Senator shouldn't ask Montanans to risk future on his personal opinion

There’s the story about two hunters, Fred and Joe, who see a bear running towards them. Joe takes off his boots and ties on his track shoes.

Fred says, “Why put on your track shoes? You still can’t outrun that bear.”

Joe says, “I don’t have to outrun that bear. I only have to outrun you.”

Sen. Verdell Jackson and other water compact opponents think any defect they claim about the compact means Montana must reject the compact. They think wrong.

The compact does not have to outrun the bear. It only has to outrun its alternative, which is no compact.

Sen. Jackson does not consider the risk that he may be wrong. He believes the Hellgate Treaty does not give the Salish and Kootenai off-reservation water rights. The problem is the courts may not agree with his opinion.

To be ethical, Jackson must consider the contrary opinions of compact attorneys. They, not Jackson, have studied the case law that best predicts how the courts will rule.

Sen. Jackson wants all Montanans to risk their future on his personal opinion. He tells us to reject the compact and fight the tribes (and the feds) in court.

You can take the risks for your personal opinions but it is unethical to assign the risks of your personal opinions on the public.

As a pilot, you can take personal risks with your stunts when only you are aboard. But it is immoral to take risks when you have innocent passengers aboard.

To be ethical, Sen. Jackson must support the compact to allow other Montanans to enjoy the benefits they desire under the compact.

Then he can file his personal water-rights lawsuit to “prove” he is correct. If he is correct, the court will grant him the water rights he believes he legally deserves. —Ed Berry, Bigfork