Opinion

Tillis should refuse to confirm High Court nominee

When President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sen. Mitch McConnell did an about-face on his past policy to deny consideration of Supreme Court nominees in an election year. As you may recall, Sen. McConnell refused to consider the nomination of Merrick Garland back in 2016 on the basis that the American people should be able to opine on the next Supreme Court justice through their vote. Sen. Thom Tillis agreed. At the time, Sen. Tillis said, “We are in the middle of a presidential election, and the Senate majority is giving the American people a voice to determine the direction of the Supreme Court. This is about the principle, not the person.” At that time, the election was still eight months away.

Now, we see Sen. McConnell and Sen. Tillis upholding a clear a double standard by rushing through the nomination of Judge Barrett weeks before the election, when many North Carolinians have already voted or are in the process of doing so. Tillis is telling constituents that this is normal and has happened many times in the past, but the fact is that he is misleading North Carolinians and twisting the narrative to serve the interests of Sen. McConnell and President Trump. His clear and simple past position was that no Supreme Court nominee should be confirmed in an election year. Period. As much as Sen. Tillis and Sen. McConnell try to mislead us on the “normalcy” of their effort to confirm Barrett, the fact is that the situation is very abnormal. If they succeed, this would be the first time in history that a Supreme Court nominee is confirmed after voting has already begun. How is that giving “voice” to the American people?

I’m also quite concerned about Judge Barrett’s past record and affiliations. As a former Tribal leader, this Supreme Court nominee doesn’t bode well for Indian Country. Barrett has explicitly stated that she shares the late Justice Scalia’s judicial philosophy, whom she clerked for, and who ruled against Tribal interests more than 86 percent of the time. The vote of Indian Country could be a deciding factor in this election, and we deserve a chance to make our voices heard on a Supreme Court nominee who will have an immense impact on Indian law, Tribal sovereignty, and on our Native peoples’ wellbeing. Putting forward a nominee like Terri Henry Guest Columnist Barrett is a direct afront to one of the things late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stood for: protections for women. In Indian Country, we know that women are still without protections. Violence against Native women has reached epidemic proportions with 34 percent of Native women experiencing rape in their lifetime and 39 percent experiencing domestic violence. Examining Barrett’s record, her past actions indicate that she does not support the protection of women.

Just last year, she ruled in a way that made it more difficult for sexual assault and harassment survivors on college campuses to bring their perpetrators to justice. Her ruling in Doe v. Purdue University allowed a male student who was credibly accused of committing multiple acts of sexual assaults and was suspended from the university, to advance a Title IX lawsuit against the university on the basis that he was discriminated against based on gender. She allowed the weaponization of a sex discrimination law to work against protections for female victims of sexual violence.

How would she rule on the Tribal authorities in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which are strengthened in a bill currently pending before the U.S. Congress? Would she uphold Tribal authority to hold non-Indian sex offenders to justice if the issue were to make its way to the Supreme Court? It does not appear likely.

Her nomination is also concerning because of her highly conservative affiliations, including a close affiliation with the right-wing Federalist Society. In the past, the Federalist Society has aligned itself with the Goldwater Institute, a likeminded conservative organization that has worked for years to overturn the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). ICWA is necessary for the protection of our Native children and a court challenge to the law is making its way through the courts right now. What will happen if Barrett is the tie-breaking vote on a Supreme Court ruling on ICWA? Will Tribes lose their ability to protect our children? It is likely, and the implications are unacceptable.

Judge Barrett’s past statements and actions paint a picture that is dangerous for Indian Country. It’s true that we never know the true nature of a judge’s judicial philosophy until they take the bench, but the evidence points to grave concerns for our Tribal Nations, our Native women, and our Native children. Sen. Tillis should honor his past commitment to give the American people, including Indian Country, “a voice” to determine our next Supreme Court Justice and refuse to consider Judge Barrett’s nomination until the next president is elected and inaugurated. (Henry is the former chairwoman of Tribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She was born and raised on the Qualla Boundary. terri.henry@icloud.com)

A champion of our mountain way of life

To the Editor:

How do we decide whom to vote for? As a recent letter to the Smoky Mountain News says, we should examine actions, not just words. My criteria:

The candidates’ careers prove they make life better for all their constituents. They participate in mainstream community organizations. Their family life shows that they love them, foster their happiness, and guide young people.

