-
McGrees, Kachmarik qualify for State
HAMILTON — Four Butte Central golfers — three with the last name McGree — qualified for the Class A State tournament Friday.
Siblings Will, Beau and Mya McGree will play at the State tournament, which is next Friday and Saturday in Sidney, along with teammate Connor Kachmarik. The four BC golfers qualified to move on at the Western A Divisional meet at the Hamilton Golf Club. (Results)
Will McGree is a senior, Beau McGree and Kachmarik are sophomores, and Mya McGree is an eighth grader. The top four teams and the next eight individuals, including ties, move on.
Butte Central placed sixth in boys’ team standings at 335. Corvallis won at 296. The Blue Devils were followed by Frenchtown at 323, Polson at 329 and Dillon at 331. Whitefish placed fifth at 332.
Will and Beau McGree tied for seventh place in the boys’ team standings with a 7-over-par 79. Brady Powell of Corvallis fired a 3-under 69 to take medalist honors. He was followed by teammate Tag Jessop at 72 and Polson’s Max Milton at 73.
Kachmarik qualified with an 84. Drew Kachmarik fired a 93 for the Maroons, while Kelton Berger shot a 95.
Mya McGree fired a 105 to qualify on the girls’ side. She is the only girl playing for the Maroons.
Cameron Burnett of Hamilton took home medalist honors at 76. Ryhlee Scott of Whitefish took second at 83, while Skylar LaPierre and Briley Alberi followed at 86.
Hamilton won the team total at 372. Whitefish took second at 377, Dillon placed third at 386, and Frenchtown placed fourth at 431.
-
Choquette tied for fifth, DeShaw eighth at Western AA golf
KALISPELL — Some Butte High golfers took a big first step toward qualifying for next week’s Class AA State tournament at the Butte Country Club Thursday.
Butte High senior Chase Choquette is tied for fifth place on the boys’ side of the Western AA Divisional tournament. Bulldog junior Kate DeShaw is tied for eighth place on the girls’ side.
Choquette fired a 1-under-par 71 on the Northern Pines Golf Course. He is tied with Glacier’s Torren Murray.
Luke Nelson of Glacier tops the leaderboard after firing a 4-under 68 on the first round. Hudson Goroski of Missoula Sentinel and Austin Kaufman of Helena High are tied for second at 69. Jack Schaefer of Sentinel sits at fourth at 70.
As a team, the Sentinel boys matched par for a 288 to take control of the team race. Glacier is second at 294. Helena Capital is a distant third at 319. Missoula Big Sky is fourth at 320, one shot ahead of Flathead.
Butte High sits in sixth place at 339.
The top four teams advance to the State meet. The next eight individuals, including ties, also move on.
Lane Lisac shot an 86 for the Bulldogs, beating teammate Braden Donnelly by one shot. Miles Choquette carded a 95 for the Dogs, and teammate Beckham Kinsey hit a 98.
DeShaw shot a 94 to jump into the top 10. Maggie Milton of Glacier is leading the way at 86. She is one shot better than teammate Kendall Tkachyk and Capital’s Harlow Anderson.
Glacier leads the team race at 359. Helena High is second at 381, followed by Missoula Big Sky at 406. At 431, Butte High holds onto the fourth spot. The Bulldogs are two shots better than fifth-place Capital.
Butte’s Keeley Johnston is just outside the top 10. She is tied for 12th at 99. Baely Norris hit 118, while Sage Leber shot 120, and Julia DeShaw hit a 137.
The final round begins at 10 a.m. Friday. Follow along live on the Golf Genius app with the passcode “25WAADIV.”
-
Houchin, Wiltsie, Houchin lead Bulldogs at Butte High Invite
Camden Houchin, Levi Wiltsie and Sophia Houchin posted top-20 finishes to lead the Butte High Cross Country team Thursday at the Butte High Invitational cross country meet. (Results)
Camden Houchin paced the Butte High boys. He placed seventh out of 124 runners, competing the 5-kilometer race at Stodden Park in 16 minutes, 30 seconds. Wiltsie, a fellow Bulldog senior, placed 13th, coming within 4 seconds of his personal best with a time of 16:42.
Milo Kauffman of Helena High won the race in 15:41. Kyle McBee of Billings West took second in 16:13, and Miles Miller of Hellgate placed third in 16:19.
