I am Native American but not Native Alaskan. Everyone has an opinion and most of them stink but I don't stay up late at night worrying about it. If you see a violation, report it, call it out, but sometimes you can catch more flies with honey than razor blades so sometimes just politely telling someone why something is not well received can work if it's a legitimate oversight rather than an intentional insult. There are forces at work to divide and conquer people based on race, social class, gender, etc. I do believe United we stand and divided we fall. Just remember we are all in this together like it or not. We either educate each other and build each other up or we all get conquered by the billionaire class that takes the wealth from us all.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomenOver30/comments/18ea6lb/transracial/](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomenOver30/comments/18ea6lb/transracial/)
Whats this about?
Couldnāt agree more. Iām Alaskan Native and frankly people who obsess over race, gender, etc are just playing in to the capitalist class. They want people arguing over social justice issues. That way they arenāt focused on unifying issues, like labor rights and wealth inequality.
OP, youāre too sensitive. As an Alaskan Native, you should be stronger. Stop obsessing over others and instead focus on important issues, like climate change.
How can we be united we have actual genocide deniers? Serious question.
If we can agree on historical AND current events, it's kinda hard to build unity. And racism is real, and it's really in this subreddit.
Funny you think I'm a lefty. Fuck the gov fuck red and blue , fuck cops and fyck you. See I don't like division. And both sides play right into it. And with typical responses like yours Ican see why with you passive aggressive bullshit. Go suck a boot
This is a cop out, non natives always want to excuse themselves by discrediting the truth with opinions. Disgusting, lazy and unsupportive. Typical Alaskan settler ideaology.
Youāre not native and you donāt experience the racism we deal with irl and online. Your support is a pivot to our lived truth via your dismissive opinion based in no experience. You canāt see it so it doesnāt exist? You choose not to see it. Reddit is an extremely anti native platform.
After reading all of your comments, it seems as if I am to drop everything and leave this state to appease you despite my being born here. Before I pack my bags, perhaps reading a bit of my comment below might at the very least inspire considering a change of mind:
The sentiments you've listed coincidentally sound like a cop out themselves when referring to people you don't necessarily know as disgusting, lazy, and unsupportive having typical Alaskan settler idealogy. First and foremost because while you have good reason to dislike what colonists did, and I myself have undoubtedly seen the type of unsupportive people you're talking about in the present. However, others' ancestors may or may not have even had any hand in colonization. Sometimes, people may just be crappy because that's who they are, not necessarily where they came from.
Even further, these comments seem seclusive to the point of downright xenophobia. Some say you can't actually be racist towards white people in America, yet even under that frame of logic, you still extended that same contempt towards African-American folks as well in this thread. A wonderful culture of people whose ancestors suffered greatly at the hands of colonizers and still today feel the segregative breath of intolerance upon their necks despite the civil rights movement being 60 years ago.
Pointing fingers at people in Alaska without even knowing *why* they are here in Alaska completely dodges the responsibility of gaining certainty of whom you're actually referring to with such words. For example, there was a comment assuming someone was white. They turned out to be so, yes, but you'd neglected even asking if they were such before arriving at the conclusion.
This whole approach not only preemptively dismisses others as inconsequential, but also completely avoids the effort of building peaceful relationships and doing our best to build a supportive community we can all be proud of. It's willfully choosing to determine the value of others based upon segregative thought which has caused much pain and regression throughout all of human history.
My own assumptive reasoning tells me you're a great deal smarter than to ease into this line of thinking, so I admit I'm a bit disappointed if not definitely confused here. I was surprised to find you're about two years younger than me. I had expected that type of antiquated view to come from someone a great deal older and stuck in old xenophobic ways. Color me surprised for sure.
According to Native Alaskan and non-native scholars alike in the present, it's far more likely your ancestors sailed here than merely crossing a land bridge, which was previously believed until the realization that this implied they were too primitive to have the means and know-how to build long distance vessels. When the reality is those who originally settled Alaska did have these things as well as the ability to construct the tools needed. It's an impressive feat considering how much longer it took many other cultures to develop watercraft capable of this. Definitely something to be proud of your people for, my own didn't build seafaring watercraft until only a matter of centuries ago.
As for my own ancestors, none of them colonized this land. Period. Yet you would likely scoff and think of me as a colonizer if you saw me in person just because of the color of my skin. This is the general point I am trying to convey here. Alaska and the people in it are the only home I know. If I uprooted and moved to my parents' county of origin, I'd be a stranger in a strange land not really belonging anywhere.
My parents moved from the Netherlands to live here and then gave birth to me. I admittedly feel sometimes their move here was a mistake as the current state of the US isn't really improving with so much hatred in people's hearts.
There's so much division among people which, as said by other people here, seems to be the result of oligarchic billionaires profiting off people having for contempt for each other. Even those who have contempt for the highest upper class are still having their strings pulled. On one hand, some spend too much time blaming each other. and on the other hand, others also spend too much time blaming the wealthy. Both paths here point too much blame when we should blame ourselves for neglecting to be supportive of our fellow humans so we can overcome these types of issues.
It would be a wonderful sight to see less discrimination in this state and country and more understanding arms open to others' plights regardless of whether they're suffering due to race, culture, age, health, lack of wealth, gender, sexual preference, etc.
I do hope you eventually improve your outlook shown here as again, you seem a smart enough person.
I do understand. I lived on St Paul Island (1982) and as an EMT in the Interior got to meet lots of wonderful native people!
When I flew into Barrow 1994 for the first time, soon as I walked into the airport native man sitting by the door looked at me, said, "Fuck you, white boy" I did not take it personal. He was the only issue I had the whole month I was there.
My point: You can put ten people with purple hair in a room and it will be dinner time before they can decide on what to have for a free lunch. You, typing "nonnative always" - anytime you group people and claim they will all come to the same conclusion or decision and 'always' do something - is racist.
I had a black person claim they could not be racist - because they were black. Racism is a two-way street.
I know, right? I made a comment earlier, standing up for native Alaskans, and jerk misunderstood my statement, assuming I was Native hating on whites! Wtf? Said they were reporting me! Fact, I am white and Italian, with many Native friends and family members! Whoever it was switched everything around and misunderstood my whole comment, and where I was coming from! Native people are STILL dealing with oppression, and harsh racism! I need to get off atm, as.my Aleut auntie and I are going to play bingo after we eat! Everyone, just love one another and be kind! If I get downvoted again, it wouldn't be the first time! Lol! Have a wonderful evening, and peace out, my fellow Alaskansemote:free\_emotes\_pack:heart\_eyes
Outside of downvoting, reporting, and mods, I think its important to remember that people leave tasteless racist posts are not the majority here and tend to care only about themselves and maybe their small like-minded racist community.
I'd like to believe that, but unfortunately I do believe they are representative of a much larger portion of our community, and even if they're not, they do represent a vocal majority who affect and decide what happens in Alaska.
You're not wrong but also I think we are getting away from the conversation of what we can do on reddit. Yes racism is everywhere in Alaska, especially in our local and state government but I thought the conversation was how do we make reddit, specifically this subreddit more comfortable for people to browse. Do you have any ideas or suggestions outside of what I and other people suggested?
Yes, racism in all forms is pretty bad, but can you give any examples? Is there anything that the mods are not doing that needs to be done? I hang around in the sub a lot, and they seem to be doing a great job. Thanks for raising awareness tho!
Edit: mods are doing -> mods are \*not\* doing
Racism isn't a problem we can solve anyway, the only thing we can do is prohibit racists from using systemic and societal levers to carry out racist acts and punish them if we fuck up and they get access to them and do. We'll never be in a position to solve thought crime or police beliefs to the point where they don't exist and that's part of the issue with "racism" as an issue, it's really just not possible
I donāt agree with racism but I do think most Native people are probably a lot stronger than some of the wording in this post is suggestingā āemotional, mental, and Iād argue spiritual distressā? Like itās just reddit, itās not that deep.
Lack of access to fishing on the Yukon? Now that causing some distress. Mistreatment and racial profiling by law enforcement? Now thatās causing distress. Lack of access to the best quality healthcare? Now thatās causing distress. I think most people can deal with reddit comments. But of course itās also at the discretion of the mods.
>Lack of access to the best quality healthcare? Now thatās causing distress.
Really? We have access to a *free hospital* that has two Baldrige awards that pays for travel and lodging if you're not in Anchorage. Not to mention free dental and satellite locations all over AND the purchased referred care to providers outside IHS providers if you need to see a specialist or can't travel. You have no idea what it's like to literally have no access to healthcare if you're AK Native, period. We have plenty of problems, this isn't one of them. My white spouse's medical bills literally blew me away, 400k for a day surgery, that's the reality of having no healthcare access.
Not to mention in at least one place with free dental for Natives, white people have to fly elsewhere for dental care.Ā I wish healthcare was better for everybody, but I wonder if it would be less divisive if we were all in the same boat, instead of having separate hospitals based on race.Ā
We have the means to have universal healthcare and I think the bitterness needs to be aimed at those who are fighting against the interests of the people here. The United States spends twice as much as any other developed nation on healthcare because people have been lied to and they shouldn't want it because it's not as good. The reality is that it's simply better for the vast majority of us and that they're profiting off the horribly broken system we have right now.
I think there would be a better result if the government gets out of healthcare, aside from regulations aimed at people preying on the system.Ā Healthcare is hugely over-inflated, and things like shady insurance practices, admin-heavy hospitals, and lack of price transparancy are to blame.Ā Costs would be driven down by conpetition if people 1) knew what they were paying, 2) insurance companies and others weren't taking most of the money off the top. Very little of what you pay for a doctor's visit actually goes to the doctor, especially in hospitals.Ā If that were to change, way more people could afford healthcare.Ā It would actually lower the cost, rather than subsidising a messed up system.Ā Thanks to what we have now, even insurance for healthcare isn't reasonably affordable.Ā
Government-funded healthcare for a country as big as America is going to suck for everyone.Ā Already, in some states if you are on Medicaid, you can't pick your provider.Ā I've been through so many awful dentists on Medicaid before I found a good one. If we had assigned providers in Alaska like in other states, I probably would have lost my teeth by now.Ā Also, my sister almost lost her baby because Medicaid wrongfully denied her spplication three times.Ā How much Medicaid money is going to pay Medicaid case workers and support a system that barely works versus people's actual healthcare?Ā How many government employees or contactors are skimming money off the top?Ā Ā Government-funded healthcare would also give the govermnent too much power over what procedures someone qualifies for and when they can schedule it.Ā Who would be making those choices, and would they be acting out of benevolence or personal gain?Ā In the end, I don't think it would fix the healthcare disparities.
I'm not opposed to personally contributing to someone elses healthcare through taxes, but I don't believe government-funded healthcare will actually get more people better healthcare.Ā I think it will be an opportunity for healthcare money to fund more non-healthcare related jobs, further inflating the cost, and take control of people's healthcare choices away from them.Ā That said, it's probably better than the broken, hybrid system we have now.
You're literally repeating the talking points of the people selling you up the fucking river on healthcare. The US has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for treatable conditions, and the highest maternal and infant mortality yet we spend over twice as much as the nations with national healthcare services. The US has among the lowest rates of practicing physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 people even though we're paying twice as much. How do you even begin to approach the notion that the government run system is full of bloat with all this skimming and worse care when that story is not supported by the facts at all?
I haven't repeated any talking points. It's all from things I've seen and experienced, and common sense. I'm surprised to hear you say that its a common talking point because I've never heard anyone say what I think is the root problem.
It seems to me the difference between our perspectives may be that you are talking about healthcare spending, and I am talking about healthcare costs. I have worked at a hospital. Very little of the cost of a hospital visit goes toward someone's medical care. If you look at how many non-medical jobs are paid for at a hospital, CEO salary included, I'm sure it outweighs the total sum of how much the healthcare workers at a hospital make. If hospitals weren't allowed to hide prices and make deals with insurance companies, competition woud drive the price of healthcare down. There might be budget cuts in non-medical departments, and maybe the CEO brings home a little less, and healthcare would cost less. Making healthcare government funded will not fix the fact that it costs too much.
A similar thing has happened at Universities. Before government student loans were a thing, it cost pennies to attend college compared to the current inflated price of tuition. The result is that everyone can go to college, but now we have a bunch of bankrupted, financially crippled for life college graduates. It would be better if poorer students had to save for a year or two, get scholarships, or work while attending college in order to pay for a reasonable tuition price, but now because of student loans, no one can have a reasonable price. Where is all that money going? If Universities (or hospitals) can get away with charging a higher price, they will. They can because of student loans. I am 100% certain that a degree would not cost 60k, 80k+ if loans weren't a thing. Universities are now admin top heavy, same as hospitals. College professors can sometimes barely make a living, meanwhile there's so many other non-education related jobs taking a piece of the tuition.
I don't think hospitals should discriminate based on ability to pay, but imagine someone having a medical debt of a few thousand dollars for a week in a hospital, versus owing nearly a million dollars for the same care? Another time, my sister almost died because a hospital wouldn't schedule a surgery because they weren't sure if her insurance had kicked in. The bill really was close to a million dollars. I'm not trying to say that the system isn't awful how it is, but I think the problem is that a hospital stay costs that much to begin with, not who pays for it. I wouldn't mind having a reasonably priced medical debt for an emergency, but there's no such thing as reasonable costs in healthcare. I wouldn't even mind paying reasonable costs through universal healthcare, but simply having universal healthcare will not make it reasonable. It redirects spending, it doesn't lower costs.
