On the same day that a person probably incapable of spelling nuance, let alone understanding its meaning,recently laid off Anchorage shock radio personality, Eddie Burke, has announced he is running for Alaska Lieutenant Governor, Diane Benson, another candidate for that office has published a nuanced, understanding op-ed in the Anchorage Daily News. Benson's op-ed is titled Knee-jerk reactions to abuse are of little use. It is well worth a read.
Diane Benson's work with local, state and Federal law enforcement groups over the years, most of it behind-the-scenes, on practical solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault issues, contains more practical experience than that of any other person involved in politics in Alaska history.
Diane's courage, audacity and knowledge about Alaska may be a large part of why no other Democrats have yet stepped forward in the Lieutenant Governor race. She was a formidable opponent against Don Young in 2006, when she garnered almost 41% of the vote against Young, when being outspent 11 to one, and with virtually no meaningful support from the Alaska Democratic Party organization. In 2008, she did well against Ethan Berkowitz, who beat her in the primary. In the 2008 AK-AL final, Berkowitz had to spend about $125.00 for every additional 2008 vote against Young than Benson had gotten in 2006.
Her solutions to a host of problems confronting Alaskans merit revisiting now. I'll be doing that over the next month.
One issue other than sexual violence, though, has cropped up recently. The 2010 legislative session is being told that we don't have the skilled workers here in Alaska to build a gas pipeline, and may have to bring most workers for such a project in from other states. On April 8, 2008, shortly after BP and Conoco-Phillips announced their "Denali" plan for gas pipeline construction, Benson challenged them to step forward with direct support for vocational training for Alaskans, particularly Bush Alaskans, understanding then that we don't have the skilled work force to build the line. Nothing has been done about this since then, to my knowledge.
Eddie Burke is an under-informed, homophobic opportunist. His campaign will stand primarily on one issue - abortion. Every time Diane Benson's name came up on his radio programs over the past few years, predictably, the first words out of Eddie's mouth have been, "Baby killer!"He has no intelligent solutions to any problem facing Alaskans. And, he has the albatross of Sarah Palin hanging around his neck. And, surprisingly, unless some kinky stuff on Eddie comes out between now and the 4th week of August, he will win the GOP primary.
images - Diane Benson with elders (PA); Eddie Burke at the first Ordinance 64 hearing (AKM?)
14 comments:
Why do Evangelicals take over the anti-abortion issue? By ignoring envrionmental issues, domestic violence and health care, they make it seem that it's not Chrisitan to care about those things.
When Margaret Sanger started championing birth control, she was seeing women get abortions when they were illegal. She saw poverty all around her and violence and orphanages, which were a scourge. Sanger didn't like abortion at all, but she promoted prevention as a way to get women able to control their pregnancies, maybe space them out, and since children were often left with husbands since women had no custody rights, they could stop birthing all the time and at least ride out the marriage until the kids were out of the house and get away. I feel like Burke will set women back and he is the poster boy for why women should want to get out of marriages and have abortions so they wouldn't leave their babies with the likes of him. How does his ilk feel abotu birth control pills?
Margaret Sanger wrote about her motive: eugenics. She was a visionary alright. Filled with contempt for the impoverished. Orphanages are "a scourge"? I'm curious.
It's neat that your strongest review of Ms Benson are the two races she has lost.
Why doesn't anyone bring up Eddie Burke's arrests for sexual harassment and assault?
It is also very well known that Eddie Burke has a mistress, they have been seen together at Thursday night at the fights.
Ms Borges,
If you don't think coming so close to Don Young on a shoestring, without meaningful party help, in a state dominated by the GOP is a remarkable accomplishment for an Alaska Native woman, maybe you should examine why you think that is the case.
MsBorges: Sanger wanted people who had conditions that coule be passed on to be able to make a choice on whether or not to have more children. Read her autobiography, I did at I didn't like her at first. She hated abortion, period. Doctors couldn't discuss birth control with women other than to advise abstinence back in the day. That was at a time that it was legal for judges to order women to be sterilized. It's hard to judge that period from our standpoint because we don't get how bad things were. I feel like we are headed back that direction. I hope I'm wrong.
When we elect hateful people who advocate violence and division, no one wins.
I think Diane Benson gave Don Young a better challenge than anyone has. Sure. But she lost.
Her gender and her ethnicity make this challenge more precious to you ~ your patriarchal bias is insulting. If her ideals aren't enough to win the seat, please don't start capitalizing bloodlines to qualify her achievements. Her voice matters, her voice is welcome. Necessary. But she is one American. The voices she would silence outnumber those who wanted her elected.
You can operate Google as well as I: if you choose not to see the bone-chilling tenets Margaret Sanger was guided by, perhaps you should examine why that is the case.
"The voices she would silence outnumber those who wanted her elected."
WTF...?
"And, surprisingly, unless some kinky stuff on Eddie comes out between now and the 4th week of August, he will win the GOP primary."
as you say, wtf? Representative Jay Ramras has raised more money for the GOP Lite Guv race than nearly any candidate for state office (if not the most, period, i'd have to double-check the numbers), and his Pike's ads give him far more statewide name recognition than Eddie has for his show, which aired in Anchorage and on the Slope. Eddie hates Jay, which is, I believe, his primary reason for jumping in the race. The feeling's mutual, so it should make for some fun debate-watching.
BJK
Great,
Conservatives can choose from a very funny fucking idiot or a spoiled, conceited, know it all asshole, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
I am writing in Mark Hanley
The details and motives of Margaret Sanger's work is much more nuanced than any anti-choice group would want us to believe. Isn't it convenient to rely on bumper sticker-sized talking points than to actually read, learn, and understand Sanger's work in the context of her time.
BJK,
I'm predicting you are over estimating the intelligence of AK Republicans. I'm halfway hoping you're right, though. Jay is even reasonable at times.
It should be noted as it is on other blogs, the T-shirt in question was a reflection of what the Left was calling Eddie and others who showed up to voice their opposition to Ordinance 64. Eddie should not be criticized for simply pointing out the name-calling by from those supporting the Homosexuals. Actually, the left should be ashamed for all the name-calling that took place.
Another point: Eddie's son issue was a Halloween costume from the Dave Chappelle show. Eddie's Son did not make it up... Go to this link
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-US&rlz=1I7_____en&q=dave+chappelle+tyrone+biggums&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Do we criticize people who dress up as Michael Jackson? Do we slam the movie “White Chicks” where black guys dressed up as white girls and made light of them? No, so why the double standard???
That's funny, anon, I didn't see an "I'm not a..." anywhere on that shirt.
You have to give it to Eddie, he is honest about what he thinks and feels. I can't say that for Jay or the guy from Wasilla who is sueing a bar because his wife can't put out ever since she got kicked out of a local bar.
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