Helena won the boys’ team title with 70 points. Hellgate was second at 93, followed by Flathead with 119. Butte High placed ninth out of 17 teams at 207.
Senior Lincoln Zell placed 51st with an impressive time of 17:46 For Butte High. Junior Bridger Luebke finished in 18:13, one second ahead of Bulldog sophomore teammate Isaac Zell. Also for Butte High, junior Charles Killebrew crossed in 18:23, and senior Ryan Hanson finished in 19:43.
Four Butte Central boys ran in the varsity race. Junior Jack Holmes led the way in 22:39. Eighth grader Roman Terry (24:38.30), junior Joe Bradshaw (24:30.40) and junior Conan Holmes (27:29) also ran for BC.
On the girls’ side, Sophia Houchin placed 20th in a field of 118 with a time of 20:34.
Ada Thiel of Kalispell Glacier won with a time of 18:52, which was 3 seconds better than Tula Higman of Bozeman. Flathead’s Everett Holland took third in 19:12.
Sophomore Penelope Luebke finished in 21:44 for Butte High. Classmate Adelaide Thompson crossed in 24:29, and senior Kellie Joe Carpenter posted a time of 24:54.
Gallatin won the team title with 59 points. Helena High was second at 65, and Billings West took third in 106. Butte High did not have enough runners for a team score.
The day included races for varsity, junior varsity, middle school and grade school.
Butte High will be back in action next Friday at a meet in Three Forks. The Maroons will run again Saturday in Dillon.
-
Zimpel, Vicevich, Cassidy perfect to close out Fall League
Vicevich, Clark win ‘High Gun’
Three shooters posted perfect scores in the final week of the Butte Track Club’s Fall League.
Kevin Zimpel, Dave Vicevich and Tim Cassidy each broke all 50 targets to top individual standings. Dan Rademacher, Lane St. Clair, Matt Lockmer, Ryan Moodry, Jake Taverna, Al Petersen and Josh Bridgeman each shot a 49. Rich Long, Curtis Threser, Doug Rentz, Riley Rigby, Mark Moline, Ryan Bossard and Timmy Schrapps each broke 48 targets.
Jen Hislop fired a 47 to top women’s standings. Kim McClafferty and Rayelynn Brandl each shot a 46, while Tammy Gordon and Gillian Clark each shot a 43.
Bossard’s 47 topped wobble standings. Casidy and Dean Vesco shot a 46, and Stephen Frazee and Beau Powers shot 45.
Vicevich won the Male High Gun award, breaking 297 out of 300 targets on the season. Mark Hislop and Ryan Moodry tied for runner up at 291. Clark’s 247 won the Female High Gun award. Amara Vicevich won the High Junior award.
Wolverine Systems won the Class AA title with a score of 1,134. Arc Electric took second at 1,119. Members of the winning team Vicevich, Clark, Doug Rentz, Seth Duclos, and Josh Bridgeman.
Butte Trap Club – 2025 Fall League – Week 6 Results
Team Final Class Standings
AA
Wolverine Systems – 1134
Arc Electric – 1119
Baker Auto – 1114
Triple S Construction – 1113
WET 1 – 1105A
Cooney’s Locksmith – 1108
Burn – 1070
Lost Art Builders – 1070
Lockmer Plumbing – 1057
S & S Plumbing – 1042B
Northwest Clay Busters – 1076
Archibald Co. – 1047
Poker Montana – 1046
Sundance Plumbing – 1042
Clay Howery Construction – 1003C
PMS – 1026
Shotgun Shenanigans – 1014
Superior Title – 1010
WET 2 – 985
Bar D-M Ranch – 964D
Daddy’s Girls – 944
In Control Wildlife Services – 922
Maloney’s/Harrington’s Pepsi – 904
12 G Girls – 853High Individual Scores
Kevin Zimpel – 50×50
Dave Vicevich – 50×50
Tim Cassidy – 50×50
Dan Rademacher – 49×50
Lane St Clair – 49×50
Matt Lockmer – 49×50
Ryan Moodry – 49×50
Jake Taverna – 49×50
Al Petersen – 49×50
Josh Bridgeman – 49×50
Rich Long – 48×50
Curtis Threser – 48×50
Doug Rentz – 48×50
Riley Rigby – 48×50
Mark Moline – 48×50
Ryan Bossard – 48×50
Timmy Schrapps – 48×50High Lady Scores
Jen Hislop – 47×50
Kim McClafferty – 46×50
Rayelynn Brandl – 46×50
Tammy Gordon – 43×50
Gillian Clark – 43×50High Wobble Trap Scores
Ryan Bossard – 47×50
Tim Cassidy – 46×50
