It’s time to clear the room
Coming upon my 70th birthday, I've witnessed numerous elections over the years. It's time to stay after school, clean the slate and beat the chalk out of the erasers. You do have a choice: stand up or circle the wagons.
This Alaskan will vote for Gary Johnson and Bill Weld.
— Loren McClure
Anchorage
Council stands with Standing Rock Sioux against pipeline
A historic event is happening in North Dakota where indigenous peoples from across the country are standing together, along with thousands of allies, to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline threatens the sole drinking water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, as well as traditional burial sites and lands of significant cultural and historic value. Although federal officials temporarily stopped work, no resolution was identified and work on the pipeline has resumed.
Alaska tribes are sadly familiar with the price paid by indigenous peoples when entities whose sole motivation is profit and self-interest invade traditional lands in their quest for natural resources. Tribes throughout the Yukon watershed are still dealing with the aftereffects of abandoned placer mines, lands and waters tainted with petroleum products, abandoned drums filled with unknown contaminants, and developments that threaten subsistence resources.
We stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and with all indigenous peoples and allies who have joined together in peaceful, nonviolent protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. We believe that the federal government approval of permits lacked genuine consultation with the tribe and a clear understanding of the implications of this project. The pipeline development threatens to undermine the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
Tribes have a right to expect that the federal government will honor its trust responsibilities guaranteed in the 1851 and 1868 United States treaties with the L/D/Nakota tribes, which remain the supreme law of the land. We join the growing chorus of indigenous peoples in calling for a full halt to all construction activities and repeal of all U.S. Army Corps of Engineer permits until formal tribal consultation and environmental review are properly and adequately conducted.
— Clarence Alexander, chairman
Kelly Donnelly, executive director
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed
Council
Anchorage
Stock has a plan for Alaska and knows how to implement it
I live in Southeast Alaska and most people way down here are struggling in our communities. I usually keep my focus local; I believe you need to take care of your own community first and foremost.
I got to spend some time with Margaret Stock at the Alaska Federation of Natives' 50th anniversary in Fairbanks this past week. I listened, I watched but most of all I learned. I saw her doing the same thing. Listening, watching and learning.
Really listening to people and actually understanding real-life struggles. She was not born to privilege and this, among life's other turns, has shaped her into a remarkable leader. I was proud to tell people Margaret Stock was my choice for a leader.
I saw a new era for our state as we reflected on 50 years of struggling not just as Native people but as Alaskans tired of the same old promises.
We hear "Elect me I will fix things!" But they have no plan or idea as to how.
Margaret Stock not only has a plan but knows how to effectively implement it.
Ideas to Alaskans as well seem like common sense but not to the past and present elected officials. I watched her at the 2016 UAF Arctic Innovation Competition. No press or fancy announcement. She saw our future, talked with the kids and listened to their demonstrations. I doubt the kids even knew who she was but I could see their eyes light up as they gave presentations.
Yes, I am Southeast Alaskan; yes, I am a voter; and I as a Native take Stock.
— Vickie Fouts
Ketchikan
Dear trashy hunters …
You are giving hunters a bad rep! Not all hunters and hunting operations leave garbage, gear, debris and damage to the land — but you do. You leave fire pits, beer cans and broken gear in the middle of unspoiled wilderness. You carelessly spill fuel, illegally set up camps and put our children at risk by not knowing whose landing you are drunkenly shooting at.
At 61° 59' N three generations of my family have lived and worked for many years. We spend a large portion of every spring and fall and many thousands of dollars hauling garbage from your camps out by helicopter. This is public land and we are all stewards of it. We are, by all means, not anti-hunting. We make a living showing people wild places and what we love and respect about Alaska.
Please, learn to show respect. If you can't do it for Alaska or the wildlife, at least do it for fellow Alaskans like us who support your hunting rights and fellow hunters who respect the land and its people.
— Carly Potgieter
Anchorage
Clinton is advocating for women’s rights, not killing
I rarely write letters to the editor, but Jim Crawford's editorial piece in Wednesday's paper, "Election of Trump essential to stop abortions," gave me a reason to (mainly because my blood pressure spiked just a little). His line "… and Clinton's clear advocacy of abortion, even partial-birth abortion. Killing babies is grotesque in a civilized society." Hillary Clinton is not advocating for abortion, or killing; she is advocating for a woman's right to make her own decisions about her body.
As a woman, I believe this is my right. I was born and raised a Catholic here in Anchorage myself, and educated by the Jesuits; not the same years as Jim, though. I have seen how difficult and excruciating a decision this is for a woman to make. It is not an easy one, or one that is given no thought. It is mentally and physically painful, and will never be forgotten as they go through life.
Jim Crawford, as a white, evangelical male, will never understand this pain. I find his judgmental attitude toward women, who have to make this tough decision, troubling and extremely disturbing. My parents raised me to be empathetic and sympathetic in my views toward people and their lives. And until I walk a day in their shoes, I have no right to question, much less judge, their decisions.
— Colleen Jepsen
Anchorage
Trump will fix country’s issues
I am a Donald Trump supporter for president because I think that he will face and start to correct the major problems that exist with runaway national debt, illegal immigration and rampant massive graft practiced by the majority of our elected officials.
The Alaska Dispatch has filled the daily opinion page with anti-Trump articles and cartoons written by the Washington Post and NY Times. The anti-Trump articles have now spread to your front page. The television stations MSNBC, CNBC, CNN etc (except FOX) and newspapers are joining the chorus to defame this patriot. It is apparent that the profitability/existence of these media companies determines what their journalists say and print. The journalists must deliver the company fact or fiction to preserve their jobs.
The fact that Donald Trump remains competitive for votes is proof that he is a person with a strong set of values and talents. Trump, with all his flaws, may very well be one of our most revered presidents.
I encourage Alaskans to look at Trump's accomplishments, listen to his messages, and finally to give him your votes.
— Roger R .Haxby
Anchorage
Jason Grenn planned to run
Nathaniel Herz's recent article on the race in South Anchorage/Sand Lake tries to paint the challenger Jason Grenn's race entrance as a spur of the moment decision born out of desperation to help his district with an alternative to the incumbent Republican. The article glosses over the facts that Grenn was a Republican right up until the day in June he filed as an independent and that there was a Democrat running who faced pressure from his own party to drop out and that promptly after filing Grenn received the support of Alaska's Future (of GCI) PAC (implying that in fact significant planning had gone into his decision).
So Republicans, fear not, as I doubt the apple has fallen far from the tree. And as for the Dems and independents who lack a progressive choice and who vote for Grenn, they had better hope that, should he be elected, he does not pull a Murkowski and forget about the people who put him in office.
— Julie Olsen
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.