Palin flies on Samaritan's Purse plane--**BREAKING**Ft. Hood possibly rethinking Palin visit

by: Celtic Diva

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 08:49:45 AM AKST

Photo courtesy of Military.com

It seems that outrage across the country over the behavior of Palin and her entourage at Ft. Bragg has shown itself in stories on military-themed websites.

For example, the AP story on Palin's Ft. Bragg visit appears on a website widely-read by our nation's military, Military.com, and they titled the piece "Some Anti-Obama Tones to Palin Bragg Visit."  The comments are dominated by folks who are incensed by the behavior at the event.

For example:

I wonder what would have happened if someone wore an impeach Bush/Cheney shirt when he was our CINC?

Perhaps an even bigger indicator of the ripple effect after Palin's visit can be seen in a comment on this blog.  The story below includes contact numbers to Public Affairs on Fort Hood, including the Col. who is the Public Affairs Officer.  I requested that folks contact them and express (respectfully) their feelings.  Reader Pearlygirl took me up on that:

response from Ft Hood

I just called Col. Danner. He was very polite and also expressed that he has received many concerns about this book signing.  It was set up before the recent shootings but it is being rethought.  It was worth calling.  

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by: pearlygirl @ Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 05:04:18 AM AKST

I thank pearlygirl and all who have called.  I'm following up with a phone call to Col. Danner to try and get more of an explanation.

My understanding is that blogs across the country have been making similar posts and are encouraging phone calls as well.  It looks like it may be working.

(To see details of Palin Ft. Bragg visit, read below)

********************************************UPDATE************************************************

As if we didn't have enough reasons...

Here is the portion of the Greta Van Sustern interview last night where she accused Obama of not acknowledging/not respecting the troops as reported on Politico today:

I was angry when I read about it, but not NEARLY as angry as I was after I watched her attitude while saying the words:

"There's been a lack of acknowledgement by our president in understanding what it is that the American military provides in terms of, obviously, the safety, the security of our country," Palin said during an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren. "I want him to acknowledge the sacrifices that these individual men and women - our sons, our daughters, our moms, our dads, our brothers and sisters - are providing this country to keep us safe."

There's much more.

**************************************************************************************************

Sarah Palin arrived in North Carolina Sunday by way of Asheville.  She was slated to have a much-touted dinner with Franklin Graham and his father Billy.  While this is a video made by a fan (so pardon the drippiness) it does provide a good view of the plane she arrived on...and the call number.  You may also see some "interesting" dynamics at play:

I received this message this morning regarding the plane from a trusted reader:

"Linda, Thought I would let you know.  The plane Sarah flew in to Asheville had the N number 262SP.  The SP does not stand for Sarah Palin but the plane is owned by Samaritans Purse. I checked it out at the FAA registry.  Wonder if that plane is being used at Rochester and other book signing destinations?  Samaritan donations being put to good use to haul Palin's carcass around."

As if that was not interesting enough, he wrote back later:

Tried to check the flight activity for this airplane (N262SP) at Flightwise.com.  The flight activity for this plane is blocked by the owner.  Guess he doesn't want anyone to know where he is flying.  This is a good site to track an airplane's activity.  Might come in handy for checking the use of AK state airplanes.

Yup, especially those Alaska planes now leased by Samaritan's Purse up here.

It seems that one must apply to have their plane's schedule made "private" and in doing so, a reason must be provided.  I'd love to see the reason Franklin Graham gave for blocking access.  

Did I mention that my readers are awesome?

Monday, Palin took the "roadshow" to Ft Bragg, North Carolina for her book signing...a move which has angered many military and civilians alike.  According to Fort Bragg Public Affairs, she is "clearly not a political figure."

Huh?  I would agree that she is "clearly" not a "candidate" but considering her interference in NY-23 and Facebook tretises, she is MOST DEFINITELY a political figure.

And by the way, she chose the title "politician" on her Facebook page.

As if to try and "mitigate" the obvious danger of having an out-of-control Palin on record at Ft. Bragg potentially slamming the Commander-In-Chief, the military originally tried to keep the press away so as not to "encourage" anti-President Obama rhetoric.  However, they relented when the media strongly objected.

After what we've seen at Ft. Bragg today, it's easy to see why they didn't want the press to document the activities.

But the bus parked nearby encouraged donations to her political action committee and supporters made clear that she should run for president.

It's illegal for this event on base/post to reflect any partisan politics.  It's also putting active military careers in jeopardy if they are seen as participating in these activities.  

Sarah Palin appeared at Fort Bragg today, promoting her book, "Going Rogue" to the military. Palin had promised to limit herself to signing books, no politicizing her visit, amidst general concerns that her signing would violate Federal Law (Titles 10, 2, and 18, United States Code), Department of Defense (DOD) Directives, and specific military regulations strictly limit a military active duty person's participation in partisan political activities.