Dean Vesco – 46×50
Stephen Frazee – 45×50
Beau Powers – 45×50High Gun Male
Champion Dave Vicevich – 297×300
R-U Tie Mark Hislop – 291×300
R-U Tie Ryan Moodry – 291×300High Gun Female
Champion Gillian Clark – 274×300High Junior – Amara Vicevich
Team Division Winners
Class AA – Wolverine Systems – Doug Rentz, Seth Duclos, Josh Bridgeman, Gillian Clark, Dave VicevichClass A – Cooney’s Locksmith – Mark Hislop, Billy Bob White, Scott White, Justin Lerum, Jon Lerum
Class B – Northwest Clay Busters Ted Phillips, Wade Malyvac, Ian Smith, John McClernan, Will Davies
Class C – PMS – Shawn Gleason, Randy Maynard, Dean Vesco, Tim Cassidy, Don Morrison
Class D – Daddy’s Girls – Amber Henson, Lyla Klobucar, Tammy Gordon, Dawna Raiser, Mindy McClernan
Annie Oakley Winners
1st – Kevin Zimpel 2nd – Billy Bob White -
Eighth grader Lane Lisac represents Bulldog colors at Pebble Beach
If you looked at the results of the Butte High Invitational golf tournament last week, you might have noticed that Bulldog Lane Lisac was listed with a “WD” next to his name on Friday.
That means “withdrew,” and it came after Lisac fired an 81 at Fairmont Hot Springs on Thursday. That was good for a tie for 13th place at the midway point.
As it turns out, Lisac had a pretty good reason to be gone on Friday. He was on his way to Pebble Beach Golf Links in California to compete in the Regional Qualifier for the United States Golf Association’s Drive, Putt & Chip competition.
Lisac, who is playing varsity golf even though he is an eighth grader at East Middle School, just might be the first Bulldog to ever compete at the legendary golf course while also competing for the Bulldogs, and he represented his school by bringing his Butte High golf bag.
East Middle School eighth grader and member of the Butte High varsity golf team Lane Lisac shows off his Bulldog colors at Pebble Beach. Lisac qualified to represent Montana at Pebble Beach by winning the Subregional event Aug. 19 at Fairmont. He qualified for that event at a competition a month earlier, also at Fairmont.
Lisac returned to the Mining City after placing 14th in the boys’ 14-15 age group at Pebble Beach. He still hasn’t reached his 14th birthday.
He scored a 90 overall, carding a 37 on his driving, 30 on his putting and 23 on chipping. Points are awarded for the three different categories in the competition. (Results)
Arno Wehle of San Jose won the title with a 173 total to qualify for the national competition, which will be held April 5, 2026 at Augusta National Golf Club.
Lisac, who won his age group at the Butte Junior City Championships last month at the Highland View Golf Course, will be back comping for the Bulldogs this Thursday at the Western AA Divisional tournament in Kalispell.
Wiltsie signs with Providence, Bulldogs run well at Mountain West
Levi Wiltsie had himself a pretty good week.
On Thursday, the Butte High senior signed an NAIA National Letter of Intent to run country team at the University of Providence in Great Falls. He put ink to paper during a ceremony that was well attended by family, friends, coaches and teammates in the lobby outside the Richardson Gym.
Two days later, Wiltsie put on a big-time performance for the Bulldogs at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula. He finished the 5-kilometer course in 16 minutes, 54 seconds to place 65th out of 590 boys running in the varsity division. (Results)
Levi Wiltsie is surrounded by teammates after signing to run at the University of Providence. Classmate Camden Houchin led the Bulldogs. He placed 18th in the race with a time of 16:12. He ranked 11th among Montana runners and eighth in Class AA competition.
Miles Halvorsen of Bozeman won the race with a blistering time of 15:17. Teammate Taylor Neil was second at 15:30, and Grey Piseno of Billings Central took third at 15:38.
