Exodus from an Alaskan village

Everyone in Adak is leaving. The village cannot afford to pay its gas bill, and they have been cut off. Their numbers have already been cut in half in recent years, but gas prices will force them all to leave.

The mayor/chief of police resigned.

I cannot imagine where 130+ people go to start over, and from something that is not a natural disaster. A hurricane did not hit these people - high gas prices did.

I am still stunned at the lack of attention this is getting, from the local media, the state, our Governor, Sarah Palin. I posted this on Saturday night, and figured it would be headline news by the next afternoon (and no, not because of me - because a town in American cannot afford gas and is shutting down!) I posted again on Sunday night, happy to see it, at least, on the ADN.

The Anchorage Daily News reported on it Sunday night/Monday morning (and props to them for getting it on the front page of the Web site - if not the paper copy). A radio station in the region Adak is in mentioned it. No local TV news - or non-local, for that matter. I noticed a paper in South Carolina grabbed it from the ADN. But nothing else? Really?

Palin had a message today for Alaska that the local TV media did pick up - her message was to attack the man she fired and reverse her previous opinions and reasons. Her only message for Alaska today, the day Adak residents met, found out they no longer have a mayor and started planning how to restart their entire lives - her message was of defense of herself and an attack on a former employee.

In some wierd bit of irony, one of the news stations visited a different village to report on how many people were having to leave Rural Alaska because of the costs. No mention of entire town being told to leave that day.

This is not the first Alaskan village to have to leave the land, and it won't be the last. How many residents will be forced into the city this winter? How many villages will be facing extinction?

I have heard suggestions that the villagers go to stay in the governor's mansion. Why not? Even if she were not running for VP, she doesn't use it much. They will need a home, and jobs, and schooling. And they will need to get off the island - it will cost the individuals of Adak their entire energy rebate - $1200 - just to get them off the island. Will Governor Palin lend them her private jet?

I have also heard some terribly cold comments - so what, it's only 130 people? So what, it's a "newly incorporated" village - they should have known better? Palin shouldn't be responsible for their "irresponsibility."

I ask these people to look at the history of Adak - the real history. Aleut/Unungax people have lived there for thousands of years. They have prevailed through enslavement, relocation and disease during the Russian "discovery." They have prevailed during the further massive deaths after Alaska was bought by America. The Aleut people of the Aleutian chain were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II by the American government when the Japanese invaded and occupied two of the islands. They came back. They stayed after the military base shut down in the 90's, incorporated as a village to be able to stay, and they stayed through a winter of frequent blackouts.

They are finally undone by energy costs.

Big processing ships have outmanned them on the water, so they had little money to work with in the first place.

I cannot tell you what this does to me, to hear that another village is being emptied, that these people will not be able to stay, and it is entirely preventable. This is not a hurricane to prepare for and rebuild after - but nothing to do but wait in between. The gas is literally in the town - but they can't afford to buy it.

And our governor dares to run on the platform of being an "energy expert?"

Please, look at the exodus from the villages, look at this town that is vacating the island - then look me in the eye and telling me she's doing everything she can?

She is doing nothing at all.

UPDATE!: Thank goodness!

Obama Anchorage campaign headquarters opening pics

Follow up from last evening's post about the opening of the Anchorage Barack Obama campaign headquarters. There's Kat Pustay addressing the crowd, sign-ups, and some of the dozens of "I support Barack Obama..." posters.

Obama Alaska campaign kick-off

At the opening of the Obama campaign headquarters this evening, there was plenty of humor and lots of (who'd of guessed?) Obama buzz.

I think there's something really funny going on in my district. At the caucus, when all five million or so of us showed up, we were the dead last district to be able to actually divvy up and vote. We watched several other districts "fan out", and when we finally went up there to vote, it was still chaos (albeit, very fun chaos!) One of the "regular Joes" in the district finally took charge and sorted us all out. Using some very fine charting sensibilities, we were finally organized and all accounted for. More than a few commented, "Man, I'm voting for that guy!"

Tonight, another take-charge organizational situation. Although I'm not sure it was neccessary this time, one of our group (no, not any official capacity) took charge once we were (again) the last group to be gathered together, and split us off into volunteering sections.

We seem to be both slow and control freaks. But really fun!

Other than that, it was nice to hear what the campaign has planned, and why they are focusing on Alaska. They are really making it a battleground state, and judging from those at the event, McCain is really going to have do some fighting if he wants to have a "red" Alaska.

One thing lacking? Native representation!

Where were my Indigenous peeps?! (I promise if you show up, I'll never say that again.)

There really was a noticeable lack of Native people at the event, and I sure hope to see more in the coming months. With over 40,000 right here in Anchorage, we can really be a force in this election. But we need to show up!

I was able to talk to Alaska campaign director Kat Pustay a little bit about the Native turnout. She talked about the rural outreach they're doing, and was pretty encouraging about just what they could do.

I also talked to Liz from OurTime 2008. They're a non-partisan organization really focused on getting people involved, getting registered voters. She was also pretty encouraging to talk to, and mentioned a big effort - as well as Native participants - on their part toward Native Alaska.

In both cases though, there was a cultural gap mentioned, one I hope we can reduce well before election time.


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