Turtle Talk

The Daily Press of Escanaba, Michigan recently printed an article on the 2007 Consent Decree entitled “Agreement Long Time Coming“. The author provides balanced information and a useful summary of the context of this important agreement. The author references the fact that when the 1836 Treaty of Washington was signed, Michigan had not yet achieved state status; they also mentioned that Michigan became a state in 1837. It is worth emphasizing that this order of events is in no way merely coincidental. The 1836 Treaty of Washington ceded an enormous land area directly providing the land necessary for the formalization of Michigan’s statehood. This point can not be over emphasized and is a critical part of our collective history. The direct connection between this treaty and Michigan’s founding should be seen as an important part of the context when we think about and discuss the 2007 Consent Decree.