Butte High’s times were impressive all around, with five runners breaking 19 minutes. Lincoln Zell finished 124th overall with a time of 17:28, while Bridger Luebke finished in 18:25 and Charles Killebrew crossed in 18:44.
Bulldog Nathan Kopp nearly broke 19 minutes, crossing in 19:00.37. Jason Real finished in 19:32.
Two boys from Butte Central competed. Jack Holmes finished in 22:39, and Joe Bradshaw crossed in 23:13.
Mead, Idaho won the team title with 110 points, beating second-place Bozeman by one. Cheney, Washington took third at 277. Butte High placed 24th among the 79 teams with 665 points.
On the girls’ side, freshman Sophia Houchin led the Bulldogs. She placed 74th out of 486 runners with a time of 20:45.
Penelope Luebke followed at 21:37, while Elsa Theiszen crossed in 21:54. Also for Butte High, Adelaide Thomson finished in 24:10, one second ahead of teammate Kellie Jo Carpenter.
Addison Kegel of Billings Central won the race in 17:33. Glacier’s Lauren Bissen was second at 18:07, followed by Phoebe Maixner of Bozeman at 18:33.
Bozeman’s 67 points won the girls’ team title. Gallatin was second at 163, while Helena took third at 220. The Bulldogs finished 38th out of 67 teams with 977 points.
The Bulldogs and Maroons will be back in action Thursday when Butte High hosts a meet at Stodden Park.
Bulldogs, Maroons come home
It’s Homecoming week in the Mining City with both Butte High and Butte Central gearing up for home football games on Friday night.
Butte High (1-3 overall, 0-2 Western AA) will battle Missoula Sentinel (4-0, 2-0) at Naranche Stadium, while the Maroons (2-1) will take on Corvallis (0-3) at Montana Tech’s Alumni Coliseum. Both games start at 7 o’clock.
Central was off last week, while Butte High suffered a 41-7 loss at Missoula Big Sky. (Boxscore)
Eli Kasberg passed for 235 yards and three touchdowns, and Augustus Goebel returned an interception 62 yards for a score to lead the Eagles.
Butte High has faced an incredibly difficult opening month of the season. Each of their losses was to a team that is still undefeated. While Sentinel comes to town with a perfect mark, their schedule has not been nearly as daunting.
The Spartans opened with a 7-0 lightning-shortened win at Belgrade before struggling to a 6-0 win over Great Falls Russell in Missoula. After a 31-24 overtime win at home over Helena High, Sentinel downed Hellgate 28-7 last week.
According to a Sentinel coach, there seems to be some dispute as to whether the shortened game against Belgrade counts on the record. So, depending on whom you ask, the Spartans are 4-0 or 3-0.
Seven of the eight touchdowns scored by Sentinel this year have come by way of the ground. Senior quarterback Rudy Hess has run for five scores. He is averaging 105.3 yards passing. Junior Kaden Thennis is averaging 92.3 yards rushing per game.
The lone Bulldog score last week came from their defense. Junior defensive back Bradey Doyle picked off a pass and returned it 67 yards for the touchdown.
The Eagles held the Bulldogs to just 136 yards passing and 13 yards rushing. Junior Raeder Grey replaced senior Brooks Vincent at quarterback in the second half. It is unsure whom the Bulldogs will start this week.
Senior Hudson Luedtke is coming off yet another big game for the Bulldogs. In addition to being a standout on defense, he caught eight passes for 70 yards last week. He is well on his way to his fourth All-State season.
Classmate Kaleb Celli caught four passes for 48 yards.
Junior Jaeger Hansen was once again a force to lead the Bulldog defense last week. He chalked up nine total tackles. Sophomore Koyde Kjersten had his best game to date, registering eight tackles, while seniors Mitch Verlanic and Gunner Bushman joined juniors Finn Wortham and Doyle with seven.
Luedtke followed with six tackles, junior Reece Cunneen grabbed five, and junior Casen Snyder got in on five. Cunneen also forced a fumble, which was recovered by Bushman.
The Maroons will be in action for the first time since their Sept. 11 smackdown of Ronan at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.
Senior quarterback Ryan Peoples tied a school record with five touchdown passes. He also ran for a score. All of those came in the first quarter. The game was called during a lighting with the Maroons leading 40-0 early in the second quarter.
