This is a difficult letter to write, but I fear the truth is inescapable. Alaskans are not that bright. With these high oil prices and high gas prices, why are we still paying the oil companies $8 per barrel in tax rebates to take our oil? How did we fail to notice the drop in state revenue after the ACES tax structure was replaced by SB21?
We tout our democracy as a model for the world, even as the super wealthy conspire to end that democracy and replace it with a Russian style system of rich oligarchs and layers of corruption. Anyone in this country who does not recognize why Republicans are trying to gerrymander voting districts, limit access to voting and take control of the state election validation process should be considered an honorary Alaskan.
A lot of people in this country claim to be Christian, but only some of them act that way. Many refer to Leviticus and its reference to homosexuality, but fail to mention that death is the required punishment for infidelity. They claim to love their fellow man when what they really want is that man’s money. Their response to “My body, my choice” depends on whether the speaker is talking about getting vaccinated to protect us all, or women wanting to make their own reproductive decisions.
And of course, all of this is happening against the background of climate change. Some people deny that is happening. Others admit to the evidence but are content to offer platitudes and promises, as long as any actions taken do not reduce their wealth.
We need to stop dividing people into competing sexes, races, nations, political parties and religions. There are some very smart people in this world and we need to enable them to work together to determine the best way to protect the planet and all life on it. Or we can go with the nuclear winter option. That would reverse global warming in a hurry, but nobody would be around to take a victory lap.
— Mark Beaudin
Anchorage
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