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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-25-26 Correspondence - Disability Rights MT - We Say _Freedom,_ But Do We Mean It_From:Disability Rights Montana - Growth Rings To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]We Say "Freedom," But Do We Mean It? Date:Monday, May 25, 2026 8:05:51 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Every paid subscription supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is nowhere near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! We Say "Freedom," But Do We MeanIt? What Memorial Day reveals about democracy, responsibility, and thereality of belonging. READ IN APP Prologue: Memorial Day is a weighty holiday, maybe the most weighty. I’m aware that writing about it can feel risky. It can sound hollow. It can feel like trying to co-opt something sacred. But saying nothing feels worse, dismissive in a moment that asks for reflection. MAY 25 So I’ll say this as earnestly and clearly as I can. I’ll get to answering that question but to start, let’s be honest, for many people, today becomes a long weekend or the unofficial start of summer. But it’s more than that. Today is set aside to remember Americans who gave their lives in service to our country. Think about that. They committed themselves fully, knowing it could cost them everything, and for many, it did. So as a society, we pause briefly to show our gratitude. But to truly do that, don’t we have to examine what that service was for. When I think about that kind of sacrifice (and the families, friends, and colleagues left behind) I come back to a simple question: What is so important that it calls for that kind of sacrifice and how do we honor it? The United States has always been described as an experiment. An unfinished one. An ongoing one. Built on big promises or freedom, representation, and self-governance. Promises not always kept, but consistently pursued by people who believe in the country enough to move it forward. That participation takes many forms: Serving in the military What does Memorial Day have to do withdisability? The Ongoing Experiment Voting in elections Speaking up in community decisions Showing up for neighbors Pushing systems to live up to their ideals In the coming weeks, as primaries unfold across the country, we’ll see another version of that experiment in action. Not perfect. Not smooth. But still one of the clearest ways we decide, together, what kind of country we want to be. Democracy isn’t automatic. It requires participation. And it requires belief that the experiment is still worth working on. So what is important enough that people give their lives to protect it? At its core, it’s freedom. Not just the idea of freedom, but the lived reality of it. The ability to participate. To belong. To have a voice. And the ongoing work of expanding that reality, so it reaches more people, more fully, over time. Because throughout our history, access to freedom hasn’t been equal. It has been shaped and limited by systems tied to class, race, religion, gender, and disability. But the experiment keeps moving. And with it, the definition of who belongs. What’s at Stake Every generation wrestles with the same question: Who fully belongs and who gets left out? Over time, the answer has expanded. Not easily, and never automatically, but steadily. People with disabilities are part of that expansion. Not on the sidelines, but woven all the way through it: As veterans As voters As workers, leaders, and neighbors As people helping redefine what participation looks like That progress shows up in real ways like civil rights laws, education access, housing protections, community integration. Step by step, the meaning of freedom has grown. In the U.S. and beyond. That kind of progress doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens because current freedoms provide space and opportunity for expanding freedoms. On a day like today, it’s easy to think about freedom in abstract terms. But most of the time, it shows up much closer to the ground: Who Gets Included? Freedom, Up Close Being able to get where you need to go Being heard in decisions that affect your life Being part of your community Having a real voice in your state and your country These are the building blocks of democracy. They don’t happen automatically. They are built, maintained, and reimagined by people who stay engaged. In Montana, we value independence and self-determination. We also value community. Sometimes those ideas feel in tension. But Memorial Day reminds us they’re connected. It asks us to recognize something deeper: individual sacrifice for the collective good. The idea of doing your part. Not in isolation, but as part of something larger. Because no one carries a country forward alone. As primary season ramps up, it’s worth remembering: Democracy isn’t happening somewhere else. It’s happening here. It happens in our towns, our polling places, our conversations. And it’s shaped by who participates. If we want to honor the sacrifices we remember today, participation isn’t optional. A Montana Perspective It’s essential. You don’t need to overhaul your day to honor Memorial Day. Just hold two ideas at once: Gratitude for those who gave everything Responsibility for what we do with the opportunity they left us Because the experiment will continue either way. The real question is how fully we choose to be part of it. I’m glad you’re here for it. Sincerely, David David Carlson, J.D. Executive Director Disability Rights Montana p.s. Fill out the voter survey today If you haven’t done so already, please let us know what issues are important to you by filling out this survey. Once we see what the disability community wants answers to, we will put it all together in a survey for people running for office and share their answers with you to better inform your voting this fall. Community Survey A Simple Reflection p.p.s. Shape Belonging in Montana and at the Montana Disability Justice Community Center Join a work group to help think through the physical building or the events and activities we fill the building with: Event/Activity Work Group (First meeting Tuesday, May 26 from 12:00pm-1:00pm) What kinds of events would you love to attend? Do you have an idea for an event, workshop, or gathering? Disability Rights Montana wants people to use its building in the ways they want! Whether it’s art, advocacy, education, or social connection, your creativity can help bring disability culture to life. What would make you say, ‘I want to be part of that’? Share your ideas and help us design programming that is exciting and inclusive. We can build belonging together. Event/Activity Work Group Building Work Group (First meeting Wednesday, May 27 from 12:00pm-1:00pm) Do you have knowledge about buildings and their role in community life: architects, developers, builders, skilled tradespeople, engineers. If you have expertise in design, construction, or accessibility, Disability Rights Montana would love your help on a small committee to figure out how to make the most of our building. We want to invest wisely in improvements that make this space welcoming and functional for community use. Building Work Group These conversations start tomorrow, so sign up today because your voice matters. You’re currently a free subscriber to Life Beyond Compliance. Upgrading to paid subscriptions supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is no where near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! 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