Read about the ridiculous fees the State of Alaska (under former half-Gov. Sarah Palin and now) requires citizens to pay for public information!
REGISTERING ON THIS BLOG WILL ALWAYS BE FREE. Soapblox charges Blue Oasis a monthly fee for the blog platform as well as the yearly charge for the website domain. There are also occasional fees for records gathering activities (CDs of meeting minutes and copying fees for letters and other documents from APOC). If you can support the blog and all of our work towards justice for ALL Alaskans and to hold ex-Governor Palin accountable, please visit the drop- down list above. Any contribution is much-appreciated!
Thank you!
Though many of us suffer from Palin Factor Fatigue, it is irrefutable that there is a nagging curiosity to have the question answered, ?How in the world did Sarah Palin become so popular and why do we still need to hear about her?? My book answers these questions in detail and urges us all to be vigilant. She is one of a small pool of ?rising stars in the republican party? as John McCain stated as recently as January 25, 2009 on Fox News Sunday.
As unbelievable as her meteoric rise was we cannot delude ourselves, turning our backs once again, into thinking that she and those like her are going away. This woman is joined by millions of loyalists whose perception is that she was persecuted in the media, stifled by McCain, and mocked by liberals - and now the theocratic conservatives are regrouping with a vengeance!
"Blue Oasis" began in 2005 in its Blogger format (now an archive) and became possibly the first Alaska Blog on Progressive Politics. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis was honored to represent Alaska as the state blog.
Transition--Community Blog
In September 2008, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis moved to a Soapblox Community Blog format. Readers can become full participants by registering on the blog to comment and write "diaries." Diary titles appear on the right sidebar for folks to read and provide comments. Blog editors may choose to move some of these diaries to the front page.
While this Community was formed specifically with Alaska in mind, all "friends of Alaska" are welcome as members!
**Note about registering** Scroll down the right side until you find the link to register. Then, just follow the instructions!
**Note about comments** To comment on a story, click on the heading and then look for the "comment bar" at the bottom (it's light grey, I can't seem to change it). I believe the font color NOW permits you to see the "post comment" text.
YOUR BLOGMISTRESS
My name is Linda Kellen Biegel and I am a former 15-year Federal employee. Thirteen of those years were spent working for the US Army Corps of Engineers. I am also semi-retired from the Alaska music scene (singer, sound tech, stage manager, logistics).
When the blog was chosen to represent Alaska in the DNCC State Blogger Pool at the Denver Convention, I attended with the help of Alaska Real blogmistress, Writing Raven and my daughter Morrigan. On August 29th, one day after Barack Obama's inspiring speech at Invesco Field , my life took another turn as it did for all Alaska bloggers when Gov. Sarah Palin was chosen to be John McCain's VP running mate. Since then, I've either assisted or have been interviewed by media from the UK, Italy, Australia and Germany as well as national media outlets such as Wall Street Journal, NY Times, ABC Good Morning America's Kate Snow, National Journal, Dallas Morning News, LA Times, and NPR.
Presently, I work as a freelance writer, PR, event coordinator, community organizer, wife to computer programmer Josh and mother to 11-year-old Morrigan. Our family especially enjoys our summers in Alaska where we get to subsistence set-net fish Sockeye salmon as well as halibut fish/whalewatch in the family's homemade aluminum boat, "The Neverdone" (when it's working). We reside in Anchorage, Alaska.
Origin of "Celtic Diva"
I've used "Celtic Diva" as a screen name since the early 1990's on Web TV.
"Folks have asked about my Celtic heritage, especially in light of my name. What they don't realize is that I'm adopted. I was born Valerie Morehead of the Clan Muirhead. I was adopted at three-months-old by the Kellens. I always "knew" I was Celt even before really knew. I was drawn to all things Scottish, especially music. That's why my parents eventually told me at age 16."
"Linda is well-known in Alaska & beyond as the prominent progressive political blogger Celtic Diva of Celtic Diva?s Blue Oasis. But back in the day, the early 1990s, I knew her as Linda Kellen, a member of the local folk/rock band Sky is Blu, which amongst other things performed in at least a couple or so of the annual women?s show Celebration of Change, in which I also performed. And if you don?t already know, let me tell you: Linda is one fine damn singer."
I went on after the break-up of "Sky is Blu" to perform with various Alaska musicians and work with national folks like Bo Diddly, Coco Montoya, Debbie Davies, Taj Mahal, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bad Company, Creedence Clearwater, Carny Wilson, etc...
A bee on Dragon Tongue Stonecrop in my rock garden
August 2010
(Scroll down to find posts.)
(Please register to participate in diaries and comments! We'd love for you to join our Community!)
******************************************************************************************
During the dust-up that occurred when President Obama decided he was going to speak to the school children of America, we heard the word "indoctrination" tossed around quite a bit.
Glen Beck and Fox News tried to convince America that President Obama (in the tradition of Carter, Reagan, Bush and Bush) encouraging kids to stay in school, find something they were passionate about and pursue it as a career was an attempt to "indoctrinate" them into...errr...something.
Earlier this week I was flipping through the right-wing-talk-shows when I heard a couple of teenage voices. They were from a group called "TeenPact" and portrayed it as a wholesome seminar to teach homeschooled kids about the process of government. They wanted everyone to know that TeenPact was coming to Alaska in May 2010. What piqued my interest more than what they WERE saying was the way they seemed to be dancing around questions and giving incomplete answers...and the questions were from a very "friendly" talk show host!
