I applaud the letter writers who submitted this finely worded document. We need more voices like theirs.

The Rep. David Eastman is nothing new. I have lived here in Anchorage since 1957, on and off but mostly on. I have watched this city grow from 67,000 souls to almost 300,000, and have always tried to stay out of racism’s reach but sometimes it cannot be avoided. Why? Alaska, this land, has a beleaguered and despicable legacy of racism and bigotry. We have withstood its onslaught for more than 100 years. My friend and colleague Mark Trahant, a journalist and Shoshone-Bannock tribal member, and most recently Chair of the Atwood School of Journalism at UAA, went away saying he has never seen and witnessed as much contempt for Alaska Natives as he saw here. 

What to do? One, First Alaskans Institute and perhaps the Alaska Legislature would do well to create the Native Anti-Defamation League, much like the Jewish ADL. And act accordingly.