Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, Nov. 27, 2015

John Wayne would be shocked

Ms. Patkotak invoking John Wayne's name is almost anti-American in Wednesday's (ADN, Nov. 24).

She can't possibly know what his position would be in regard to the Syrian cowards that run instead of fighting their country's enemies, but we can know what he said when he reminded us that "Life is hard, and if you are stupid, it's a lot harder," or words to that effect. It is long past time when we need to start dealing with the reality of evil in this world, and start calling out the stupidity of those on the left.

— Jim Lynch

Palmer

No place for dogma in Alaska

I see a letter lamenting the fact that refugees from Muslim countries might bring sharia law to Alaska.

I'm sure the letter writer is more comfortable with our own homegrown religious laws as laid down by the holy word of the Rev. Jerry Prevo and Jim Minnery.

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I just got contacted by a polling outfit that was doing a push poll in opposition to the city's gay rights ordinance. As their influence wanes their voices get louder and more shrill. Whether it is sharia law or Christian religious dogma, it has no place in the laws of the U.S. or Alaska.

— Jay Cross

Big Lake

Senators select topics that have nothing to do with our priorities

Recent commentary by two state senators related to the harvesting of the Capitol Christmas Tree, and allowing Syrian refugees to immigrate are not solving our problems.

How about legislative comments on the following; the state budget deficit, the future of the individual Permanent Fund dividend, additional taxes on Alaskans, recouping funds budgeted yet not allocated, undue political influence over the AK LNG project, generating local tax revenues from the unorganized boroughs, continuing to exempt the Legislature from state open meetings law, forcing caucus members to vote to pass legislation relating to the budget and procedural issues, allowing individual legislators to effectively veto legislation by refusing to hold hearings, affordable/sustained energy to Alaskans, establishment of transportation corridors to regions of Alaska, continuing to lease the Anchorage LIO and local legislative offices at the same time, cleanup of the sulfolane contamination at the former Flint Hills refinery, and perhaps most importantly — term limits.

— Lynn Willis

Eagle River

Don’t use hateful stereotypes

Regarding the controversy over "This Book is Gay" and its appropriate shelf placement in a Wasilla library, it pains me to see that one concerned parent referred to the book as "borderline pedophilia" and another likened LGBT people to drug addicts.

LGBT people are not deviants. They are not pederasts or predators. LGBT people are your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, your family.

We certainly need to have an honest, open discussion about sex education and young people. But let's do so without regressing to hateful stereotypes.

— Ross Coen

Fairbanks

Thanks governor, for not giving into political pressure of bigotry

A quick word of thanks to Gov. Bill Walker, our independent thinking and behaving governor. What pressure he must feel to sign on with the 30 fear-mongering Republican governors in denying refuge to Syrians who need safe haven from a war in which chemical weapons are being used to destroy villages and barrel bombs are being dropped on elementary schools. Embarrassing, isn't it, that our rich and free society would have 30 heads of state proclaiming that individuals seeking sanctuary from war are too complicated for their society?

Well, I for one, am proud to say our state is not among those. Our head of state has said — "yes" — yes we can accommodate the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. Yes, Alaskans can figure out how to lend a hand to families who have passed the unprecedented vetting process of the U.S. government.

The Congo, Sudan, Somalia, these are all places whose people our community has graciously accepted. How in the name of all that is holy could a Syrian family be any different? Republican governors — your attempts to take political advantage of the fears of prejudice are noted. Don, Lisa, Dan — lead please. Take a look at Bill — and lead — independently. Thanks to Gov. Walker and Catholic Social Services for all they do. Alaskans will help in any way needed.

— JB Atkinson

Anchorage

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Who’s buying Islamic State oil?

Everyone knows it takes two to tango. So while it is well known the Islamic State sells its oil in order to sponsor its "caliphate" we must stop and ask ourselves an important question: who's buying it?

The entities buying this oil, and thereby sponsoring a terrorist organization, should be a major priority for U.S. officials.

— Michael Lowe

Anchorage

Voters need voice on homeless

This letter is meant for our mayor and Assembly members and in regard to the city's homeless and chronic inebriates.

