REFLECTIONS

Kensington. The Kensington mine in Southeast Alaska got their final go-ahead from the Army Corps of Engineers to start operations last week. This mine was subject of a SCOTUS decision that affirmed its ability to dump mine tailings into a lake on the property as long as the mine did remediation after operations ceased. Local greens have long fought the mine. When this mine is in full operations, we will see 300 new high paying jobs created in Southcentral. Congratulations to Coeur Alaska.

Caribou. On the Fourth of July weekend in 2008, eight hunters near Point Hope, Alaska gunned down over 100 caribou, wasting the meat of over 40 animals. Alaska State Troopers investigated the shootings over the course of eight months, eventually identifying the young men and recommending prosecution. None of the village elders in the community were any help during the investigation and there is no indication that the village has done anything to discipline or punish the hunters. Two weeks ago, the North Slope Borough announced it would be donating $7,000 per hunter to assist with their defense. At the same time, we got the typical defense attorney rot about subsistence, native rights, old ways, tradition, the meat was bad, the dog ate my homework, and other garbage you would expect out defense attorneys. As this trial is going to take place in Point Hope, I expect the young men to get off without a conviction. To contrast this expected outcome: if a group of eight young non-Natives had gunned down 100 caribou over a long weekend and wasted the meat, they would all be spending a very long time in jail – deservedly so. The rural – urban divide up here has been mostly quiet since our last democrat governor was stirring up the racial divisions between natives and everyone else. Should the village elders of Point Hope not step up and do the right thing with these clowns, they will rightfully be viewed as simply another group of Americans who believe the law applies to everyone except them and their neighbors.

More later — AG

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”
- Samuel Adams, speech at the Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776.

Note: Interesting Items can be found also at the following locations: MatSu Valley News and the home page. Rod Martin’s The Vanguard site is also a long-time supporter of this column. Alex Gimarc is a long-time member of the Town Hall Conservative group.