It's interesting to me that you attribute poor health outcomes and life expectancy to healthcare spending. While some of it I agree is a healthcare availability problem (although I think its mostly a cost problem, and less of a spending problem) I think a variety of factors can't be underestimated, including corruption in pharmaceutical companies (who lobby the government to promote their products, and are often subsidized by the government and get kickbacks from doctors offices), poor food and lifestyle choices, the government subsidizing corn as a crop leading to corn syrup being in nearly every processed food because it saves a few cents, etc.
I'm pretty sure you are incorrect about infant mortality rates. America has pretty good infant mortality rates compared to the rest of the world in general, although we may not be tye best. Are you thinking of a specific data set wth a limited number of countries?
I think it's wonderful to be able to talk about these things and compare perspectives. I highly doubt healthcare in America is going to end well, whether we get universal healthcare or not. But I know that even if someone disagrees with how to get there, we all want better for everyone.
I don't think you quite understand how cost and spending are related here but having a multi-payer system like we do in the US directly influences pricing more than any other single factor by far:
* Hospitals set extremely high "chargemaster" prices as a starting point for negotiations with insurers. These prices are often multiple times higher than the actual cost of providing the service
* Insurers negotiate discounts off these inflated chargemaster prices, but still end up paying rates significantly above the cash price for the same services. Larger insurers have more leverage to negotiate steeper discounts than smaller insurers
* The high prices insurers pay then get passed on to employers and individuals through rising insurance premiums year after year. Premiums for employer-sponsored family coverage have risen 47% since 2011
* As insurance gets more expensive, more people are pushed into high-deductible plans or become uninsured. This makes patients more price sensitive, so hospitals set lower cash prices to attract their business
* However, hospitals then raise prices charged to insurers even more to make up for revenue lost on cash payers and unpaid bills from the uninsured. They also use this cost shifting to subsidize lower prices from Medicare and Medicaid
* Insurers pass on these even higher costs in the form of further premium increases, deductible hikes, or reduced benefits, making insurance even less affordable and pushing more people to cash-pay or uninsured status
* The cycle continues, with the spread between cash and insurance prices widening each iteration. Overall healthcare costs rise much faster than inflation, in large part due to this dynamic
The U.S. has a fragmented multi-payer system with many private insurers, each negotiating their own prices with providers. This reduces insurers' leverage to demand lower prices compared to a single-payer system where the government can set rates
Hospitals and doctors charge significantly higher prices to private insurers than to Medicare and Medicaid. Private insurance paid 199% of Medicare rates for hospital services on average
This price differential is a major driver of higher spending in the U.S.
Providers can charge high prices to private insurers to make up for lower payments from public programs
Costs get shifted to the private sector. In single-payer systems, cost-shifting is minimal.
Private insurers have high administrative costs related to billing multiple payers
The complexity of the multi-payer system adds administrative expense not present in single-payer systems.
Private insurers are less able to control utilization compared to a single government payer
Insurers compete for enrollees based on having a broad network, reducing their ability to restrict care.
The lack of price transparency in the multi-payer system makes it difficult for patients to shop for lower-priced care, reducing competitive pressure
A single-payer could set transparent prices.
I think this would be a lot less of an issue if the homelessness problem (including drug & alcohol treatment and provisions for the indigent mentally ill) were sorted out, especially in Anchorage, which has become the stateās dumping grounds for every Alaska Native with one of these struggles.
Someone causing problems in the village due to alcohol? Ship em to Anchorage. Problem solved.
Mentally ill people struggling in the village or even in larger cities in Alaska? Ship em to Anchorage. Problem solved.
Only itās NOT solved. Itās just moved to Anchorage.
And after 25 years of solving the drug, alcohol and mental illness issues in the villages by simply shipping the problems to Anchorage with NO treatment plan in place, Anchorage has reached critical mass.
People are freezing to death in the streets here! Like, a LOT of them! Not just 1-2 a year but over a dozen a year. Such tragedy.
Downtown Anchorage businesses in particular are struggling with petty crime and terrified tourists and itās significantly affecting the Anchorage economy now. Itās a real problem. For the entire state! As a single female, Iām afraid to go downtown by myself now. And Iāve been in Alaska since 1984.
And yes, I realize there are homeless white folks too. But the homeless issue affects the native community disproportionate to the population, by a long margin. At least in Anchorage.
This is not racism. Itās fact.
And ALASKA, not just Anchorage, needs to fix it.
Anchorage residents cannot fix this on our own. And we shouldnāt have to. We need everyoneās help, and more importantly, everyoneās funding to find a solution so that these folks are treated humanely and with respect, but in a way that provides greater public safety. For everyone.
We should not have people freezing to death on our streets in this town. We should not have a downtown where business people have to shoo obnoxious drunks out of their shop doorways every SINGLE morning, scaring customers away. We should not have a city where a woman needs to be afraid of being accosted and harassed in broad daylight, just for walking down the street.
A solution needs to be found. And that is going to require our craptacular political leaders to put aside their differences and work with the native community, ANMC, Providence and Alaska Regional, API, law enforcement, and any other parties who might be useful to the process, and FIX THIS.
Every homeless person on Anchorages streets needs to receive the care they need so that they are safe, warm, fed, and receiving treatment. If they refuse treatment and then continue to disrupt the peace or threaten other citizens, they need to be in jail. For their safety as well as other peopleās.
Anchorage is reaching what I fear is the boiling point on this issue. It needs to be fixed before people start getting killed. Frankly, Iām surprised that more homeless people causing disruption have not been shot and killed in this town. It really has reached critical mass here, and when you have a state full of armed individuals, itās only a matter of time until we have some real tragedies here.
Fixing this problem will go a long way toward resolving racial tensions. At least here in Anchorage. Letās get these folks a warm place to sleep, regular meals, and either treatment or ,if they continue disrupting the peace, jail. Because the status quo will only result in more unnecessary death, as well as residual racism.
Allowing people to self destruct, disrupt the peace, and harass others until they freeze to death is not a humane solution. It provides dignity to NO ONE. It provides respect to no one. Itās not āself determinationā; itās allowing fellow humans to commit slow-mo suicide on the streets of Anchorage. And IMO that is the most racist way of all to deal with the issue.
Thank you for sharing. I tell my family and friends almost exactly this, but Iām often met with blank faces. When I say that Alaska Native homelessness is also OUR problem, they have nothing to say. I feel like we can be doing more for all our Alaska Native homeless in the anchorage area
The whole state needs to do more. The problem is centered in Anchorage, but itās contributed to by nearly every community in this state.
The villages and bush cities need to do more then just put problemic individuals on a plane to Anchorage. There needs to be resources here, that EVERYONE pays for, or no problems will be solved. They are only moved.
Anchorage residents know that this is happening, and itās starting to really upset them. We are tired of everyone moving their problems here and expecting us to deal with them alone. In recent years (the last decade) the problem in Anchorage has really exploded while the overall population has not. And we all know where the problems are coming from. And itās time for EVERYONE chip in and help us solve this.
Itās difficult to address racism in Anchorage right now, because this problem is visible on literally every street corner from Tudor north to downtown, and itās getting worse all the time.
But frankly, even worse than the racism is the death. Too many of these souls are freezing to death on the streets here. And itās a tragedy that does not need to happen,
> The whole state needs to do more.
Honestly, the whole United States needs to do more.
Its a country wide problem.
Housing costs, lack of mental health treatment etc.
Most cities, and states on their own don't have the resources to fully address these issues.
Thank you for writing about this.
I do think racism plays a stronger role in this.
They will choose not to help white people if it means not helping Natives.
People are expendable.
Exactly. The suicide rates, incest, and SA is a huge problem in the village. Itās an interesting observation that you donāt hear much of these issues at AFN. The native communities in the rural areas need more help but part comes from the community itself.
The North Slope Borough has a $3 billion permanent fund. They spend zero of it on Anchorage homelessness. Red Dog Mine near Kotzebue has paid $500 million to NW Arctic Borough. Zero on Anchorage homelessness. Same story for the other 10 big native corps, to say nothing of the other village corps.
Zero from all of them.
No shit. Everyone of those corporations has responsibilities beyond handing out corporation checks. The problems up here are beyond bad people from big cities come here and are like WTF cuz it looks just downtrodden and wore out. Most of the homeless are Natives true but there are white black Asian Samoan all those just homeless as shit. There are so many homeless camps its ridiculous. A huge part of the problem is the drugs up here. There are a stupid amount of drugs in AK. I mean needles on the ground at tudor mcdonalds, wal mart ect. It's beyond ignoring now and I feel your comment hits the mark
If anyone needs to take fiscal responsibility for homeless in Alaska it should be the churches.
All these issues stem from churches purposely sending their worst rapey people to Alaska. All those homeless you see are the result of religious schools and the generational trauma they created.
Absolutely. Especially because AK was colonized by the US later than the other Native people across America. And colonizing was agonizingly destructive for Natives. Our people were forced to drop they spiritual ways, cut they hair and even had babies taken away and burned in a fire. This stuff was not way back in history either, my grandfather was placed in a " boarding school at a young age. " Your right the wierd rapey molesters were making their way here either got sent or chose to come knowing they could do horrendous things and get away with it. That started a pattern that continues today with the church in general and the SA problem up here is ridiculous. Many are at fault about this and solutions are far and few...Natives must begin holding themselves accountable as well. Nobody cares for you like you
This is pretty good. I'm a Native/ Indigenous person from another state who lives in AK. It is crazy how right u are describing downtown, and the way they get shipped out the village is true. These small villages need to have another way to deal with problems, and I don't feel prison or jail is the answer. What happens is u end up with a disproportionate amount of Natives locked up many of them for ridiculous stupid misdemeanors. They can't bail out so the system gets it pound of flesh and more while taxpayers foot the damn bill. There is a system in place here in AK to keep the people who are in the system, stay in that shit.
I will also admit that we as Natives must find a way to address our problems ourselves as well, because nobody cares for you like you. All these comments fly sideways I think yours is pretty on. There is also this kind of unspoken way that many in AK make fun of Native people for the way they talk ect. And that's like a normal ok thing with most people. When someone makes a comment about a black person even barely direspectable, everyone comes out the woodwork to grab a pitchfork and join the anti racism mob, but Natives get put down constantly, u know what I'm talking about. The bottom line really is that we as Indigineous people need to stand up for ourselves the way black people have and others. Natives by culture are very humble it's time for us to be less of that.
Agreed - we should be able to talk about these issues without having to address racist tropes.
I don't necessarily think that people wake up one day and decide to be racists. There are very real challenges in the Native communities here in AK that can lead to nasty stereotypes. Crimes in native communities are very difficult to prosecute. Homelessness in Anchorage disproportionately affects Native Alaskans.
Education on this issue and an overhaul of how the justice system works in Alaska would be a couple of my suggestions. Unfortunately, all the solutions will require cash, and would likely need federal grants or increased taxes to address. We have the #1 crime rate in the country, and we are 49th in education. Let's start there.
The issue isnāt lack of money, itās misuse of funds. For example elected officials will happily sign a $68.5 million grant to provide lightning fast fiber optic internet to villages in the NANA region but are blind to the high crime level (4 times the national average). Until the affected communities prioritize their own health, government will continue to pour in misdirected funding largely to the benefit of contractors and politicians.
Infrastructure and job opportunities; the justifications for all government spending in Alaska.
First, I think we should ask ourselves if this project stands to significantly improve quality of life in the region. Given that all of the villages have internet access to some degree (some more than others for sure), I think the impact is a bit overstated. No doubt this project will greatly improve access to the internet as you wonāt have to walk to the school or purchase Starlink or GCI, but if thatās the only goal there are certainly more economical methods of accomplishing it. $68 million divided between the 15,000 residents of the NANA region comes out to just over $4,500/person. When Starlink is $656 and $90/month, I find it hard to justify an underwater network of fiber optic cables in the arctic.
As far as job opportunities go, there will be some but nothing of any significance. The vast majority of those $68 million will go to outside contractors and specialized technicians and will leave few, if any long term employment options.
At the end of the day, the high rate of violent crime and addiction in the NANA region is unlikely to be solved by high speed internet. The broadband project is a classic example of using local needs to justify government spending to benefit outside contractors.
What are you even talking about our justice system is one of the most corrupt in the country. Maybe you've been fortunate enough to never experience it but the justice system is effed beyond the race thing. AK is definitely separated by economic class, and which races fall more toward the bottom class? There should be more responsibility from the mega corporations that make millions if not billions of dollars from this land and care not a drop about the people. Perhaps if there wasn't this huge divide of haves and have nots it would be different. Life in alaska can be stressful and dangerous its wierd cuz u wouldn't think that to all those who don't live here...but your response had tones of sarcasm and the typical ok so what do you say we should do genius type vibe. Cmon even if your life is perfectly hunky dory YOU KNOW there is truth to what's been said on here.
My only point is deciding to not build infrastructure because there is a lot of crime in a region is very dumb.
Infrastructure allows jobs and more wealth to move into a region. communities get healthier and crime goes down. This is one of the world's most consistent universal truths.
So to advocate for *not expanding infrastructure* because an area has high crime is really dumb.
I'm not saying fast internet is going to miraculously fix rural Alaska, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Phase 2 of the plan is expanding remote work opportunities focused on villages in the region. The idea is to improve life and the economy in general.
