A question which has been raised by potential members of our Caucus is what relationship (if any) we have with the Utah League of Native American Voters.
“The Utah League of Native American Voters is a nonpartisan political organization and coalition of Native Americans and community organizations that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues affecting Native American citizens living on and off reservations in Utah, and works to influence public policy through education and advocacy.”
The short answer is that we currently have no relationship of any kind with the ULNAV. Unlike ULNAV, the Utah Republican Native American Caucus is partisan. We unabashedly align with the values enumerated in the Platform of the Republican Party, and support those who protect and defend those ideals.
Like ULNAV, we also encourage informed and active participation in government. It is our belief that the lives of Native Americans, whether living on or off a Reservation, can be enriched through adhering to Republican Values, and that the best form of government is that which the Founders of our great Nations established: a Republic. The Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, an early union of Native Americans who influenced the Colonial Leaders, serve as a historical example of the long-standing tradition of republican government amongst Native peoples.
Unlike ULNAV, we do not “Resist and Protest” as primary tools. We educate, we inform, we provide an amplified voice for Native Republicans to elected and appointed officials, and have submitted our Auxiliary Application to the Utah Republican Party.
We do not hide behind what happened in the past. We remember our history, and will use that history to help inform our present and shape our shared future.
0 Comments