The recent shooting deaths of two people in Minneapolis have been met with an unsettling silence from many in positions of leadership. That silence is especially troubling when it comes from South Dakota’s own state legislators. These events may have occurred across our border, but their impact does not stop at the state line. Violence, fear and community trauma are not confined to one city or one jurisdiction — they affect all of us.
South Dakotans are watching. We are grieving. And we are asking our elected officials to acknowledge the weight of this moment. When leaders remain quiet, it sends a message that these losses are distant or irrelevant, when in reality they reflect challenges that touch our own communities.
I am calling on South Dakota’s Republican legislators to step forward and speak to the people they represent.
This is not about partisanship — it is about responsibility, empathy and moral leadership. Our state cannot afford indifference.
We need our lawmakers to recognize our pain, address the seriousness of what has happened, and show that they stand with the people they serve.
Silence is not leadership. Now is the time to speak.
Clara HartSioux Falls