Seniors Jack Nagle and GG Fantini each caught a TD pass from peoples, as did sophomores Treigh Hollow and Jaxon Hiatt and freshman Henly Mansanti.
Ronan has been outscored 123-6 on the season, with losses to Polson, Bigfork and Whitefish.
Copper Sprockets impress at Clash
Three riders from the Butte Copper Sprockets mountain bike team posted victories in their classifications Saturday at the Copper Kings Clash in the Big Butte open space area. (Results)
Torsten Thieszen won the fifth-grade boys’ title, finishing the lap in 19 minutes, 22 seconds.
Fellow Copper Sprocket Collette Stevens claimed the fifth-grade girls’ title. She rode the lap in 23:24.
In the JV2 boys’ division, Butte’s Renzy LeProwse rode to victory, finishing three laps in 43:01.
Four other Copper Sprockets placed in the top five of their groups. Preston Tippett took third in the fifth-grade girls’ race in 24:44, while teammate Cora Turner placed fourth in that division in 26:50.
Copper Sprockets Samson Myers and Nolan Luebke placed third and fourth in the boys’ seventh- and eighth-grade division.
Overall, the Copper Sprockets placed eighth out of 14 teams with 1,925 points. Bozeman won with 2,218, followed by Spokane Composite at 2,155 and Helena Cyclones at 2,122.
Other riders who competed the Copper Sprockets Saturday are Conrad Luebke, Cason Franklin, Daegan Branam, Berlynn Bjorgum, Cade Irons, Knox Cramer, Luke Renouard, Ryan Byrne, Michael Anderson, Camden Franklin, Tyson Hildreth, Connell Walsh, David Schulte, Paisley Jaksha, Laney Stillwagon, Matthew Weldon, Caden Tippett, Kaspian Lutke, Andrew Toutman, Ryan Draper, Ian Troutman, Bo Bjorgum, Christopher Stodden and Milee Stillwagon.
Bulldogs spike Wolfpack
Butte High’s volleyball team went 1-1 on a road trip to Kalispell over the weekend.
The Bulldogs swept Glacier Friday night to pick up their first win. Flathead swept Butte High on Saturday.
Against Glacier, Butte High won 25-13, 25-23, 30-28. (Boxscore)
Avery Barsness and Gracie Jonart each tallied 10 kills to lead Butte High’s attack. Ellison Graham and Stella Callaghan each killed five, and Audry McClafferty spiked four.
Graham and Jonart each served three aces, and Graham set 26 assists.
Cadence Graham led the Bulldog backcourt with 15 digs. Ellison Graham and Jonart followed with 10 and nine.
Less than 24 hours later, the Bulldogs came up short on a 25-19, 25-19, 25-17 decision to Flathead. (Boxscore)
Barsness and Callaghan each spiked nine kills in that match. Cadenc Graham collected 18 digs, and Ellison Graham set 22 assist.
The Bulldogs are back in action this week with two more Western AA matches. Butte High will take on Helena Capital in its Homecoming match on Thursday. The Dogs hit the road to play Helena High on Saturday.
Bulldog boys tie it up
Butte High’s soccer teams are still looking for their first win of the season. The teams, though, continue to improve.
This weekend, the boys picked up their first tie of the season as they traveled to Kalispell for a pair of Western AA matches. Butte bounced back from a 6-0 loss on Friday to battle Flathead to a scoreless tie.
Goalkeeper Phil Russo pitched a shutout, thanks to a few impressive saves. Jackson Jonart, Ziggy Okrusch and Kellen Williams attacked the net and forced a few scoring chances. Aiden and Obie Breeton controlled the midfield, while Tim Revenaugh, Ben McAdams, Kato Kuusisto, James Pierson and Josh Liston led the defensive charge.
Tuesday at Bulldog Memorial Stadium, Missoula Big Sky pulled away for a 6-0 win over the Bulldogs.
Butte High’s girls fell 10-0 to Glacier and Flathead. Coach Geno Liva likes the improvement he is seeing in his team.
“Mattie Stepan played a game on Friday night,” Liva said. “She is getting better each week. Saturday we had some girls come off the bench and provide valuable time, including Made McGee and Adelie Grochowski. Kynley Williams had a good game from her striker position.”
Big Sky topped Butte High 10-0 Tuesday. The Bulldogs will play their Homecoming match against Flathead on Saturday.
