{"id":4567,"date":"2025-05-21T04:48:03","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T04:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/?page_id=4567"},"modified":"2025-05-23T04:56:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T04:56:09","slug":"a-deeper-divide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/a-deeper-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"A deeper divide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Deeper Divide<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mental toll of rising polarization on the Fork Peck Indian Reservation<\/mark><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Story by Kohl Wolfe. Photos by Marc Anthony Martinez<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was already a miserable day for Robert Manning. He\u2019d just spent hours dealing with the \u2018five things\u2019 email mandate sent by the Department of Government Efficiency on Feb. 22, in which all government employees were required to report their five professional accomplishments of that week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the local chapter president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, Manning spent much of that day easing the unsettled federal workforce on the Fort Peck Reservation. At the time, a cluster of presidential executive orders were causing strife and confusion. They suggested big changes for federal employees, perhaps even layoffs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On his way home, Manning needed to make one stop at the local auto parts store for brake pads for his son\u2019s truck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Manning addresses the Wolf Point City Council on March 17, 2025. During the monthly council meeting, Manning brought to the council\u2019s attention an altercation he had with a councilman at the Wolf City Auto shop, where the councilman flexed his arm and said, \u201cMAGA Strong.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As Manning was leaving the store, he heard his name in a loud voice that echoed through the building. It was a White man who approached Manning. He flexed his arm in Manning\u2019s face and said \u201cMAGA Strong!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment was quick. But it ate at Manning, he felt purposely targeted. He was haunted, so he decided to share his experience and confront the man. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was March 3, about two weeks later. Manning stood at the end of a long table while the man, Ken Hentges, sat at the other end as a member of the city council. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The small room housed the meeting place for the Wolf Point City Council, which stood at full capacity for the monthly meeting. Those in attendance watched on as Manning read a poem and shared handouts, silently listening as his story grew more intense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t think you fully understand what your words and your actions really did that day,\u201d Manning told Hentges. \u201cI don\u2019t think you have the empathy to understand that, and it\u2019s not going to be tolerated. It\u2019s not ethical, and today, I\u2019m asking for your resignation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

 Hentges, who quietly listened to Manning\u2019s public comment, finally spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou literally just took it the wrong way,\u201d Hentges said. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean anything offensive by it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A small argument immediately broke out. The councilman dismissed the event. Manning, his voice booming, equated the dismissal of his feelings to \u201cwhat bullies do.\u201d Then they were interrupted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wolf Point Mayor Chris Dschaak, slammed the table with his hand to quiet the room. There would be no screaming match in his chambers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a divide that goes beyond race, creed, color, religion, all of this,\u201d Dschaak said. \u201cWhether you\u2019re a Republican, Democrat, Socialist, Communist, that\u2019s on your personal time. I don\u2019t know how we get back to decency. It seems like we\u2019re slipping away from that more and more day-by-day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The divide that Dschaak described was much bigger than what could be felt in the council chambers that night. It was bigger than in the auto parts store on the day Manning spoke about. It\u2019s a divide that permeates throughout the town of Wolf Point, the state of Montana, and the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first 100 days of Donald Trump\u2019s second presidential term has stirred fears throughout Indian Country. Among the targets that the federal administration has focused, many directly touch tribal programs and communities. This includes federal job security attempts to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in both the workplace and at schools, and potential cuts to health programs. This doesn\u2019t include the rise in incidents like Manning\u2019s, which have created extremely strenuous mental health stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, more Americans reported feeling mental stress when it came to politics. In its 2024 study, \u201cStress in America,\u201d the American Psychological Association reported that 77% of adults said the future of America was a significant source of stress. In addition, 69% of people said the presidential election was a source of significant stress, an increase from 2016 when 52% of people said the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since President Trump\u2019s 2016 victory, and especially since his re-election in 2024, incidents regarding political harassment and violence have heavily increased. According to a 2016 report published by the Southern Poverty Law Center, in the 10 days following the 2016 election, almost 900 reports of