Alaska News

Letters to the editor: (3/24/09)

People, not wolves, the problem

How ironic that on the same day we read the news of eight people being charged for savagely killing and wasting more than 100 caribou, leaving babies trying to, suckle milk from their decomposing mothers; and a story saying that humans in their infinite wisdom now have decided to shoot wolves from airplanes in order to save the caribou population. It doesn't sound to me like wolves are the culprits. People are.

-- Lisa Adams

Eagle River

Abolish mandatory parole

Alaskans deserve to know the truth regarding the Department of Corrections' self-perpetuating system. Alaska prisons are constantly overcrowded as a direct result of mandatory parole. Almost one third of Alaska inmates are doing time for violating mandatory parole terms, not for committing new crimes.

Presently, inmates serve two thirds of their sentence by remaining trouble free while incarcerated, thus earning "good time." Upon release, they are required to serve their "good time" under the guise of mandatory parole, which is double jeopardy. Only a court should rule if release conditions are violated.

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Abolishing mandatory parole would save millions of dollars annually. Lower 48 parole boards deal exclusively with discretionary parole. The current DOC system packs the overcrowded system daily with mandatory parole violators, most of whom have no new charges. Gov. Palin and the Legislature need to address this issue immediately.

The current DOC mindset is "we need more money to build new prisons so we can fill them with more mandatory parole violators."

-- Joseph Thornton

Anchorage Correctional Complex

Is that cleavage really necessary?

I am one disgusted woman concerning the apparel that females wear on TV and in the movies. Do female detectives actually wear those low cut outfits at work here in Anchorage? No matter their position, to wear something cut from the neck to the navel is pathetic.

I don't think that broadcasting the news needs breast exposure!

-- Mary Cassidy

Anchorage

Free choice act: union power play

The "Employee Free Choice Act" should be called the "Employee Forced Choice Act."

The EFCA is a desperate attempt on the part of big labor to bolster its membership. It does not take much effort to learn what effect this bill will have on the workplace: less freedom, fewer jobs, more government intrusion.

Its most controversial provision would limit workers' ability to vote by secret ballot -- less freedom.

The heavy burden it will place on the American business community will force employers to cut corners -- fewer jobs.

The changes in arbitration procedures would require that a federal bureaucrat be given ultimate authority over disputes in the early stages of organization -- more government intrusion.

Don't take my word for it -- read the bills (HR 1409 and S 560). When you are done, you will likely be fired up, in need of a release. I suggest you call one of two people, Sen. Murkowski to commend her vigorous opposition to the EFCA in 2008 or Sen. Begich to let him know that the people of Alaska will not stand for his support, as he is a cosponsor.

-- James Gilles

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Bird Creek

Sometimes an innocuous phrase has unpleasant history behind it

I'm writing to do something politicians don't usually do. Apologize.

Last week I gave interviews and wrote a column about how Alaska's gas line is being jeopardized by a troubling dynamic. I, the governor, and most legislators have joined across party lines to support Alaska's gas pipeline contract. But Alaska is becoming a dangerously polarized place where many of the governor's supporters want allegiance to her 100 percent of the time, and a growing number of her opponents across party lines want the opposite -- now on the gas line.

Last week I expressed concern about this, and a bill requesting that Alaska cancel our gas line contract. The Daily News quoted me saying it would be unwise to "welch out on a contract to build the largest project in North America. You can't behave like that and be viewed as a serious gas line partner."

I received a quick education from a constituent. I've learned the phrase "to welch" is derived from a colonial British slander -- "to Welsh" -- used during the Welsh fight for independence.

In Sunday's column on the gas line, longtime Democratic critic Paul Jenkins altered my quote to argue I intended to slur Welsh people. So shocking that Mr. Jenkins would ever alter a quote to attack his political opponents.

Still, I made a mistake, learned about an ugly racial history, and apologize.

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-- Rep. Les Gara

Anchorage

Seven Alaskans a gift to state

With a dwindling curtain of time cascading down on this fading old sourdough of 52 years, I've come to a bedrock conclusion: The vast wealth of Alaska is instilled not in its historic deposits of gold or petroleum or salmon and other seafood.

Alaska's magic is illuminated from top to bottom by a single factor: its people.

Seven Alaskans remain etched in the granite of my mind as immortal gifts to the Great Land. They are as follows:

William "Bill" Tobin, philanthropist and editor.

Edward J. Fortier, duck hunter and editor.

Mack Campbell, war hero and newspaperman.

Hank Rosenthal, war hero, writer

Bernie Kosinski, editor, sports buff.

Connie Occhipinti, judge and philanthropist.

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Dan Cuddy, banker and community builder.

-- Herb Rhodes

Anchorage

When will we stop the slaughter?

On March 16, another kid was shot at a party where alcohol was provided to minors. That kid died.

When are the newspapers and TV stations going to start putting pressure on legislators, police and judges to do something about this problem?

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How many more kids have to die before people in power grow a backbone?

How long will people turn a blind eye to underage drinking and drug use? The "adults" who provided alcohol to these minors should be charged with murder.

-- R.K. Butts

Wasilla

Palin emphasis on construction limits women's job opportunities

The purpose of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to create jobs in the short term as well as relief for those who are suffering the most from unemployment in this recession.

Forty percent of women support themselves or their families all on their own. Therefore, Congress and the president recognize that good paying jobs for men and women are of equal importance to our economic recovery. Accordingly, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is specifically designed to create jobs to rebuild our human infrastructure (such as jobs for teachers, nurses and social workers) and physical infrastructure (jobs in construction).

The governor indicates a preference for the physical infrastructure funding. But women make up less than 15 percent of the construction industry and many of those jobs are for lower-paying administrative work. Clearly, few women workers in Alaska would benefit from the governor's stated acceptance plan. Our Alaska lawmakers must do the right thing. They must include Alaska women in the economic recovery effort by also accepting the federal money for the other jobs, including those in education, health care and social services.

-- Barbara McDaniel

president, Mat-Su Chapter, National Organization for Women

Wasilla

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