Bristol Bay Votes to “Save Our Salmon” from the Threat of Pebble Mine
Voters in the Lake and Peninsula Borough near Bristol Bay have had their say. After being blanketed with pro-Pebble mine propaganda telling residents that if the initiative passed it would jeopardize future projects like roads and airports and docks, the majority of the residents remain unconvinced. The Pebble Partnership has stated repeatedly that if local residents don’t want the mine, then there will be no mine. According to an October 2008 article on the Fast Company website, Anglo American’s CEO Cynthia Carroll said, “I will not go where people don’t want us. I just won’t. We’ve got enough on…
Politicians – Judge Them By Their Deeds
By Shannyn Moore “Go out and preach the gospel. And if you must, use words.” — St. Francis of Assisi This week I watched the GOP round-table debate. It still startles me to hear words and moral claims from candidates who must believe we’ve never seen their deeds. I’m a big believer in the separation of church and state … but let’s suppose we were a “Christian Nation,” not just a nation made up of Christians, Jews, Muslims, old believers, pagans, atheists and free-range hippies. Could we, this new “Christian Nation,” pick the Beatitudes as our rule of law?…
Murkowski Votes Against Jobs, Deficit Reduction, Veterans, Teachers, and Taxing Millionaires. (Rally!)
The Constitution. We’ve seen it wrapped around buses, misspelled on Tea Party signs, hailed and praised by the “back to basics” Republicans who tell us that if we just went back to the wisdom of the founding fathers, life would be good again. It’s been waved like the flag, held up like holy writ, and revered as the greatest document ever written. Yes, the right loves them some Constitution – unless of course it means that they don’t get their way. It’s kind of like the Bible. Just don’t pay attention to all that healing the sick, and taking…
Jesus Loves the Little Children – Governor Sean Parnell? Not So Much.
Sean Parnell, the man that his former boss Sarah Palin called a “brother in prayer” has made his priorities known. Remember that favorite Sunday School hymn, “Jesus Loves the Little Children?” Remember how Jesus’ priorities were all about healing the sick, and helping the poor, and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? Well, our born again Christian governor is just exactly NOT like that at all. Last year, Sean Parnell (and I am not making this up) vetoed a bill that would have provided Denali Kid Care (the state health program that gets 70% matching federal…
The Golden Calf and the Bronze Bull – What Would Moses Do?
~Photo by Zach Roberts By Shannyn Moore I remember wondering what gold tastes like. As a child sitting in Mrs. Harris’ Sunday school class, I listened raptly to her recount the biblical tale of Moses coming down from Mount Sinai armed with the Ten Commandments. He’d spent the last 40 days and nights meeting with God. Moses unleashed his fury when he saw what his people had been up to: drinking, partying and worshipping a golden calf made from melted jewelry. Moses smashed the tablets carved with God’s handwritten laws, ground up the idol and made them drink it. Those…
Occupy Anchorage!
This afternoon in Anchorage, several hundred people gathered in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protesters. A crowd this size was a fantastic turnout for an event that was promoted largely on Facebook and by word of mouth. The weather cooperated beautifully. It was a gorgeous sunny autumn day in the 50s, and spirits were high. The crowd was full of families with kids, and dogs, young adults, and seniors. There was a great contingent from the Native community as well. Anyone who wanted to could sign up to speak, but the main event was former Mayor of Sitka and…
Pebble Mine and the Foreign Fox in Alaska’s Legal Hen House
By Shannyn Moore We take the 49th star on our nation’s flag for granted. That was a hard fight, and statehood wasn’t won on the first pass or even the second. The tipping point and fuel came in large part from the “We-don’t-like-being-bossed-around-by-outsiders” attitude of Alaskans. It’s a bit ironic when we look at ourselves 50-plus years later. This week at the Alaska Energy Council luncheon, oil lobbyists and Republican lawmakers sat side by side at the head table. I guess I should be grateful they’re fraternizing in public instead of in a room at the Baranof. I long for…
Diebold Voting Machines Can Be Hacked for $10, and How This Could Save Your Thanksgiving.
I roll over lazily, stretch, yawn, and open one eye… I do a combined gasp/shriek, recoil a little, and bury my face in the pillow. Yes, my strange bedfellow is still here. I thought he left after the 2010 election, but apparently not. Given that you all know how I feel about former U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller, that I agree with virtually none of his political philosophy, and that I am grateful every day that he is not in Washington, D.C., he does bring up an interesting point to the readers of his website. The topic of the article…
On Justice and Forgiveness
~Troy Davis By Shannyn Moore My Pop has always said there’s a big difference between grace and mercy. Grace is when you get something good you don’t deserve. Mercy is when you don’t get something bad you do deserve. I’ve been blessed to have been afforded both in my life. It’s difficult to pass it out as freely as it’s given, but something to always strive for. This week, I called and emailed judges, a governor and parole board. I wasn’t sure if it was grace or mercy I was seeking for a man I’d never met. I had no…
The Swindling of Our Wounded Warriors — A Request for Assistance *UPDATED*
By Linda Kellen Biegel Those of you who live in Anchorage may have heard about a fundraiser put on by Arkansas transplant politico and drag performer Caleb Pritt for an organization called “Homes for Our Troops.” The money was supposed to be designated towards a home for Latseen Benson and his family. Latseen lost both of his legs in a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq and required a more adaptive home to successfully complete everyday tasks. Homes for Our Troops was (is) in the process of building him one. It was still a few thousand dollars from completion when Caleb…