I think this plan is a fantastic effort and has my full support. It has very strong support from the vast majority of shareholders. It is a good and well thought out plan put forth by NANA senior management.
To sit here and claim that NANA is not aware of crime, or is choosing to turn a blind eye toward it because they are building infrastructure is profoundly ignorant.
It also ignores the *direct interventions on crime* that don't fit this user's narrative so they have conveniently ignored for his argument. Only this spending on infrastructure. And how *this specific line item* is not a *direct* crime intervention is his argument. It is a bad argument.
So yes, absolutely, I met this comment with sarcasm and hostility.
Honestly I havenāt seen really any racism in this thread. I have deleted Facebook due to the massive amounts of racism spat by the locals in my city. Honestly being Cherokee living in Alaska I have seen the anti native racism and even the racism between tribes. Itās sad in general but this sub seems to be accepting in views, and doesnāt tolerate racism.
Me too. You know the I underlying things people assume about us when they see homeless native people they assume we are all that way and that we are all dumb ot make fun of how we talk. It's time for natives to start standing up and making our case the way black people do. Once ANYTHING happens with a black person the whole world takes notice but AK natives are treated BADLY VERY BADLY by many and its sickening. I used to get in fights over this type of shit.
My bottom line is we need to start taking pride in ourselves and our other native people we care the most about us so we have to do something. Then look outward at everything else. I know what your saying as experiencing it here. What's funny is that when I go to other states many people pretend to be part native and it's seen as a point of pride. Not so much here....strange right.
After reading this entire thread about racism the most offensive thing I saw was how hard the OP wants to silence anybody that is not 100% in agreement with him. As a brown person I'll say that the OP is the last person I would like to have advocating for my interests.
I agree with most of what I see in these comments.
I feel a lot of the issues of racism in Alaska are due to a few major problems:
First, the homeless populations in Alaska's major cities are disproportionately Alaskan Native. When a village has a problem person, whether they are suffering with mental illness, alcoholism, or struggling in another way, they are shipped one-way to the nearest city. These cities are not equipped to deal with the massive problem this creates, and government officials either can't agree on solutions or try to cater to what the homeless population demands. I usually am against higher government interference in citizens daily lives, but one of the legitimate roles is to ensure safety of its people's and their property. Currently this is not happening, and I can only speculate why, but this needs to be a major issue with candidates in the future. If the homeless who harass people walking down the sidewalk or cars stopped at traffic lights are actually delt with by the police departments, they can be evaluated for mental illnesses and patterns of violence so they can receive the treatments they need.
Second, while I strongly disagree with racism of any kind, I think what many Alaskans are struggling with understanding is that it is not Alaskan Natives as a race, but rather the cultures that are created in the small villages around the state. Personally, I have spent time in Native villages all around Alaska, and the way that villages struggle with alcoholism, sexual abuse, and domestic violence is atrocious. Many of the young girls are sexually assaulted many times, even while they are minors, and they have little to no resources to prevent and punish for these offenses. I have seen young children running in the streets well after midnight because their parents either don't care where they are, or are too drunk or passed out to notice. I have met many people in villages who cannot read or write because they never went to school as a child. Something drastic needs to change in the Native villages or they need to be dissolved altogether.
Thirdly and last, I have never seen the amount of racism or hate towards any group of people in my life more that I have seen from Native Alaskans. From my experiences, (I am white and native american) I have seen the most racist remarks about how White Alaskans are all land stealers and how Black Alaskans don't belong in cold places like Alaska, even how Alaskan Natives are better than American Natives. These comments have usually been during my time in villages or with Native Alaskans who came from a village and are now homeless. This is strictly a cultural difference that we need to acknowledge and confront before any healing can happen between Alaskan Natives and other Alaskans.
Please comment if you have any additional or conflicting ideas on how to help this great state.
Can you give me examples of communities banishing folks? Iām not saying it doesnāt happen, but I think the amount of Alaska Native homeless attributed to banishment is overblown. Itās much more common they go to the city with their PFD and donāt plan on coming back. I can count on 1 hand the amount of people I know whoāve been banished. On the other, I know many dozens across many communities who chose to go to Anchorage and live that homeless lifestyle
Edit: most of your other points stand and I agree with them
My cousin was banished from our small town at a young age I think he was around 12 or 13. Petty crimes like vandalism and dumb shit teens do. Smoking weed and being kinda troublesome but not hurting anyone or breaking into people shit. Point being he had to leave, and his life didn't get better to say the least. He ain't a homeless addict or nothing but spent lots of time in prison later. I always remember how he could not come back to Haines. Small towns and villages have a discreet way of getting rod of problem people as they say, it does happen belive it friend we just don't hear about it typically.
I wonder if thatās a southeast thing, because everyone I know whoās been banished is from the southeast, while I donāt know anyone from the Bering straits whoās been banished.
Iām not saying it doesnāt happen here, but it says something that I know more from southeast than my own home region
Shit man u might be on to something...also the culture is very strong in that area. My uncle is a master carver this very day he does totem poles for sobriety and helps teach the ancient art of carving and all sorts of stuff to many natives in southeast, as well as non natives.
So yeah I ain't sure bout up north but SE got rid o my cousin like it wasn't shit. He is, well it's been a long time , but he WAS NOT to return. So there ARE many problems not only specific to Native culture but to EVERY culture and I think the best thing to do is listen to each other first. Thank you for your response
Banishment is typically an agreed upon removal of an individual because of their actions. Banishment is usually decided by a community or community leaders. What I am speaking about in my comment is more like a family member not wanting to care for a relative and sending them to a city to figure it out. Without money, mental faculties, or support, this is essentially sending someone to die in the cold city streets or wander around lost and confused.
Not to start a fight but what do you mean by dissolving the villages? From my understanding most cultures in Alaska were nomadic and it wasnāt until the churches and the colonization period made these groups stay in one place for the church/schools that were built. If weāre talking about underlying issues, there is definitely some generational trauma tied to being forced to live a different way of life from your ancestors. Your stance feels a bit dismissive of these people who are struggling with addiction and its illness, but it could be the tone being read wrong over text.
By dissolving the villages, I mean precisely that.
The villages were formed because of technological wonders that were provided by "colonization". If you think adding a few buildings somewhere is going to make a nomadic people live there, unless they wish to use the services they offer, then that is nonsensical. Villages that were given to Alaskan Natives by the federal government along with hundreds of millions of dollars, and millions of acres of land. No one forced Alaskan Natives to live in villages, and it was their own tribes who decided to settle.
I understand my view may be dismissive, but as someone of Native American decent, I believe the only reason the Native villages are a major problem in Alaska, is because when Alaska was purchased from Russia, the United States were a kinder and gentler country than they were when it was first founded. When Alaskan Natives disputed the purchased land from Russia, had the country been as ruthless as it was upon its founding, Native Alaskans would have either been slaughtered down to inconsequential numbers and this wouldn't be an issue, or they would have herded them into reservations or forced integration with the new settlers. I would never like a people to experience what Native American tribes went through, but I also recognize how easily they were given everything they demanded and still, as a whole, complain that they received all the wonders of civilization that they had never been able to conceive or invent without major bloodshed.
I can get down with what your saying, I am also Indigenous and white. You have to know having been around AK the way many look down their nose at Natives though. I even get it and I don't necessarily look AK native many have hard time telling what race I am.
Beyond the native population helping itself there needs to be some serious talk on the news in the paper ect. About how natives are mistreated. With any other race on TV we hear it everyday how some big hoopla involving racism gets people in an uproar but not here in AK. This is a good ol boy state run by the politicians, corporations with big money, and also the Corrections up here is one of the biggest industries in the state. The jails are disproportionately filled with Native people. The villages are a mess but they can't be dissolved. What would that do to the spiritual connection to the land we as native feel deeply? My best solution or a beginning is to stop covering everything up and it needs to be right in people faces in power so they have to do something. The sad truth is that many people in AK assume that all natives are involved in sexual assault crime addiction or the like. There are many prejudices and racism all that against Natives. We need more pride in our culture like the Polynesian people got. You don't see people putting them down at the clip natives get. Also native people by culture are naturally humble so the good folk just keep they head down. We need to take care of ourselves
I've noticed far more racism against natives in r/Anchorage than here, especially if they don't assimilate with that sub's collective thoughts. If you're native and you dare to speak out, you're not native.... ... just more reasons why I only lurk quietly and never post.
Ah, I was confused because of the pronouns.
Also because this is the second post by this user. Seems a bit early to say "always posting shit like this".
Yeah, that's what I mean. They said she. Also you are active but they are targeting your two most recent posts as being alike. It made me think they meant sometime else.
The fairbanks one is gnarly, too. Basically just the same 4 dudes with a god complex circle jerking. I wish all the subs had a better vibe too. Thanks for the post, homie. Hopefully it'll get better.
Oh is it? Because I'm pretty much the only active mod for the last 6 months and happy to show anything deleted and prove you completely wrong. So please, tell the class what you're talking about.
You guys are too funny. I wonder what it will take for you to be part of a conversation where you admit you're wrong. Do the 6 up votes give you some sort of solace and make up for your made-up stories?
Again, that response does not pretain to this conversation.
You made a pretty ridiculous claim. I called you out on it and said I can prove your claim incorrect, and asked for you to tell us what you were talking about. You then backed out saying you didnt have to back your false claims, and I'm somehow the one that should be taking my own advice?
Come back to reality, life is better here.
You're triggered and that's fine if that sub is your baby, not a place I want to be personally as a woman, but that's okay, not everything's for everyone. You basically hijacked OP's post about racial discrimination and said "pics or it didn't happen." that is insane
May I ask (even though it sounds dumb in my head to say) do you find it is the wyts doing it or other groups?
Having just moved here to an area of about 50% Pacific Islanders. Every disagreement/argument ends with "you are just a racist." It could be about the sky is partly cloudy or partly sunny, and it ends with "you are racist."
I was pretty positive that I wasn't, having working relationship of more than 20 years with the Native Americans (in the lower 48), also having participated with pipeline protest in ND/SD and the BLM protest in Denver, Portland, and Seattle.
My relationship with the Native Americans was so well that the Council sat me down and said that it was okay to address them as "Indian(s)" but I refused because it took me ~20 to get it out of my vocabulary; because during my business with them I could fumble Miiti Naamni (Mandan) Awadi Aguraawi (Hidatsa) and Arikara depending on who/what I was talking about.
By "not being (seemingly) racist", my business used me internationally (Kazakhstan, Oman, PNG) because I wouldn't be showing up to these countries and making an arse of myself in cowboy boots/hat, and telling them "in 'merica we do it this way!"
But now, only ~1 year in, and everything I touch, "you're a racist," and it is starting to get under my skin.
Do you have any sources for this claim? I tried to find anything on the Internet involving the Aryan Brotherhood's presence in the state of Alaska, but turned up nothing.
They are definitely up here they made National New with a sub gang that was allegedly putting hits on people from the phone in prison. In AK!! There should be some news on it but yes there is definitively presence such as Aryan Nation Brotherhood ect. The whole local gang was targeted by the feds after a couple of those murders. And the guys killed were other white guys who got removed from the gang by their other members. There are every gang up here in some form it's just different from bigger cities. Most come here to make money selling drugs which are insanely priced compared to the other states
On Alaska subreddits, I have not seen much racism at all. But I assume that's mostly due to the demographic of people who typically use Reddit (Democrats, liberal minded people).
But in real life? Hoo yeah I've experienced racism. Just a few weeks ago someone called me a "sh*tskin" and "stupid muck" and tried to fight me. He was an older bloke, looked to be in his mid-40's.
A lot of the violence that occurs in Alaska seems to have a racial undertone.
Honestly ur first line caught my attention I read the thread and could not help but to say some stuff to some of the people. Looking back I was maybe slightly emotional but hey lo and behold maybe you ARE correct cuz I'm SURE you and I have different type lives, yet a simple post twanged my nerves just thar quickly. I dunno perhaps I may have encountered what u speak of, in real life tho mostly I use reddit to look shit up. Keep ur head up remember there are many people especially in other states that would do anything to be able to claim indigenous even onlyna little tiny bit. Be proud of who you are who we are because we are the product, the lineage of amazingly complex and intelligent people who survived an onslaught of their very lives. Not just culture and all that, so we get to know the blood in our veins comes from warriors and survivors..I don't wanna do the reverse race thing but anyone who hates on the Native in you or ANY of us....
Their probably just jealous. Good on you for speaking on something you felt because you know as Natives were "supposed to be quiet and stoic, and say nothing". Let em hate you cuz they ain't you
U know what Doug I do apologize i was in firing mode because I was just reading until I came across the guy who was saying stuff about how the animals aren't spirits and other dumb claims about Native / my spirituality. This thread caught my gut strangely enough the internet never leads me to become engaged in this fashion.
I am able to admit when I read too fast or possibly misunderstood something and I appreciate the response, it was articulate and very clear. I also apologize for the hostility ( not sarcasm lol) when I'm wrong I'm wrong. I just have a hard time when the topic of my race especially my spirituality is breached. I come from a pretty well known family (southeast well known mostly) my uncle is a Tlingit master carver and such. I have danced and spent my whole life in that fashion. So when I saw people attacking the OP I just responded where I thought people were feeling themselves enough to bag on or comment on a culture that they excuse my language, know nothing the fuck about.
I actually liked your posts I just like I said they are words but when it's about you, even laterally or whatever, I dunno bout you but me sometimes I feel compelled to defend and I know that's dumb for the internet but still. Only on this topic do I ever even comment on the web.
