OLYMPIA—Words have the power to inspire, to heal — and to cause deep harm. We have seen the impact of hate speech in our communities, and more broadly in our national political environment.
As elected members of the Washington State Legislature and the MOCC, we stand united in condemning reprehensible rhetoric from anyone.
It happens at all levels. Members of the MOCC were shocked and horrified earlier this week when Ann Coulter—a public figure, lawyer, and media commentator—used her platform on X (formerly Twitter) to post the horrific and hateful statement: “we didn’t kill enough Indians.”
Unfortunately, this language is not new.
The statement, viewed by more than a million people, is not only a vile act of hate speech—it is a direct incitement of racial violence against Native Americans and a denial of the genocide and cultural erasure that Indigenous peoples have endured for generations.
“The cycle of hatred caused by fear is vicious and has lasting impacts on our communities,” said Rep. Chris Stearns (D-Auburn), Chair of the MOCC and member of the Navajo nation. “Public figures, elected and otherwise, have an even greater responsibility to understand the powerful weight their words carry, and use their platforms to uplift humanity, not drag it down.”
Washington’s tribal communities have been targeted by centuries of policies aimed at eliminating Native people—physically, culturally, spiritually. These words have real consequences. They embolden violence, perpetuate racism, and threaten the well-being and safety of our Native communities.
“When a person with influence chooses to amplify genocidal ideology, they echo a dark legacy,” said Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Anacortes), a member of the Tlingit tribe. “One rooted in the very foundation of U.S. policy toward Native Americans, from the Trail of Tears to forced boarding schools, to the Termination Era, and the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women today.”
In recent years, the legislature with the support of the MOCC has passed several bills aimed at confronting historical and ongoing injustice for our tribal brothers and sisters and other underrepresented communities.
Hate crime and bias incident reporting hotline (SB 5427) — sponsored by Senator Javier Valdez (D-Seattle) and passed in 2024 with bipartisan support to establish the free hotline for anyone to report a hate crime or bias incident.
Tribal warrants (HB 1829) — Rep. Lekanoff sponsored this bill in 2025 to further government to government relations through greater collaboration and cooperation between state and tribal justice systems.
Behavioral health system coordination (HB 1877) — Also sponsored by Rep. Lekanoff, this bill was passed in 2024 to improve coordination between the Washington state and Indian behavioral health systems to ensure better outcomes for tribal members.
Missing persons and disclosure of public assistance (SB 6186) — Senator Kauffman (D-Auburn) sponsored this bill to allow law enforcement and the Department of Social and Health Services to share information related to someone who is missing.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force — Led by the Washington state Attorney General’s office, the MMIWP task force has been funded by the state legislature since 2021 to help understand and address system causes of violence against indigenous people.
Silence and inaction is complicity. That is why, as elected members of the Washington State Legislature and the MOCC, we stand united in condemning reprehensible rhetoric from anyone.
To our Native brothers and sisters: we see you, we hear you, and we stand with you. We will continue to use our platforms, our positions, and our voices to ensure that your children, your languages, your stories, and your futures are protected.
Together, we reject hate. Together, we stand for justice. Together, we carry forward the work of healing and truth.
Signed,
The Members of Color Caucus, Washington State Legislature
Chair Chris Stearns, Navajo and Rep. Debra Lekanoff Aleut/Tlingit