Maroons drop two
Butte Central’s volleyball team dropped a pair Southwestern A matches last week. The Maroons fell 3-0 Thursday at Stevensville before falling in a 3-1 battle with Corvallis Saturday at the Maroon Activities Center.
Stevensville topped BC 25-16, 25-11 and 25-13. Corvallis won 25-16, 23-25, 25-13, 27-25. Statistics for the matches were not submitted.
The Maroons will celebrate Homecoming Thursday when they take on Frenchtown at the MAC. BC will travel to Hamilton on Saturday.
Bulldog girls back on gridiron
Butte High’s flag football team went to Missoula Saturday for a pair of games. Butte High fell 18-16 to Boulder. The Dogs dropped an 18-6 decision to Sentinel.
The Bulldogs played at Billings West Tuesday night., and the Bulldogs will play host to East Helena on Saturday.
-
Rock League sets 10th season
Registration is now open for the 10th season of the Rock 3 on 3 Youth Basketball League.
The league will run from Oct. 26 through Nov. 23, with games being played each Sunday afternoon at the Maroon Activities Center. Limited spots for the league will be filled on a first-come basis, and it usually fills up quickly.
This year, players in encouraged to sign up individually so they can build teams that are balanced, competitive and fun for everyone. One of the best parts of Rock League is the chance for kids to meet new teammates, grow in different roles, and develop skills in competitive games — and individual sign-ups help make that possible.
Team signup is still available, however. If your son has a friend or two he would like to play with, feel free to note that on the form. The league will try to accommodate the request while keeping teams fair.
The goal of the league is to teach all players how to play using simple concepts where everyone develops offensive scoring skills. Three-on-three hoops puts players in a position where everyone should handle the ball and participate on offense.
The focus is on fundamentals, teamwork and fun. The schedule and results will be posted each week on ButteCast.com.
Click the links below for registration forms and league information.
-
Podcast No. 292: Anthony Dyer
Most guests of the ButteCast are from the Mining City or have some deep ties to Butte, America.
However, today’s guest, Anthony Dyer, has never stepped foot in the state. He was born in the rugged Appalachian town of Sylva, North Carolina, and he spent more than a decade as a United States Air Force Combat Special Missions Aviator.
When I heard about Anthony’s story, and his recently-released book, I jumped at the chance to have a conversation with him.
His book is called “Moon Child: The Roots and Wings of a USAF Combat Special Missions Aviator.”
In the easy-to-read book, Anthony offers a raw, unfiltered account of his life in combat. Anthony shares the harrowing details of his most dangerous operations where split-second decisions meant the difference between life and death. Anthony also goes beyond the battlefield to talk about a far deadlier enemy: the silent battles of addiction, trauma and the search for purpose beyond war.
While I will not be able to finish the book until later tonight, I highly recommend it. Click here to order your copy.
Listen in to this episode as Anthony talks about growing up in a small town and dreaming of one day getting out. Listen as he talks about why he joined the Air Force and what it was like to leave, walking out a door with no handle to turn back.
Listen as he talks about the trying times of life after the military and how he was able to battle his demons. Listen to hear how writing the book helped him and how it might be able to help you or someone you love.
Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty. Today’s episode is available on YouTube.
-
An attack on free speech is an attack on all our rights
Like most people who have ever worked in the media, I have had people call for my job.
You always know they mean business when their first call goes to the advertising director instead of the editor. There is nothing quite like a threat of losing advertisers to turn a publisher into a big chicken.
I had so many people try to get me fired at The Montana Standard or with Butte Broadcasting that I lost count years ago. They called my bosses or my bosses’ bosses, but they never called me.
While I never did get fired, I did have some people manage to get my column suspended while working at the Standard. Later, others made it so my columns had to be preapproved by publishers who would not know a good column if it punched them in the face.
Stuff like that happens when you have spinal-deficient decision makers who value the voice of one angry caller more than they do years of commitment from an employee.
One time, a brand-new publisher came to town and met with a family that was hell bent on getting me fired before she even stepped foot in her own office. When she did get to her desk, her first order of business was to stop me from writing columns.
It proved to be an unpopular decision, and the new publisher quickly changed her mind when some readers started pushing back. So many of those readers brought up the “free speech” argument.
