Good afternoon, Alaska. In this edition: Woof. Who’d run for office with a public like this? The Anchorage Assembly is, as I’m writing this, settling in for what looks to be several days of petulant and hate-filled testimony from a carefully cultivated base who can most charitably be described as anti-maskers. At the end of the agenda is the assembly’s proposal to mandate masks in almost all situations through the end of the year or whenever the city’s alert level drops out of the high and substantial categories. It’s a direct response to the hands-off approach of extreme-right Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, who seems to be mostly focused on drumming up opposition to the largely moderate Anchorage Assembly on pretty much all fronts. And by the early looks of it, all his efforts spent opposing masking rather than doing anything to curb the covid-19 pandemic seems to be working. We’re about 20 minutes into the meeting now and they’ve already been disrupted several times to the point where they took a 5-minute break to settle things down.
Very well expressed. I'm afraid only the vitriol will survive if the rest if us dont speak up. Why must be be either no mask/no vax or mandatory vax/mask? We should do what is best for our community as a whole, take care of those who cannot vaccinate for whatever reason, and have some civil discourse. Our current environment is an embarrassment to us as Alaskans, Americans, and humans.
Is it possible to have a door man allow the same number of people on opposing sides speak from audiences insrtead of letting the far right manipulate their agenda the entire time. It seems the Assembly is forced into listening to radicals all night and can’t get any choice of hearing both sides. Also limit the number who can speak.
Yup, absolutely correct, and also non-marginalized white people need to grow a backbone and fight back: https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-road-to-fascism-is-paved-with-timidity-d399bfb4bb18 I don't always agree w/Tim Wise, but this piece makes an argument that you can't bemoan the state of things, esp. democracy and then turn tail and run--this is also true of standing ground with fascists/authoritarians/white supremacists and garbage spewers in general. The sane general public, who is usually the actual "silent majority", can also really loudly (and publically) stand behind their elected officials, healthcare providers, etc. and make sure they know we have their backs--write/call assembly people and tell them your appreciate their steadfastness in the face of this nonsense and declare your support of their positions, donate money, work on their campaigns, put up their signs, testify, join counter-protests/actions. Someone took time at the library to put up signs supporting healthcare workers as well as flags signifying those who have died--my friends in healthcare have stated how much it means to have this public support. "Fighting back" can also mean "shoring up".
So well written. Driving good people out of serving their community is clearly a political strategy. How we stop that so our communities survive this assault is less clear.
Very well expressed. I'm afraid only the vitriol will survive if the rest if us dont speak up. Why must be be either no mask/no vax or mandatory vax/mask? We should do what is best for our community as a whole, take care of those who cannot vaccinate for whatever reason, and have some civil discourse. Our current environment is an embarrassment to us as Alaskans, Americans, and humans.
It’s reaching the point where assembly members deserve hazard pay.
Wow. Very well said. You have clearly expressed what has been on my mind, but less organized.
Is it possible to have a door man allow the same number of people on opposing sides speak from audiences insrtead of letting the far right manipulate their agenda the entire time. It seems the Assembly is forced into listening to radicals all night and can’t get any choice of hearing both sides. Also limit the number who can speak.
Yup, absolutely correct, and also non-marginalized white people need to grow a backbone and fight back: https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/the-road-to-fascism-is-paved-with-timidity-d399bfb4bb18 I don't always agree w/Tim Wise, but this piece makes an argument that you can't bemoan the state of things, esp. democracy and then turn tail and run--this is also true of standing ground with fascists/authoritarians/white supremacists and garbage spewers in general. The sane general public, who is usually the actual "silent majority", can also really loudly (and publically) stand behind their elected officials, healthcare providers, etc. and make sure they know we have their backs--write/call assembly people and tell them your appreciate their steadfastness in the face of this nonsense and declare your support of their positions, donate money, work on their campaigns, put up their signs, testify, join counter-protests/actions. Someone took time at the library to put up signs supporting healthcare workers as well as flags signifying those who have died--my friends in healthcare have stated how much it means to have this public support. "Fighting back" can also mean "shoring up".
So well written. Driving good people out of serving their community is clearly a political strategy. How we stop that so our communities survive this assault is less clear.
Good job Matt. Your best yet and sadly spot on. Thank you.