This is what a legacy is about

Billy Frank Jr. did what most politicians find unimaginable: He cussed in public and was bracingly partial to telling the truth.

Frank, the seminal Indian leader who went from 1960s fish-in scofflaw to salmon-saving prophet, died Monday. He was 83.

The stampede of one-upping praise — from President Barack Obama to Gov. Jay Inslee — crowded email in-boxes. The chorus is well deserved, but belies the great unspoken, that Frank was an iconoclast with only a handful of non-tribal allies when he started out. Where were the amens when Frank was being arrested, again and again, to protest the stomping of tribal fishing rights?

The value of being on the right side of history is that your enemies grow silent.

“Billy was a true statesman who brought an optimistic, can-do approach to environmental and natural resource challenges,” said Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “His activism and perseverance helped build the foundation of an enduring legacy that Washington state will never forget.”

History comes full circle. It was one of Ferguson’s predecessors, Slade Gorton, who fought against the culmination of Frank’s early activism, the 1974 Boldt decision.

The Boldt narrative traces to the first tribal fish-ins in 1964 to protest the violation of indigenous treaty rights, to a 1970 Nixon Justice Department lawsuit against the state of Washington, to the Feb. 12, 1974, ruling that reaffirmed the federal treaties of 1854 and 1855. Tribal members, Judge George Boldt ruled, have the right to fish in their “usual and accustomed” places, with half of the annual catch going to treaty tribes.

Politicians demagogued, giving in to code-word racism. A striking exception was Everett Rep. Lloyd Meeds, who accepted the decision, noting that tribes had the law on their side.

Frank lived to mark the 40th anniversary of the Boldt decision in February as well as witness the passage this year of HB 2080, a bill that vacates the convictions of tribal activists who participated in fish-ins up to 1975.

Frank bent history, even shaping our political vocabulary. As the longtime chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, he conceived the idea a government-to-government framework, something we take for granted.

Frank also was a joy.

“The best rebels are those who are happy,” journalist Mark Trahant writes of his friend. “They know they are right and convince others with their light, rather than just being an obstacle. They smile as they fight. Urging you to join along. They win you over.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

toon
Editorial cartoons for Friday, Feb. 7

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Curtains act as doors for a handful of classrooms at Glenwood Elementary on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Editorial: Schools’ building needs point to election reform

Construction funding requests in Arlington and Lake Stevens show need for a change to bond elections.

Schwab: Trump proves not as bad as feared; it’s worse

Taking food and medicine from kids; surrendering control to Musk; is this what you voted for?

Keep necessary homeless service program at its Everett location

Regarding The Herald’s front-page coverage of the Hope ‘N Wellness community services… Continue reading

We can’t afford the rich not paying their fair share

In a recent column, Todd Welch claims that a wealth tax on… Continue reading

Can we find a politically moderate path, please?

I was just wondering what happened to the moderates. I am a… Continue reading

Kristof: World’s richest men take on world’s poorest people

Trump says the USAID is run by ‘radical lunitics.’ Is saving countless lives now lunacy.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, Feb. 6

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Lake Stevens school bond funds needed safety work at all schools

A parent’s greatest fear is for something bad to happen to their… Continue reading

Arlington schools capital levy: Say yes to new Post Middle School

Schools are the backbone of the Arlington community. Families want to move… Continue reading

Long sentences not much of a deterrent but serve justice

A recent column by Todd Welch mentions a trope that ignores one… Continue reading

Comment: Trump’s stress-test of Constitution shows it’s up to job

Keep filing lawsuits and the courts will bat down his unconstitutional orders; as long as he follows the rulings.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.