Please ensure the homeless have documented mental and physical issues to get housing first. As for chronic inebriates, I feel there is a silent majority that feels it's time they are held accountable, I personally have been assaulted six times by some at our bus stops. I propose that if they are taken to the sleep-off center more than 10 times, they receive an automatic fine. If they cannot pay it — community service until this fine is paid. If they refuse or do not complete community service — automatic 3-day incarceration.

This issue should be on the ballot for the next election. I feel our mayor and some Assembly members are simply enablers regarding the chronic inebriate issue.

— Jack F. Tatum

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Anchorage

Time to impeach Walker

Alaskans, are we going to sit back and do nothing about our self-centered governor? He beat a great governor by playing both sides, calling himself an independent. He couldn't beat Parnell one-on-one, so he used the Dems' votes to do it. Scum politics. And now he's replacing all the gas line leadership.

He wants the credit if it ever happens but like the oil companies said, every time there's a new boss it discourages the oil companies from moving forward. It's seriously time to impeach the governor.

— Chris Lee

Big Lake

Don’t bring refugee cultures here

I know that changing the minds of some is unlikely; however I ask the following. For those who believe the ideals of yesterday, specifically immigrants and the words on the Statue of Liberty, do you think the desire to assimilate and be an "American" exists for the immigrants today? Or do they want to bring their culture and lifestyle here?

I

f they want to assimilate I will help and offer equality without measure. If they want to bring their homeland, language, and laws with them, I say stay there — you are not welcome here.

— Andrew Robinson

Anchorage

Thank you for a real newspaper

In this season of Thanksgiving, I must express my gratitude to ADN for publishing a daily print newspaper. Thus, you employ real journalists who provide us with insight about Alaska's significant issues. While I appreciate your online presence during travels, there is nothing like cozying up with a cup of hot tea and your paper version of the news on a cold winter morning. You also employ many others including my wonderful ADN carrier, Robin, who has been delivering my newspaper to my doorstep reliably for many years despite winter darkness and inclement weather. Thank you!

— Linda O'Bannon

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Anchorage

Critics of refugees are cowards

I see the Republican Party and our congressional delegation have a few changes in mind for our country. One is to change the lyric "land of the free and home of the brave" to "land of the spied upon and home of the bed-wetters and whiners." They also think they need to get rid of that Statue of Liberty, perhaps send it back to France. It takes courage and commitment to stand up to adversity; they don't seem to have any.

— Jay Cross

Big lake

Questioning call of Afognak elk

Your story on the trophy elk from Afognak Island (ADN, Nov. 20) raises the question whether author Joseph Robertia has ever actually heard the mating call of a bull elk. He described (and embellished) this mating call as "the guttural, primal bellow of a rutting bull elk."

In fact, a bull elk's mating call is a very high-pitched, flutelike whistle, followed by a couple of short, afterthought grunts.

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Having grown up near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado (where the elk seem to outnumber the people), I've heard plenty of bull elk assembling their harems in the meadows of Horseshoe Park on an autumn evening. And not one of them sounded at all like the Afognak bull elk Mr. Robertia described.

— Thomas E. Meacham

Anchorage

Pilgrims were immigrants

I wonder what the Indians would do if they could go back in time and change their immigration policy at Plymouth Rock. We might not celebrate Thanksgiving.

— Bruce Eierman

Anchorage

Xenophobic politics are ultimate goal of Islamic State terrorists

Amidst all the wild and uninformed rhetoric about ISIS and how to combat it, wouldn't it be nice to hear from someone who actually knows what he is talking about? Fortunately, that can be done.

Aol.com recently interviewed Shiraz Maher, a senior research fellow at the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King's College London, who studies Muslim extremist groups. A former Muslim extremist, Maher used his firsthand knowledge of extremist Muslim organizations to explain the workings and objectives of the Islamic State. I recommend reading the entire interview ("Expert on ISIS: 'There is nothing that we could do to remain safe,'"). But a couple of Maher's observations are especially timely.

"I think the likelihood of (an ISIS attack like Paris) happening in the United States is quite low. What the United States is more likely to experience is a domestic attack, something coming from someone in the country who is a citizen who either became radicalized and sympathizes with IS and has not been able to travel for whatever reason and therefore decides to take activism at home.

"(T)he Islamic State is widely reviled by scores and scores, the vast majority of Muslims, and what the Islamic State wants to do through events like Paris … is to produce a backlash against Muslims. They want Europe and the West to become more xenophobic, more hostile to outsiders, more skeptical of Islam and Muslims."