I don't think it gets more partisan than SarahPAC.

Palin's father, who greeted supporters as his daughter signed copies of the book, said in an interview that Obama's handling of the military was "scary."

"I see a decline in our might," Chuck Heath said. "People used to be afraid of us and respect us, (but) they're not afraid of us and don't respect us anymore."

Errr...did I mention it was illegal for folks to spew partisanship at this event on base/post around active military personnel?

The Department of Defense defines "partisan political activity" as "activity supporting or relating to candidates representing, or issues specifically identified with, national or State political parties and associated or ancillary organizations."

G.R. Quinn, 58, a veteran who spent 20 years in the military, wore an "Impeach Obama" shirt. He blasted the president for closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, for the plan to hold a key Sept. 11 terrorism trial in New York and for Obama's handling of the military overseas.

Should I NOW mention that partisan thing again...and add that a veteran with benefits may not want to break federal law?

I'm going to have nightmares tonight because while she was restricted from speaking at Fort Bragg, she is not at Fort Hood.  However, we might be able to change that.

Col. Stephen Sicinski is the Garrison Commander and his number and email are restricted.

However, here are the phone numbers of the PAO (Public Affairs Office) on Fort Hood.  PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL when you speak to them.  Also, please no profanity or insults, no matter how much Palin might irritate you:

PA On Call Representative  Phone: 254-291-2591

PAO - Col. Benton Danner

Email: benton.danner@us.army.mil

Phone: 254-287-0103

Deputy PAO (Civilian) - Mr. Bruce Zielsdorf

E-mail: bruce.zielsdorf@us.army.mil

Phone: 254-287-8506

Deputy PAO (Military) Phone: 254-287-6694

Remember...RESPECT...and let me know in the comments if you called and what happened.  I believe they are 3 hours ahead.

Is Alaska Dispatch kidding? ****UPDATE 2****

by: Celtic Diva

Tue Feb 24, 2009 at 00:05:43 AM AKST

This is the summary of the above video (originally appearing on the ADN) according to Alaska Dispatch:

Palin approached a topic that most Alaska politicians shy away from -- the need to seek employment and opportunities outside village Alaska. (For Outside readers, there are more than 200 villages in Alaska, most unconnected to roads and the power grid.)

Palin may have been criticized for not reacting swiftly enough to cries for help from villages hurting this winter from high food and fuel prices, but she clearly is thinking about the long-term future of rural Alaska.

The harsh reality is that rural Alaskans have limited opportunities, be it employment, education or even dating. In the early 21st century, rural residents are still dealing with many of the same perplexing questions as they have for decades:

How do they hold on to tradition, to hunting, to fishing? If people leave the village for new opportunities, how can the community sustain itself? What is the purpose of the village today? Why are so many people suffering from suicide and alcoholism?

Watch this video and listen closely to Palin's remarks. It seems she's thinking about these larger issues, and perhaps this might prompt a state conversation sorely needed, especially in these uncertain economic times.

I say again...are you kiddding me?

I spoke to Writing Raven on Saturday after being alerted via email to this post.  Her poignant response and educated and informed summation of Palin's comments have been rightfully quoted by many other blogs.

Her response to the seemingly uninformed staff of the Dispatch should be shouted from the rooftops:

After stewing all night, I woke up this morning to a phone call from Celtic Diva. She and Mudflats pointed to an article in the Alaska Dispatch, praising Palin for "speaking from the heart" and being "thoughtful" about solutions for the communities.

You can only be thoughtful if you've met with the people from the communities and listened to them. Palin is calling for a change in leadership - with who? What are these leaders doing wrong? Who are they? When has she talked to them? And she gave NO solutions except to say these youth should think about leaving. So the solution is "leave the village"? She can't be a spark to "real dialogue" when she's never taken part in a dialogue! The dialogue has been going on, but Palin doesn't care to be part of it.

The article was also preemptively defensive about the race card being thrown at Palin. As if Palin needs to be a racist to make ignorant remarks about the state of rural Alaska. Personally, I believe Palin is willing to be pretty racially equal about throwing rural Alaska under the bus. For that matter, she's screwing us all equally in her painfully obvious stab for national attention. I didn't agree with the remarks about Ted Stevens at the time (don't think the guy was racist, just wrong) and it is interesting to note that the only people to bring up racism with Palin's remarks have been the people of the Alaska Dispatch.

To be very clear - Palin's remarks aren't racist. They are ignorant of the real issues, display a willingness to decide what is right having never had the dialogue, and take us back about 50 years in the struggle to maintain thriving rural and cultural communties. But in ignorance, she's being quite equal.

