Anchorage Daily News

Elitists can't stand to see Palin doing well compared to them

I am sitting in an airport and checking up on the past few editorials of the Daily News. Wow! It really kills you guys that Sarah Palin is as successful as she is. Such coarse jealousy! But, I know it is hard for you. She probably scored lower on the SATs than any one of you. She didn't go to Harvard and doesn't have a master's or law degree! She isn't even part of the intelligentsia of Anchorage! I am sorry.

You view yourselves as so superior, and have to deal with again being trumped by a mother -- a mother from Wasilla of all places. It is almost more than you can take.

I suggest you follow your hearts. Quit the rat race, pack up your Subarus and head north to ANWR to live among the pristine environment. If you don't at last achieve nirvana, at least you won't become completely apoplectic when she wins the vice presidency via the votes of millions of other inferior American citizens.

-- Joann Grimes

Anchorage

Obama's life story is just as much that of a regular person as Palin's

I do think that the pregnancy of Gov. Palin's daughter should be left out of the discussion about whether or not she is qualified to be the vice president. But if Chelsea Clinton had been pregnant at 17, I have no doubt that the Republicans would have seen fit to point out that her parents were "liberals" and this was just another example of the lack of family values.

I have also heard many people ponder whether or not this news helps define Gov. Palin as a "regular or normal person" who is dealing with issues that many families deal with. It seems to me that by implication the suggestion is that Sen. Obama is not a "regular person."

His father was an immigrant from Africa, his mother was a Caucasian Midwesterner, and his stepfather was an Indonesian. Obama comes from a blended family and grew up in Hawaii with his grandparents. He also put himself through school with student loans.

For all of the attempts to portray him as somehow foreign or unfamiliar, as a regular person, I can tell you his story of struggle with his identity, ambition, hard work and drive sound very American and normal to me.

-- Shontale Johnson

Anchorage

Let's not forget America's troops as they continue their struggle

With the news focusing on campaigns, economy, etc., please do not forget to acknowledge those making this possible. Our troops from Fort Wainwright will be heading to Iraq soon; let them know they are in our hearts and prayers. And to our troops, in Alaska and around the world, keep safe and return home to your loved ones, family and friends!

-- Brenda King

Anchorage

Candidates put it all on the line; we should support, not nitpick

There are four people running for the highest offices in the land. They all seem to be decent people who love their families and country. Are they perfect? Absolutely not. Are any of us?

Every four years we ask the question, "Are they qualified?" and I would counter with the question, "Who really is?" Who could have foreseen September 11 for example? Who could have possibly been prepared to lead this nation through such a dark time? How can we sit in the seat of judgment when we have never sat in the seat of decision-making?

With all of the serious problems facing this country four people have stood up and said that they are willing to take the chance to make a difference. Looking at the sacrifice that they are willing to make for us I find it incredibly selfish and arrogant to assassinate their character day after day. Television, print media, talk shows, and letters to the editor are filled with nitpicking, finger-pointing, and slanderous accusation.

We live in troubling times and the only way this nation is going to come through with any semblance of victory is for us to chose civil discourse about the issues and refrain from maliciousness; to discuss who has the better vision and not to become embroiled in rumor and gossip.

Enough already.

-- Karen Rhoades

Wasilla

It's hard to see how more drilling merges with taking down Big Oil

Maybe I'm just a dupe of the liberal media or under the spell of the East Coast elitists or just plain stupid, but could somebody explain to me how the Republicans can be foaming at the mouth and rabidly applauding any statement that involves bringing down Big Oil on the one hand, and then minutes later they're shrieking and grunting with ecstatic glee at the call to "drill, baby, drill!" ?

-- Murray Nash

Talkeetna

Troopergate prosecutors biased, not able to do a do a fair job

Good for Sarah Palin. I'm glad she hired an attorney.