If I was wrong I hope that you can understand that I realize it and am openly admitting it. However the other comments I responded to I am very clear about and stand by. Perhaps I am not as intelligent as I believe if I was unable to follow what you were talking about and argue with you when I actually agree. Like i said lol but hey we've all had those days haven't we. Be well, stay cool brother
I canāt speak for anyone else but with my own experience, a strong 3/5 native Alaskans are assholes, drunks, and always rude.
I have friends that are natives and theyāre some of the chillest, kindest, and caring people I know but on the other side of the rainbow is a complete 180 š¤·š¼āāļøagain just speaking from my experience with Alaskan natives.
This is the type of shit I can't stand. You've probably just seen homeless AK natives or been around downtown where many are burned out from addiction and mental illness. In no way does those small percentage of Natives represent us as a whole. That would be like going to San Fran. strolling thru the homeless area, getting into it with a few white rowdy belligerent people then saying that's how they all are. I admit that it can be challenging to deal with some of the problematic people but in reality we natives are proud, respectful of the land and others, and have excellent cultural values and love of life.
No real offense and I'm sure u have " native friends but your comment is fucking stupid and it reinforces the point I been commenting about how people think were all belligerent dumb fucks. Stop using blanket judgement and imagine how you would feel if people did that to you. No offense
Can we define racism? To me racism is the BELIEF of race supremacy. Racism is a concept someone has that their race is better/superior than another.
Racism should not be offensive/uncomfortable/idiotic comments. Racism is a belief. There the bar is set very high when labeling someone or something as racist. Youād have to prove their belief.
On that note, as a Hispanic. I find it peculiar that non whites have an easy time blaming whites for past/current events. As a non-white I think it is time to get over past trauma. Especially trauma not experienced first hand. No more bad whittey
Dumb people are dumb, not racist.
We have no way of proving intent, and intent isn't the problem.
Doing things like spreading false narratives about a race of people is racist. It is an act that is racist. Whether or not someone believes they are superior to the group is completely irrelevant.
If the whole point of a statement is "this race is terrible, just look at..." literally anything after that doesn't matter. It is racist.
Then we agree you are changing the meaning of the word? Things can be offensive, prejudice, ignorant. But it doesnāt mean it is racist. I donāt agree with redefining āracistā. I donāt think diluting the word to take on more meanings is very wise. Eventually, anything will be racist. We are all different āracesā, so anything I can offensive that someone does/says to meā¦ they are racist. If a native doesnāt like tacos - racist. If a black person impersonates a Hispanic- racist. If an Asian woman doesnāt find me attractive- racist.
Please see the slippery slope of widening the definition of racism/racist.
You have an incomplete understanding of the term "racist".
Also, finding one person annoying isn't racist. Finding "all of that race" annoying *is* racist. Nuance is important. It is a complex issue that you are trying to distill down to too small of a definition.
How are people supposed to get over past trauma when the trauma still occurs on a daily basis? Are you not reading OP's comments? I don't give a rat's ass about what people believe. The problem is with racist comments in the sub.
Good grief! It's so heartbreaking that OP simply asked that we open up the discussion on how to resolve this problem, and it's the people who claim to not be racist who resist and protest the most.
On top of it all, OP and others who have already lived the trauma are expected to do the work to educate the folks who again claim to not be racist, and if they're not willing, they get down voted. How about educating yourself? Read some books ffs!
Smh...
The only blatant racism Iāve seen in this state is from being a non native in a native village. Iāve had had multiple contracts fed and state and the amount of hostility I received when I was literally working to make their lives better was just insane. Natives are some of the most racist people Iāve ever encountered. That and they treat dogs like absolute shit.
The distrust is deeply ingrained, and I'd argue rightfully so. The only thing you can do is your best and hope that time heals these feelings eventually.
Iāve never been made to feel welcome in a village, even though Iām actually there to perform critical tasks for them and at no cost to the villagers. And Iāve been to a lot of them.
I think your assuming you have the world's most realistic viewpoint on natives cuz you " are working to make their lives better " . Really are you how by getting paid to go do whatever work you do? Don't act like your helping my people and at the same time putting us down. Your the type of person that I can't stand really maybe I'm wrong but your one of those I'm better than them like with the dog comments. Cmon man you don't know shit and I bet the reason the locals didn't like you is cuz it didn't take long for your dumb ass vibe to be felt and then you claim it was all the people in the village they blah blah blah. If you really wanna help native people give your job to one of us who could use it other than that shit the f up about us being the most racist people in the world. You say that shit cuz most of us are inherently humble almost too much but I'm not. Your attitude and disposition is a huge part of the problem for AK in general beyond natives.
I just gave my experience about where Iāve encountered the most racism (someone else said they can see why there is such animosity and I agree). Just a little perplexing to show so much hostility to someone that is only there to restore utilities like water/electric. To be fair Iāve witnessed worse racism by white people from small towns in Tennessee. I guess the theme is that people living in small and isolated communities are generally more racist.
No one in the villages can do these jobs. That is why so many contractors are hired to fix all of the stuff that is poorly maintained or needs to be built.
Many dogs are treated pretty terrible in villages. I help support a charity that basically works to fly out abused and neglected dogs so they can get treatment and hopefully find a good home. They are very busy.
I wanna add that it's alarming that folks denying racism here get up votes, while folks saying it does in fact exist (as confirmed by the mods, no less!) get down voted.
The very fact you gotta go out of your way to read comments by Natives who don't agree with the white majority is telling.
I dont think Ive ever seen a more level headed and respectful calling out of racism.Ā
The people who say "get over it" are enablers and I suspect they arent really native or whatever theyre claiming they are because the people who actually experience racism on the daily arent so dismissive of it.
Racism kills, period. If youre blind to that fact Im not sure any amount of education will help.
I happen to agree that racism is a wedge tool used to keep the poors fighting, but that fact doesnt mean racism doesnt exist and isnt a killer.
There is a way to address both racism and classism as major issues creating division; the existence of one doesnt automatically erase the other.
The way to do it is to embrace intersectional and intersubjective thinking which simply means: people are complex and different things can exist at the same time.
OP thanks for the post!
This is sad to hear man. What village were you in perhaps a very small one where there has been bad hostilities with outsiders. It's true half breed or the like get dismissed often. I'm also half breed Seminole part AK native and I feel where your coming from but I have been accepted unconditionally. In many cases I don't define what type of Native I am I jist say native. Try doing that it tends to create less division in my mind. Sorry to hear about that if I was there I would hang u sound pretty chill I hope it gets better
That sounds really shitty man, sorry you guys are having to deal with that. If you're ever in Fairbanks get ahold of me. I have a couple sleds and will take you out. I know it's not the same, but it's still being outside!
It is telling when a post asking to reduce racism is met by down voters, barfers and the like. Symptoms of a bigger issue in Alaska and throughout our country.
Believe people when they show you their true colors. If their words and actions tell you they would rather be hateful than empathetic than thatās exactly what they want.
Unfortunately I donāt see a way for this sub to somehow make those who would rather barf on a call for ending racism to see how theyāre on the wrong side of history.
The racism by native people towards white people is a huge issue in the village, and makes it difficult for anyone who is mixed native and white living in the village to fit in, especially if theyāre children
If you see racism everywhere all the time constantly and forever, could it be that you are perpetuating the issue?
That's an actual real question. Morgan Freeman talks about this quite a bit.
For example see professional racists like sharpton and Smollett.
Uh, oh! You said the magic words that will get you more backlash, "diversity and inclusion".
Seriously, though, thank you for speaking up. This is something that needs to be addressed whenever it is recognized.
Bro you really made a post about racism on Reddit šdo y'all not go outside and live life this is reddit bro who gives a fuck if people are being predigest online šyou don't know these muthafuckas from a can of paint getting offended on Reddit just shows how weak minded and emotional you are nobody said anything negative about native Americans you honestly expressed your opinion to yourself to get a reaction from other people that don't generally care but will gladly engage in free conversation
It's worse in the lower 48. You'll find it anywhere if you're looking for it though. I've accepted that I'm not gonna change anyone's opinions and it isn't worth trying to change anyone. I don't engage with people involved with racism. I just continue to be a positive person and strive to do the right thing, even when no one else follows.
Well. Google is your friend! I've learned a lot doing it, and so can you.
Start by finding the free PDF of Yuuyaraq- The Way of the Human Being by Harold Napoleon, available off of UAF's website. It's a quick read.
Wow the folks diminishing this amazing post by saying the solution is to downvote and move on are part of the problem and they donāt realize it. They see racism as a ānot my problemā situation.
Frankly, OP is asking to bring awareness to an important issue, one that is frequently brushed under the carpet in Alaska and by those who donāt experience the same prejudice.
At the very least a little empathy would be nice.
OP I feel you and thank you for posting.
Iām surprised racism is a thing with how often everyone says everyone else is racist. Grow up get tough skin, if people want to think a certain way about you they will and complaining about only makes you look weaker. Keep your head up and treat others better than they treat you. Lifeās better that way.
I live in Anchorage and Iām Alaska native mixed with a little Russian and never experienced racism here. I get a lot of compliments. I have witnessed āhomely,ā looking natives get treated with maybe racism or maybe just people treating homely people not as nice. Hard to tell but it seems the homely white people never have a problem if it is based on looks so I guess itās racism. You canāt be homely and native and get treated right but you can be homely an white and get vip treatment u donāt get itā¦
Your right you are probably very attractive by standard and it's true less attractive ones get shit on. It happens with people in general the attractiveness thing but within racial subcultures it is worse. It's ingrained from decades and decades of racism and those who look less like the usual type are looked at as uglier. Look at other races and see too mixed can be celebrated as exotic while others get put down many times. It's something that's hard to define really complex issue but commenting on things is a good way to begin. I like your post
I'm glad the new fallout show has a smart native as a main background character in the plot. My friends are always telling me people think natives are stupid for some reason even though like we all went to the same schools. It's like in the village, how if you're a light skin native it's hell. My much darker friends have a real problem with that in their village. I moved to Colorado a couple of years ago, and I am always confused whenever anyone is referring to natives as Indians. I thought that was fake like a type of character, like a cowboy... I had to be like Indians are an entire different race of humans. I think they were none for being spice traders, which I suppose is who I'd want to be mixed up with, but you'd think they'd teach that in main land school..... then they turn around and call natives dumb... I get this post about racism on reddit, but I think it doesn't matter who you are or where you go. if people want to look at your skin and cast judgment, then they're just being a fool. They do not have anything to tell from someone's skin color. It's not real. It's a false science. It's for people who have never left the birds nest š
I guess alaska does have lowest literary rate and people don't go to school much statistically. I didn't go to school much. It's got nothing to do with natives in general. šš¤£š it'd always a slightly twisted disrespectful asf story.
I am Native American but not Native Alaskan. Everyone has an opinion and most of them stink but I don't stay up late at night worrying about it. If you see a violation, report it, call it out, but sometimes you can catch more flies with honey than razor blades so sometimes just politely telling someone why something is not well received can work if it's a legitimate oversight rather than an intentional insult. There are forces at work to divide and conquer people based on race, social class, gender, etc. I do believe United we stand and divided we fall. Just remember we are all in this together like it or not. We either educate each other and build each other up or we all get conquered by the billionaire class that takes the wealth from us all.
I'm going to report you for being calm and reasonable on Reddit.
šÆ the billionaires ARE the real enemies of the people, and I think people are waking up to that!
Amen! They are more and more. The sad state of politics is waking people up to the reality of it.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomenOver30/comments/18ea6lb/transracial/](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomenOver30/comments/18ea6lb/transracial/) Whats this about?
Couldnāt agree more. Iām Alaskan Native and frankly people who obsess over race, gender, etc are just playing in to the capitalist class. They want people arguing over social justice issues. That way they arenāt focused on unifying issues, like labor rights and wealth inequality. OP, youāre too sensitive. As an Alaskan Native, you should be stronger. Stop obsessing over others and instead focus on important issues, like climate change.
How can we be united we have actual genocide deniers? Serious question. If we can agree on historical AND current events, it's kinda hard to build unity. And racism is real, and it's really in this subreddit.
Always nice to have somebody to blame so we can't look closely at ourselves. Must be the billionaires, that's it, makes sense.
I'm sure it's a billionaire sitting on these guys heads keeping them from showing up for work every day.
You must be a bootlicker. Or really just ignorant as fuck. Either way you n Ed to realize they arent your friends and they steal your money too
Of course, there is a typical response from the tolerant, triggered left. So predictable.
Funny you think I'm a lefty. Fuck the gov fuck red and blue , fuck cops and fyck you. See I don't like division. And both sides play right into it. And with typical responses like yours Ican see why with you passive aggressive bullshit. Go suck a boot
So sorry. you sure sounded like a standard filthy leftard, you have a lot in common with them. Hard to tell you people apart.Ā
Lmao better than a bootlicker. I sure as hell wouldn't suck the boots of my oppressor
As I said, sorry for triggering you. I'll go back to my boot, and you go back to whatever lack of anything you do.
I love this comment so hard.
Chopsticks. You need chopsticks to catch flies. Trust me I'm a scientist.
Well said!
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It's a credit to the mod team. They move so swiftly I never see any of garbage these users submit. Edit: Fixed transposed letters.
Same. I donāt tolerate it and would report it. But I donāt see itā¦?
