There’s some chatter at ArgusLeader.com in a subscribers only article over the leadership of the State House and Senate removing State Rep. Shaun Bordeaux from the Chairmanship of the State-Tribal Relations Committee:
“To be frank, it’s his racist behavior that caused numerous conflicts, and because of his racist conduct, there needed to be different leadership without a doubt,” Schoenbeck Saturday said of Bordeaux, now the former chairman of the State-Tribal Relations Committee.
Schoenbeck said the beef with Bordeaux goes back to a 2019 committee meeting the Rosebud Sioux tribal member was chairing in which an apple was used to insult a Native American member of Gov. Kristi Noem’s administration. The term “apple,” Schoenbeck said, is used to insult Native Americans perceived to be “red on the outside and white on the inside.”
and..
Bordeaux countered, though, saying Schoenbeck and Gosch are “playing the race card” when their decision to pull the plug is actually retribution for him pointing out shortcomings between the state of South Dakota and the state’s tribes and to deny him the ability highlight them through the committee.
Bordeaux has a documented record of saying some fairly horrible things, as we noted here in 2019 when he was speaking to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in his position as State Representative…
My daughter is a typical teenager. I know this doesn’t fit democrat leadership’s narrative, but I love my adopted children the same as my biological. It’s unfortunate that racism is alive and well in 2019 in SD. pic.twitter.com/3PT8gFKSTe
— Joel Koskan (@joelkoskan) May 22, 2019
“I’ll be up there in Pierre, and there will be some old wasichu guy, and I hate to paint this picture, but I see a little indian girl, and I’m thinking gee that poor girl might come from a dysfunctional home, was taken out of it, and she’s probably cleaning in their home, and keeping the place tidy, and he gets $300 a month for his little indentured servant or whatever.” – State Representative Shawn Bordeaux (26A – D)
Read that, and watch the video of him saying that here.
And let’s also not forget when he referred to Italian-americans as “guidos” and inferred they’re in the mafia.
Bordeaux also drew a parallel with casinos on Indian lands. When they first came, people feared the worst.
“When gaming first came out, they said there’s going to be mafia, and all the Indians are going to have all this crime. It’s going to be all over the reservations,” he said. “I ain’t seen one Guido yet … those folks who are supposed to be the mafia folks haven’t showed up.”
So House and Senate leadership removed Bordeaux as chair of the State-Tribal Relations Committee?
Too bad it took them this long. It was well past time.
I serve on the House Commerce & Energy Committee and the Marijuana
Interim Study Task Force with State Representative Shawn Bordeaux.
It is unfortunate we have disagreements but that is part of the political
process.
There is always two views. House and Senate leadership removed
Representative Bordeaux as chair of the State-Tribal Relations Committee.
Leadership works hard to examine issues and react accordingly.
My note is to remind all Representative Shawn Bordeaux
cares for his district.
Bordeaux exposed. About time
This is not a big deal.
If you had, say, some email instructing a hiring manager not to hire someone because they are native, you’ve got a smoking gun.
I am just not as offended by this as .. some things.
I’d like to check out the book of horrible things .. so we’re all on the same page, and have some reasonable process to determine what is horrible.
Otherwise, sticks and stones ..
Part of the problem is the behavior and racism Bordeaux is never called out. Which is a form for racism.
Finally, Schoenbeck is calling racism out.