It seems Obamanistas have found a new angle of attack on Sarah Palin: her husband, a Native American, once belonged to the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP). For my part, I think that's less important than their candidate's possible membership in The New Party and overly friendly relationship with the Democratic Socialist Party, but that's because I'm just a right wing fascist of fascist right-wingerism.
The AIP advocates holding a statewide referendum on whether or not Alaska should secede from the Union. For Progressives, the subtext is that Alaskans who want to secede are the equivalent of antebellum southerners.
Many Southerners argue today that the War Between the States was about securing their political and economic freedom and autonomy. There is truth to that, and we do our country a disservice in ignoring it.
But the problem with the argument is that such freedom would have preserved a system that was horribly less free. For my part, a man's dedication to freedom is less about what he wants for himself and more about the freedoms he wants for his neighbor.*
So this comparison doesn't really tell us anything about the Alaskan Independence Party other than that a bunch of unserious people have clasped on to a word as though it were the same thing as making a point.
SETTLE DOWN, CHILDREN. THERE ARE NO SLAVES IN ALASKA
In point of fact, we'd be better served looking at Alaska in the same light as other territories once held by Native Americans.
Alaska still has the highest concentration of Native Folk of any state in the union. This despite wave after wave of Americans, Canadians and Russians pouring into the land prospecting for natural resources. In other words, it's like the story of a lot of America's lands, only many of the people who migrated to Alaska were changed by the land, instead of the other way 'round, as it usually happened.
Alaska actually has one of the highest median income levels in the country, with one of the lowest rates of poverty. But more than 80% of Alaska's wealth comes out of its various mining industries.
It's a lot of eggs to keep in one basket. When your relationship with people from the other 49 states largely consists of them telling you what you can and can't do with your basket – often so that they can feel good about preserving wilderness they will never lay eyes on – you're going to have some doubts about the relationship. That basket means a lot to you.
LOOKING FORWARD
If Progressives want to go up to Alaska and tell the Native Folk that they need to stop shooting wolves that compete for scarce winter food resources, or stop mining for natural resources because such behavior offends the cozy, Volvo-driving Progressive's environmental sensibilities, Progressives should strap on their stylish Patagonia parkas, go up there and do it in person... but not before we get the cameras prepped.
Here's a modest proposal. Since there's no viable way to turn outer Alaska into an urban center, complete with a tech sector, Lunds & Byerly's and Whole Foods markets, and since we, here in the other 49, are offended by their lifestyle and eagerness to use their state's land the way they see fit, we should just round them all up and move them down here.
Think about it: Alaskans will never enjoy the freedom to have inexpensive organic arugula unless we force it on them!
As a precaution, maybe we should practice that argument in the Black Hills first.
To Alyeskans, your dedication to autonomy, freedom, and for for being let alone is admirable. But those highly sympathetic to Alaskan secession would be well served to take a long hard look over that western horizon, across vasty Siberia into the cold wet of Moscow.
If you're going to be independent, it's unjust to act like a bunch of Canadians, Europeans and San Franciscans, gleefully slapping America in the face while you sit out the weather under her military umbrella.
Yes, Hopey-Changiness may be on the way. But we're not there yet and even if it wins this day, we have a way to go before even that Stay Puft monster of a political platform drags us all down. Stay here alongside us to make sure we never fall to the the horrible Statism that animates its sugary bulk.
To the rest of America, as a rule, Conservatives are not fond of social engineering programs. But perhaps it's time we spent a few more resources - including time and thought - on figuring out how to better the lives of our First People. They and their ancestors gave a lot to us, indeed, many of our ancestors took more, and integration for them is more distant that it is for a lot of other parts of our country. If much of the disagreements between Alaskans and the rest is over use of natural resources, perhaps there are ways to use the lands left to Native Folk today - lands that are technically Sovereignties of their own - that would create jobs and build infrastructure. Do good while doing well.
Comments
I missed your column for a few days.
Good to see you here getting a little downhome R&R:
http://www.egradioonline.com/2008/10/photos-nigger-please-its-white-house.html
Here's to assigning guilt by association, stereotyping and fearmongering.
