Letter to the Editor, Dec. 22, 2016

A letter to Rep. Ryan Zinke

Dear Congressman Ryan Zinke,

I am a 60 year old Vietnam Era, U.S. Army Veteran. I believe that my oath to protect and defend the United States and our Constitution did not expire with my discharge in 1980. That is why I am writing you today.

I visited your office in Helena a few weeks ago to express my concern over the hiring of Steve Bannon, of Breitbart News to be a chief advisor of our incoming president. Mr. Bannon panders to and supports the white supremacist, so called “alt-right”. In visiting your office, I wanted to find out if you were planning on making a public statement coandemning Mr. Bannon’s views and letting the Trump Transition Team know that Mr. Bannon was not an appropriate person to be serving in the West Wing. I received a wishy-washy response from your staffer and have not seen any public declaration on your part.

I have also been alarmed by the rise of Richard Spencer of the National Policy Institute. This man, who lives in your hometown of Whitefish, coined the term “alt-right” to legitimize the “suit and tie” arm of the white supremacy movement in this country. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups in the U.S., considers him to be dangerous and the National Policy Institute to be on a par with the KKK. In support of this man, a Neo-Nazi site called the Daily Stormer has been harassing Jewish and human rights activists in Whitefish!

Gov. Bullock, Sen. Daines and Sen. Tester have spoken out against this. I went to your office again today to ask if you, Mr. Zinke, were going to do the same. Your staffer said you would not be making a public statement. I want to know why not? Are you afraid it will jeopardize your appointment to Secretary of the Interior? Do you agree with Steven Bannon, Richard Spencer and the rest of the white supremacists? What is it, Mr. Zinke? Standing on the sidelines and saying nothing, is not acceptable. Saying nothing implies agreement with this evil. By saying nothing you are complicit. You are still working for the people of Montana as our sole Representative in the House.

I ask that you stand up for us, your fellow Montanans and your neighbors. Fulfill your oath to protect and defend!

Mary Jean Martin

Helena