We must live together, so let's stay civil

Alaska may be a vast state, but it possesses a close and interconnected community. Whether cheechako, sourdough or Native, we experience it like a small town. Even in Anchorage, Alaska's largest village. Up here we have two degrees of separation, not six.

That is what Alaskans love about Alaska. That is what people from Outside lament as lost, and pine to recover.

We are friendly because we have to live with one another. Really, we cannot avoid it. I'll go even further and say in Alaska we need one another, with so many of us separated from family and friends in the Lower 48. We witness this generosity of spirit whenever Alaskans need a hand up.

That is why I am confounded by the lack of civility -- even the downright nastiness -- surrounding development of the former Red Roof Inn into Karluk Manor, a residential alcohol treatment facility. In particular, I am bothered by the throwaway "Red Nose Inn" plastered on billboards and fliers and increasingly heard in community meetings and on talk radio.

I am bothered by the derogatory way it labels folks. It isn't cute or clever. It is unAlaskan. It dehumanizes Alaskans who are at their most vulnerable and seeking help in proven substance abuse treatment.

Perhaps there are good reasons to oppose Karluk Manor. Perhaps Fairview bears more than its fair share of the social service burden compared to, say, the Hillside or my own hometown of Chugiak-Eagle River. As Alaskans, we should argue from good reasons rather than run to name-calling. We should use our public discourse to engage community rather than shut down communication and separate into artificial factions. We are all fellow Alaskans and neighbors. We all want reason and civility to win out.

Maybe we don't like someone's views. Maybe we don't approve of his or her life choices. Maybe we argue with the effectiveness of certain therapies. These are respectable opinions and can be expressed in respectful ways. Such civil attitudes are hallmarks of the Alaska way of life. After all, we are more apt to walk a mile in someone else's shoes when that someone is an Alaskan.

Our city and state face staggering problems of substance abuse, with no easy answers. The fact remains that, for all our individual strengths and collective resources, we occupy the bottom of the list statistically on many social problems. Everyone from the governor to the Anchorage Assembly is searching for creative responses to these complex problems. Regardless of the decisions of the Planning and Zoning Commission, community councils, Assembly or mayor's office, we know that after the heat of the Karluk Manor controversy dies out and gives way to cool-mindedness, we all want the best for our community. And, of course, we know that we still have to live with one another.

Will we be proud of how we conducted our discourse then? Will we be able to look our neighbor, or ourselves, in the eye?

Alaskans are better than name-calling and throw-away labels. We know they do not advance argument or solve problems. Instead, they end up hurting us when we all want to contribute to a thriving city and state. This friendly spirit is part of what makes Alaska, Alaska.

Greg Kimura, Ph.D., is president and CEO of the Alaska Humanities Forum, which supports the "Civility and Democracy" initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.