April 11, 2011
Monday

Lisa Murkowski should take to heart the words of William Shakespeare. Many of his passages are relevant to modern events, and some are timeless. An example of the latter came to my mind after reading the SitNews article regarding Murkowski's re-introduction of the Sealaska Lands bill: "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones..."

First, Murkowski's bill is a remedy in desperate need of a problem.

Sealaska has already selected land due to them under ANCSA. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") has simply failed to convey them. Sealaska doesn't much like the prime old-growth timber land it most recently selected under ANCSA because much of it is close to native communities, who would undoubtedly object to logging so near their hunting area.

So, instead of pressuring the BLM to do it's job, Murkowski and Sealaska have teamed up to get Sealaska another bite at the apple.

Murkowski has taken up the banner of her father,a man infamously "pro-logging at any cost", in promoting the logging of areas that should remain untouched for future generations.

Next, is the issue of ethics surrounding Lisa's "Immaculate Election".

Joe Miller beat her fair and square in the Republican primary. Lisa was ready to concede defeat, and then suddenly embarked on a write-in campaign for her old seat. Once her write-in candidacy was announced, Where did all of the previously non-existent votes come from?

Sealaska Corporation went to great financial extremes to convince it's shareholders and others, native and non-native alike, to write-in Murkowski's name in the general election. Now there comes Murkowski's new Sealaska bill. The timing certainly suggests that an unseemly deal was struck, and a quid pro quo was established.

Sealaska has no real need for new legislation. It has already selected the land due to the corporation under ANCSA, and should be held to that selection.

Shakespeare's timeless words apply to all: men, women and .... corporations.

Florian Sever
Sitka, AK