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GOD DAMN AMERICA, ALASKAN STYLE.
Apparently, Governor Palin was once a member of a political party in Alaska that advocates secession from the United States of America, called the Alaska Independence Party.
Its platform calls for the defense of "states rights," to "seek the complete repatriation of the public lands, held by the federal government, to the state and people of Alaska in conformance with Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17, of the federal constitution."
Remember that Barack Obama caught a great deal of heat for having a pastor who was harshly critical of America. For some reason though, Republicans don't seem to have a problem with Palin being part of an organization that outright calls for secession from the Union, a la Nation of Islam circa the 1960s. Now I don't really have much beef with the Nation. As a biracial Jew, I'm not exactly their kind of people, but I've seen them do enough good that the crazy things they say don't bother me all that much.
But the Nation of Islam actually has a more moderate line on secession than the Alaska Independence Party. The NOI holds secession as necessary only as long as it sees America as denying black people the rights afforded other citizens, while the AIP's pursuit of secession is unconditional. More disturbing perhaps, is the AIP's expressed view that they should "infiltrate" the major parties in order to achieve their goals (watch the end of this video).
Honestly they sound kind of like the Ron Paul crew -- spirited but harmless. But since conservatives (and Richard Cohen) tried to tie Obama to the NOI in order to argue against his fitness for office, shouldn't they be very concerned about Palin's direct ties to an organization that has "no use for America or her damned institutions," and in their own words puts Alaska, not "country," first?
UPDATE: Jake Tapper has Gail Fenumiai, director of the Alaska Division of Elections, stating that Governor Palin was never officially a member of the Alaska Independence Party, although folks from the AIP are standing by their story that she was a member. However, Palin's husband Todd was a registered member of the AIP from 1995 to 2002, according to TPM.
--A. Serwer
COMMENTS (11)
Please note that 24 hours later, this has still not been denied by the Palin people.
In other words, it is true.
Posted by: Benjamin | September 2, 2008 10:58 AM
Guess who was a member of this great American organization?
"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." Joe Vogler
Posted by: Anonymous | September 2, 2008 11:03 AM
This country was founded as the United States of America, not the United State of America, and since that doesn't seem to sit well with the internationalist power elite, well, more power to the AIP and any other true American party that has the backbone to stand up to the Federal government.
Posted by: THarms | September 2, 2008 11:55 AM
Will anyone be demanding that she denounce this separatist group?
Posted by: leo | September 2, 2008 12:09 PM
The test will be yours.
If this story gains legs, you will be considered mainstream. If not, it is you, as usual, that is the fring.
Posted by: El Viajero | September 2, 2008 1:19 PM
"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." The Declaration of Independence
The Patriot Act
Real ID
The Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Act
Denial of Habeas Corpus
Posted by: Little Bit Farm | September 2, 2008 1:31 PM
"….[A] design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
--Declaration of Independence (cf. John Locke)
>Unending war for empire (in which the American people suffer and die along with the “enemy” while corporations and government insiders reap fortunes).
>Uncontrolled mass illegal immigration (read: ethnic cleansing of Americans).
>Semi-official ideologies of multiculturalism and political correctness among government and cultural elites (read: systemic racism against whites).
>State intrusions into all corners private life (Patriot Act and a million other measures large and small to create the soft totalitarianism of a “post-democratic” brave new globalist world).
>Forced transfer of wealth from those earn it to corrupt corporations (including subsidized export of decent jobs), to evil foreign governments (creating terrible injustices and stirring up “terrorism” against the US), and to able-bodied people who refuse to work (in order to build leftist constituencies totally dependent on govt. largesse).
>Et cetera.
Posted by: Liberty or Death | September 2, 2008 3:09 PM
If a person or persons do like our counry, then leave!! There's the door!! I do not want to see any foreigners trying to take over this country via the terrorists method as they have used in other countries.
WesTexan
Posted by: WesTexan | September 2, 2008 3:53 PM
Progessives' latest tactic--raise the specter of RACE WAR and class war to boot. See Fatimah Ali in the Philly Enquirer, "If McCain wins, look for a full-fledged race and class war, fueled by a deflated and depressed country, soaring crime, homelessness - and hopelessness!"
www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20080902_Fatimah_Ali__We_need_Obama__not_4_more_years_of_George_Bush.html
Posted by: venn p. | September 2, 2008 10:53 PM
Sorry to cite the wrong newspaper, the right newspaper with the racism is the Philly Daily News.
Posted by: venn p. | September 2, 2008 10:58 PM
When New York, Rhode Island and Virginia ratified the U.S. Constitution the EXPRESSLY stated that they retained the right to unilaterally leave the union (resume the powers they were delegating to the feds via the Constitution). Read their ratification documents for yourself and see. Therefore EVERY State in the union retains the right to voluntarily, peacefully leave the union if it so desires. To hell with all you fascists who'd hold people to a government against their will and then call your sick twisted abuse "patriotism".
Posted by: Cory Burnell | September 3, 2008 2:15 AM