Statement from 8th Congressional District DFL Chair Justin Perpich following New York Times Magazine story

Duluth, MN (Oct. 13, 2017) — In response to yesterday’s New York Times Magazine story, titled “In Northern Minnesota, Two Economies Square Off: Mining vs. Wilderness,” Minnesota 8th Congressional District DFL Chair Justin Perpich released the following statement:

“Yesterday’s story from the New York Times Magazine included numerous divisive statements from self-identified leaders of the environmental/anti-mining movement on the Iron Range. These statements were cruel, excessive, and do not reflect the community values we hold dear on the Iron Range. Iron Rangers are among the hardest working men and women in this country. Our resilience and work ethic is unparalleled. We are miners and mill workers, hunters and hikers, mothers and fathers. Our community does not need the petty name-calling that plagued this story.”

“What the Iron Range needs are good-paying jobs. Jobs that support entire families. Jobs that let you buy a snowmobile to navigate our world-class trails, or a new rifle to hunt in our expansive forests. The truth is this: a tourism-dependent economy does not produce these types of jobs. We need a diverse economy, one where miners, the creative class, and environmentalists can live together and thrive.”

“The DFL is a party that welcomes individuals from all walks of life, promoting constructive discussions on the various issues that confront our communities on the Iron Range, the 8th Congressional District, and across Minnesota. Republicans are salivating at the opportunity to use the mining issue to splinter our community. We must resist this temptation to belittle our brothers and sisters, and instead, stand together for good-paying, union jobs that will support the next generation of Iron Rangers.”