So one trusts that ISIS leaders will be writing thank-you notes expressing their gratitude to opportunistic demagogues such as Donald Trump, Ben Carson, the U.S. House of Representatives and the state governors who would turn away Syrian refuges for their misdirected, xenophobic and hostile words and deeds. My own thanks to you, Gov. Walker, for keeping your head when all about you are losing theirs.

— Dale Gerboth

Anchorage

UAA volleyball deserves better coverage

I was very disappointed in the lack of coverage, by ADN, of UAA volleyball's final regular season win, the clinching of their GNAC Championship, top seed in West Region and Senior night, on Nov. 21! Yes, there was an article, but only one small picture of Katelyn Zanders. I was hoping for a picture of the all 3 seniors, the girls in play, the group photo of the team after the game and one of the proposal! UAA Volleyball has had an amazing season (#11 in the nation, #1 in West region and 26-2 overall) and deserves this kind of coverage.

I love UAA men's basketball, (women's too!) and have season tickets to both men's and women's BB, but I don't understand why a non-conference men's BB loss warranted 4 pictures and a VB GNAC title only one small picture?

Please do a better job covering the VB playoffs. The girls and coaches Green and Carvalho deserve it.

— Beth Scott

Anchorage

Target Spice distributors, not just users

I am writing this letter concerning the Spice incidents in Anchorage and the article that was written about these incidents on Nov. 16. I am happy to see that criminal citations are now being issued in relation to Spice use and that this has decreased the amount of Spice incidents in the community.

However, your article said no citations are being issued to dealers at this point. Wouldn't it make sense to target those distributing the product and not just those using the product?

I am a nurse at one of the local hospitals and we have had countless patients who come in for Spice crises. This takes up beds for our acutely ill patients and has also left many units short-staffed due to the need to closely monitor these patients. If the dealers were also issued citations it would also impact the availability of the substance, possibly decreasing the number of spice related incidents. Is there consideration for a policy and charge for distributors as well as users?

— Katherine Smith, RN

Eagle River

2nd Amendment protects armed drones

As reported today, the FAA wants even small drones registered in a national database. OK, that's reasonable, as drones could be a danger to public safety and therefore their owners must be held accountable.

But there should be no registration if the drones are armed, as that would infringe our right under the Second Amendment to keep and arm drones!

— Rick Wicks

Anchorage

Statue of Liberty’s words ring true

When I was about 15 I memorized the words on the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, which was donated by the people of France, and greets arriving immigrants: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless tempest-tossed to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" I've never forgotten that, and believe it now more than ever.

— Doug Stark

Homer

Container of America already full

Concerning refugees, I would suggest that in addition to the issues of America's responsibility to help those in need, terrorism, ISIS and the Muslim religion, there is another overriding issue here that few seem to be addressing. This refugee question is much like the illegal alien question that many have been arguing about over the past few years. The same rationale for allowing illegal aliens to stay is being raised again, namely that America is a nation of immigrants, that the words on the Statue of Liberty, "… give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free …" must govern our actions.

Just because America had an open flourishing immigration program for its first 150+ years, does not mean that it should be continued indefinitely. The early years we were growing this country, filling it from sea to shining sea … with immigrants. Like any container that is being filled, eventually it is full.

I would suggest that it is long over due for America to make it clear to the world that it no longer needs or wants free-ranging immigration. There are now over 7 billion human beings on this planet, many of whom would love to immigrate to America. Can anyone honestly say that we would be better off with 400+ million people here versus the current approximately 350 million. With a 18.5 trillion dollar debt, should America be spending big bucks on more immigrants? As for helping those in need, how about focusing such efforts on our own fellow American citizens. With 45 million Americans living in poverty, there are numerous educational, work-training, food, child care, medical and housing programs that could use all the help and support that we could possibly provide.

— Jim Lieb

Palmer

Please reprint Kizzia’s four-part series

Thank you for publishing an online version of Tom Kizzia's 1999 four part series on the Neustadt Jews and their quest for sanctuary in Alaska. It is well written, of historical significance and timely. I wish you could find the space to reprint it in the actual paper. I think that would be a valuable exercise.

— Ken Landfield

Homer

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