Kaitlyn Wolbeck, Bismarck

I am a concerned resident of the state of North Dakota.

My concern is that of our state’s response to the president’s comments to bring in military personnel if our state and local government cannot “handle” the situation. In the same statement the president claims to be in full support peaceful protest and at the same time just outside the Rose Garden peaceful protests are being disbanded with the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and violence.

What I am asking for is our state and local government to start standing up to the bully in our White House.

During the start of the recent COVID-19 pandemic the president gave governors responsibility of their own states. This situation is not unlike a lack of ventilators. There is a lack of support for our African Americans and frankly anyone who isn’t white in our communities. With the recent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis the national, state and local government’s response was simply the last straw to break an already outraged community of people. I know this is not something that can change over night. However, sitting in silence as the president claims “when the looting starts the shooting starts” is unforgivable.

What I am searching for is an answer to how our state and local government will protect all of the citizens of North Dakota the day the president decides that North Dakotans aren’t being “handled.” Also, where are these conversations going to take place? Simply showing up to Fargo once everything had died down and snapping a few pictures while talking with African Americans, shown cleaning up, is not enough. Why aren’t there open forums held by our governor to start opening up this conversation instead of waiting until it erupts into unrest?