Really, does anyone think she's going to get a fair shake from these prosecutors? I know Steve Branchflower, and he's an excellent prosecutor. But, is he the appropriate person for this job? He must know every cop in town. Ditto for Hollis French and the state police.

I see this as a disgruntled Republican, opportunistic, Democratic witch hunt. Why aren't we investigating the way the troopers handled the Wooten matter?

This legislative inquiry strikes me as a kangaroo court. It's disgusting.

-- Lee Moeglein

Settler's Bay

Palin should respect others' lives and look after her own family

Palin said she respects her daughter's "decision" to have her baby. However, Palin has no problem forcing her own right-wing religious ideology on the personal lives of other women who exercise their choice over what to do with their own bodies.

Palin also finds it necessary to invade the privacy of gay and lesbian families who choose to exercise their rights as domestic partners to care for their families. She apparently feels she has the right to disrespect others and define what a family is -- one that looks like hers.

Perhaps Palin should butt out of other people's personal lives and attend to her own. If Palin can't even manage her own family, how can she manage this country?

-- Jason Nelson

Anchorage

Founders didn't originate phrase, McCarthyism added 'under God'

I noted with interest Sarah Palin's comment (in response to the 2006 Eagle Forum questionnaire) that she is not offended by the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me."

It wouldn't have taken much research to discover that the founding fathers had nothing to do with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was drafted in 1892. The words "under God" were not added until the early 1950s (formally approved by Congress in 1954), reflecting the McCarthy-era anti-Communist hysteria of the time.

-- Anne Marie Holen

Homer

Anchorage's trail-haunting bears need to be put under control

I just finished a bike ride up on the Hillside trails. I stuck to the main trails, BLM loops, Spencer Loop and upper lighted loops, maybe a total of 16-18 kilometers, less than an hour. I counted more than 10 piles of bear scat. I have been riding these trails for more than 15 years, and I've never seen anything like this year. I still remember the first time I ever saw bear scat on any of these trails, less than ten years ago.

I am neither a naturalist or a student of bear populations but either there are a lot more bears than 10 years ago or something is going on with their diet. Thankfully I noticed no human remains in any of the piles. Is that what we're waiting for, Anchorage?

I believe we just voted to continue to allow Fish and Game a rather free rein with predator control. Anchorage would be a good place for them to exercise some of the basic techniques, and sooner would be better.

-- Warren C. Metzger

Anchorage

McCain and Palin have integrity Washington desperately needs

I wanted to formally and publicly declare my support, encouragement and prayers for our next president, John McCain, and vice president, Sarah Palin. With integrity being so fragile within our current leadership, I can think of no one better than our governor and Sen. McCain to firmly reestablish the level of integrity so desperately needed.

I believe that all issues, platforms and agendas will have nothing firm to stand on if integrity is not at their foundation. Every law, every decision, every compromise we make without this part of our moral character intact will never benefit the people we are supposed to be serving. Our government has "served" itself for long enough.

I echo our next president and vice president's encouragement to all citizens, that if you want to see change in government, get involved. Join the ranks of those who struggle against the form of government that desires to take away your freedom by attaching strings to everything you are given. Eventually, you find that your hands are tied, despair replaces your hope, and you stop struggling.

I encourage you all to continue this fight for our freedom. To continue to stand for what is right, what is moral, and that which strengthens our foundation of integrity.

-- Rick Sikma

North Pole

French revealed his partisan bias in pointless trooper investigation

Why are we spending $100,000 to investigate Gov. Palin's firing of an at-will employee? The whole process has devolved into a partisan mud-fest, thanks to the sloppy management of Sen. French, who has made careless statements that display the investigators have already reached a guilty verdict without even interviewing the witnesses.

If the investigation manager already knows the governor is guilty, let's save the trouble of further drawing out investigation and hang her now. In fact, let's have a double-hanging. After all, Mayor Begich is guilty of sacking this same employee from the APD.

-- Don Haase

Valdez

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