Another round at the Boondoggle Bar
The visit to the Boondoggle Bar was enjoyable and enlightening (ADN, July 17). If Mr. Goodfellow can manage it, a series on visits to this fantastic bar might do us all good.
— Don Neal
Anchorage
GOP gets taste of their own medicine
Reading the story concerning Gov. Walker's expansion of Medicaid (ADN, July 17) I found it ironic, even hypocritical that the Alaska Republican Party released the statement, "What Alaskans heard today was, 'Damn the Legislature — full steam ahead.' " It was the Republican-controlled Legislature when in session that basically said, "Damn the will of the majority of Alaskans — full steam ahead."
Thank you, Gov. Walker.
— Jay Lawrence
Anchorage
Different flags, different symbolism
A Mr. McClure recently commented in a letter (ADN, July 20) that if Juneau was to take down the Mississippi state flag, it needs to take down all state flags, adding, "Just to be fair."
Flags are emotional symbols that replace and obliterate the history and substance behind them. Symbols that become a quick take — no need for rational discussion, knowledge, understanding, or truth. Just slap the Confederate symbol on a flag, on your car, on your T-shirt, on your arms, and shove it in people's faces. It's a weapon.
It hides the slavery, the racism, the torture and lynchings, Jim Crow and Black Codes, the hate, the treason. Even the horror of the Civil War. Shallow reenactments of the war's battles themselves transform the very ugly into the colorful charade of emotional religious-like fervor and duplicitous morality.
Alaska has its own past and present racism — but it's not illustrated on the flag, which was designed, ironically, by a young Aleut boy living in an orphanage. Shall we take down the Alaska flag — "just to be fair?"
But forget all this. There are all the laws, codes, policies, protocol, etiquette, and regulations that we can study and discuss and argue about — just to be fair, that is.
— George Harbeson Jr.
Homer
Dipnetting turning deadly on Kenai
I recently used a boat on the Kenai River for dipnetting salmon. I encountered severe safety issues. There were hundreds of boats all running in different directions and different speeds. Some boats were small and some were large, heavy, high-powered and fast. The more powerful boats cause a tremendous wake. I watched these almost swamp smaller boats and I was nearly hit by one while drifting with my net in the water.
Before someone gets killed, there should be a 50-horsepower limit for all noncommercial boats. This limit should be from the Warren Ames Bridge to the mouth of the river.
— Marv Greene
Anchorage
Presidential politics matter to Alaska
Every four years we have a presidential race. Along with the presidential race, we hear the same ol' story that Alaskans are not really part of the process and that Alaska only has three votes so why bother. At face value I could see why a lot of Alaskans would view it this way. However, I think Alaskans underestimate how powerful and important they are when they become active in any part of the political process, and yes that means even the presidential one. Part of the problem might be that a lot of people do not know how to vote in crucial parts of the presidential election such as the primary. Primaries are important because not only do they help pick the nominee, but they also help pick the direction which the parties are going toward. In an era where we have become extremely polarized on both sides of the aisle, it has become ever more difficult to move forward with issues that need to be solved. This is only one of the many reasons Alaskans should start preparing themselves for this presidential cycle. Because whether you support Sanders or Bush, this race will determine how we as a nation move forward, or backward, and Alaska needs to have a voice in that decision.
— Chaz Rivas
Anchorage
Flag removal is slippery slope
So, now Chancellor Rogers ordered the Mississippi flag removed at UAF … What about the Alabama flag, chancellor? We must not fly the Alabama flag either, for its cross resembles the Confederate cross.
And Arizona? Should we take down the Arizona flag, for it echoes the "rising sun," symbol of our WWII enemy? Now that I think of it — how about the Hawaiian flag which sports the Union Jack, flag of our Revolutionary War foe. Should we allow this flag to fly alongside Old Glory? Why not just take all state flags down? Would all Americans then spiritually unite under the Stars and Stripes?
— Diane Owens
Seward
The GOP has the stage
The GOP race for a presidential candidate is most entertaining. Everyone is jockeying for position, Cruz nice to Trump so when Trump implodes, Cruz gets his constituents. Jeb playing it safe having all the corporate money he can spend. Rubio looks like a busboy and the Wisconsin governor, water boy for the the Koch brothers, wants more coal and oil use to help his sugar daddies. Don't know the rest, but if any of them had that spark, we would know by now. Since swing voters like Latinos have been reviled and choice loses women, they only have those gun-toting right wing loonies that believe our government is imperial and will be at there door at anytime. We may not be the functioning democracy our Constitution expected, but elections are a hoot. Their choice will be made, another politician promising the world.
— Norm Stewart
Aventura, Florida
Plea for a focused legislative calendar
This year Alaskans watched with dismay as the legislative session dissolved into a political standoff over our budget realities. During the special sessions, attempts at reasonable negotiations were dominated by petulant and unproductive positioning by polarized camps. The state's fiscal challenges are likely to be even more difficult to resolve for the 2017 budgets. Cuts will be hard; revenues will be even harder. The upcoming legislative session must be a one-priority deliberation. When the session convenes, this is a plea to the leaders of the House, the Senate and governor to focus on no other state business but the capital and operating budgets. Get it coordinated now with the legislative committees, with your constituents and with your staffs. Have budget proposals ready for deliberation on the first day of the session. Identify what's on the table and schedule no other business until the fiscal items are resolved. This may be an unorthodox approach but it could help deliver the necessary measures Alaska requires of its elected leaders in an orderly and productive manner.
— Marnie Isaacs
Anchorage
Investment in Arctic is paramount
Shannyn Moore's July 19 column on Shell's offshore program was nonsensical gibberish. As Unalaska Mayor Shirley Marquardt commented to ADN after the incident: "So many things like this happen in the marine industry in Dutch Harbor and people just go, 'Oh they were lucky.' But when it's Shell, people who have no marine experience whatsoever or have never been to Dutch Harbor say, 'See they don't know what they were doing.' " Moore's litany was an unnecessary and incomprehensible diversion from a real and meaningful issue: the importance of increasing the nation's investments in the Arctic. As other Arctic nations move to assert their interests in this strategically vital region, the recent incident that resulted in NOAA's discovery of a previously unknown shoal in the area highlights the need for the U.S. to catch up, and soon. According to a statement recently released by NOAA, less than 1 percent of U.S. Arctic waters have been surveyed using modern survey methods. With increased vessel activity in the Arctic, NOAA says that the agency is ramping up its charting activities in the region to help ensure safe passage. That is no doubt good news for Alaska, because safe and secure transit will be necessary for our state and the country at large to fully realize our Arctic opportunities. With so much of the U.S. Arctic mapped using methods that predate World War II or not mapped at all, there is clearly much more that must be done to enable the United States to be a leader in this region.
— Anne Seneca
President
Consumer Energy Alliance Alaska
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 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.