harassment were reported across the nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many of the incidents, the harassers invoked Trump\u2019s name directly. Like Manning\u2019s, many others made ties to the \u2018Make America Great Again\u2019 movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even without the extraneous circumstances created by the Trump administration, Indigenous communities face increased challenges regarding mental health compared to other demographics. According to the National Library of Medicine\u2019s 2023 report titled \u201cResilience and Health in American Indians and Alaska Natives,\u201d the disproportionate rates of chronic mental health issues can be directly tied to the effects of generational trauma and other historical instances of trauma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHistorical trauma manifests in high incidence of future trauma exposure, intergenerational trauma, and is further compounded by experiences of racism and discrimination,\u201d according to the report. \u201cHistorical trauma is also related to a constellation of psychological, biological, physiological and behavioral outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wolf Point, a town of around 2,500 people, sits in the middle of the Fort Peck Reservation, home to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes. While a majority of the town\u2019s population is Native American, there is a large number of non-Natives living in Wolf Point as well. While the town itself leaned slightly Democrat in 2024, there were a large number of votes cast for Donald Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Career instability affecting mental health<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Manning is employed by the Chief Redstone Health Clinic in Wolf Point, where he has enjoyed years of stability as a federal employee. However, since January, agencies like the newly created Department of Government Efficiency have put federal workers like Manning under a microscope. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to court documents released by the Trump administration in March, more than 24,000 federal workers across 18 government agencies were laid off amid efforts by the government to cut back spending on \u2018inefficient\u2019 government agencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While healthcare workers in Fort Peck Indian Helath Service offices weren\u2019t targeted in the February layoffs, concerns of job security still ran rampant. With the Department of Government Efficiency\u2019s implementation of weekly performance assessments, many at Chief Redstone Health Clinic were left wondering about their futures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany of my co-workers were crying, fearful for their careers,\u201d Manning said. \u201cOne of my co-workers feared that she would be targeted first, because she had a Hispanic last name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the local chapter president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, a nationwide labor union fighting for federal workers rights, many of those working with Manning look to him for support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Many were so scared for their jobs that they declined to speak about their experiences due to fear of retaliation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThese executive orders are creating a hostile work environment,\u201d Manning said. \u201cPeople are scared and intimidated by Trump and his agenda. It\u2019s been hell for us federal workers just trying to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

On March 27, the Health and Human Services Department announced a new round of more than 10,000 layoffs. While IHS wasn\u2019t one of the agencies targeted, Manning said that many within the nationwide union would be affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manning is also concerned with the treatment of Native workers as the Trump administration looks to cut back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts within the government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montana Democratic Party Treasurer Lance FourStar, an enrolled citizen of the Assiniboine Nation on the Fort Peck reservation, is all too familiar with the concerns that Manning expressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving as the director of the Montana American Indian Caucus, FourStar works with Native lawmakers within the state legislature, drafting bills that reflect the interests of the state\u2019s Indigenous population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to FourStar, the caucus was a quick target for representatives at the national level, with several lawmakers identifying it as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion entity that touted the \u2018woke\u2019 agenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In FourStar\u2019s mind, the labeling of the Montana American Indian Caucus and other such organizations as \u2018woke\u2019 represents a greater issue within the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a fear tactic that\u2019s happening in our nation, and it trickles down to the state legislature, and locally as well,\u201d FourStar said. \u201cI know that a lot of people are watching the news and seeing the conversations that people are having. People are being polarized.