The activist liberal, dynamically progressive non-profit organization, Alaskans for Truth, was started in the wake of the hijacking of some of the administrative functions of the State of Alaska by operatives from the McCain-Palin campaign, in early September, 2008. Since then, this small but effective group has been at least partially responsible for a number of events:1). As the McCain-Palin campaign unravelled through the autumn of 2008, Alaskans for Truth helped force the Alaska Legislative Council to publicly release the findings of the Branchflower report.
2). Alaskans for Truth requested (on October 9th) "AG Talis Colberg’s resignation for his unethical and unlawful response to [the subpoenas in the Branchflower investigation]." General Colberg has now resigned.
3). Alaskans for Truth sought "contempt charges against the Governor’s husband, Todd Palin and the state officials who willingly ignored the Legislative Council's subpoenas during the investigation." Contempt charges have been enacted through legislative action.
4). Although Alaskans for Truth as an organization has not directly participated in bringing public attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta communities, most of the progressive Alaska bloggers and media activists working on that are also among the leading members of Alaskans for Truth.
On January 12th, at the same time Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was whining to film maker John Ziegler and to Esquire Magazine, about "pathetic bloggers," the worsening situation on the lower Yukon River became public, through publication of an article about a letter to the editor in the Bristol Bay Times, from an Emmonak elder.
Since that time, Palin's narrative about bloggers has been torn to pieces. By - bloggers.
Watching the governor's press conference today, which centered around the forced resignation (which she denied was forced - did you watch her eyes as she said it?) of Colberg, further action based upon the Branchflower Report, and Emmonak, I realized that it should not be underestimated what Alaskans for Truth and Alaska bloggers for rural relief have achieved since September, 2008.
Here's to Alaskans for Truth!
image from the Alaskans for Truth store
Update: Linda Kellen covered the same territory, but in more detail, this evening.
14 comments:
You know, I still want to see her punished for what she has done, however just the fact she has realized she is NOT getting anything more by anyone is enough. Now she knows people are watching her and she can't pull anything anymore. That's worth a bunch.
No one is above the law. I would think by now loss of public's confidence, or arrogance or abuse of power would be enough to impeach her.
But what do I know...I'm just a blogger.
The times - they are a changin.'
I continue to wonder why Alaskans for Truth will not make public the names of their membership, their leadership, their accountability structure, etc. I don't disagree with some of their stated goals and advocacy positions, but on at least two occasions I have asked for the names/bios of their leadership, how they are structured, their legal status (e.g. 501(c)(4), or ?), if any, and similar questions. No response. It's kind of hard to get out my checkbook to support such a secretive entity. But maybe I'm missing something; if so, could someone publicly post the requested information. Thanks.
~Phil Smith
Juneau
Phil Smith,
I'll pass that along when I attend a meeting on Saturday.
Phil Smith,
You didn't respond to a series of questions I asked in the comments to the January 30th Article, titled "PA's Friday Oxdown Gazette Post." Perhaps you didn't realize I had asked them...
Mr. Munger,
Please send me an e-mail address and I will happily respond to your questions; I am loath to subject your readers to a long involved dialog about these inherently complex issues (just as am disappointed that you display not such scruples in subjecting your readers to simplistic hyperbole).
Further, of course, I am under no obligation to respond to you (nor you to me), which is apparently the nature of these anonymous "blogs." Most who bother to express themselves on this forum do so anonymously, or with a nom de plume designed to mask their identity; those of us who are honest enough reveal their identity should at least be granted the respect due to most volunteers.
Sincerely,
Phil Smith – Juneau
philips@alaska.com
Phil Smith,
thanks. i'll do as you suggest.
Dear Mr. Smith,
While I am not a member of Alaskans for Truth, since I am no longer an Alaskan, I often give my full name when commenting on various sites. My sisters (and many other members of my family) do live in Alaska, and I believe they are members of Alaskans for Truth. They also frequently give their real names when commenting on various sites, newspapers, letters to legislators, etc.
I believe the "leadership" of groups like Alaskans for Truth is just a bunch of regular progressive Alaskans tired of non-transparent Alaskan government. I certainly don't think they are domestic terrorists or some such. Many of them probably choose anonymity because people in your state have shown a tendency to seriously harass people they don't like. It may just be passed around as a bit of a joke, but lots of these folks really don't want Todd Palin following them around in his snowmachine, or don't like getting death threats from frothing pro-Palin types. Yes, happens a lot up there, from what I've heard. Who wants to find their email box full of ignorant hate? Or their mailbox shot full of holes? And don't tell me I'm exaggerating. I've lived in Alaska and my mother was born and raised there.
By the way, My name is Katherine F Lee and you can't have my email address. Look me up on Facebook or some such if you just HAVE to know who I REALLY am. I've had enough of this straw man bs about anonymous bloggers hiding behind fake names. Most of the people who frequent sites like this and mudflats know who each other are, because they have stuck around and had respectful discussions with each other, arranged to meet each other, etc.
Thanks for your comment, Katherine. Lest you misunderstand me, I do not ascribe any nefarious motives to those who post anonymously, nor do I think "Alaskans for Truth" is in any way a direputable organization. In fact, the opposite is true. I just want to know who those folks are, how they're structured, what their goals and strategies may be, and how they will spend the money they're asking us to provide. I don't think that's too much to ask. I'm not particularly cynical, but this sort of "faith-based" advocacy makes me a bit uncomfortable.
Phil Smith
Juneau
Phil, I didn't mean to come off pissy. Your motives seem completely reasonable to me. Have you checked to see if Alaskans for Truth are having a meeting some time in the future, so that you can meet some of them? I pretty much can't afford to donate to anybody, political or otherwise (I did send $10 to Emmonak), but if their publicized agenda appears to mesh with mine, I'm willing to give moral support.
I get a little frustrated down here in the lower 48 because so much of my Alaska family is impacted by the current administration's antics.
Katherine Lee
Arcata, CA
Katherine Lee,
My son lives in Arcata. He's a soph at Humboldt State in Fisheries.
Philip, that's so funny. A cowboy friend of mine in Arizona calls that small world thing, "cowboy soap opera." He and I "met" before meeting because he found boxes with my name on them in the Elko, Nevada dump. With the Internet, the world gets smaller every day. Best luck to your son. Humboldt State is struggling with the California budget disaster.
Hey Phil and everyone,
Here in Fla all corporations, profit and not-for-profit and whatever else there is, muct register with the Division of Corporations. I can get access to a limited but useful amount of records for free from their website.
Here that includes date of incorporation, address of principal office, and names of usually three principal officers and their addresses, as well as a name and address of what is called a Registered Agent (who must be in-state if the officers are out-of-state).
Ours works easily and is free. Can't vouch for other states, but it's always a good idea before donating money to any organization to check that out.
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