Their education and experience match the qualifications of the office. Their degrees represent deep knowledge of history, the Constitution, and law. They practice professional integrity.

Applying these standards, I found candidates I happily support. Here is an ideal example:

From day one in the N.C. General Assembly, he started fulfilling every campaign promise.

A lifelong member of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, Joe Sam Queen has taught Sunday school over two decades. He’s led Boy Scouts and coached youth soccer. Joe Sam is an architect, a farmer, and a businessman. His wife Dr. Kate Queen, a rheumatologist retired from Haywood

LETTERS

Medical, now leads a clinic in the Triangle providing wellness-focused health care for all. Their daughter Sara followed her dad’s profession, architecture, and teaches it at NCSU. Son Charlie is a chemist in the Triangle.

All his family are proud products of North Carolina public schools and the state’s public university system. Both his parents were teachers who instilled a love of learning in him. He is endorsed by the N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE).

Acting on a passion to bring affordable universal broadband and internet to every rural home and business, Joe Sam led in drafting HB1122, which invests $85 million in the successful GREAT Grants Program for universal rural broadband and supports crucial partnerships with local governments. Broadband is needed in this pandemic more than ever for children to learn and adults to work, and online doctor visits (“tele-medicine”). Again, his deep understanding of education and health care inform his advocacy for people throughout WNC.

He’s been a champion of Medicaid expansion so our tax dollars stay in N.C., bring quality employment, keep rural hospitals and nursing homes open, and enable 600,000 more people to have health care. Along with these and other programs bringing new employment, he voted for Cherokee gaming laws to add hundreds more jobs. These actions prove a dedication to improving everyone’s quality of life.

Joe Sam co-sponsored H.B 1105, COVID19 Relief. It passed the House with Republican and Democratic backing. (The Senate Republican majority then adjourned indefinitely.) Some of its components are a $50 increase in weekly unemployment (N.C. has the nation’s lowest), a $335 tax credit for families with children, $52 million for public schools, a block on penalizing schools for pandemic-caused enrollment drops, $30 million to expand high-speed internet throughout rural areas, $13 million for farmers hit hard by weather extremes, $38 million for mental health, $59 million to expand COVID19 testing and contact tracing, $14 million for PPEs, and $23 million for services to seniors. Joe Sam’s opponent? A single man, he had an honorable career as a Charlotte fireman. He earned a two-year degree. As District 119 representative for one term, he describes himself as a states rights advocate” and opponent of “common core” standards for learning. As a retired teacher I know he doesn’t understand what the N.C. Common Core is although it’s easily found online.

I judge candidates individually by their actions and character. That’s why my husband and I voted for Joe Sam Queen. Mary Jane Curry Haywood County

Stealing political signs is illegal

To the Editor:

Here’s a message to the “concerned Republicans of Haywood County” who have paid for the “Law and Order Trump 2020” billboards I’ve seen. I don’t know what your concerns are, but what you really need to be concerned about is the unlawful acts Trump supporters are committing.

The following is just a partial list: • Recently a vandal(s) removed all signs displayed in front of Democrat Headquarters. • Trump signs are being affixed with wire to official highway signs and to phone poles. • Conservative Voter Guides and other Republican campaign material has been placed in mailboxes — a federal offense. • Last week a Republican activist (who shall remain unnamed) attempted to place Republican candidate signs in front of Democratic signs displayed at Democrat headquarters. • Democratic candidate signs placed along roadways have been damaged/destroyed by moving vehicles. • Vandals are trespassing on private property (porches, lawns, etc.) to steal signs and banners. Five Biden-Harris signs have been

They say when a mom dies a family can fall apart.

I’d heard this before, in movies and in real life, but I never thought it would be an issue for my family. We’ve always been so close. We always made it a priority to be together for holidays and other special occasions. But when a mother passes, the remaining souls realize it was often she who made all of this happen.

When my mom passed away from cancer in August of 2016, the world turned upside down for my dad, sister and me. We’ve all grieved in our singular, unique ways. There’s a constant ache for what was and a longing for something that will never again be. Once my mom realized her death Susanna Shetley Columnist was imminent, she asked the rest of us to promise her something. She must have known she was the glue that kept us together, and she wasn’t going to sit around in heaven and watch us become detached from one another. She made us promise that every year around our birthdays, we’d make it a priority to be together.