I did some research on "TeenPact" over at TeenPact.com and discovered why the teens weren't completely forthcoming:
Spiritually, TeenPact teaches Biblical principles of government and family, going hand-in-hand with the values of families who participate. It is very important that our young people see that spiritual revival is the answer to America's problems - not politics. We teach students that every Christian must pray and vote according to Biblical principles.
--Which parts of the bible are we talking about? New Testament? Old Testament? Which books? (I did not find one single quote from the gospels on the website. They were all from the Old Testament or the Letters. So "christians" don't use the gospels anymore?)
--"Spiritual revival is the answer"...but since they are only talking about the Bible, it doesn't sound like other religious "revivals" are encouraged. Are they openly saying that Christians need to take over the government?
--Is it a coincidence that the target audience is 11 to 19-year-old homeschoolers, a group consisting of a large number of neo-Conservatives and evangelicals?
The language and precepts on this website, as well as the links they attribute to their "partners," seem to suggest they are a "Dominionist" organization, best explained by one of the earliest researchers on the subject, author Leah Burton:
The 'c'hristian extremists, those I have been identifying under the umbrella term Dominionists, make numerous claims - not the least of which is a devout belief in the "inerrant" interpretation of the Bible. In other words, that each and every word in the Bible is without error, the Word of God.
Dominionists have an agenda...to remake the government so that it follows THEIR version of Biblical precepts:
Definition: "Dominionists includes inter-denominational extremists who seek influence and control over secular civil government, through political action and spiritual warfare with a theocratic mandate to forcefully impose "biblical law" as the ONLY law of the land, and who intend for the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Constitution to be seen as a vehicle for implementing Biblical principles."
I continued to explore the TeenPact website, reading some of it to my husband. I agreed with his assertion: he had no problem with folks teaching their kids to look at these issues from their own personal world view. However, the clear message was that other-than-Christians had NO place in the government they were striving to create.
There were "events" described on the website that gave more insight into the underlying precepts of the organization.
--"Challenge Basic" and "Challenge Extreme" for "GUYS ONLY"...The basic skills taught are rappelling, land navigation, firearms instruction, and running an Army Ranger Confidence and Obstacle course. The stated goal is to "learn skills you need to impact your world for Christ! "...that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." Philippians 1: 27"
This is military boot camp "training for Christ"...using kids and teenagers.
The "Extreme" version I found to be a little more alarming:
You must be capable of operating effectively under conditions of extreme mental and physical stress. Challenge Extreme makes this happen through practical exercises in Task- Force level operations in a jungle/swamp environment.
The listed objectives include physical fitness and the "spiritual" goal, "Pray that God will use this week to mold each of us into Godly men for the Army of Jesus Christ."
So now we're into Ranger-type training for Jesus...military techniques geared to force complicity and cooperation in the battlefield with some important differences: 1) The military uses it on legal, consenting adults. 2) What kind of parent wants to put their kids under this kind of "extreme stress" unless it's a last resort for criminal behavior?
3) The military uses it to train soldiers for actual, physical battle involving weapons. So what plans do they have for THIS "Army of Jesus Christ?"
--The description of the "Endeavor-GIRLS ONLY" event provides the most obvious clue as to the origins of TeenPact through their views on the role of women:
Endeavor's goal is aimed at casting a vision for young ladies to live a life characterized by courageous femininity and adventurous beauty.
Wait...it gets much, much better...WELCOME TO THE 1950'S!!!!
At TeenPact, we teach all of our students the importance of making a good first impression, the art of being able to speak in public, and the value of common courtesies such as shaking hands and asking good questions. As more and more TeenPact students have opportunity to work for important officials or find themselves in very formal settings, our young ladies in particular need to know how to be the perfect guest as well as the perfect hostess. Who knows, one of them may be the First Lady of a Governor or President one day
Amazingly, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama managed to have careers of their own and STILL become First Ladies! In this day-and-age, not encouraging girls to have a career back-up plan to the wife and mother role is irresponsible. What happens to those girls if their career as an excellent partner to her politician husband is cut short when he divorces her for his Argentinian lover? Hey...it could happen!
TeenPact Endeavor will offer hands-on, relevant training in leadership, etiquette and a God-centered perspective of beauty. Each girl will have a chance to participate in breakout sessions such as photography, hospitality, gardening, fashion, cosmetology, shooting, calligraphy and fitness.
I love gardening, photography, etc...There is nothing specifically wrong with having these as part of an overall seminar. However, I get concerned with the obvious disparity and limitations of their idealized roles of men and women based on their interpretation of the Book of Proverbs.
As I described above, I literally stumbled upon the existence of this organization, whose sole purpose is clearly "indoctrination" into Dominionism's faux-christian way of thinking. I also find it a little too coincidental that the timeline seems to jive with the expansion of Franklin Graham's "Samaritan's Purse" organization into Alaska from their "base camp" in Soldotna. Sources informed me that the introduction of TeenPact into Alaska is through the assistance of Franklin Graham, but as yet I have been unable to verify that.
I have much to learn on this topic. Luckily, the insidious nature of "Dominionism" nationally has become a hot topic among writers and researchers.
Max Blumenthal was up here last year investigating Sarah Palin's ties to the Religious Right and Dominionism. He describes them in his film "In the Land of Queen Esther" on YouTube below:
Leah Burton wrote one of the first books linking Palin to Dominionism through her book, formerly titled "Theo Palinism" and recently re-titled "Close Call: The Face of Political Dominionism". Her second book on the topic, "God's Own Party" will be out next year.