Gee, trying to link Obama to Ayres for something he did while Obama was 8 yrs old, or while he sat on a (republican run) Annenberg foundation charity board is acceptable, but Todd and Sarah Palin as members in an ANTI AMERICAN group up until 2 yrs ago is a stretch?? Take a pill, you're delusional! Say it with me..President Obama..you betcha!!!!!!!!!
The members of the Alaskan Independence Party that I have meet with are as serious about Alaskan independence as I am about Texas independence. 225,000 endorsed Texas independence by voting for me in the 2008 GOP primary. I am looking forward to making Texas independence the primary issue in the 2010 Texas gubernatorial race. I will be meeting with the Alaska delegation at the Third North American Secessionist Convention Nov. 15th in New Hampshire. I wish them well in their trek toward freedom.
www.LarryKilgore.com
The entire state of Alaska has 650,000 people - most of which they are proud to confess - are rabid bigots. The organization's links to the John Birch Society and other hate groups are no secret of theirs. Alaska is Alabama with snow.
Alaska, as their governor bragged about in speeches: is the greediest and most successful pimp of the lower 48 states' tax dollar revenue - those earmarks/pork barrel billions their codger Ted Stevens sneaks into Federal bills are legion while at the same time the population berates those they pimp in the lower 48.
The lower 48 could be happier to seem them sede, it would be cheaper for the rest of us.
No doubt those contemptuous Alaskans will bundle their sleeping bags to sleep in the line waiting for those Foreign Aid tax dollars while claiming their "independence" from what they call "those dam^ed American institutions" = those institutions they brag are relentlessly pimped by them.
Hmm, they have a governor who makes no secret of her contempt for the state's native tribes she calls "Arctic Arabs", yup the very natives who the state exploits to reap tourist dollars on cruise ships who float by blue ice.
There are statistics embedded in the article above but the statistics conveniently omitted are those imports from the lower 48 who reside there
- also provide the highest incidents of sex crimes per capita in the entire USA; the highest school drop out rates (ask Bristol Palin's baby's father) and the highest alcoholism rates; and extremely high "hate crimes" incidents as evidenced by their "love" for Arctic Arabs.
- to blue ice the cake of Alaska where a large contingent of Taliban-gelicals have determined to be the only post-apocalypse refuge for their exclusive survivors of the apocalypse they hope to instigate.
No my friends, the subtext for Progressives is not "that Alaskans who want to secede are the equivalent of antebellum southerners."
The Plain, in your face text is that The Palins WERE/ARE associated with the AIP, a group that is lobbying for secession FROM the US, and Sarah Palin is running FOR VP of the United States of America.
It should seem very clear to anyone that the Palins might not be as patriotic as they appear....
She spoke at their convention THIS YEAR. She went there for the sole purpose to SPEAK TO THEM AND PRAISE THIR GOOD WORK.
Not only has Obama NEVER taken the initiative to visit Ayers at his house just to see HIM, but he has NEVER praised Ayers' "good work."
Volger, the former leader of the AIP, who said "The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government," got killed while playing with plastic explosives.
One can only imagine what he would've liked to have blown up instead. The State Capital?
And when are Todd and Sarah going to denounce his hate spewed comments?
"...650,000 people - most of which they are proud to confess - are rabid bigots. The organization's links to the John Birch Society and other hate groups are no secret of theirs. Alaska is Alabama with snow...."
During the Palin/Biden debate where Palin didn't debate but speechified -- she quoted a well-known 20th Century American FASCIST, Pegler --- who was so rabid he was KICKED OUT of the John Birch Society.
Palin's blinky/folksy cutsie words about "small town America" were pulled from Pegler's own writings while she didn't bother to speechify WHO she was quoting.
Pegler's well known White Supremest mindset resulted with him stating that Americans are obligated to be racist and bigots. That good old boy's "Christian Identity" is alive and well today in Palin and their ilk.
