The time is now for Bronson

The time is now upon us to decide what kind of city we want to live in. Are we happy with what we have, or do we want better? It’s time to take action and vote, and this time, make it count.

The runoff between Forrest Dunbar and Dave Bronson makes for an easy decision for those who are not satisfied with how things have been going. Dunbar seems to be OK with how things are, and Bronson recognizes things have to change, soon. We need to support our businesses, not constantly penalize them, make criminals accountable for their crime, and return our schools to what they once were, and teach our children how to think, not what to think.

What would our forefathers think of how we let our city of Anchorage and Alaska slip from what it once was to the horrendous problems we are faced with today? The pioneers who came to Alaska had a different idea about what kind of lives we want for our children, and what kind of leaders we want to represent us. We used to laugh about becoming Los Anchorage or more like San Francisco, and many say we have arrived. And it’s no laughing matter any longer.

We have allowed the minority and loud voices to represent the majority and tell how we should live our lives. We should be ashamed for not turning out to vote and we now have what we deserve, both on the Assembly and School Board. Is this really who we are? It’s because we have not taken the time to act.

We’re now in the midst of many businesses which will never recover, schools that teach our kids about critical race theory, that they can decide what gender they are and that America is a bad place.

Certainly some on the Assembly have a moral compass not pointing in the same direction as most citizens. I hear people ask, “What has happened to us?” I say, many have lost their courage, several levels down from just one generation ago, when citizens took the time to stand up and make their voices heard. Or maybe it’s because of just plain laziness.

Is it too late? I’m not sure, but 2022 is just around the corner to enable us to start making changes nationally. And who will be our mayor is our decision to make, very soon. Think about encouraging like thinkers to run for office. Support them, get active, and then vote. Dave Bronson just may be the mayor we need to help us get out of this mess. Live your life like lions, not sheep, and bring Anchorage back to what it once was, so we can all be proud again. Vote!

Frank Dahl is the former owner of Blues Central and a past president of the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Association (CHARR).

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