Reply #221: Racism is a very big problem in Alaska, sadly.

[progressivebydesign]

There have been many organizations devoted to stopping it. There have been countless attacks on Native Alaskans that have resulted in little or no jail time for the non-native attackers. There was a horrid incident with some DJs who made disgusting comments about Native Alaskan women. Another case that was controversial, a group of non-Native teens attacked Native teens with frozen paintballs (which are pretty lethal), and when one of the victims got away and flagged down a police car, the cop arrested him and charged him with being disorderly and threw him in jail for 10 days. Also a horrific case that only resulted in a "tampering with evidence" charge, after a young non-Native man was found to be having sex with a native Alaskan female's corpse (but he was not charged in her death!)

My point is that it IS entirely believable that this is happening, and that Palin is guilty of being racist. Considering there is a man in the news story that freely gives his full name and calls her out for being racist and bigotted, tells me that this is not a rumor. In fact, some other people are indignant because they say that we're spreading a rumor. I don't think a published article in a newspaper, with several quotes about direct knowledge, makes this a "rumor." Now, if someone posted here that their "sister said that she heard that...", that would be spreading rumors.

Reacting to a piece in the media is called... reacting to a piece in the media. Big diff.

More info on racism in Alaska against the Native Alaskans: http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=398