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FourStar\u2019s concerns aren\u2019t unfounded. According to a 2022 Pew Research Center report on growing political polarization in America, there is a widespread belief among those who identify as either Republican or Democrat that the opposing party\u2019s policy is harmful to the country, with 78% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats holding these beliefs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FourStar is a sitting member of the Wolf Point City Council. He was in attendance for Manning\u2019s public comment. FourStar is no stranger to the harassment that Manning said he felt that day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the 2024 election season, FourStar used social media platforms like Facebook while campaigning for a spot in the Montana House of Representatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While looking through a Trump-supporting family member\u2019s Facebook page, he came to a realization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI recognize many of these people, but I have no idea what their views are,\u201d FourStar said. \u201cWe live in the same community, but unless I go to their business or see them at a game, I\u2019m not going to have an interaction with them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Wanting to build a bridge and connect with those he usually wouldn\u2019t interact with, FourStar decided to begin adding people he believed held political opinions that differed from his own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within minutes, he regretted the decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight away, a community member started attacking me,\u201d FourStar said. \u201cHe was calling me these names because I\u2019m a Democratic candidate and I\u2019m the treasurer for the Montana Democratic Party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a public member of the Democratic Party, FourStar knew that online harassment was a possibility. This wasn\u2019t his first experience with trolling online. Usually, he wouldn\u2019t think anything of it, and the messages would usually stop after one or two comments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the interaction turned more threatening, FourStar understood that this was unlike anything he\u2019d experienced before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe said he was going to do everything he could to make sure that I lost everything,\u201d FourStar said. \u201cHe would make sure that I\u2019d be left on the corner drunk, asking for spare change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FourStar admits he struggled with alcoholism for almost three decades. He now holds his five years of sobriety very dear. He knew what it was like to be on the streets with nothing, and it\u2019s something he hopes to never experience again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After more messages threatening FourStar and his family, he filed a report with the Roosevelt County Sheriff\u2019s Office, and the messages stopped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FourStar has never publicly spoken about his experience until now. By doing so, he hopes to shine a light on not only his experience and ensure that it isn\u2019t normalized in an increasingly polarized society. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best thing I can do is take that experience and try to do something proactive with it,\u201d FourStar said. \u201cI can communicate to the public that this behavior is happening because of candidates and campaigns like Donald Trump\u2019s. They make it okay for people to do that, and it\u2019s not okay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Robert Manning reads a poem, \u201cRich Man\u2019s War,\u201d to city council members after he discussed an incident he had with a council member. The poem, written by his uncle, details the struggle of small communities fighting each other and losing sight of the common fight against oppressors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Finding safe spaces<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once again, Robert Manning stood at the end of a long table, recounting the night he said he was taunted by Hentges. This time, he was far more calm. The energy in this room was far less intense compared to the previous night at the city council meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no large audience to hear his words. Besides his wife, Carrie Manning, the only people that sat around the table are co-workers of Carrie\u2019s, eager to listen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After recounting the story yet again, he sat down as the group digested his words. The silence was only broken by the sound of dust being brushed away from Manning\u2019s work uniform, as Carrie jokingly scolded him about his messy appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook at how dirty your shirt is,\u201d Carrie laughed, wiping Manning\u2019s shoulders. \u201cYou can\u2019t be messy when you\u2019re getting your picture taken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had no time to change before I came here,\u201d Manning responded. \u201cI had to come straight from work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For almost two-and-a-half years, Manning has come to this building to get away. Opened in 2023 with the help of a grant through the Spotted Bull Recovery Center, the Safe Place acts as both a functioning center for recovering addicts and as Manning\u2019s quiet place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A licensed addiction counselor, Carrie Manning spearheaded the operation, as well as the creation of Celebrate Recovery, a weekly meeting where sober members of the community gather to acknowledge their shared struggles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Robert Manning and his wife, Carrie Manning, talk to coworkers at the Spotted Bull Recovery Center about the city council meeting where Manning addressed the council about the confrontation he had at Wolf City Auto. Carrie Manning is on the city council and works at the Spotted Bull Recovery Center, where parents and youth can go for help with recovery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the days following his confrontation with Hentges, the city council member, Manning experienced a barrage of emails, letters, and ultimatums that left him in a state of panic. So much so, that he now doubts his own memory of the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The owners of Wolf City Auto, a NAPA franchise, the store in which the alleged harassment occurred, contacted Manning through a lawyer, challenged Manning\u2019s story and provided a video of the incident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the city council meeting, Manning recalled the councilman raising his arm with the palm of his hand facing forward, which he saw as a Nazi salute. While there is clear audio of Manning\u2019s name being called out as well as the \u2018MAGA Strong\u2019 gesture being visible, there is no footage of a Nazi salute. