In the midst of election year political fervor, email announcements have sparked controversy ahead of this year's Gallatin County Republicans Lincoln-Reagan Dinner scheduled to take place in May in Bozeman, MT. The emails, sent by organizers of the event, have stirred debate with their contentious claims.
In the heart of Montana, a passionate struggle is taking place to uphold the values of inclusivity, understanding, and tolerance, striving to keep the state free from the shadows of ignorance, hate, and bigotry. Republicans hold all statewide offices and have enjoyed a super-majority in the legislature. Jon Tester is the only Democrat representing the state in Congress. His seat is now a priority target and it’s predicted there will be record spending from both sides on this race alone.
I hope these images are readable. They are screen grabs of the actual emails and I didn’t want to change them in any way.
Drugs and Immigration: The emails assert that illegal drugs are inundating communities across the nation, including Gallatin County, posing a significant threat. Furthermore, there are claims that a surge of illegal immigrants, predominantly young men from China and Middle-Eastern countries, are flooding into the country daily, contributing to the perceived crisis.
Social and Educational Concerns: Among the claims is the assertion that children are being taught that they can pursue any passing whim without consequence. Additionally, it suggests a breakdown in understanding the concept of womanhood, blaming Marxists for a lack of clarity and concern.
Note of interest: (I attended the identical event back in October of 2023 in neighboring Park County where I live, with Elsie Arntzen as the emcee. Elsie is the incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction. She is like Betsy DeVos on steriods and has proven to be seriously incompetent in effectively managing the state's educational system. The audience was treated to her repeated references of her efforts to assure attendees that she had personally made sure there were no kitty litter boxes in any Montana public schools.)
Economic Strain: The email alleges that nonpaying peasant families are burdening the medical and educational systems, seeking entitlements at the expense of taxpayers. It paints a picture of these systems being bankrupted by this influx.
President Biden: A scathing critique of President Joe Biden has been included, alleging that he is merely a figurehead for a group described as a "politburo" of Marxist and transgender advocates. It asserts that President Biden is not truly exercising executive authority but is instead acting as a mouthpiece for a clandestine group pushing a radical agenda. It accuses this alleged cabal of seeking to reshape American culture according to what it describes as "warped fantasies."
Furthermore, the email paints a picture of President Biden as a passive participant in governance, claiming that he reads from teleprompters with unwavering loyalty while relinquishing substantive decision-making to this shadowy collective. It alleges that, in return for his compliance, the president indulges in frequent vacations, ice cream consumption, and napping.
Judicial and Legal System: Criticism is leveled at the judiciary, with accusations that it is populated by "woke" social justice warriors who allegedly disregard the Constitution. The email particularly targets Montana's Supreme Court, labeling it as one of the most liberal in the nation. It further suggests a bias in the legal system based on political affiliation, warning Republicans to be wary. Republicans are especially boiling at the Montana Supreme Court because they have upheld an important privacy clause in the state’s Constitution and thus abortion is still available here, for now. Justices on that court are elected, so the voters are the ones electing people to the court who continue to uphold important freedoms. That includes Republican voters but the state party is hell-bent to ban abortion anyway.
Overall, such dangerous rhetoric undermines the foundations of democracy, fosters social division, promotes conspiracy theories, legitimizes discrimination, and risks inciting violence. It is essential to counteract such rhetoric with factual information, civil discourse, and a commitment to democratic values and principles. With this one series of emails, Republicans in Gallatin County are pulling out all the stops in their efforts to put fear into the hearts and minds of their voter base.
The Lincoln-Reagan Dinner has historically been a platform for conservative voices, but this year's event is poised to be particularly contentious given the divisive nature of the claims made in the pre-event communication. As the date of the dinner approaches, it remains to be seen how these controversies will impact attendance and discourse within the political community in Bozeman and beyond.
Update: The invitation email has been edited and much of the extreme fearmongering has been removed. As soon as I can get a copy of the edited version, I’ll post it here.