I, along with most Americans, was appalled at the insurrection that occurred at the Capitol on Jan. 6. While I appreciate that Gov. Mike Dunleavy made a public statement denouncing the violence, it was far short of the seriousness of the situation and avoided the catalyst for this riot. I raise this because the governor’s unilateral action to commit Alaska’s support for the failed Texas lawsuit to the Supreme Court added the veneer of credibility to the completely unfounded fabrication that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen and fraudulent — the very grievance and rational claimed by the riotous mob. That mob didn’t appear from nowhere, nor act on their own: They were fed this disinformation and incited to overturn the election results by President Donald Trump in a clear act of sedition.
The governor’s part in adding fuel to this fire requires a much clearer and effective denunciation to have credibility. His silence adds credence to the lie that the election was fraudulent and encourages similar violent and seditious responses. Trump supporters with the same unfounded accusation swarmed Statehouses across the country yesterday and not all were peaceful. Given the false rhetoric and high emotions, I submit that there is a very fine line between those protests and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Leadership matters, and I urge the governor to publicly speak the truth about the validity of the election.
— Doug McBride
Eagle River
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.