A united community is powerful

“We the People, exercising our God-given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; to form a more perfect union and come together as a united community, set forth this new, fair, equitable, and final resolution of the federal reserved water rights claims of the United States for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the People, and the State of Montana.”

The introductory first paragraph of the People’s Compact is an inspiration. A total of 18 pages which should be mandatory reading for all Montanans and frankly, all of America.

Thank you to the Montana Land and Water Alliance, Concerned Citizens of Western Montana, This West is Our West, Sen. Al Olszewski, four stoic Montana legislators and two stoic men who have served as commissioners for the Flathead Joint Board of Control for their dedication to craft, educate and to endorse a new narrative for the future of Montana’s water use.

This is not fake news. A united community offers many rewards and demands action. A united community, would that be so bad? Changing the narrative, is that so bad? Ask yourself, have you been personally complacent in the protection of Montana’s future water uses? Montanans will never quit and will never forget.

— David Passieri, St Ignatius