Two grand experiments — ADN and our president
Some divergent thoughts on two "grand experiments":
1. Although I certainly don't agree with all the commentaries and opinions presented via ADN, I choose to consider this "thought glass" half-full instead of half-empty. You cheer the possible demise of this "liberal rag"? And what will take its place? Yes, I "do computer" and can get more than my fill of real or alternate facts and opinions online. But … it's NOT all about me — please name another state with more great citizens who do not or cannot "do computer" and must rely on a "hard-copy newspaper" that harkens back to "the good old days." I pray the grand Alaska experiment called ADN can continue to be our ONLY statewide source for "printed knowledge."
2. Although I indeed concede that citizens of our great country needed to remind "professional politicians" they had lost touch with many "real" citizens' description of "reality," and further concede that our current president has indeed shaken up the established political machine, I pray that the Bunsen burner be turned off on this "grand experiment" ASAP before any more unnecessary hurt and hate is tweeted from the top. I don't expect everyone who reads No. 2 to agree with me, but see No. 1, above …
— Keith Muschinske
Eagle River
Don't keep statues of 'terrorists'
Do statues depicting Civil War confederate government officials and soldiers deserve to be placed in government buildings, parks, etc.? Within today's logic, those who attack and kill civilians, government personnel and American soldiers are called "terrorists." Jefferson Davis, president of the South, and generals like Samuel Cooper, Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston, to name a few, led attacks against the American army. Thus, within today's logic, they would be labeled "terrorists," as well as all of the people who followed them.
Do terrorists deserve to be depicted with their statues in our parks and on the grounds of our government buildings?
Finally, the strength and greatness of America is its tolerance of differences of the people, and the idea that all people are created equal. People and groups who hate and lack this tolerance are not Christians and do not contribute to America's greatness.
— Steven Lyons
Anchorage
Any-bull moose hunting tags a major cause of contention
In regard to the upcoming moose hunting season, unexpectedly the Department of Fish and Game has continued to send out the any-bull locking tags after last October's Board of Game meeting where it was proposed to change the regulations around these any-bull tags. As a non-Ahtna community subsistence harvest hunt coordinator, I personally believe it to be unethical to use these any-bull tags, as I have learned their use is in direct competition for a small quota of any-bulls that really were intended for use by Ahtna Athabaskan hunt groups who state: "Ahtna communities are the only communities that have developed a record before the board demonstrating the need for the any-bull allocation and an extended season in order to meet subsistence needs … The hardship and lack of subsistence hunting opportunity will likely continue through the season and throughout the year as communities go without this essential subsistence resource."
These any-bull tags are the major cause of contention around the community subsistence hunt, and I am mandating for my group and would like to encourage other non-Ahtna community groups to abstain from utilizing these any-bull tags to allow greater opportunity for the Ahtna hunting groups to have their moose subsistence needs met. These are the communities that should really have priority on these any-bull tags. Just because it is legal and sanctioned by ADF&G does not make it ethical or moral to use these tags.
Please support Native hunting rights and stand in solidarity with Ahtna Athabaskan hunters on whose land we are living, hunting and subsisting. Also consider in contrast that there is a great overabundance in caribou population in the Nelchina herd, which should provide ample opportunity for those of us who are simply looking to fill our freezers.
Tsin'aen, thanks for reading.
— Birch Block
Knik
Donald Trump is no joke
Our president can no longer be considered to be remotely amusing or in any way funny.
I have reached out to Rep. Young to publicly renounce President Trump's being an apologist for Nazis. No word yet; standing by.
In the 1930s and now, silence equals complicity. We all must make decisions about what side of history we want to be on.
My first-generation-American uncle liberated Nazi concentration camps. He never recovered.
— Peter Montesano
Anchorage
Un-presidented
When Mr. Trump is gone, the history books should have an asterisk by his name: *Fake President.
— Ken Flynn
Anchorage
Possible end of newspaper sparks feelings of loss, sadness
As with many others, my complaints about Alaska Dispatch News in recent years oftentimes have shaken the rafters. ADN sometimes seemed so biased, so lopsided. I even wrote a Letter to the Editor about a year ago stating I couldn't believe the newspaper didn't fall off the left side of the press before it reached the delivery trucks. But it always made me think or write a letter or contact a legislator. Now, I feel a sense of sadness and loss at the possibility it might go away forever.
I became a reporter and editor at the Midwestern paper I first read as a little girl. That paper, started by famous Chicago actress Lillian Russell's father in the 1880s and still housed in its original building, was rich in history. The smell of the ink and the rush as the presses started to roll was thrilling. I always kept my father in mind as I knew he waited on his porch for the paper to be delivered to his door.