My own observations:

-- I was angered and amused by the Dispatch's reference to former Sen. Ted Stevens as someone who also "thoughtfully" discussed rural Alaska's future.  In truth, the FBI investigation of Stevens originated as a result of the shady deals involving his son Ben with various fishery entities in Alaska and Seattle.  The results of this and other Stevens-supported legislation has been the all-out acquisition of the Alaska cod and other federally-controlled fisheries by the Washington State fishing fleet, the loss of thousands of fishing jobs in Alaska, and possibly irreversible damage to the King Salmon run on the Yukon River...a run many villages depend upon for their survival.

Any "musings" of former-Senator Stevens may not be racist, but are clearly warped by his corporate ties and the undue influence of monies from big-business over his decisions.

-- I agree with Writing Raven in that Governor Palin's comments do not necessarily reflect racism but do reflect self-promotion and ambition in its purest form.  

Governor Palin has shown that she is actually quite predictable...whatever most benefits her is the direction she will follow, no matter what the results or consequences.  Most recently, with the dawn of "SarahPAC" and her recent trip to meet with huge donors and "bundlers" like Fred Malek, it has been clear that her quest for finances and support for a 2012 presidential run has dominated all else. This includes her Governor's "State of the State" speech, where Alaskans were looking for some glimmer of a message among the platitudes directed at her national audience.

Some of this will be tricky, however.  Sarah Palin desperately needs money and must somehow court the corporations without appearing to contradict her "Mavricky" image crafted during her Vice-Presidential run.  So I don't believe it's a coincidence that the position on Rural Alaska reflected in her comments has been the same position spouted by corporate-hacks-posing-as-Republicans for years.

And this ties in with a theory:

The vast majority of Alaska's resources including gold and other minerals, oil, natural gas, etc...are found on and under lands traditionally inhabited by Alaska's Native people.  The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was a tool by which all individual Alaska Natives legally relinquished their claim on the land.  It established the Village Corporations (for example, Emmonak Village Corporation...the people who live there) as owning the surface rights to the patented land while the regional corporation (for example, Calista Corporation) owns the subsurface rights.  This lasts as long as the Corporations exist.

For those of you who have never lived/worked up in oil country, much of the North Slope is completely under corporate control.  The only "police" are oil-company security.  Whoever gets in/out is completely within the control of the oil companies.  

So, what happens if the Native population of Emmonak is starved out of a village, the people move and the village no longer exists nor is it incorporated?  Is it probable that the surface rights would be up for grabs or revert back to the government?  Would the government also have a case to challenge Calista for the subsurface rights if there was no longer a Native population living there?

I believe that corporations would love to encourage the Alaska Native population to leave their villages in order to clear the way for unfettered development.

-- The Alaska Dispatch commentary on Palin's remarks and their further response to emails show the same ignorance of the issues that our Governor displays...an ignorance born of not even bothering to investigate or learn from the people whose lives are presently touched by the problems.  Both Palin and Alaska Dispatch focus on "charity"...something which the Alaska Natives abhor more than anyone.  However, both Palin and the Dispatch ignore what the communities have needed for years from the state and federal governments...not charity, but simple infrastructure like a port at the mouth of the Yukon (jobs), energy extraction projects (inexpensive energy, jobs), and a solution to the fishery problem which has severely damaged their ability to live off of the King Salmon run (jobs, income, food).  Palin is clearly willing to (quietly but deliberately) continue the quest for the billion-dollar-plus Knik Arm Bridge, but wants to reject the infrastructure money coming in from the stimulus package which could revitalize Rural Alaska.

So yes, there must be many discussions on Rural Alaska and the solutions to their issues, but the discussion doesn't begin as one-sided commentary suggesting leadership change (before the leadership has been consulted) and that the youth move to the cities to find jobs...a sure death of the villages  The fact that neither Palin nor the Dispatch seems to "get" that reflects badly on their understanding of the issues and, for the Dispatch, their alleged "journalistic neutrality."

********************UPDATE********************

From Pekoe's comment below (good catch!):

Todd wasn't raised in a village, was he? Palin made it sound like he was with this statement, like he was tanning hides and smoking salmon and thought, "Dang! I live in a cash-based society! I need a mainstream job!"

So how exactly did Todd go to the North Slope directly from Dillingham when he attended high school in Wasilla, where he met Sarah?!

Hmmmmm...

*******************UPDATE 2************************

Per an October article in the ADN (emphasis mine):

Culturally, the Palins live a lifestyle of small-town Alaska. Todd does not take part in Native organizations or tribal politics. He grew up in Glennallen and Wasilla. His Native roots can be seen in his dividends from the Bristol Bay Native Corporation and boyhood visits with his grandma, where he learned to tend fish nets along the Nushagak River.

(hat tip--Palingates.blogspot.com)

Via an email source, I was told that the most Palin ever "lived" in the village was a few weeks each summer fishing with his grandma.

I spent a few weeks every summer of my life until age 19 on my grandmother's/aunt's/uncle's farms in Iowa, while I spent the rest of the year in Ohio, Philadelphia or Chicago.  According to "Palin-logic," I'm an Iowa farmer.