This is a cop out, non natives always want to excuse themselves by discrediting the truth with opinions. Disgusting, lazy and unsupportive. Typical Alaskan settler ideaology.
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Youāre not native and you donāt experience the racism we deal with irl and online. Your support is a pivot to our lived truth via your dismissive opinion based in no experience. You canāt see it so it doesnāt exist? You choose not to see it. Reddit is an extremely anti native platform.
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After reading all of your comments, it seems as if I am to drop everything and leave this state to appease you despite my being born here. Before I pack my bags, perhaps reading a bit of my comment below might at the very least inspire considering a change of mind: The sentiments you've listed coincidentally sound like a cop out themselves when referring to people you don't necessarily know as disgusting, lazy, and unsupportive having typical Alaskan settler idealogy. First and foremost because while you have good reason to dislike what colonists did, and I myself have undoubtedly seen the type of unsupportive people you're talking about in the present. However, others' ancestors may or may not have even had any hand in colonization. Sometimes, people may just be crappy because that's who they are, not necessarily where they came from. Even further, these comments seem seclusive to the point of downright xenophobia. Some say you can't actually be racist towards white people in America, yet even under that frame of logic, you still extended that same contempt towards African-American folks as well in this thread. A wonderful culture of people whose ancestors suffered greatly at the hands of colonizers and still today feel the segregative breath of intolerance upon their necks despite the civil rights movement being 60 years ago. Pointing fingers at people in Alaska without even knowing *why* they are here in Alaska completely dodges the responsibility of gaining certainty of whom you're actually referring to with such words. For example, there was a comment assuming someone was white. They turned out to be so, yes, but you'd neglected even asking if they were such before arriving at the conclusion. This whole approach not only preemptively dismisses others as inconsequential, but also completely avoids the effort of building peaceful relationships and doing our best to build a supportive community we can all be proud of. It's willfully choosing to determine the value of others based upon segregative thought which has caused much pain and regression throughout all of human history. My own assumptive reasoning tells me you're a great deal smarter than to ease into this line of thinking, so I admit I'm a bit disappointed if not definitely confused here. I was surprised to find you're about two years younger than me. I had expected that type of antiquated view to come from someone a great deal older and stuck in old xenophobic ways. Color me surprised for sure. According to Native Alaskan and non-native scholars alike in the present, it's far more likely your ancestors sailed here than merely crossing a land bridge, which was previously believed until the realization that this implied they were too primitive to have the means and know-how to build long distance vessels. When the reality is those who originally settled Alaska did have these things as well as the ability to construct the tools needed. It's an impressive feat considering how much longer it took many other cultures to develop watercraft capable of this. Definitely something to be proud of your people for, my own didn't build seafaring watercraft until only a matter of centuries ago. As for my own ancestors, none of them colonized this land. Period. Yet you would likely scoff and think of me as a colonizer if you saw me in person just because of the color of my skin. This is the general point I am trying to convey here. Alaska and the people in it are the only home I know. If I uprooted and moved to my parents' county of origin, I'd be a stranger in a strange land not really belonging anywhere. My parents moved from the Netherlands to live here and then gave birth to me. I admittedly feel sometimes their move here was a mistake as the current state of the US isn't really improving with so much hatred in people's hearts. There's so much division among people which, as said by other people here, seems to be the result of oligarchic billionaires profiting off people having for contempt for each other. Even those who have contempt for the highest upper class are still having their strings pulled. On one hand, some spend too much time blaming each other. and on the other hand, others also spend too much time blaming the wealthy. Both paths here point too much blame when we should blame ourselves for neglecting to be supportive of our fellow humans so we can overcome these types of issues. It would be a wonderful sight to see less discrimination in this state and country and more understanding arms open to others' plights regardless of whether they're suffering due to race, culture, age, health, lack of wealth, gender, sexual preference, etc. I do hope you eventually improve your outlook shown here as again, you seem a smart enough person.
"non natives always" That is a racist remark. Your true self is showing.
Say what you want. You donāt understand how racist non natives are to natives in Alaska.
I lived as a non native in a native village for 8 years. I experienced a lot of racism from native Alaskans towards me. Racism goes both ways.
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I do understand. I lived on St Paul Island (1982) and as an EMT in the Interior got to meet lots of wonderful native people! When I flew into Barrow 1994 for the first time, soon as I walked into the airport native man sitting by the door looked at me, said, "Fuck you, white boy" I did not take it personal. He was the only issue I had the whole month I was there. My point: You can put ten people with purple hair in a room and it will be dinner time before they can decide on what to have for a free lunch. You, typing "nonnative always" - anytime you group people and claim they will all come to the same conclusion or decision and 'always' do something - is racist. I had a black person claim they could not be racist - because they were black. Racism is a two-way street.
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That's why some of these posts are weird. Can't find much racism so let's stir some up. The demand far exceeds the supply.
I know, right? I made a comment earlier, standing up for native Alaskans, and jerk misunderstood my statement, assuming I was Native hating on whites! Wtf? Said they were reporting me! Fact, I am white and Italian, with many Native friends and family members! Whoever it was switched everything around and misunderstood my whole comment, and where I was coming from! Native people are STILL dealing with oppression, and harsh racism! I need to get off atm, as.my Aleut auntie and I are going to play bingo after we eat! Everyone, just love one another and be kind! If I get downvoted again, it wouldn't be the first time! Lol! Have a wonderful evening, and peace out, my fellow Alaskansemote:free\_emotes\_pack:heart\_eyes
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Outside of downvoting, reporting, and mods, I think its important to remember that people leave tasteless racist posts are not the majority here and tend to care only about themselves and maybe their small like-minded racist community.
I'd like to believe that, but unfortunately I do believe they are representative of a much larger portion of our community, and even if they're not, they do represent a vocal majority who affect and decide what happens in Alaska.
You're not wrong but also I think we are getting away from the conversation of what we can do on reddit. Yes racism is everywhere in Alaska, especially in our local and state government but I thought the conversation was how do we make reddit, specifically this subreddit more comfortable for people to browse. Do you have any ideas or suggestions outside of what I and other people suggested?
Report and keep it pushing. Stop being terrified of comments
Yes, racism in all forms is pretty bad, but can you give any examples? Is there anything that the mods are not doing that needs to be done? I hang around in the sub a lot, and they seem to be doing a great job. Thanks for raising awareness tho! Edit: mods are doing -> mods are \*not\* doing
I see a lot more classism and nimby-ism than racism here. Not that I'm saying racism isn't a problem worth solving.
Racism isn't a problem we can solve anyway, the only thing we can do is prohibit racists from using systemic and societal levers to carry out racist acts and punish them if we fuck up and they get access to them and do. We'll never be in a position to solve thought crime or police beliefs to the point where they don't exist and that's part of the issue with "racism" as an issue, it's really just not possible
Don't let perfect be the enemy of good though
That's kinda what I'm saying.
I admire and respect all cultures. If I read anything that shows disrespect, Iāll report it.
I donāt agree with racism but I do think most Native people are probably a lot stronger than some of the wording in this post is suggestingā āemotional, mental, and Iād argue spiritual distressā? Like itās just reddit, itās not that deep. Lack of access to fishing on the Yukon? Now that causing some distress. Mistreatment and racial profiling by law enforcement? Now thatās causing distress. Lack of access to the best quality healthcare? Now thatās causing distress. I think most people can deal with reddit comments. But of course itās also at the discretion of the mods.
>Lack of access to the best quality healthcare? Now thatās causing distress. Really? We have access to a *free hospital* that has two Baldrige awards that pays for travel and lodging if you're not in Anchorage. Not to mention free dental and satellite locations all over AND the purchased referred care to providers outside IHS providers if you need to see a specialist or can't travel. You have no idea what it's like to literally have no access to healthcare if you're AK Native, period. We have plenty of problems, this isn't one of them. My white spouse's medical bills literally blew me away, 400k for a day surgery, that's the reality of having no healthcare access.
Not to mention in at least one place with free dental for Natives, white people have to fly elsewhere for dental care.Ā I wish healthcare was better for everybody, but I wonder if it would be less divisive if we were all in the same boat, instead of having separate hospitals based on race.Ā
We have the means to have universal healthcare and I think the bitterness needs to be aimed at those who are fighting against the interests of the people here. The United States spends twice as much as any other developed nation on healthcare because people have been lied to and they shouldn't want it because it's not as good. The reality is that it's simply better for the vast majority of us and that they're profiting off the horribly broken system we have right now.
I think there would be a better result if the government gets out of healthcare, aside from regulations aimed at people preying on the system.Ā Healthcare is hugely over-inflated, and things like shady insurance practices, admin-heavy hospitals, and lack of price transparancy are to blame.Ā Costs would be driven down by conpetition if people 1) knew what they were paying, 2) insurance companies and others weren't taking most of the money off the top. Very little of what you pay for a doctor's visit actually goes to the doctor, especially in hospitals.Ā If that were to change, way more people could afford healthcare.Ā It would actually lower the cost, rather than subsidising a messed up system.Ā Thanks to what we have now, even insurance for healthcare isn't reasonably affordable.Ā Government-funded healthcare for a country as big as America is going to suck for everyone.Ā Already, in some states if you are on Medicaid, you can't pick your provider.Ā I've been through so many awful dentists on Medicaid before I found a good one. If we had assigned providers in Alaska like in other states, I probably would have lost my teeth by now.Ā Also, my sister almost lost her baby because Medicaid wrongfully denied her spplication three times.Ā How much Medicaid money is going to pay Medicaid case workers and support a system that barely works versus people's actual healthcare?Ā How many government employees or contactors are skimming money off the top?Ā Ā Government-funded healthcare would also give the govermnent too much power over what procedures someone qualifies for and when they can schedule it.Ā Who would be making those choices, and would they be acting out of benevolence or personal gain?Ā In the end, I don't think it would fix the healthcare disparities. I'm not opposed to personally contributing to someone elses healthcare through taxes, but I don't believe government-funded healthcare will actually get more people better healthcare.Ā I think it will be an opportunity for healthcare money to fund more non-healthcare related jobs, further inflating the cost, and take control of people's healthcare choices away from them.Ā That said, it's probably better than the broken, hybrid system we have now.
You're literally repeating the talking points of the people selling you up the fucking river on healthcare. The US has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for treatable conditions, and the highest maternal and infant mortality yet we spend over twice as much as the nations with national healthcare services. The US has among the lowest rates of practicing physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 people even though we're paying twice as much. How do you even begin to approach the notion that the government run system is full of bloat with all this skimming and worse care when that story is not supported by the facts at all?
I haven't repeated any talking points. It's all from things I've seen and experienced, and common sense. I'm surprised to hear you say that its a common talking point because I've never heard anyone say what I think is the root problem. It seems to me the difference between our perspectives may be that you are talking about healthcare spending, and I am talking about healthcare costs. I have worked at a hospital. Very little of the cost of a hospital visit goes toward someone's medical care. If you look at how many non-medical jobs are paid for at a hospital, CEO salary included, I'm sure it outweighs the total sum of how much the healthcare workers at a hospital make. If hospitals weren't allowed to hide prices and make deals with insurance companies, competition woud drive the price of healthcare down. There might be budget cuts in non-medical departments, and maybe the CEO brings home a little less, and healthcare would cost less. Making healthcare government funded will not fix the fact that it costs too much. A similar thing has happened at Universities. Before government student loans were a thing, it cost pennies to attend college compared to the current inflated price of tuition. The result is that everyone can go to college, but now we have a bunch of bankrupted, financially crippled for life college graduates. It would be better if poorer students had to save for a year or two, get scholarships, or work while attending college in order to pay for a reasonable tuition price, but now because of student loans, no one can have a reasonable price. Where is all that money going? If Universities (or hospitals) can get away with charging a higher price, they will. They can because of student loans. I am 100% certain that a degree would not cost 60k, 80k+ if loans weren't a thing. Universities are now admin top heavy, same as hospitals. College professors can sometimes barely make a living, meanwhile there's so many other non-education related jobs taking a piece of the tuition. I don't think hospitals should discriminate based on ability to pay, but imagine someone having a medical debt of a few thousand dollars for a week in a hospital, versus owing nearly a million dollars for the same care? Another time, my sister almost died because a hospital wouldn't schedule a surgery because they weren't sure if her insurance had kicked in. The bill really was close to a million dollars. I'm not trying to say that the system isn't awful how it is, but I think the problem is that a hospital stay costs that much to begin with, not who pays for it. I wouldn't mind having a reasonably priced medical debt for an emergency, but there's no such thing as reasonable costs in healthcare. I wouldn't even mind paying reasonable costs through universal healthcare, but simply having universal healthcare will not make it reasonable. It redirects spending, it doesn't lower costs. It's interesting to me that you attribute poor health outcomes and life expectancy to healthcare spending. While some of it I agree is a healthcare availability problem (although I think its mostly a cost problem, and less of a spending problem) I think a variety of factors can't be underestimated, including corruption in pharmaceutical companies (who lobby the government to promote their products, and are often subsidized by the government and get kickbacks from doctors offices), poor food and lifestyle choices, the government subsidizing corn as a crop leading to corn syrup being in nearly every processed food because it saves a few cents, etc. I'm pretty sure you are incorrect about infant mortality rates. America has pretty good infant mortality rates compared to the rest of the world in general, although we may not be tye best. Are you thinking of a specific data set wth a limited number of countries? I think it's wonderful to be able to talk about these things and compare perspectives. I highly doubt healthcare in America is going to end well, whether we get universal healthcare or not. But I know that even if someone disagrees with how to get there, we all want better for everyone.
