I know it's an exciting day. It's an exciting day for the world and for the country and I'm damn proud to be an American today.
I'll be happy soon enough. Certainly as January 20th approaches that will grow and explode on that day into a jubilant celebration here in Washington DC.
But today I feel sadness and anger and they overwhelm my happiness. You see, I'm not just an American, I'm also an Alaskan.
I just can't be happy today . . .
I know, I know. Maybe I shouldn't give up yet, many ballots still remain. see here
But my state probably re-elected a felon in Senator Stevens. And it did re-elect a corrupt politician and morally bankrupt person in Don Young.
But that's not all . . .
This election was in the wake of massive Republican corruption scandals that rocked our capital. Does anyone care?
still not all . . .
The Democratic candidates in this race weren't just good, they were great. Moderate amazingly intelligent people with strong public service backgrounds. High approval ratings and continued praise from almost everyone who has ever worked with them, on both sides of the aisle. Ethan and Mark represent the best of American politics and the best of Alaska.
They lost.
To a felon and a guy who spent $1 million in legal fees to obstruct investigations (not his own money of course, his donors').
but that's not the worst of it.
you see, I LOVE Alaska. I don't love it for the mountains or the lakes or the amazing shorelines. I do love those things, and I appreciate them, but that's not it. I love Alaska for the people.
Since moving to DC I have missed the people of Alaska more than any scenic view, even more than moose wondering through my backyard. DC feels so fake or phony, so status oriented. So much of the culture I'm exposed to here is about jobs and who you know. It isn't intentional, and it's not all bad. I do like it here. But it just doesn't feel right, not like Alaska.
"best people in the world." I tell anyone who will listen. Don't try to talk to me about New York being the greatest city in the world. The greatest city in the world is Anchorage, Alaska.
The people in Alaska are real. They care and they're genuine. I even have an explanation. They're almost all self selected. Like America, Alaska is filled with mostly immigrants to the state. People who lived somewhere else and decided to move to Alaska to pursue something special.
And just as America's status as a nation filled with people who chose to live here makes it a truly special place in the world so does Alaska's status as a state where people choose to live make it a special place in this nation.
I've loved Alaska with all my heart for all my life.
but today my heart weeps.
Because the very essence of what I love most about Alaska has let me down, has let the country down. The people, in all their generosity and their genuine nature have acted with greed, ignorance and short-sightedness.
I'm sorry to be such a downer on such a happy day. But the happy days will have to wait for me. I envisioned this diary as a curse filled tirade against the idiocy of my fellow Alaskans. But I don't have the energy.
I'm sorry.