It is no secret that McCain was ordered to chose Palin by the Hagee/Dobson cabal of life-long racists or their own racist parishioners would go shopping on Tight Wad Tuesday instead of voting.
The GOP's own rage that McCain was running is archived headlines we won't forget so like GW's "prank on the RNC" as the RNC called it - when announcing his run - McCain like GW needed to exploit (and offer millions in fed dollars) to the most shameful segment of our population to vote - heirs of Pegler's and Christian Identity pogroms alive and kicking in our country.
I eagerly clicked on your article to find out some useful information about the AIP. What a letdown.
"The organization's links to the John Birch Society and other hate groups are no secret of theirs. "
But Obama's links to ACORN, SDS, TIDES Foundation, SEIU local 880, NWRO, Rezko, Ayers, Dohrn, Farrakahn are all hunkie dorie with you Mike A?
Yes, Palin speechified. But so did Biden and Obama. Only they sounded more convincing in their baloney. The more strident Biden acted, the more egregious the fraudulence.
Palin's so racist, she married a minority. Brilliant. I wish I thought of that.
She called the AIP "competition." According to the official records of the State of Alaska, she never belonged to the AIP, and belonged to the GOP for all the years she is alleged to be part of the AIP. Her husband's membership is not relevant to the racist charege because a) he's a Native American (why is this so hard for people to acknowledge?), b) ask James Carville about his wife. One connection is nice.
As far as the rest of the evidence, heresay. That's it. If that's the hill some folks want to die on, let's follow those statements by Obama's in-laws concerning an alleged Kenyan birthplace. No? Ok.
Credible evidence would be things like tax records that indicate Obama and Ayers worked in the same building for 3 years, or that Obama wrote a review for a book of Ayers in which Ayers mentions Obama as being someone he is familiar with in the neighborhood -- he calls Obama "the writer." That would be actual, written testimony. Records. Facts. Not hope. Not wishes. Actual things that can be verified by credible 3rd parties.
And the reason the US flag isn't in her video address to the AIP - as Governor of the State of Alaska - and therefore as a representative of everyone in Alaska - get this: it's the same reason the Alaska flag isn't in the shot. (She must want to secede from Alaska!)
It's out of frame. Just a fact of the lens and focal length. The flags are to the left and right of the credenza. The credenza is too close to her for the flags to be in frame, unless they used a fisheye or panoramic. Keep poking around on the Internet and indeed you'll find them sitting there just fine to the left of the Israeli flag in the blinds of the window to the right of her desk when you're looking the seat.
An Israeli flag! Clearly, the sign of a racist! Or it's just cover to fool people. That's it. We've pierced the veil! We've seen through the darkness!
Hate Crimes laws are modified by state. Mississippi didn't even report them - they still may not. According to the FBI <http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table12.html>. It takes all of two minutes to realize that the claim about Hate Crimes is false. Alcoholism tends to be a problem everywhere where men outnumber women in large proportions. Go visit a ski town. But since Alaska has the highest rate of Native Americans, how 'bout we just assume you're being racists?
Alabama and Georgia have higher dropout rates. But if you want to find a municipality with high dropout rates, you should look at places run by Democrats as well: <http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-06-20-dropout-rates_x.htm>. Here are the cities (Democrat) compared to nearby suburbs (Republican) <http://www.inteldaily.com/?c=144&a=5861>
Obama was the closest to stupidity. there you go. ask anyone why they voted for Obama and your answers will be; because he is black, because i'm not racist, because he's cool, because he will lower taxes, because we want change. LAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obama is such a liberal who won mostly the votes of gays, lesbians, people that support them too, lazy asses who wish to stop paying taxes later on, others who want to have their healthcare paid for, and those retards who just found obama different and wanted to vote for him. Also, him stopping war? retarded. so yeah war has had left an awful print in america but you don't save a fireman when he's saving a child. why it might saying this mainly because war has helped many people who were suppressed by Hussein and were given demmocracy. So come on everyone say it [hahaha]" Obama? wrong choice" yeah and stop comparing McCain with George Bush he is not George Bush just like Obama is not Martin Luther King Jr. suckers
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