My dad’s birthday is Oct. 10, my sister’s is Oct. 19, and mine is Oct. 23. My mom’s suggestion was that we plan a trip together or congregate at one of our house’s every year in October to celebrate our birthdays.

And so in her honor, that’s what we’ve done.

With her passing being in August, this is the fifth October without her. Last weekend, my dad, sister and I got together at my sister’s house in Great Falls, Virginia, and we celebrated. This year was tricky. With COVID-19, travel is risky, and my dad is in his late 70s with early stages of COPD. He’s been living with my sister, so they’d already been in a bubble and once we got there, we stayed as safe as possible, wearing our masks, mostly staying at the house and only dining outside.

Each October, no matter how many other family members come along, my dad, sister and I make it a point to have a lunch by ourselves. This inevitably leads to a lot of tears as we reminisce about my mom and our many adventures and memories as a family. Eventually, once we’re spent from crying, laughing and talking, we’ll make a

toast in her honor.

My dad, especially, has been strong. He is still not dating anyone, even though we’d love for him to have a friend. He’s met a few ladies here and there but nothing too serious or committal. He says it’s strange to try and date at his age. He met my mom when he was 18 years old, so life without her has been foreign and a complete readjustment.

I turn 41 this Friday. It’s a weird birthday. It’s not a pivotal age per se, and it’s an age that feels like it’s in another phase of life. I’m fully into the 40s now. My mom’s death hasn’t been the only change over the past four years. I also experienced a divorce, moved houses, started a new job and fell madly in love with someone.

As a child, teenager and young adult, birthdays are paramount. I watch my own children and the other kids in my life get ultra-excited about turning 10, 12, 15, 16, 18, 21, and so on. All these birthdays hold significance in some way. But as we age, birthdays become less and less exciting. It’s a reminder that time moves forward and ages increase despite how young we continue to feel at heart. Loss and grief are experiences I wish on no one, but when they arrive unexpectedly, they can be great teachers. I’ve learned to be ever so thankful for the littlest moments of joy and happiness in my life. I’ve learned that drama and judgment are both wastes of time and energy. I’ve learned to let go of relationships that are toxic and hold tightly to those that bring love and light. I’ve realized that a profession is less about money and status and more about doing something you enjoy with people you respect. I now know that faith is personal to everyone and for me, quiet time by myself and with God is a lifeline.

As I enter into my 41st year, I feel energized and alive, attuned to possibilities and opportunities. I look forward to 2021, a new year that hopefully brings a healthier, happier world. I look forward to yet another birthday celebration with my dad and sister. And most importantly, I’m full of gratitude for my mother, who even from afar, continues to hold our family together.) (Susanna Shetley is a writer, editior and digital media specialist for The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain

South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)

Know Your Local 2020 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Leah Hampton

Commissioner Key Issues: EDUCATION: support for schools/community colleges and the expansion of early childhood/pre-K access

ENVIRONMENT: protecting our mountains and preserving our natural resources and parks

MODERNIZATION: improved Internet access and clean jobs

PUBLIC HEALTH: promoting wellness, especially with regard to Covid-19

RESPONSIBLE SPENDING: investing tax dollars to grow community resources

QUALITY OF LIFE: positive engagement with local citizens, especially young people. As a homeowner in the community, I want to make sure tax dollars are spent wisely. “

We don’t need radical changes. I love the natural beauty and peace. I’m very aware that this region is growing and I want to

make sure that growth is responsible. We need to preserve what we have here. ”

David Young

Commissioner A small business owner who is dedicated to the intricacies of public policy. He will bring a sensible business approach the issues facing the county.

KEY ISSUES:

• Affordable Housing • Increased Support for Public Education Housing has to be dealt with at some level. Whatever the county can do to “

alleviate the opioid crisis would help. The growing homelessness issue is tied together with the lack of mental health resources. People who say they can fix homelessness

without fixing the underlying issues are mistaken. You must fix those issues first. ” PAID FOR BY THE HAYWOOD COUNTY DEMOCRATIC

PARTY AND AUTHORIZED BY THE CANDIDATE