Of course, I had to correct these people when they brought up the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
While the publisher’s move was cowardly and weak, it was not a violation of my First Amendment rights to free speech. If the decision makers of the paper did not want to publish a column that I wrote, it did not necessitate a constitutional crisis.
Actually, it had nothing to do with the constitution at all. Neither did the time the paper pulled a column I wrote about Tim Tebow mania. They did not like that I poked fun of the evangelical quarterback praying on the field.
I was not allowed to offer my religious view because it might offend those throwing their religious view in our faces.
Still, the newspaper had no obligation to run the column just because I wrote it. Those in charge of the paper at the time certainly had the right to be shortsighted and gutless.
Had the paper fired me because advertisers were threatening to pull their ads, it would also have not been a violation of the First Amendment. Free speech comes with consequences. If you say the wrong thing, it can cost you your career.
As much as I do not like it, “cancel culture” is also not a First Amendment issue. The firings of people like Tucker Carlson, Roseanne Barr and others were not a violation of their rights. If a company does not want to be associated with people who make controversial statements, there is nothing in the law that makes them.
When Twitter banned Donald Trump from the social media site, it was not a violation of the First Amendment. Facebook is not violating your rights when it suspends your account, no matter how petty the reason. Likewise, when people threaten or insult me on my Facebook page, I am not violating their free speech rights when I block them.
The First Amendment only comes into play when the government is doing the infringing on the free speech.
That is what happened in the case of Jimmy Kimmel. ABC did not suspend his late-night television show because of pressure from advertisers after the comedian joked about how President Trump talked about his beautiful new White House ballroom when a reporter asked him about the death of Charlie Kirk.
After Kimmel’s suspension, many people have made the argument that the broadcasting giant owned by Disney has the right to fire an employee, and they are absolutely right. However, the move was clearly made after threats made by the Trump administration to pull ABC’s broadcasting license because it did not like the words of one of the president’s biggest critics.
Brendan Carr is the Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, or the “frickin’ FCC” as Family Guy calls it. Here is what Carr said about the situation a short time before ABC indefinitely suspended Kimmel’s show:
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
A warning from a mob boss would have been more subtle. There was no disguising or sugarcoating. A top government official threatened ABC with “action” if it did not stop Kimmel from saying things he and the president do not like.
It was a move that Vladamir Putin and Kim Jong Un would certainly applaud.
That Carr said that in the first place is disturbing enough. That ABC bent a knee because of those words is where the violation of the First Amendment comes in.
The same is probably also true for CBS’s cancelling of Stephen Colbert’s show a while back. Paramount, the owner of CBS, was needing approval from the Trump administration for a merger with Skydance Media. So, Paramount announced that it was canceling Colbert, another critic of Trump.
Paramount listed money as the reason for the canceling. We know better than that, but at least Paramount had a little cover for its bootlicking move. ABC, on the other hand, did not even try to hide it.
Luckily, ABC learned that so many Americans do not support the suppression of free speech. When faced with losing billions of dollars from people canceling their Disney+, Hulo and ESPN subscriptions, ABC suddenly found its spine, and Kimmel’s show will return Tuesday night.
But the damage by this ordeal is already done. The First Amendment was already violated.
Free speech is not a left or a right issue. I was never a fan of a lot of the stuff Charlie Kirk said, but I would have stood in front of a tank to protect his right to say it.
Free speech means putting up with someone screaming at the top of his lungs something you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. Free speech is the heart and soul of our democracy, which cannot survive without it.
Nazis have the right to free speech. Klan members have the right to free speech. You and I have the right to free speech. So, too, do comedians.
We might alienate ourselves from public or lose jobs for exercising that right, but we still have that right.
When the free speech rights of anyone come under attack from our government, though, all our rights come under attack. If they can sidestep the First Amendment, then the Second Amendment very well could be next. We have already seen the government completely disregard the Fourth and Fifth Amendments this year.
Jimmy Kimmel might not be your cup of tea. Maybe you think he is hypocritical or unfair. Maybe you do not like Trump, or maybe you have a Trump flag flying in your yard and on your truck.
I get all that. But if you were celebrating Kimmel’s dismissal because you do not like him or what he had to say, then you are missing the point.
A comedian or commentator you like could be next. You could be next.
Remember the words of the poem “First They Came” by Martin Niemöller. If we do not speak out for people like Jimmy Kimmel, then there might not be anybody left to speak up when they come for us.
