"Ya’a’teh, what the hey"

That was one of Representative Albert Hale’s favorite sayings. He definitely had a self deprecating sense of humor which I totally got (cuz I have the same) but I don't think he would have laughed at what happened today 1/ https://twitter.com/JMShumway/status/1357084579295727616

I had the opportunity to serve  w/ Rep. Hale for nearly 3 years in the #AZHouse from 2012-2014. I was a newbie legislator, learning how to survive a crazy world of legislative politics, and Rep. Hale quickly became one of my absolute favorites. 2/

He was a brilliant and commanding advocate for all Native peoples and his thunderous floor speeches always made everyone stop and listen. And that’s very difficult to do in the #AZSenate, much less the #AZHouse. 3/

Today we are chastised for speaking out about racism or calling out racist behavior. There’s both rage and vengeance thrown at us both socially and in public policy proposals for daring to educate our kids and ourselves about past and current injustices. 4/

But we need to if we ever hope to learn from our mistakes and prevent us from making them again. But Rep. Hale wasn’t just "not a racist." He was an #AntiRacist before anti-racism was cool. 5/

He never once shied away from forcefully giving us the education that we all so desperately need (especially after what we saw today) about the travesties committed upon his people and their land that we now occupy and the travesties that we continue to commit upon them. 6/

He constantly reminded us when we had lost sight of what was truly important, when we as a state honored things like guns that have brought pain, suffering and destruction to generations of peoples instead of honoring things like justice, equality, dignity, respect and peace. 7/

Seeing that today made me realize just how much I’ll miss my friend. Thank you for setting an example for me. It saddens me that despite your efforts, we still see insensitive bullsh*t like that happen to your memory and to my colleague @jamescita as if your history is a joke 8/

It saddens me that history has repeated itself once again as you’ve been taken by a #COVID19 virus that the white man has let run rampant upon the peoples of this state and we are still taking no action to address that. 9/

I loved how you ended every vote explanation. And in your honor, I’ll forever keep fighting to give you your land back. End/