Speakers will include Congressman Don Young, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Corey Rossi, director of Wildlife Conservation for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
The rally, which runs from 4-8 p.m., is being sponsored by the wildlife conservation group Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife. Young, Murkowski and Rossi will be speaking between 6-7 p.m.
There will also be a dozen “issue booths” manned by a group or agency fighting a specific issue of federal management, such as wildlife management, oil and gas permitting, access issues, mining restrictions, EPA issues and the Endangered Species Act.
Local SFW members Ralph Seekins and Craig Compeau will be emceeing the event.
The rally also is serving as a fundraiser for Jim Wilde, the 71-year-old Central man who was arrested and handcuffed by the National Park Service in September for failing to stop for a boat safety check on the Yukon River. Wilde contested the charges in a trial in Fairbanks earlier this month and a federal judge is currently deliberating the case.
For a suggested donation of $10 or $20, participants can guess how much money the National Park Service spent on the Wilde case. The five guesses closest to the amount, which has yet to be revealed, will win prizes. The top prize is a free picnic lunch and scenic tour at “Gestapo Point,” the spot where Wilde was arrested and handcuffed by gun- and Taser-wielding rangers. Other prizes include a Taser (second); a pair of handcuffs (third); a box of shotgun shells (fourth) and a replica Gestapo badge (fifth).
Be sure to wash your vehicles.
Comb your hair.
Trim your beards.
Express yourself.
Remember to smile.
Your assistance is needed to ensure the FEDS get excellent pictures of you.
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/remote-alaska-park-service-wields-too-much-power
The NPS routinely fails to meet its obligation under ANILCA to protect legitimate preexisting uses of the land. The Federal government has also failed to honor the terms of the Statehood Act. There is no way that a Washington DC based government can process the information needed to fairly and effectively govern at the local and State level, but they keep trying, and the result is bad for everyone.
The founders of our Nation foresaw this problem and it is one of the reasons the system of "federalism" (see wikipedia for definition) was included the US Constitution. Unfortunately the balance of power has shifted to far to the Federal government (please don't get confused between the very different meanings of "Federal" and "federalism").
Unfortunately, old ostriches who bury their heads in the federal statutes may lose site of the big picture.
And about Lisa? Her recent guest commentary feeding the people a line of BS on why gas prices are so high shows here level of deceit.
Re: “Setting the record straight on America’s oil” (Voices of Alaska, PenClar, April 25)
Lisa, didn’t set the record straight at all. In fact she deceived and mislead the people even more. Read her article again. Do you see something missing from her “explanation” of why gas prices are so high? Here’s a hint: There’s no shortage of wheat, corn, cotton, gold, or silver and yet those prices are skyrocketing out of sight.
Someone who knows the truth needs to tell Lisa that it’s not about the QUANTITY of oil. In fact right now there is a world glut of oil and the Saudis are cutting back production.
Lisa: It’s about inflation and the collapsing dollar. It’s your fault and the fault of your fellow gangsters in Washington who have destroyed the economy. Don’t blame the oil industry. It’s you and the uncontrolled spending, the Federal Reserve, the corporations that own and control you and the other corrupt political pawns. It’s the bail-outs, the wars, the foreign aid, TARP, the lobbyists, and your refusal to take the blame for it all.
No, there’s no shortage of oil. There’s a shortage of honesty and guts. Quit lying to the people!
Norm Olson,
add that to these votes:
"...the same Mercowsky that pushed Cap and Trade, voted for all the bailouts, voted seven times to raise the debt ceiling? The same Lease-A Mercowsky that voted for the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," just voted against the permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts, refused to defund Planned Parenthood and NPR in spite of the fact that they have now been exposed as partisan and corrupt? The same Mercowsky that voted for the START treaty to unilaterally disarm the US in the face of a massive Chinese nuclear buildup? That one? HAhahahahahaha! Seriously?
Oh, and is this the same Mercowsky that abused her position as the ranking member fo the Energy committee to impose individual mandates on what kind of lightbulbs Alaskans can use and what kind of appliances we can have in our home?..."
