Sarah Palin's New Low - Funeral Crasher - from Shannyn Moore

[Blue_In_AK]

Shannyn writes not only a terrific eulogy for Alaska pioneer and former governor Wally Hickel, who passed away May 7, but also a wonderful put-down of The Quitter. This is really worth reading, even if you're not familiar with Wally.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shannyn-moore/sarah-palins-new-low-fune_b_579801.html

"I don't give a damn about her." -Wally Hickel 1919-2010

Half-Governor Sarah Palin crashed twice-Governor Wally Hickel's funeral today. Trust me, if Sarah Palin was paying her respects, the check would bounce. The guest list was impressive with many Alaskan dignitaries. And then there was Palin with her daughter Piper, the 8-year-old human shield, in tow.

I met Wally and Ermalee Hickel when I was 21-years-old and living in Halibut Cove. I didn't always love his politics, but I loved his spirit. He made me a better Alaskan. Sadly, he couldn't do the same for Sarah.

When Palin was elected governor, I shrugged. Wally liked her. We had proof he was bigger than his party.

Once protested by environmentalists after appointed as Nixon's Secretary of the Interior, Hickel imposed stringent cleanup regulations on oil companies and water polluters after an oil rig explosion off the coast of Santa Barbara, in 1969. He also fought to save the Everglades from being destroyed by developers and advocated for making Earth Day a national holiday. He was an unwitting war protester.

Progressives felt comfortable with his endorsement of the unknown candidate.

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Alaska is mourning a true statesman with the death of Wally Hickel. Our loss isn't bi-partisan, it's non-partisan. It's Alaskan. Just like he was. Not since the death of Governor Jay Hammond have we come together to bow our collective heads and be thankful for leadership. We didn't have to agree with policy to agree we live in an amazing place.

Today, Sarah Palin darkened the door of a funeral. Wally didn't give a damn about her and most Alaskans don't either. She represents herself, and she does that badly.

The Anchorage Daily News reported Palin's comments, "Our state has lost a great leader. What he has left behind will have changed all of our lives, and he spoke so often about energy and security, and energy and prosperity and the nation, and we must not forget that."

Really, Sarah?

You cherry-picked Hickel's positions to support your own. You shill for BP and beg legitimacy from a man you only considered a rung on your ladder to wealth. He wasn't afraid of oil companies-he forced them to pay $1.8 billion in back taxes. Wally Hickel summoned execs and leveraged Exxon for $1 billion in damages to buy land and fund SCIENCE in an effort to recover Prince William Sound. You chant "Drill, Baby, Drill" and embarrass us with your lack of depth and understanding to the true loss Alaskans faced from the Exxon Valdez spill.

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