Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, August 27, 2017

Germany different, and similar

Yes, we must protect the right to "free speech" for all people in our society, even (or especially) for those with whom we disagree. We need, however, to be firmly aware of the stakes. Despite what many in the far-right movement of neo-Nazis and white supremacists believe, conditions in the United States today are vastly different from those of Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s. America is a diverse and mostly prosperous country, with a long tradition of democracy — imperfect though it is. Democracy in Germany began only in 1919, with the Weimar Constitution. The Germans suffered a great deal of adversity throughout the 1920s and early 1930s.

There is, however, one similarity between the two societies that is significant. The democratically elected German government, together with the police force, felt compelled to protect the frequent, small gatherings of National Socialists against the massive, and often violent, anti-Nazi counterprotesters. Of course, these small gatherings of Nazis did not remain small, and when the National Socialists gained power, "free speech" was no longer something they advocated or protected.

We must say to our far-right protesters: "Yes, we will protect your right to free speech, although we are acutely aware that, if you are ever in a power position, you will deny us ours. We will, however, employ whatever means necessary to ensure that you are never in that position! We know the stakes."

— Kenneth Baitsholts
Anchorage

Thanks for funding our schools

This is just a quick letter of thanks to Reps. Les Gara and Matt Claman from my area of town and any other lawmakers who helped to pass the legislation this summer to fund public schools at the same level as last year. As a longtime teacher for the Anchorage School District, I wasn't personally affected by the layoffs last spring, but our school had some amazing new teachers who were. There were genuine tears in the spring when we heard that these teachers would be laid off.

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The problem is, in our free market, the best and brightest have many options. Due to the quick action and forward thinking of our legislators, these teachers are back at our school and hopefully will continue their careers in education in Alaska for many years.

I am also grateful that Dr. Deena Bishop and her team promptly reinstated these teachers, whenever possible, in their prior schools. During our open house on Friday night I was able to witness the hugs and genuine friendship between these teachers and our families. These bonds between communities and schools are priceless. Real people, real relationships, create the social/emotional platform for real learning. Thanks again, Les Gara, for your leadership and perseverance.

— Tasha Bergt
Anchorage

Lost in translation

I think someone's spell check got me on the letter to the editor Sunday. The word Republican was substituted for my original Republiklan. The ideology of this party is such that this is a much better depiction of what they represent. As we progress into the week, I see that evangelicals also have no problem with hate speech and neo-Nazi ideology. Makes you think, what would Jesus do.

— Jay Cross
Big Lake

Saving ADN — a suggestion

Make about 95 percent of the newspaper's content about Alaska. Give your talented and creative photographers and columnists the freedom and space to print what piques Alaska readers' attention. Print nature pictures in color as much as possible. Keep school news, current Alaska happenings and notices, classified ads, obits, comics and games, business news and church directories, stories about past and present Alaska people and organizations, and such.
Use the remaining 5 percent or so for screened Outside content — include human interest stories (such as "Small gestures likely mean bigger tips," Aug. 24), national weather, sports information, updates on science, economy, archaeology, space, etc.

Above all: Print no emotionally charged political material about the U.S. government or anyone who runs it — no inflammatory headlines, columnists or political cartoons. If folks want to know what's going on Outside, they can get it from a plethora of sources.

People from all over the world read Alaska Dispatch News online or digitally. If they complain that it's mostly about Alaska, tell them, "Yep. It's an Alaskan newspaper, we're proud Alaskans, and we like reading about what's going on at home."

— Myra Barnes
Anchorage

Frustrations on the river

So the Mat-Su valley wants to know, "Where did all our fish go?" That's the same question many who fish the Kenai River ask. So with the Fish Board mainly composed of commercial fishermen, no wonder the commercial fisherman get their share first. If the resource was managed properly, there would be good runs in the rivers and the Inlet. Ever checked the fish hotline and learn 40,000 reds came in, but you can't find them? Don't ask ADF&G; they don't have a clue. They count fish and call them reds while the public is catching humpies.

What the average person who lives in Alaska and likes to fish and those who spend thousands of dollars to get to Alaska to fish want is a good chance to play one of our great salmon or trout. With the priority seemingly on those who net fish, the commercial sector, dipnetting at the mouth and subsistence gathering upriver, it creates many frustrating fishing days on the river and sends visitors and locals who prefer to play their fish on a pole home empty-handed. Why would our visitors came back? Why would I drive to the Valley to fish Montana Creek?

Is the objective in this state to give as many fish as possible to a small, privileged sector of Alaskans, or to make the resource available to all, whether it be on the Kenai or in the Valley, in sufficient number that everyone can enjoy the resource?

— Gerry Guay
Anchorage

Honor Women's Equality Day

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On Aug. 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment — officially granting women the right to vote — was certified to the Constitution.

Ninety-seven years later, we have made some progress. We had our first major-party female presidential candidate in 2016. Some 30 percent of our state legislators in Alaska are women. Two out of our 11 Anchorage Assembly members are women. Women are leaders in industries and spheres they haven't been before.

However, in 2017, we are facing new threats and still entrenched in certain battles.

