Paulette Jordan: Speaking up for all people
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Paulette Jordan speaking at Caldwell Park
in Pocatello on Thursday, October 15.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
POCATELLO — Paulette Jordan, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said it would mean everything to have a Native woman in the halls of Congress to have a voice.
She spoke at a Town Hall at Caldwell Park in Pocatello October 15. She also made a visit with the Fort Hall Business Council October 16 before continuing on her campaign stops.
It’s so essential to speak up on behalf of tribal sovereignty – speaking up on behalf of our value systems — what we hold sacred, she said. “When we don’t speak up for ourselves, we allow others to speak up for us.” She said tribes are still fighting for sovereign rights, fighting for our treaties to be respected, even to protect our executive orders, along with fighting for our natural resources, “So if we are not fighting back with our vote, we do lose our standing and our sovereignty,” because of the sovereign relationship tribes have with the national government.
Jordan said that is what it represents in this race, “We are speaking up for all people.”
Her message to voters is to vote, do not be afraid, don’t let the pandemic get to you, “Understand that your voice matters especially our young people, if you don’t vote, you are letting someone else speak for you, this is a vote we must hold sacred,” she continued. Jordan noted many of our people could not vote until 1962, “My grandfather a WWII veteran who served this country, he came back home and he was not able to vote, he was mistreated in all of these businesses, he wasn’t even able to live freely in this country, yet he still fought for our freedom, for our independence.”
She said through voting, change can be made in this country noting local leadership matters and when people turn out to vote, they will make a collective difference.
To be a representative it means being able to attend backroom meetings where people are having conversations already without us, “These are people who are not educated on tribal sovereignty, they’re not educated on the relationship our people and First Nations have to this land,” Jordan continued. “They’re ill forgotten of the nature of the establishment of this country that has plagued our people, it has not only eradicated our culture, our languages, it has promoted genocide.” It has also taken our lands, stolen our children put them in boarding schools, and try to strike out our people, she said, “Yet we are still here, because of resilience and this country has forgotten the role they had played in the genocide of our people but when we are there to speak up, we are going to speak for ourselves and no longer let others speak for us that would make a huge difference in when it comes to who we are as a people.”
Paulette Jordan campaign banner at Caldwell Park.
Jordan said tribes are about humanity and about doing what’s right, “To make sure this country is able to heal and come together again, that is the role we play as an indigenous voice, to bring this new kind of leadership — a new kind of leadership this country has never seen before.”
It would bring the voices of all of our ancestors, she continued, “From my grandfathers to Chief Joseph, to Chief Moses and Chief Kamiakin — all of our relatives who are here on this land. The bones of our ancestors that we are fighting for, “The land that we stand upon today, this is who we are as a people and this is the value systems — the principles that we are speaking to in Congress that is totally needed in this country.”
In her message to Town Hall attendees she said she’s running to remind everybody this country is founded upon liberty and justice for all, this symbol (a mask that she held in the air) represents freedom, equality that’s what this stands for, that’s why I am running. Jordan said she’s not just a mother of two beautiful boys, “I’m not just a businesswoman, I’m not just indigenous. I’m not just from Idaho descending from thousands of generations for any God given reason. I’m here to represent all people. I was raised under the most collective legacy the legacy we all benefit from.”
Jordan said her opponent Jim Risch is working against everyone noting she would not rise up out of her comfort to take on the challenge without knowing what our state is like. She said there so many people full of fear and there is so many people full of hate that is unfortunate. It breaks her heart to know many of our children that turn out for their events are scared not because of the COVID-19 pandemic because there is no ability to trust who is speaking for them today. “They want a representative they can trust who is looking out for their future, their education, their environment, for their health care and their safekeeping.”
She recalled running for Idaho governor in 2018 touring throughout the state visiting towns hearing from the people. Some were worried about health care others about education or the lack of wages in the state. Many shared stories that were close to them and although she didn’t win her ancestors and elders reminded her to keep going – to keep fighting for the people. “Everyone is waking up, they’re going to be ready for leadership,” Jordan continued. They advised her she has to remind people to not be afraid and not worry about their outcome. every single one of our people, who are afraid right now, they’re worried, worried about their outcome, “We have a president right now who speaks against us, we have a U.S. senator who speaks against us, but really what it comes down to is us holding strong and the minute we wake up, and we turn out to the polls, we win.”
They don’t have the millions to buy these elections but they advised her it’s not about money, it’s about the people.
Jordan said it’s an ancestral message and that is why she’s running because you have to speak the truth, “to remind people to bring out what is good for all of us.”
Paulette Jordan with the Fort Hall Business Council.
She encouraged people to get out and vote early – have a voting plan, along with encourage their relatives to vote.
Former Idaho Congressman Richard Stallings served eight years in Congress and he’s supporting Jordan because she’s a “smart heads up woman that would represent this state in a fashion that should be represented.” He said Risch is a polluter, he does great damage while Paulette is very sensitive about the environment and would work hard for it. He believes Risch is on the wrong side and Idaho deserves better.
Fort Hall Business Council member Lee Juan Tyler said he wants Paulette to have a victory. He said we need a healing in America and in Idaho. He talked about how the Fort Hall Indian Reservation used to be 1.8 million acres. He said there’s a lot of history that needs to be told in schools. He said the Republicans and Democrats and whoever else should be focused on what’s best for our people in the United States not what’s best for red and blue. “Need to bring a unity of togetherness that’s lacking — in the past that’s what they did. That’s how it was like the great eagle both wings represent one bird – that’s how it is here, we should all represent America that way.”
Prior to Jordan giving her views, Miss Shoshone-Bannock Stormie Perdash did a welcome and tribal elder Darrell Tendoy did a prayer with cedar.
