OK, I FINALLY finished my Community Voices column for the Anchorage Daily News...after four tries!

This is what I submitted for publication. Hopefully, it will fly.

***UPDATE***

It didn't...here's the new version.

In a previous column, I talked about the selection of my blog (Celtic Diva’s Blue Oasis) by the Democratic National Convention to represent Alaska. I also discussed the debate over a lack of diversity within the ranks of selected State Blogs and I encouraged any writers-of-color to come forward and add their voices to my blog or start one of their own.

I was not disappointed.

Tlingit writer “Writing Raven” contacted me, created “Alaska Real” (alaskareal.blogspot.com) and immediately dove into the deep end of politics from an Alaska Native perspective. In a very short time, she has received much well-deserved praise for her writing. I’m happy to say that she will be coming with me to help split the blogging at the DNC, covering the Native American Caucus and many other events.

Dennis Zaki, who runs the high-traffic Progressive media website AlaskaReport.com, is also credentialed for the DNC.

According to the Democratic Party, Dennis, Raven and I are the only credentialed Alaska-based media outlets. When I say “the only media outlets” I’m including television, radio and newspapers from Alaska…none are going. Also, Alaska Report is the only Alaska-based media outlet credentialed for the Republican National Convention, so the only Alaskan covering the RNC is a Democrat.

Oh, the irony.

Both Parties’ conventions have fully embraced blogs, indicating that these and other independent media sources have established themselves as news-gathering organizations in their own right. However, there is a debate as to whether or not this is a good thing.

Many mainstream media sources, especially newspapers, have been losing viewership/readership and revenue for years. While some blame increasing Internet access for this (and that claim has some merit), bloggers also point out how 20 years of corporate media consolidation has limited the number of differing voices and available news outlets. Whatever reason, mainstream media focus is shrinking, causing local media to depend on affiliates, etc…A backlash of some sort was inevitable, thus blogs and other forms of independent media began a rise to prominence.

This attention to blogs during this presidential campaign has caused some to question whether bloggers are “journalists.” Folks think of “journalists” as unbiased “reporters” so confusion arises since blogs generally have some level of overt bias. However, the words “journalist” and “reporter” are not interchangeable. According to Merriam Webster Online, a “reporter” is a writer who “reports news”…indicating a level of objectivity. A “journalist” is a writer who “aims at a mass audience.” Bloggers “aim at a mass audience,” whether it is conservatives, liberals, dog-lovers, etc…

Regarding my own writing, “Community Voices” columns are “journalism.” The articles on my blog where I do research and/or interviews I would also put in the journalism category. Whether or not they are “good” journalism is a matter of opinion…the same as it is with mainstream media. And like the “MSM,” readers let me know through their readership (blog traffic), email or comments.

Of course, the rip-roaring rants are not something one would find in a newspaper or other mainstream media source. Occasional snarkiness may not be “journalism” but it is one of the perks of a blog owner!

In eight days we fly down and in ten days our work at the DNC will begin in earnest. I hope we make our Alaskan supporters proud. I also hope that the volcanoes take a break!

Tomorrow's "Community Voices" Column--going after Ted Stevens

Every 5 weeks or so for six months (I have at least one more column to go) I write a "Community Voices" column for the Anchorage Daily News. This is a summary of the other posts I've done on this issue.


A few years ago, I was applying for jobs in the lower-48 when I came upon a particularly promising one; it was a live-in assistant to a wealthy retired couple. When it looked like the job might be a “go,” I attached a picture that was taken of me holding my 18-month-old daughter.

That evening, I received a glacial phone call saying they were no longer interested in my services. I was bewildered and kept pushing for an explanation. I was finally told that they could not hire "a traitor to the white race" as I had given birth to a black child. I was helping to increase "the mud people" and therefore was "a mud person" myself…a term that white supremacists use to describe all people who are not white and Christian.

These folks were originally from the UK so it was my first introduction to European racism. After some research I discovered that there was a strong undercurrent of anti-immigration prejudice happening in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Enter UK-born Canadian Mark Steyn and his book “America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. Steyn’s skilled writing and sarcastic humor distracts from the bigotry of his unscientifically-based assertions regarding a Muslim “breeding conspiracy.” He discusses the birthrate decline in the “white” European population and the “danger” that poses.

The book is reviewed by UK journalist, Johann Hari:

“An unassimilated, culturally confident Muslim mass will slowly become the majority, and demand the demoralised multicultural "natives" integrate with them. At times, Steyn implies this shift is the result of a conscious political conspiracy. Orianna Fallacci - whose "bravery" he praises - said that Muslims "have been told to come here and breed like rats."

He further compares a quote from Steyn's book...a warning:

"Today, a fearless Muslim advance has penetrated far deeper into Europe than Abd al-Rahman... There are three strategies Islam deploys against a dying West: first, demography; second, conversion; and third, the murky 'intertwining' of modern technology and ancient hatreds."

One would not expect such a book to be used as reference material.

However, Ted Stevens did so recently in a rant reminiscent of “Grandfather Abraham” from “The Simpsons" when asked about his supporting votes on Real ID and the Patriot Act. It was caught on ADN’s Alaska Politics Blog during the “Ted and Sarah” show:

"Read the book "America Alone." A lot of people complain about that book...look at the demographic concepts of that book and just think about what's going on in the world and decide whether we want to become Italy or we want to become France, in terms of our society and how it's impacted by those who are really against us."

It’s bad enough that a sitting U.S. Senator references a book that portrays fanatic jihad as the eventual goal of the religion of Islam rather than the distortion of a small percentage of Muslims.

It’s bad enough that a sitting U.S. Senator recommends a book where the author states on page 5:

"In a democratic age, you can’t buck demography—except through civil war. The Serbs figured that out—as other Continentals will in the years ahead: if you can’t outbreed the enemy, cull ’em."

The worst, most horrendous point is that Senate leader Ted Stevens promotes this devoid-of-scientific-research-tripe as the influence behind his domestic security policy!

I’ve seen no story about this in the mainstream media.

U.S. Muslim leader Imam Zoubir Bouchikhi was in Anchorage this week meeting with the Alaska faithful and religious leaders. I had a chance to ask for his thoughts on Ted Stevens comments during an interview on Cary Carrigan’s morning show. Among them:

“There is a great deal of fear spread by politicians and we know why. I think that’s a great disservice to the American people. To spread peace is the right thing.”

Another disservice is when their elected leaders make incendiary statements and are not held accountable.