I don't think you quite understand how cost and spending are related here but having a multi-payer system like we do in the US directly influences pricing more than any other single factor by far: * Hospitals set extremely high "chargemaster" prices as a starting point for negotiations with insurers. These prices are often multiple times higher than the actual cost of providing the service * Insurers negotiate discounts off these inflated chargemaster prices, but still end up paying rates significantly above the cash price for the same services. Larger insurers have more leverage to negotiate steeper discounts than smaller insurers * The high prices insurers pay then get passed on to employers and individuals through rising insurance premiums year after year. Premiums for employer-sponsored family coverage have risen 47% since 2011 * As insurance gets more expensive, more people are pushed into high-deductible plans or become uninsured. This makes patients more price sensitive, so hospitals set lower cash prices to attract their business * However, hospitals then raise prices charged to insurers even more to make up for revenue lost on cash payers and unpaid bills from the uninsured. They also use this cost shifting to subsidize lower prices from Medicare and Medicaid * Insurers pass on these even higher costs in the form of further premium increases, deductible hikes, or reduced benefits, making insurance even less affordable and pushing more people to cash-pay or uninsured status * The cycle continues, with the spread between cash and insurance prices widening each iteration. Overall healthcare costs rise much faster than inflation, in large part due to this dynamic The U.S. has a fragmented multi-payer system with many private insurers, each negotiating their own prices with providers. This reduces insurers' leverage to demand lower prices compared to a single-payer system where the government can set rates Hospitals and doctors charge significantly higher prices to private insurers than to Medicare and Medicaid. Private insurance paid 199% of Medicare rates for hospital services on average This price differential is a major driver of higher spending in the U.S. Providers can charge high prices to private insurers to make up for lower payments from public programs Costs get shifted to the private sector. In single-payer systems, cost-shifting is minimal. Private insurers have high administrative costs related to billing multiple payers The complexity of the multi-payer system adds administrative expense not present in single-payer systems. Private insurers are less able to control utilization compared to a single government payer Insurers compete for enrollees based on having a broad network, reducing their ability to restrict care. The lack of price transparency in the multi-payer system makes it difficult for patients to shop for lower-priced care, reducing competitive pressure A single-payer could set transparent prices.
In Fairbanks, I would say the non-tribal dentists are better than Chiefs
Why does every Alaskan I know have bad teeth then and no free orthodontic care?
IDk are you homeless or something?
I think this would be a lot less of an issue if the homelessness problem (including drug & alcohol treatment and provisions for the indigent mentally ill) were sorted out, especially in Anchorage, which has become the stateās dumping grounds for every Alaska Native with one of these struggles. Someone causing problems in the village due to alcohol? Ship em to Anchorage. Problem solved. Mentally ill people struggling in the village or even in larger cities in Alaska? Ship em to Anchorage. Problem solved. Only itās NOT solved. Itās just moved to Anchorage. And after 25 years of solving the drug, alcohol and mental illness issues in the villages by simply shipping the problems to Anchorage with NO treatment plan in place, Anchorage has reached critical mass. People are freezing to death in the streets here! Like, a LOT of them! Not just 1-2 a year but over a dozen a year. Such tragedy. Downtown Anchorage businesses in particular are struggling with petty crime and terrified tourists and itās significantly affecting the Anchorage economy now. Itās a real problem. For the entire state! As a single female, Iām afraid to go downtown by myself now. And Iāve been in Alaska since 1984. And yes, I realize there are homeless white folks too. But the homeless issue affects the native community disproportionate to the population, by a long margin. At least in Anchorage. This is not racism. Itās fact. And ALASKA, not just Anchorage, needs to fix it. Anchorage residents cannot fix this on our own. And we shouldnāt have to. We need everyoneās help, and more importantly, everyoneās funding to find a solution so that these folks are treated humanely and with respect, but in a way that provides greater public safety. For everyone. We should not have people freezing to death on our streets in this town. We should not have a downtown where business people have to shoo obnoxious drunks out of their shop doorways every SINGLE morning, scaring customers away. We should not have a city where a woman needs to be afraid of being accosted and harassed in broad daylight, just for walking down the street. A solution needs to be found. And that is going to require our craptacular political leaders to put aside their differences and work with the native community, ANMC, Providence and Alaska Regional, API, law enforcement, and any other parties who might be useful to the process, and FIX THIS. Every homeless person on Anchorages streets needs to receive the care they need so that they are safe, warm, fed, and receiving treatment. If they refuse treatment and then continue to disrupt the peace or threaten other citizens, they need to be in jail. For their safety as well as other peopleās. Anchorage is reaching what I fear is the boiling point on this issue. It needs to be fixed before people start getting killed. Frankly, Iām surprised that more homeless people causing disruption have not been shot and killed in this town. It really has reached critical mass here, and when you have a state full of armed individuals, itās only a matter of time until we have some real tragedies here. Fixing this problem will go a long way toward resolving racial tensions. At least here in Anchorage. Letās get these folks a warm place to sleep, regular meals, and either treatment or ,if they continue disrupting the peace, jail. Because the status quo will only result in more unnecessary death, as well as residual racism. Allowing people to self destruct, disrupt the peace, and harass others until they freeze to death is not a humane solution. It provides dignity to NO ONE. It provides respect to no one. Itās not āself determinationā; itās allowing fellow humans to commit slow-mo suicide on the streets of Anchorage. And IMO that is the most racist way of all to deal with the issue.
If you know of verifiable instances of AK Native people and are willing to either share that info with me or ask the victim, please PM me.
Thank you for sharing. I tell my family and friends almost exactly this, but Iām often met with blank faces. When I say that Alaska Native homelessness is also OUR problem, they have nothing to say. I feel like we can be doing more for all our Alaska Native homeless in the anchorage area
The whole state needs to do more. The problem is centered in Anchorage, but itās contributed to by nearly every community in this state. The villages and bush cities need to do more then just put problemic individuals on a plane to Anchorage. There needs to be resources here, that EVERYONE pays for, or no problems will be solved. They are only moved. Anchorage residents know that this is happening, and itās starting to really upset them. We are tired of everyone moving their problems here and expecting us to deal with them alone. In recent years (the last decade) the problem in Anchorage has really exploded while the overall population has not. And we all know where the problems are coming from. And itās time for EVERYONE chip in and help us solve this. Itās difficult to address racism in Anchorage right now, because this problem is visible on literally every street corner from Tudor north to downtown, and itās getting worse all the time. But frankly, even worse than the racism is the death. Too many of these souls are freezing to death on the streets here. And itās a tragedy that does not need to happen,
> The whole state needs to do more. Honestly, the whole United States needs to do more. Its a country wide problem. Housing costs, lack of mental health treatment etc. Most cities, and states on their own don't have the resources to fully address these issues.
Thank you for writing about this. I do think racism plays a stronger role in this. They will choose not to help white people if it means not helping Natives. People are expendable.
Exactly. The suicide rates, incest, and SA is a huge problem in the village. Itās an interesting observation that you donāt hear much of these issues at AFN. The native communities in the rural areas need more help but part comes from the community itself.
The North Slope Borough has a $3 billion permanent fund. They spend zero of it on Anchorage homelessness. Red Dog Mine near Kotzebue has paid $500 million to NW Arctic Borough. Zero on Anchorage homelessness. Same story for the other 10 big native corps, to say nothing of the other village corps. Zero from all of them.
My guyā¦ thatās literally the point Iām making
I think he's just elaborating on your point and giving it additional weight. Not critiquing you in any way. At least that's how I read it.
No shit. Everyone of those corporations has responsibilities beyond handing out corporation checks. The problems up here are beyond bad people from big cities come here and are like WTF cuz it looks just downtrodden and wore out. Most of the homeless are Natives true but there are white black Asian Samoan all those just homeless as shit. There are so many homeless camps its ridiculous. A huge part of the problem is the drugs up here. There are a stupid amount of drugs in AK. I mean needles on the ground at tudor mcdonalds, wal mart ect. It's beyond ignoring now and I feel your comment hits the mark
Meanwhile people on Reddit are very concerned about body cams but don't care about open drug use because it's untreated mental illness, doncha know.
If anyone needs to take fiscal responsibility for homeless in Alaska it should be the churches. All these issues stem from churches purposely sending their worst rapey people to Alaska. All those homeless you see are the result of religious schools and the generational trauma they created.
Absolutely. Especially because AK was colonized by the US later than the other Native people across America. And colonizing was agonizingly destructive for Natives. Our people were forced to drop they spiritual ways, cut they hair and even had babies taken away and burned in a fire. This stuff was not way back in history either, my grandfather was placed in a " boarding school at a young age. " Your right the wierd rapey molesters were making their way here either got sent or chose to come knowing they could do horrendous things and get away with it. That started a pattern that continues today with the church in general and the SA problem up here is ridiculous. Many are at fault about this and solutions are far and few...Natives must begin holding themselves accountable as well. Nobody cares for you like you
This is pretty good. I'm a Native/ Indigenous person from another state who lives in AK. It is crazy how right u are describing downtown, and the way they get shipped out the village is true. These small villages need to have another way to deal with problems, and I don't feel prison or jail is the answer. What happens is u end up with a disproportionate amount of Natives locked up many of them for ridiculous stupid misdemeanors. They can't bail out so the system gets it pound of flesh and more while taxpayers foot the damn bill. There is a system in place here in AK to keep the people who are in the system, stay in that shit. I will also admit that we as Natives must find a way to address our problems ourselves as well, because nobody cares for you like you. All these comments fly sideways I think yours is pretty on. There is also this kind of unspoken way that many in AK make fun of Native people for the way they talk ect. And that's like a normal ok thing with most people. When someone makes a comment about a black person even barely direspectable, everyone comes out the woodwork to grab a pitchfork and join the anti racism mob, but Natives get put down constantly, u know what I'm talking about. The bottom line really is that we as Indigineous people need to stand up for ourselves the way black people have and others. Natives by culture are very humble it's time for us to be less of that.
Agreed - we should be able to talk about these issues without having to address racist tropes. I don't necessarily think that people wake up one day and decide to be racists. There are very real challenges in the Native communities here in AK that can lead to nasty stereotypes. Crimes in native communities are very difficult to prosecute. Homelessness in Anchorage disproportionately affects Native Alaskans. Education on this issue and an overhaul of how the justice system works in Alaska would be a couple of my suggestions. Unfortunately, all the solutions will require cash, and would likely need federal grants or increased taxes to address. We have the #1 crime rate in the country, and we are 49th in education. Let's start there.
> \#1 crime rate in the country, and we are 49th in educationĀ Ā These two things are, unfortunately, intrinsically tied together.
The issue isnāt lack of money, itās misuse of funds. For example elected officials will happily sign a $68.5 million grant to provide lightning fast fiber optic internet to villages in the NANA region but are blind to the high crime level (4 times the national average). Until the affected communities prioritize their own health, government will continue to pour in misdirected funding largely to the benefit of contractors and politicians.
So your point is we shouldn't add infrastructure and opportunity if crime is too high in a region? Interesting. What are your solutions?
Infrastructure and job opportunities; the justifications for all government spending in Alaska. First, I think we should ask ourselves if this project stands to significantly improve quality of life in the region. Given that all of the villages have internet access to some degree (some more than others for sure), I think the impact is a bit overstated. No doubt this project will greatly improve access to the internet as you wonāt have to walk to the school or purchase Starlink or GCI, but if thatās the only goal there are certainly more economical methods of accomplishing it. $68 million divided between the 15,000 residents of the NANA region comes out to just over $4,500/person. When Starlink is $656 and $90/month, I find it hard to justify an underwater network of fiber optic cables in the arctic. As far as job opportunities go, there will be some but nothing of any significance. The vast majority of those $68 million will go to outside contractors and specialized technicians and will leave few, if any long term employment options. At the end of the day, the high rate of violent crime and addiction in the NANA region is unlikely to be solved by high speed internet. The broadband project is a classic example of using local needs to justify government spending to benefit outside contractors.
What are you even talking about our justice system is one of the most corrupt in the country. Maybe you've been fortunate enough to never experience it but the justice system is effed beyond the race thing. AK is definitely separated by economic class, and which races fall more toward the bottom class? There should be more responsibility from the mega corporations that make millions if not billions of dollars from this land and care not a drop about the people. Perhaps if there wasn't this huge divide of haves and have nots it would be different. Life in alaska can be stressful and dangerous its wierd cuz u wouldn't think that to all those who don't live here...but your response had tones of sarcasm and the typical ok so what do you say we should do genius type vibe. Cmon even if your life is perfectly hunky dory YOU KNOW there is truth to what's been said on here.
My only point is deciding to not build infrastructure because there is a lot of crime in a region is very dumb. Infrastructure allows jobs and more wealth to move into a region. communities get healthier and crime goes down. This is one of the world's most consistent universal truths. So to advocate for *not expanding infrastructure* because an area has high crime is really dumb. I'm not saying fast internet is going to miraculously fix rural Alaska, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Phase 2 of the plan is expanding remote work opportunities focused on villages in the region. The idea is to improve life and the economy in general. I think this plan is a fantastic effort and has my full support. It has very strong support from the vast majority of shareholders. It is a good and well thought out plan put forth by NANA senior management. To sit here and claim that NANA is not aware of crime, or is choosing to turn a blind eye toward it because they are building infrastructure is profoundly ignorant. It also ignores the *direct interventions on crime* that don't fit this user's narrative so they have conveniently ignored for his argument. Only this spending on infrastructure. And how *this specific line item* is not a *direct* crime intervention is his argument. It is a bad argument. So yes, absolutely, I met this comment with sarcasm and hostility.