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The owners of Wolf City Auto were not named during Manning\u2019s public comment, but the letter attached detailed that the store and its owners felt that they\u2019d been subjected to unfair and unwanted attention as a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a post shared to Facebook, one of the owners of Wolf City Auto shared the video and, in a lengthy comment, dismissed the event as a \u201csimple and almost friendly interaction\u201d that was knowingly exaggerated by Manning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor Rob to say that he won\u2019t come into our store because of this incident is silly,\u201d the post read. \u201cI post now because it was a false accusation that can cause serious damage to our business and livelihood. Ruining our business reputation and questioning our integrity all so you can play the victim is where I have to draw the line.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement released publicly, Manning clarified his comments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did not call the business owners Nazi\u2019s, and I sincerely hope that no one took my words that way,\u201d the statement said. \u201cIf my statement caused any misunderstanding or hurt, I deeply regret that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Manning believed that statement would be enough to satisfy the legal issues, something still ate at him; the events of the video still didn\u2019t fully match what he remembered. He watched it so many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAccording to that video, I\u2019m wrong,\u201d Manning said. \u201cGod help me, is this dementia? I\u2019m worried. My wife is worried. My mind still can\u2019t believe that video.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Social media attention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attention from the Facebook posts were widespread throughout Wolf Point. Many comments accused Manning of fabricating the story, others called into question his position as the union president, and whether or not he could be trusted in the role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hentges however has stayed silent. No lawyer messages, no public addresses, not even a social media post. Even during the city council meeting, no indication was given that he denied the event. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Manning, the moment that he hoped would spark a wider conversation about the state of things in Wolf Point turned against him in a way he could see coming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew I was going to become a target,\u201d Manning said. \u201cBeing the union president, I already am. This just made the target that much bigger. I\u2019m praying I don\u2019t lose everything for coming forward and speaking about what\u2019s happening here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with the threats of legal trouble and questions about his memory of events, Manning said he wouldn\u2019t go back in time to avoid the city council meeting. Even if the events he remembered didn\u2019t fully match reality, he knew what he felt was real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did not want to hear my name called out and then be flexed on,\u201d Manning said. \u201cI did not want to be told \u2018MAGA Strong.\u2019 I still believe that\u2019s not normal behavior and should have been brought to the council\u2019s attention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even after a week as bad as Manning\u2019s, there\u2019s always light at the end of the tunnel. On March 22, five days after the city council meeting, the Manning\u2019s were able to leave Wolf Point behind for a weekend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, they couldn\u2019t miss walking their daughter down the aisle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is the thing we\u2019ve talked about, the things you have to look forward to,\u201d Manning said. \u201cThere are plenty of good things happening in this world too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A SPECIAL PROJECT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADDITIONAL FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE GREATER MONTANA FOUNDATION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ MORE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Previous<\/mark><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

A complex white picket fence<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Next<\/mark><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Thriving together<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Story by Kohl Wolfe. Photos by Marc Anthony Martinez It was already a miserable day for Robert Manning. He\u2019d just spent hours dealing with the \u2018five things\u2019 email mandate sent by the Department of Government Efficiency on Feb. 22, in which all government employees were required to report their five professional accomplishments of that week.  […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bgseo_title":"","bgseo_description":"","bgseo_robots_index":"index","bgseo_robots_follow":"follow","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4567","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4567"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4797,"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4567\/revisions\/4797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nativenews.jour.umt.edu\/projects\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}