Kevin Harun - as someone who is both white and American Indian, I didn't find Eastman's protest to be divisive. The actions of the Legislature in segregating out black soldiers as worthy of honor, but not white soldiers is what is divisive. If we want to become a post-racial society, it is imperative that we stop treating minorities as if they are magical. We aren't. We're human, just like white people. The SOLDIERS who built that Alaska Highway were tough and hardy and they did a great thing. SOME of those soldiers were black and we should acknowledge that. But we should not be singling them out as if the contribution of their white coworkers somehow meant less.

And that is what this Legislative action does. I'm sure that's now how they think of it, but it is the very clear message that is being sent. If you're black and you worked on the Alcan, you did a great thing worthy of recognition. If you're white and did the same thing, you really didn't do anything important.