If you have a problem with the representatives (Murkowski, Young & ??) speaking at the event, then maybe you should show up and let them know that instead of hiding behind your damn computer with an anounomous name or step out and run for office and give us a representative that you believe fits the bill..
On second thought, they might have a point. We elected them.
It's "snake-oil salesmen".
I will gladly donate to Wilde's defense fund - all too often the burden of defending oneself becomes a massive penalty for merely being *accused* by LE authority, prior to any hearing. And that's wrong - it flies in the face of an assumption of innocence, and makes the right to 'confront your accusor' a hardship [think: 250mi roundtrip for every court appearance].
Although I quite agree that protesting what one sees as inapprpriate, or maybe abusive, gov't action is a US citizen's right, I'd even say their *duty* as citizens, I woudn't want to associate myself with this event. Already the rhettoric of the organizers is so far over the top as to be embarassing [I think these NPS rangers, in this instance, abused their position and authority, but that's an ailment common to many LEOs these days - State and local as well - hardly a "Feds vs Alaskans" issue].
What we have here is a couple of snake-oil salesmen jumping in to exploit an opportunity created by the Wilde's distressfull situation, and shamelessly using Honey Wilde's past trauma in other hands. Stock in the snake-oil trade is the exaggerations, the attempt to inflame emotions to the exclusion of rational thought and discussion, the use of overstated, partial truths and comparisons to create rabid slogans, which become a "new reality". Hitler would be proud - that's how he gained popular power too.
But what's new? After all, this is a used car salesman of much experience [don't look to closely at details, and it's a GREAT deal!!], and a seller of very expensive luxury toys [that are a necessity to many who don't have very expensive bank acc'ts]. And they're fighting to gain more exclusive control of Alaska's resources - for themselves.
"Public protest of the misuse of federal authority is necessary, patriotic and essential. There is nothing treasonous about it."
Dissent IS patriotic!
I cringe to read the definitions of patriotism that some of you sheep spew.
Patriotism does not mean kissing the a$$ of the federal government. It is standing up for the rights that the founders of the United States government stood up for on OUR behalf.
Peaceful protest is one of the (patriotic) tools we have to limit overgrowth of our federal government.
Unquestioned support of the government is required behavior in a communist society, but not in a free republic.
There are those that say dissapproval of the current operations of the federal government is unpatriotic, and a vote against our troops-
That is PURE propaganda, and in saying so as UNpatriotic as one can get. It makes no sense.
However, freedom of speech is another right of us all in this great country, and you're welcome to say anything you want, regardless of your beliefs- just don't fool yourself into thinking unquestioned support of the feds makes you a patriot, any more than distrust of authority makes you a traitor.
It is our patriotic duty to keep a vigil over our government, not to bend over for it.
The government serves us.
The NPS "rangers" do not know the type of load they carry in their weapons, therefore they do not consider the effect on bystanders if they elect to commence shooting. Whatever Mr. Wilde did, killing or maiming his wife is not justifiable.
The NPS itself admits "Dollemolle" is a temporary hire.
The fact that there are bad apples in all agencies does not justify the NPS condoning the behavior of these clowns. The NPS has no idea of moose densities or calf/cow ratios or in fact, anything of relevance about the lands they manage in the upper Yukon corridor.
Visitor use of YUCH is minimal. The NPS operates a "visitor" center at the old BLM firestation in Eagle, which is about 45 miles upriver from the preserve. Most road tourists never get anywhere near the preserve. Most access is by floaters in the summer, who also rarely leave the river banks and never enter the preserve.
The NPS has done nothing to enhance hunting opportunity for anyone, in fact, their only affect is the negative aspect of gun toting "cowboys" who irritate and harrass people.
It would be comical to see these "rangers" enforcing boat registrations in the Yukon Flats or the Koyukuk regions. The first time they handcuff an elder, like they did Tim Henry, for NO reason at all, and have that elder sit in the mud for hours, will be the last time.
Defund the NPS in Alaska, save a little on the deficit, and restore wilderness to the Upper Yukon region.