If we want to send a thank you to the New York Times and The Washington Post, do we send 'em donuts? Or maybe avocado toast? (h/t Tim in Savage)

I know our first reaction to these latest articles is to want to go after the Washington Post and the NY Times for trashing Montana, but in reality- we should be thanking them for their hit pieces. Maybe it will discourage their readers from wanting to move here.

In case you missed it, The Washington Post had a hit piece on Montana, and specifically the Flathead Valley, with this headline: "Montanans used to live and let live. Today bitter confrontations dim Big Sky Country."

We could go at length about the false narratives included in this hit piece on the state, but it's safe to say that they couldn't even get all their facts straight. For example, they try to make you think that it was conservatives who smashed the window out of a pro LGBTQ bookstore. In reality, this is what happened last Summer, according to local news reports:

A 34-year-old woman, Christina L. Sanchez, was arrested July 5 on suspicion of breaking the window and scratching or "keying" 11 vehicles in the area. She also is accused of smashing a restroom mirror at a gas station along U.S. 93, bringing the total property damage to more than $10,000, according to charging documents.

Plus, let's look at their broader narrative- Montanans used to "live and let live." Uh, we still do. It is the lockdowner crowd that won't let others live their lives. It is the lockdowner crowd that shut down mom and pop shops while allowing the large corporate businesses to stay open. It is the lockdowners who shut down schools, forced kids to wear masks, and cancelled kids' sports. Yet now the Wash Post wants us to think conservatives are to blame for the rise in teenage suicide? We warned them about the impacts to mental health for our kids last year when THEY were the ones causing these problems.

As for The New York Times, they did a shameful hit piece on Montana farmers, ranchers, and others who have expressed concern over a potential Big Sky Country National Heritage area. The NYT basically called these Montanans a bunch of ignorant rubes.

Former Public Service Commissioner Travis Kavulla did a nice job responding via Twitter. His basic point was that the NYT missed a very good opportunity to report on the nuance that exists when it comes to this story and this potential designation. The Times readers need to understand why Montanans have concerns about these types of designations.

If you want to hear more about why Montanans oppose the Big Sky Country National Heritage Area designation, listen to the audio of my chat with Big Sandy rancher Dana Darlington from back in December of 2020 below.

Read More: Opposition Mounts to Big Sky Country Natl Heritage Area Proposal |

 

 



 

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