If I were Alaskan, I'd consider being a member of AIP as well.

[cherokeeprogressive]

The good ole'' U S of A really fucked the Alaskans after buying their land from the Russians. It seems as though our gubmint acted in it's finest colonial tradition when they told the people of Alaska that their only option in 1958 was to vote for statehood, or against it. The United Nations Charter says that isn't supposed to be the limit of their choices. I'm not sure they're radical, and don't believe they're fringe.

If you go read their website, you'll see that they don't INSIST on secession. What they want is what should have been theirs in the first place; the right to self-determination, according to UN Charter. They want the chance to legally vote on their own destiny. From their website:

The Alaskan Independence Party's goal is the vote we were entitled to in 1958, one choice from among the following four alternatives:
1) Remain a Territory.
2) Become a separate and Independent Nation.
3) Accept Commonwealth status.
4) Become a State.
The call for this vote is in furtherance of the dream of the Alaskan Independence Party's founding father, Joe Vogler, which was for Alaskans to achieve independence under a minimal government, fully responsive to the people, promoting a peaceful and lawful means of resolving differences.

Does that sound radical to you? It sure doesn't to me. Consider this: The US tells you that you can become a state or not, and if not, you're still going to be a colony (in direct opposition with UN Charter). Then the US government starts telling you what part of your own land you can use for your common good. Over 75% of the land your ancestors lived on for thousands of years are OFF LIMITS to you. We'll call it the Alaskan National Wildlife Preserve, and now you're NOT TO USE IT TO SUPPORT THE BETTERMENT OF YOUR LIVES, OR THOSE OF YOUR PROGENY. Oh, and the only reason the US is interested in your wilderness in the first place is because they know the enormity of its natural resources. THEN, the US starts appropriating your resources for the lower 48.

I don't know about you, but I'd be pretty resentful of that whole situation, and wish to make up my mind for myself now having all the facts at hand concerning UN Charter on self-determination that was withheld back when. Tie that with what was most CERTAINLY voting irregularities and discrimination, and I'd be even more resentful. Surely, non-whites were not given the choice, and I'd bet that no one bothered to travel into the wilderness to find every Alaskan that was eligible to vote.

It's almost funny, but we here at DU HATE the US tendency toward colonialism and imperialism, but tell a candidate that it's a deal breaker to belong to an organization critical of it.

I bet the Hawaiians feel basically the same way. Not the haolies, but the real Hawaiians.

I hate to have to state this caveat each time I'm critical of some attitudes here, but I'M VOTING FOR OBAMA AND NOT DEFENDING REPUG IDEALS. I'm just pointing out that I don't believe many of us have bothered to check into this party's intent and reason for existence.

Donning the Nomex now.

http://www.akip.org/index.html