Open Alaskan Racism

Anchorage Daily News printed a letter today from an individual bashing the policies created to ensure Native participation in the economy. He says, "we have Alaskan Native apartheid with relief from law, special status." It may be true that we are a distinct society with a few perks. We were exploited, oppressed, compensated, and given special status. Let it be known that if ANCSA were not made law, our leaders likely would have created a new nation, reaping all the benefits from the oil sitting underneath the Arctic Slope. I wish this would have happened. Today we have people like this man, who calls himself Alaskan, bashing natives who have been here longer than he has. He is also benefiting from the historical exploitation of our land. One of the last things he says in his letter is, "just send me the check", referring to his PFD. If our leaders had created a new nation, we would have more jobs for natives, and settlers would no longer be referred to as settlers, but immigrants looking for opportunity, just as those who are moving into the lower 48 from Mexico are. This is not the case, so I cannot hope for a change of attitude, but point out that many who move to Alaska are already above the poverty line and are looking for a chance at a good retirement. They don't see that natives don't look for retirement, though some do, they look for progress as a whole. Natives are a distinct society and will always be a distinct society. If the person who wrote that letter to ADN could read this, I have something to say to you: shut up and accept it, we're here to stay, but you may leave if you wish, or after you have found your opportunity.

This is racism at it's deepest level. Proof that non-native settlers are coming to Alaska looking for opportunity and are outraged at the fact that because we were here first (something recognized across the world and the UN) we are deserving of indiginous rights. He claims that we are in a cocoon of welfare, alcohol, and violence. It is true that many natives live on welfare, drink, and beat the crap out of each other. This is called a stereotype. Not all natives live on welfare, drink reprehensibly, and fight. Most natives, I am proud to say, are progressing. It is sad to see such blatant racism printed in a well-known paper. Furthermore, he claims that we have sanitized Native history, and that lies are printed about Natives today. All this is propaganda for a newspaper which seems so glad to print, meanwhile they refuse to print anything regarding this new political party which means to lobby for better RURAL representation and funding.

To those reading: please ignore the propaganda of today's larger society, they want only one thing: money. The oil companies want it. The newspapers want loyal readers.The politicians want offices in history, no matter the cost and no matter if it's bad or good. Access Party is an idea for equal opportunity. Societies' "pendulum" in the center is a dream that cannot be achieved in a world with an uneducated, distorted racial perspective. We should have a law that requires a cultural orientation for those who move and works in Alaska to combat such ingorant racism.