Outside the voting booth, we are still fighting for equal pay for equal work, paid maternity leave, access to reproductive health services, and protection against sexual assault and harassment. Proposed restrictions on reproductive rights are increasing at the state and federal levels, as well as oppressive voter identification laws to prevent communities of color — including women — from participating in our democracy.

Women's Equality Day is an important reminder of how far we have come, and how much work we still have to do to ensure all women — including whether they are indigenous, black, transgender, Asian-American or Muslim — have the power to influence change and achieve true social, political and economic equality.

— Sarra Khlifi, commissioner
Anchorage Women's Commission
Anchorage

Local VA a pleasant experience

While vacationing here I had a need to get a prescription refilled from the VA in Anchorage. Since I was an out-of-state vet the process would require some processing and registering before the pharmacy would respond. My experience with the Anchorage VA can only be described as pleasant. Employees at the facility went the extra mile to accomplish what I needed with little effort on my part.

I have supervised people all my life. I have seen employees who just get by and do what they have to, and others who genuinely care about the customers and take extra effort without being asked to. The managers of this facility are lucky to have some of the latter, I hope they recognize this and praise them often. Job satisfaction is not about money; it's about feeling appreciated for the effort put into performance.

— Joe Strain
Tulsa

Manage Inlet for sportfishing

When will this fishing tune ever change? Southcentral provides more sportfishing income to the state than any other area, about $465 million. We have more than one-half of the total state population here. A sport-caught fish in Cook Inlet is worth 10 times more to the economy than a commercial-caught fish, and think of all the recreational time spent fishing by all these people that benefits society. This versus 400 commercial fishermen, of which about one-half live out of state.

Cook Inlet should be managed for sportfishing as the priority and commercial fishing secondary — not the whole area being managed for the Kenai red run. If the fish belong to everyone, why are they not managed to give priority to the group that provides the most to the economy?

— Greg Svendsen
Anchorage

National debt is no problem

Roger Haxby (Letters, Aug. 24) uses the standard scare statistic about why the federal government must cut back its spending — we're $20 trillion in debt! — without telling us (as no one ever does) in detail why that should matter. To whom is that debt owed? What are our alternatives for paying it when it comes due? If we're borrowing too much, why aren't interest rates higher?

Federal deficits provide the "grease" that allows the wheels of our economy to turn. If we ever paid off the national debt — if the government taxed $20 trillion more than it spent — our economy would crash for lack of demand. People who wanted to hold government bonds as financial assets would cut back on their spending, which would reduce income to others, who would also cut back. …
And we can always pay off debt as it comes due; we can roll it over. If interest rates were too high, we could print more money. If we printed too much money and inflation started to rise, we could tax more.

We're the richest country in the world by far. There are those who can't afford to pay more taxes — and there are those who can. It's a question of priorities — do we want more private consumer goods (needlessly large houses for example, or luxury yachts) or do we want more public goods (parks, Social Security, you name it)?

— Rick Wicks
Anchorage

Running scared

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The recent protest and anti-protest in Charlottesville proves one thing for sure. Most of the country is scared to stand up for anything that is not politically correct. The way I see it, the original protest march was against the removal of statues pertaining to local history. Some in the group carried radical signs, but still it was legal protesters carrying shields and weapons to protect themselves. The other side, the anti-protesters, showed up armed and ready to put a stop to a legal march. Knowing this, is it wrong to claim both sides were at fault? Be careful with an honest opinion. It might be politically incorrect.

— John Fischback
Anchorage

Trump's critical oversight

I was upset when Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination. I wasn't as upset when he won because I thought we had two truly horrible choices. I was heartened, however, when he made his initial nominations for Cabinet posts. I thought he had nominated some very capable people from outside the political mainstream.

However, he made one critical oversight. He should have nominated a president.

— Jack Morris
Wasilla

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Newspaper starts the day right

In my experience, one of the many rewards of reading a daily print newspaper is access to Letters to the Editor. Here I find a response to previous news from a broad spectrum of readers, revealing what important issues I may have overlooked and interesting nuances seen from the reader's perspective. In particular, retired Col. Tom Mader deserves appreciation for a refresher course on the attributes and accomplishments of President Teddy Roosevelt in today's (Aug. 23) paper. Perhaps the surest way to make "America Great Again" is to require candidates for public office to prove a knowledge and understanding of our history and the great men and women whose intelligence, courage and compassion shaped who we really are.

My nomadic work and lifestyle leaves me dependent upon the early morning distribution of papers to coastal towns. It would be a sad day if the comfortable feel and entertainment of a print paper was no longer there along with hot coffee in the morning. Thanks, ADN; please keep up the good and important work.

— Paul Tate
Seward

Image was unforgettable

An image I will never forget came from a documentary showing a little Jewish girl of about 8 standing on a street holding a doll, waiting to be taken to a concentration camp.

The hate-filled rhetoric of today, the pushing for political gain from the streets to the media, does not leave much room for what is actually important to a society, and that is compassion, understanding and empathy.

— Faith Myers and Dorrance Collins, mental health advocates
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 under 200 words 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.

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