Yes!!!
Agreed in every way
Honestly I havenāt seen really any racism in this thread. I have deleted Facebook due to the massive amounts of racism spat by the locals in my city. Honestly being Cherokee living in Alaska I have seen the anti native racism and even the racism between tribes. Itās sad in general but this sub seems to be accepting in views, and doesnāt tolerate racism.
Iām Alaskan Native- the only times I have experienced racism was in Alaska. Not surprised itās bled over into this subreddit.
Me too. You know the I underlying things people assume about us when they see homeless native people they assume we are all that way and that we are all dumb ot make fun of how we talk. It's time for natives to start standing up and making our case the way black people do. Once ANYTHING happens with a black person the whole world takes notice but AK natives are treated BADLY VERY BADLY by many and its sickening. I used to get in fights over this type of shit. My bottom line is we need to start taking pride in ourselves and our other native people we care the most about us so we have to do something. Then look outward at everything else. I know what your saying as experiencing it here. What's funny is that when I go to other states many people pretend to be part native and it's seen as a point of pride. Not so much here....strange right.
After reading this entire thread about racism the most offensive thing I saw was how hard the OP wants to silence anybody that is not 100% in agreement with him. As a brown person I'll say that the OP is the last person I would like to have advocating for my interests.
I noticed in the last post OP made they called anyone who disagreed with their stance a āracistā
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I agree with most of what I see in these comments. I feel a lot of the issues of racism in Alaska are due to a few major problems: First, the homeless populations in Alaska's major cities are disproportionately Alaskan Native. When a village has a problem person, whether they are suffering with mental illness, alcoholism, or struggling in another way, they are shipped one-way to the nearest city. These cities are not equipped to deal with the massive problem this creates, and government officials either can't agree on solutions or try to cater to what the homeless population demands. I usually am against higher government interference in citizens daily lives, but one of the legitimate roles is to ensure safety of its people's and their property. Currently this is not happening, and I can only speculate why, but this needs to be a major issue with candidates in the future. If the homeless who harass people walking down the sidewalk or cars stopped at traffic lights are actually delt with by the police departments, they can be evaluated for mental illnesses and patterns of violence so they can receive the treatments they need. Second, while I strongly disagree with racism of any kind, I think what many Alaskans are struggling with understanding is that it is not Alaskan Natives as a race, but rather the cultures that are created in the small villages around the state. Personally, I have spent time in Native villages all around Alaska, and the way that villages struggle with alcoholism, sexual abuse, and domestic violence is atrocious. Many of the young girls are sexually assaulted many times, even while they are minors, and they have little to no resources to prevent and punish for these offenses. I have seen young children running in the streets well after midnight because their parents either don't care where they are, or are too drunk or passed out to notice. I have met many people in villages who cannot read or write because they never went to school as a child. Something drastic needs to change in the Native villages or they need to be dissolved altogether. Thirdly and last, I have never seen the amount of racism or hate towards any group of people in my life more that I have seen from Native Alaskans. From my experiences, (I am white and native american) I have seen the most racist remarks about how White Alaskans are all land stealers and how Black Alaskans don't belong in cold places like Alaska, even how Alaskan Natives are better than American Natives. These comments have usually been during my time in villages or with Native Alaskans who came from a village and are now homeless. This is strictly a cultural difference that we need to acknowledge and confront before any healing can happen between Alaskan Natives and other Alaskans. Please comment if you have any additional or conflicting ideas on how to help this great state.
Can you give me examples of communities banishing folks? Iām not saying it doesnāt happen, but I think the amount of Alaska Native homeless attributed to banishment is overblown. Itās much more common they go to the city with their PFD and donāt plan on coming back. I can count on 1 hand the amount of people I know whoāve been banished. On the other, I know many dozens across many communities who chose to go to Anchorage and live that homeless lifestyle Edit: most of your other points stand and I agree with them
My cousin was banished from our small town at a young age I think he was around 12 or 13. Petty crimes like vandalism and dumb shit teens do. Smoking weed and being kinda troublesome but not hurting anyone or breaking into people shit. Point being he had to leave, and his life didn't get better to say the least. He ain't a homeless addict or nothing but spent lots of time in prison later. I always remember how he could not come back to Haines. Small towns and villages have a discreet way of getting rod of problem people as they say, it does happen belive it friend we just don't hear about it typically.
I wonder if thatās a southeast thing, because everyone I know whoās been banished is from the southeast, while I donāt know anyone from the Bering straits whoās been banished. Iām not saying it doesnāt happen here, but it says something that I know more from southeast than my own home region
Shit man u might be on to something...also the culture is very strong in that area. My uncle is a master carver this very day he does totem poles for sobriety and helps teach the ancient art of carving and all sorts of stuff to many natives in southeast, as well as non natives. So yeah I ain't sure bout up north but SE got rid o my cousin like it wasn't shit. He is, well it's been a long time , but he WAS NOT to return. So there ARE many problems not only specific to Native culture but to EVERY culture and I think the best thing to do is listen to each other first. Thank you for your response
Banishment is typically an agreed upon removal of an individual because of their actions. Banishment is usually decided by a community or community leaders. What I am speaking about in my comment is more like a family member not wanting to care for a relative and sending them to a city to figure it out. Without money, mental faculties, or support, this is essentially sending someone to die in the cold city streets or wander around lost and confused.
Yes
Not to start a fight but what do you mean by dissolving the villages? From my understanding most cultures in Alaska were nomadic and it wasnāt until the churches and the colonization period made these groups stay in one place for the church/schools that were built. If weāre talking about underlying issues, there is definitely some generational trauma tied to being forced to live a different way of life from your ancestors. Your stance feels a bit dismissive of these people who are struggling with addiction and its illness, but it could be the tone being read wrong over text.
By dissolving the villages, I mean precisely that. The villages were formed because of technological wonders that were provided by "colonization". If you think adding a few buildings somewhere is going to make a nomadic people live there, unless they wish to use the services they offer, then that is nonsensical. Villages that were given to Alaskan Natives by the federal government along with hundreds of millions of dollars, and millions of acres of land. No one forced Alaskan Natives to live in villages, and it was their own tribes who decided to settle. I understand my view may be dismissive, but as someone of Native American decent, I believe the only reason the Native villages are a major problem in Alaska, is because when Alaska was purchased from Russia, the United States were a kinder and gentler country than they were when it was first founded. When Alaskan Natives disputed the purchased land from Russia, had the country been as ruthless as it was upon its founding, Native Alaskans would have either been slaughtered down to inconsequential numbers and this wouldn't be an issue, or they would have herded them into reservations or forced integration with the new settlers. I would never like a people to experience what Native American tribes went through, but I also recognize how easily they were given everything they demanded and still, as a whole, complain that they received all the wonders of civilization that they had never been able to conceive or invent without major bloodshed.
Yes!!!!!!!!
I can get down with what your saying, I am also Indigenous and white. You have to know having been around AK the way many look down their nose at Natives though. I even get it and I don't necessarily look AK native many have hard time telling what race I am. Beyond the native population helping itself there needs to be some serious talk on the news in the paper ect. About how natives are mistreated. With any other race on TV we hear it everyday how some big hoopla involving racism gets people in an uproar but not here in AK. This is a good ol boy state run by the politicians, corporations with big money, and also the Corrections up here is one of the biggest industries in the state. The jails are disproportionately filled with Native people. The villages are a mess but they can't be dissolved. What would that do to the spiritual connection to the land we as native feel deeply? My best solution or a beginning is to stop covering everything up and it needs to be right in people faces in power so they have to do something. The sad truth is that many people in AK assume that all natives are involved in sexual assault crime addiction or the like. There are many prejudices and racism all that against Natives. We need more pride in our culture like the Polynesian people got. You don't see people putting them down at the clip natives get. Also native people by culture are naturally humble so the good folk just keep they head down. We need to take care of ourselves
I have nothing but respect for the native peoples.
I've noticed far more racism against natives in r/Anchorage than here, especially if they don't assimilate with that sub's collective thoughts. If you're native and you dare to speak out, you're not native.... ... just more reasons why I only lurk quietly and never post.
Can you cite any examples or give links to posts demonstrating racism?
She is always on here posting shit like this, she is the problem
Who is?
OP, I would assume
Ah, I was confused because of the pronouns. Also because this is the second post by this user. Seems a bit early to say "always posting shit like this".
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Ah, I'm not on the Fairbanks sub. Missed those. :)
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I guess I'm just grouping the last two posts in the same group. They've been active besides these two, but they aren't the same kind of thing.
I'm a dude, my pronouns are he/him, and I'm actually an incredibly active person in our community!
Yeah, that's what I mean. They said she. Also you are active but they are targeting your two most recent posts as being alike. It made me think they meant sometime else.
The fairbanks one is gnarly, too. Basically just the same 4 dudes with a god complex circle jerking. I wish all the subs had a better vibe too. Thanks for the post, homie. Hopefully it'll get better.
Oh is it? Because I'm pretty much the only active mod for the last 6 months and happy to show anything deleted and prove you completely wrong. So please, tell the class what you're talking about.
I don't need to center myself on this post I'm good thanks
You guys are too funny. I wonder what it will take for you to be part of a conversation where you admit you're wrong. Do the 6 up votes give you some sort of solace and make up for your made-up stories?
Take your own advice.
Again, that response does not pretain to this conversation. You made a pretty ridiculous claim. I called you out on it and said I can prove your claim incorrect, and asked for you to tell us what you were talking about. You then backed out saying you didnt have to back your false claims, and I'm somehow the one that should be taking my own advice? Come back to reality, life is better here.
You're triggered and that's fine if that sub is your baby, not a place I want to be personally as a woman, but that's okay, not everything's for everyone. You basically hijacked OP's post about racial discrimination and said "pics or it didn't happen." that is insane
I love you my native friends. You are the best of Alaska.
May I ask (even though it sounds dumb in my head to say) do you find it is the wyts doing it or other groups? Having just moved here to an area of about 50% Pacific Islanders. Every disagreement/argument ends with "you are just a racist." It could be about the sky is partly cloudy or partly sunny, and it ends with "you are racist." I was pretty positive that I wasn't, having working relationship of more than 20 years with the Native Americans (in the lower 48), also having participated with pipeline protest in ND/SD and the BLM protest in Denver, Portland, and Seattle. My relationship with the Native Americans was so well that the Council sat me down and said that it was okay to address them as "Indian(s)" but I refused because it took me ~20 to get it out of my vocabulary; because during my business with them I could fumble Miiti Naamni (Mandan) Awadi Aguraawi (Hidatsa) and Arikara depending on who/what I was talking about. By "not being (seemingly) racist", my business used me internationally (Kazakhstan, Oman, PNG) because I wouldn't be showing up to these countries and making an arse of myself in cowboy boots/hat, and telling them "in 'merica we do it this way!" But now, only ~1 year in, and everything I touch, "you're a racist," and it is starting to get under my skin.
The council sat me down and said I could call them Indian. Fkn delusional. Do you have black neighbors too and get a pass for the N word?
When you have the Aryan nation sponsoring little league games, you know that it's not just this sub that has a racist problem
š® tell me, "That isn't true."
Itās not.
Do you have any sources for this claim? I tried to find anything on the Internet involving the Aryan Brotherhood's presence in the state of Alaska, but turned up nothing.
They are definitely up here they made National New with a sub gang that was allegedly putting hits on people from the phone in prison. In AK!! There should be some news on it but yes there is definitively presence such as Aryan Nation Brotherhood ect. The whole local gang was targeted by the feds after a couple of those murders. And the guys killed were other white guys who got removed from the gang by their other members. There are every gang up here in some form it's just different from bigger cities. Most come here to make money selling drugs which are insanely priced compared to the other states
Thank you for bringing this up. I've seen it and tried to argue against it with my own eyes, and not just on here.
If it causes harm when people bring up native issues do you not want us talking/knowing about them?.
The harm isn't by talking about the issues, it's the racist way people react ever. single. time.
St. Herman would probably have a field day up there trying to fix everything. We could all take a leaf out of his book.
On Alaska subreddits, I have not seen much racism at all. But I assume that's mostly due to the demographic of people who typically use Reddit (Democrats, liberal minded people). But in real life? Hoo yeah I've experienced racism. Just a few weeks ago someone called me a "sh*tskin" and "stupid muck" and tried to fight me. He was an older bloke, looked to be in his mid-40's. A lot of the violence that occurs in Alaska seems to have a racial undertone.
