A state Democratic lawmaker in Minnesota is drawing plenty of ire after she made racist, disparaging comments about “white Christians” who are adopting Native American children.
“I’m sick of white Christians adopting our babies and rejoicing,” Minnesota State Rep. Heather Keeler posted on her personal Facebook page recently, according to Alpha News.
“It’s a really sad day when that happens. It means the genocide continues,” she noted further in a social media post.
“If you care about our babies, advocate against the genocide,” the post continued. “Help the actual issues impacting indigenous parents, stop stealing our babies and changing their names under the impression you are helping. White saviors are the worst!”
Keeler, who is an enrolled member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe and identifies as Native American, made a post on her personal Facebook account that echoed a sentiment from a post on her professional page.
Although a screenshot of the post on her personal account was obtained and published by Alpha News, Fox News Digital was unable to independently verify its authenticity. KVRR, a news station, reported that Keeler did not deny making the post.
The Republican Party of Minnesota responded to the comments, calling the post a “racist rant.”
“Attacks on Minnesotans’ race or religion have no place in our discourse. We condemn @RepKeeler’s hateful and extremist rhetoric. Dems @GovTimWalz @peggyflanagan @melissahortman @kenmartin73 need to denounce this hateful speech immediately,” the GOP said in a Twitter post containing a statement from state party Chairman David Hann.
Attacks on Minnesotans’ race or religion have no place in our discourse. We condemn @RepKeeler‘s hateful and extremist rhetoric. Dems @GovTimWalz @peggyflanagan @melissahortman @kenmartin73 need to denounce this hateful speech immediately. Here’s Chairman Hann’s full statement: pic.twitter.com/SH2iKBggZR
— Republican Party of Minnesota (@mngop) March 1, 2023
“There is no place in our political discourse for attacks on Minnesotans’ race or religions,” Hann said in a statement. “We condemn this hateful and extremist rhetoric in the strongest possible terms and call on all Democrats to do the same.”
The statement named prominent Democrats in the state who should “unequivocally denounce this hate speech immediately.”
The Democratic lawmaker is cosponsoring a bill that will “make improvements to the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 that establishes child protection procedures and requirements for children who are members of or eligible for membership in a federally recognized Tribe,” according to Fox News.
According to a press release, the bill “makes technical changes and adds numerous provisions to the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA), incorporating federal ICWA procedures and requirements for voluntary and involuntary child placement and permanency proceedings.”
The Indian Child Welfare Act, which was designed to safeguard Native American rights during state child custody proceedings, is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court is considering whether to eliminate or significantly alter the act, which has long been upheld by tribal leaders as a crucial tool for safeguarding their families and preserving their culture.