— Bill Foley, who does not fly the flag of any politician, can be reached at foles74@gmail.com. Follow him at twitter.com/Foles74 or Bluesky at @foles74.bsky.social. Listen to him on the ButteCast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
-
Silver B’s set for Oct. 3 inductions
New Silver B’s, Golden B’s and Diamond B’s will be inducted as the Butte High Silver B’s host their 86th annual Silver B’s Night Oct. 3 at Naranche Stadium.
The event will be held in conjunction with Butte High’s Western AA football game against Helena High. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.
All Silver, Golden and Diamond B members are invited to the banquet, which will be held at 5 p.m. at the Butte High gym. Doors open at 4 p.m.
The first-year letter winners from the 2000 football team will be eligible for their Silver B for the first time. The 1975 squad will be inducted as Golden B’s, and the 1950 squad will be inducted as Diamond B’s. This is a members-only meeting, with no guests or alcohol permitted.
Following the meeting, the group will make its way to Naranche Stadium to cheer on the latest edition of the Bulldogs.
Banquet tickets are $25 per person, and annual dues are $10 per person. Members are asked to R.S.V.P. with prepayment as soon as possible.
Those participating in the pre-game ceremonies are encouraged to wear their Silver B, Golden B or Diamond B Cap and Pin. Butte High Silver B Historian Scott Paffhausen can be reached at (406) 490-9956 or hist@buttehighsilverbs.com if you have any questions.
Silver B’s
The 2000 squad was coached by Steve Schulte. This was Schulte’s fourth year as the head coach at Butte High School.
The Silver B’s inductees are: Chris Alexander, Luke Anderson, Ryan Bone, Tim Boyle, Cody Burns, Jeff Daniel (DEC), Jesse Fellows, Eric Granberg, Chad Hall, Zach Hayes, Nick Jeffery, Jake Lowney, Chris Martina, Mike Matesh, Bryan Noonan, Marty Petritz, Ryan Richardson, Jim Shaw, Kirk Skuletich, Cody Stillwagon, Joe Taras, Riley Vetter and Sean Vetter (DEC).
Golden B’s
The 1975 squad was coached by Dan Peters and were the runners-up to the State title. This was Peter’s third and final season as the head Bulldog mentor.
Diamond B’s inductees are: Bob Carlson, Rick Carriger, Tony Casagranda, Jim Cutler, Joe Dick, Pat Doble, Ken Dockter, Steve Erickson (DEC), Garland Hall, Bob Kent, John Kovacich, Jeff Krueger, Dennis Lowney, Jay McCloskey, John Morrissey, Calvin Oliver, Steve Owings, Tom Pomroy, Ed Rademacher, Jr., Don Renz, Steve Robischon, Ralph Semsak, Dan Shields, Mike Swisher and Jay Wilkins (DEC).
Diamond B’s
The 1950 squad was coached by the legendary Harry “Swede” Dahlberg and were the runners-up to the State title. Dahlberg was in his 29th year as the head football coach at Butte High School.
This year the Silver B’s are honoring two gentlemen who will become the 21st and 22nd Diamond B’s in the 86-year history of the organization. Joining the ranks of the Diamond B’s will be Mr. Joe Kilminster and Mr. Daniel Larsen.
The remaining first year lettermen from the 1950 squad are now deceased. The Silver B’s would still like to honor the following gentlemen from the 1950 team: Bronko Borozan, Duane Jackson, Sam Jankovich, Bob Kelly, Ed Lowney, Charles Merrifield, Dan Naranche, Louis Pochervina, Bob Renz, Jim Schneller, Ed Sheron, Dave Sicotte and Charles Stack.
-
Copper Queen League 3-on-3 hoops registration now open
The Copper Queen 3-on-3 Girls Basketball League will be held again this fall, offering athletes in third through eighth grade the opportunity to develop their skills, compete and have fun in a team setting.
The league will run on three Sundays at the Maroon Activities Center: Nov. 2, Nov. 9 and Nov. 16. Three divisions will be offered: third and fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade, and seventh and eighth grade.
Cost is $200 per team, and the limit is five players per team. Each team must have a coach.
Registration is open now and will close Oct. 24. Click here or follow the QR code on the flyer to register. For more information or questions, call (406) 498-8246.