Although I have only known ADN for about 30 years, the paper was born in January 1946, just a few months before I came into the world. There must be many readers out there who grew up with ADN as I grew up with my little Midwestern paper and will miss it dearly if the day comes when it goes to press for the last time. No social media can bring the satisfaction of holding the paper in my hands and reading at my leisure, grumbling at some stories, shedding a tear at others, and getting riled up enough to write a Letter to the Editor at others. Alaska and its people are rich in glorious history, and ADN has been there to document a huge chunk of it. Henry Ward Beecher in "Proverbs from the Plymouth Pulpit" said: "Newspapers are the schoolmaster of the common people. The endless book, the newspaper, is our national glory."
I dread the day we might read the headline: Alaska Dispatch News, Dead at Age 71. She was a grand old lady who served us well.
— Jacqueline Fries
Anchorage
Extend gun restrictions to public rallies and protests
Dear Gov. Walker,
Our Constitution guarantees our right to bear arms, but before that, in the First Amendment, it guarantees our right "peaceably to assemble." Alaska has some of the most permissive gun regulations in the country, and that makes sense in a state where many people hunt and regularly carry a gun for bear protection. Everyone in my family hunts, and I carry a bear gun.
However, Alaska law does stipulate that there are certain conditions when one can't carry a weapon: while intoxicated, while at a bar, in courts and correctional institutions, and in domestic violence shelters. We must act now to extend those restrictions to publicly permitted rallies and protests. In the wake of Charlottesville, all Americans should be uneasy at the sight of a militia outgunning the police, when combined with a willingness to kill counterprotesters. A car was bad enough; what if one of those young men had opened fire?
The First Amendment guarantees the Nazis' right to rally, and it also guarantees the right of their opposition to scream at them. But it does not guarantee the right of organized protesters to intimidate with an armed militia. The words clearly state "peaceably to assemble."
Other states look to Alaska when crafting their gun laws. A strong stance from Alaska to put the voices of democracy and freedom of speech over the right to carry a semi-automatic to a contentious rally would make a big difference to the rest of the country, even if protests in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau aren't at risk of becoming as contentious as the one in Charlottesville.
Thank you for your leadership and your willingness to speak out for Alaskans at this difficult time in our history.
— Kate Laird
Cordova
Consider all the possibilities
Mr. MacKinnon wrote an excellent opinion (Commentary, Aug. 16) with which I agree, with some additions. Yes, the oil revenue is going to continue to be a great contributor to our economy, but we need to be very careful about giving too many benefits; these large corporations have an endless source of revenue for their lobbying, and the bottom line is they will continue to do what is in their best interests, and taxation is a relatively minor expense overall.
I am so glad he emphasized the importance of the salmon industry. The Bristol Bay salmon, and the entire seafood industry, is how I founded and built my airline, which is the largest Alaskan-owned airline in the state. I would never advocate anything that would jeopardize our salmon.
Then John went to the success and positive impact that several of our mines have had. He carefully and wisely did not refer to the Pebble/salmon conflicting positions. The other mines are operating successfully, while Pebble has not even really begun its permit applications.
It just seems that in the state's best interest we should at least be looking at any and all possibilities of improving our dismal financial situation, and reducing our reliance on one source of revenue for all of us.
— Orin Seybert
Anchorage
We're having a lesson in civics
With any luck, our nation will survive the abortive presidency of Donald Trump without suffering irreparable harm, and will be able to look back upon Trump's presidency as an invaluable lesson in civics for us all, and for generations of Americans to come.
— Stephan Paliwoda
Anchorage
Protesters didn't belong at rally
I certainly don't agree with the white supremacists/neo-Nazis. But the protesters should not have caused what was almost certainly going to be a violent confrontation by going to the rally. All they accomplished was to give the distasteful fringe group a lot of attention when otherwise their rally would probably have been forgotten by now.
— Mike Miller
Anchorage
Home shooter was the good guy
The recent article by ADN regarding the home invasion shooting by the owner against the perpetrators is exactly why they have lost readership. The end of the article depicts this shooting as being equal to other violent shootings that occurred this week in which the bad guy was doing the shooting. In this case, the homeowner (good guy) was doing the shooting. It was not violent in the context of the other shootings that occurred, where bad people shot good people. In this case, good people shot bad people. Do you see the difference, ADN? Try to report these stories in the right context as opposed to the way you choose to portray it to your readers.
— Preston Rudderow
Anchorage
Statue honors 'the boys'
I note that many news reports of the pulling down of the memorial statue in North Carolina refer to it as a statue "honoring pro-slavery secessionists," thus justifying its desecration.
The actual lettering on its base reads "in memory of the boys who wore the gray." In my admittedly biased view, this sounds more like a memorial to the youths who were called away to war, many never to return. I am sure my ancestors, and probably many of yours, were among them. To me, that's like knocking over an ancestor's gravestone just because he lived in the South. As in our modern wars, most who fight don't get to choose otherwise.
— Don Neal
Anchorage
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@alaskadispatch.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.