistance to the civil rights laws that “some old judge made,” and yes these are equivalent because disrespect for the rule of law is insidious.
I hope you will take the time to reconsider your probably flippant remark made to assuage those at the event and make a statement clarifying your respect for the rule of law.
Allen Lundgren
Polson