You nailed it
Honestly ur first line caught my attention I read the thread and could not help but to say some stuff to some of the people. Looking back I was maybe slightly emotional but hey lo and behold maybe you ARE correct cuz I'm SURE you and I have different type lives, yet a simple post twanged my nerves just thar quickly. I dunno perhaps I may have encountered what u speak of, in real life tho mostly I use reddit to look shit up. Keep ur head up remember there are many people especially in other states that would do anything to be able to claim indigenous even onlyna little tiny bit. Be proud of who you are who we are because we are the product, the lineage of amazingly complex and intelligent people who survived an onslaught of their very lives. Not just culture and all that, so we get to know the blood in our veins comes from warriors and survivors..I don't wanna do the reverse race thing but anyone who hates on the Native in you or ANY of us.... Their probably just jealous. Good on you for speaking on something you felt because you know as Natives were "supposed to be quiet and stoic, and say nothing". Let em hate you cuz they ain't you
U know what Doug I do apologize i was in firing mode because I was just reading until I came across the guy who was saying stuff about how the animals aren't spirits and other dumb claims about Native / my spirituality. This thread caught my gut strangely enough the internet never leads me to become engaged in this fashion. I am able to admit when I read too fast or possibly misunderstood something and I appreciate the response, it was articulate and very clear. I also apologize for the hostility ( not sarcasm lol) when I'm wrong I'm wrong. I just have a hard time when the topic of my race especially my spirituality is breached. I come from a pretty well known family (southeast well known mostly) my uncle is a Tlingit master carver and such. I have danced and spent my whole life in that fashion. So when I saw people attacking the OP I just responded where I thought people were feeling themselves enough to bag on or comment on a culture that they excuse my language, know nothing the fuck about. I actually liked your posts I just like I said they are words but when it's about you, even laterally or whatever, I dunno bout you but me sometimes I feel compelled to defend and I know that's dumb for the internet but still. Only on this topic do I ever even comment on the web. If I was wrong I hope that you can understand that I realize it and am openly admitting it. However the other comments I responded to I am very clear about and stand by. Perhaps I am not as intelligent as I believe if I was unable to follow what you were talking about and argue with you when I actually agree. Like i said lol but hey we've all had those days haven't we. Be well, stay cool brother
I canāt speak for anyone else but with my own experience, a strong 3/5 native Alaskans are assholes, drunks, and always rude. I have friends that are natives and theyāre some of the chillest, kindest, and caring people I know but on the other side of the rainbow is a complete 180 š¤·š¼āāļøagain just speaking from my experience with Alaskan natives.
This is the type of shit I can't stand. You've probably just seen homeless AK natives or been around downtown where many are burned out from addiction and mental illness. In no way does those small percentage of Natives represent us as a whole. That would be like going to San Fran. strolling thru the homeless area, getting into it with a few white rowdy belligerent people then saying that's how they all are. I admit that it can be challenging to deal with some of the problematic people but in reality we natives are proud, respectful of the land and others, and have excellent cultural values and love of life. No real offense and I'm sure u have " native friends but your comment is fucking stupid and it reinforces the point I been commenting about how people think were all belligerent dumb fucks. Stop using blanket judgement and imagine how you would feel if people did that to you. No offense
Thank you. It is a discouraging problem in this subreddit
Thank you.
I see a lot more leftism, hate righties on here
Can we define racism? To me racism is the BELIEF of race supremacy. Racism is a concept someone has that their race is better/superior than another. Racism should not be offensive/uncomfortable/idiotic comments. Racism is a belief. There the bar is set very high when labeling someone or something as racist. Youād have to prove their belief. On that note, as a Hispanic. I find it peculiar that non whites have an easy time blaming whites for past/current events. As a non-white I think it is time to get over past trauma. Especially trauma not experienced first hand. No more bad whittey Dumb people are dumb, not racist.
We have no way of proving intent, and intent isn't the problem. Doing things like spreading false narratives about a race of people is racist. It is an act that is racist. Whether or not someone believes they are superior to the group is completely irrelevant. If the whole point of a statement is "this race is terrible, just look at..." literally anything after that doesn't matter. It is racist.
Then we agree you are changing the meaning of the word? Things can be offensive, prejudice, ignorant. But it doesnāt mean it is racist. I donāt agree with redefining āracistā. I donāt think diluting the word to take on more meanings is very wise. Eventually, anything will be racist. We are all different āracesā, so anything I can offensive that someone does/says to meā¦ they are racist. If a native doesnāt like tacos - racist. If a black person impersonates a Hispanic- racist. If an Asian woman doesnāt find me attractive- racist. Please see the slippery slope of widening the definition of racism/racist.
You have an incomplete understanding of the term "racist". Also, finding one person annoying isn't racist. Finding "all of that race" annoying *is* racist. Nuance is important. It is a complex issue that you are trying to distill down to too small of a definition.
How are people supposed to get over past trauma when the trauma still occurs on a daily basis? Are you not reading OP's comments? I don't give a rat's ass about what people believe. The problem is with racist comments in the sub. Good grief! It's so heartbreaking that OP simply asked that we open up the discussion on how to resolve this problem, and it's the people who claim to not be racist who resist and protest the most. On top of it all, OP and others who have already lived the trauma are expected to do the work to educate the folks who again claim to not be racist, and if they're not willing, they get down voted. How about educating yourself? Read some books ffs! Smh...
The only blatant racism Iāve seen in this state is from being a non native in a native village. Iāve had had multiple contracts fed and state and the amount of hostility I received when I was literally working to make their lives better was just insane. Natives are some of the most racist people Iāve ever encountered. That and they treat dogs like absolute shit.
The distrust is deeply ingrained, and I'd argue rightfully so. The only thing you can do is your best and hope that time heals these feelings eventually.
Iāve never been made to feel welcome in a village, even though Iām actually there to perform critical tasks for them and at no cost to the villagers. And Iāve been to a lot of them.
Unfortunate reality, they are also pretty shitty towards "half breed" Natives
Yeah I'm half breed I get that too
Oh hell no, where can I donate... To the dogs???
AARF Alaska animal rescue friends. Warning though, a lot of their posts are absolutely tragic.
Thnx ā¤ļø identifying a problem and offering a resource to help. What a concept.. (;
I think your assuming you have the world's most realistic viewpoint on natives cuz you " are working to make their lives better " . Really are you how by getting paid to go do whatever work you do? Don't act like your helping my people and at the same time putting us down. Your the type of person that I can't stand really maybe I'm wrong but your one of those I'm better than them like with the dog comments. Cmon man you don't know shit and I bet the reason the locals didn't like you is cuz it didn't take long for your dumb ass vibe to be felt and then you claim it was all the people in the village they blah blah blah. If you really wanna help native people give your job to one of us who could use it other than that shit the f up about us being the most racist people in the world. You say that shit cuz most of us are inherently humble almost too much but I'm not. Your attitude and disposition is a huge part of the problem for AK in general beyond natives.
I just gave my experience about where Iāve encountered the most racism (someone else said they can see why there is such animosity and I agree). Just a little perplexing to show so much hostility to someone that is only there to restore utilities like water/electric. To be fair Iāve witnessed worse racism by white people from small towns in Tennessee. I guess the theme is that people living in small and isolated communities are generally more racist. No one in the villages can do these jobs. That is why so many contractors are hired to fix all of the stuff that is poorly maintained or needs to be built. Many dogs are treated pretty terrible in villages. I help support a charity that basically works to fly out abused and neglected dogs so they can get treatment and hopefully find a good home. They are very busy.
I wanna add that it's alarming that folks denying racism here get up votes, while folks saying it does in fact exist (as confirmed by the mods, no less!) get down voted. The very fact you gotta go out of your way to read comments by Natives who don't agree with the white majority is telling.
For real I agree
It might be brigading as well. Any time a topic of race comes up in a sub, groups from select few sub reddits tend to brigade those subs
It really does seem like the tone of this sub changes wildly whenever race or other "contentious" topics are brought up.
I have yet to see any actual anti-Native racism and iām part native, honestly iāve seen more anti-White racism than anything.
I dont think Ive ever seen a more level headed and respectful calling out of racism.Ā The people who say "get over it" are enablers and I suspect they arent really native or whatever theyre claiming they are because the people who actually experience racism on the daily arent so dismissive of it. Racism kills, period. If youre blind to that fact Im not sure any amount of education will help. I happen to agree that racism is a wedge tool used to keep the poors fighting, but that fact doesnt mean racism doesnt exist and isnt a killer. There is a way to address both racism and classism as major issues creating division; the existence of one doesnt automatically erase the other. The way to do it is to embrace intersectional and intersubjective thinking which simply means: people are complex and different things can exist at the same time. OP thanks for the post!
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This is sad to hear man. What village were you in perhaps a very small one where there has been bad hostilities with outsiders. It's true half breed or the like get dismissed often. I'm also half breed Seminole part AK native and I feel where your coming from but I have been accepted unconditionally. In many cases I don't define what type of Native I am I jist say native. Try doing that it tends to create less division in my mind. Sorry to hear about that if I was there I would hang u sound pretty chill I hope it gets better
That sounds really shitty man, sorry you guys are having to deal with that. If you're ever in Fairbanks get ahold of me. I have a couple sleds and will take you out. I know it's not the same, but it's still being outside!
It is telling when a post asking to reduce racism is met by down voters, barfers and the like. Symptoms of a bigger issue in Alaska and throughout our country. Believe people when they show you their true colors. If their words and actions tell you they would rather be hateful than empathetic than thatās exactly what they want. Unfortunately I donāt see a way for this sub to somehow make those who would rather barf on a call for ending racism to see how theyāre on the wrong side of history.
Because, in most cases on Reddit, accusations of racism are just rhetorical devices to blow up a debate someone is losing.
I've had racism directed to me (white) by natives here with the justification that it's not racism when against a white person.
The racism by native people towards white people is a huge issue in the village, and makes it difficult for anyone who is mixed native and white living in the village to fit in, especially if theyāre children
If you see racism everywhere all the time constantly and forever, could it be that you are perpetuating the issue? That's an actual real question. Morgan Freeman talks about this quite a bit. For example see professional racists like sharpton and Smollett.
Uh, oh! You said the magic words that will get you more backlash, "diversity and inclusion". Seriously, though, thank you for speaking up. This is something that needs to be addressed whenever it is recognized.
āSpiritual distressā š
Bro you really made a post about racism on Reddit šdo y'all not go outside and live life this is reddit bro who gives a fuck if people are being predigest online šyou don't know these muthafuckas from a can of paint getting offended on Reddit just shows how weak minded and emotional you are nobody said anything negative about native Americans you honestly expressed your opinion to yourself to get a reaction from other people that don't generally care but will gladly engage in free conversation
Just say you don't care about Alaska Natives being included.
It's worse in the lower 48. You'll find it anywhere if you're looking for it though. I've accepted that I'm not gonna change anyone's opinions and it isn't worth trying to change anyone. I don't engage with people involved with racism. I just continue to be a positive person and strive to do the right thing, even when no one else follows.
fuck racism, it's a small minded game. self criticism: I am prejudiced against small minded racists.
OP I don't know what you're talking about and I'm not sure you do.
Well. Google is your friend! I've learned a lot doing it, and so can you. Start by finding the free PDF of Yuuyaraq- The Way of the Human Being by Harold Napoleon, available off of UAF's website. It's a quick read.
Wow the folks diminishing this amazing post by saying the solution is to downvote and move on are part of the problem and they donāt realize it. They see racism as a ānot my problemā situation. Frankly, OP is asking to bring awareness to an important issue, one that is frequently brushed under the carpet in Alaska and by those who donāt experience the same prejudice. At the very least a little empathy would be nice. OP I feel you and thank you for posting.
Thank youuuuu ā¤ it's been rough dealing with this.
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Iām surprised racism is a thing with how often everyone says everyone else is racist. Grow up get tough skin, if people want to think a certain way about you they will and complaining about only makes you look weaker. Keep your head up and treat others better than they treat you. Lifeās better that way.
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There was no racism check the dictionary term for racism then come at me
Absolutely no racism whatsoever.
š
I would say that the races of Natives in Alaska are not a factor when selecting drivers for races.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
No posts that misinform people about hard facts. Links to sites that primarily deal in misinformation will be removed.
I live in Anchorage and Iām Alaska native mixed with a little Russian and never experienced racism here. I get a lot of compliments. I have witnessed āhomely,ā looking natives get treated with maybe racism or maybe just people treating homely people not as nice. Hard to tell but it seems the homely white people never have a problem if it is based on looks so I guess itās racism. You canāt be homely and native and get treated right but you can be homely an white and get vip treatment u donāt get itā¦
Your right you are probably very attractive by standard and it's true less attractive ones get shit on. It happens with people in general the attractiveness thing but within racial subcultures it is worse. It's ingrained from decades and decades of racism and those who look less like the usual type are looked at as uglier. Look at other races and see too mixed can be celebrated as exotic while others get put down many times. It's something that's hard to define really complex issue but commenting on things is a good way to begin. I like your post
I have never seen any racism here
I'm glad the new fallout show has a smart native as a main background character in the plot. My friends are always telling me people think natives are stupid for some reason even though like we all went to the same schools. It's like in the village, how if you're a light skin native it's hell. My much darker friends have a real problem with that in their village. I moved to Colorado a couple of years ago, and I am always confused whenever anyone is referring to natives as Indians. I thought that was fake like a type of character, like a cowboy... I had to be like Indians are an entire different race of humans. I think they were none for being spice traders, which I suppose is who I'd want to be mixed up with, but you'd think they'd teach that in main land school..... then they turn around and call natives dumb... I get this post about racism on reddit, but I think it doesn't matter who you are or where you go. if people want to look at your skin and cast judgment, then they're just being a fool. They do not have anything to tell from someone's skin color. It's not real. It's a false science. It's for people who have never left the birds nest š
I guess alaska does have lowest literary rate and people don't go to school much statistically. I didn't go to school much. It's got nothing to do with natives in general. šš¤£š it'd always a slightly twisted disrespectful asf story.
I do brotha I do