AFN to vote on resolution to force subsistence to mean ‘Native only’

By
Suzanne Downing
-
106

Among the dozens of resolutions to be considered at this week’s Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention in Anchorage, one stands out as particularly divisive in Alaska: The Native group wants Natives in rural Alaska to have subsistence rights that no one else can have.

The issue is complicated but the resolution is clear in its implications: Whites, Filipinos, Blacks, or Hispanics living in rural Alaska would not be entitled to subsistence priority, as they are now under law. A white man married to a Native woman would not be able to subsistence hunt, but his wife could. Essentially, hunting rights would become race-based in Alaska. An Alaska Native living in a Seattle high-rise would have subsistence rights, while a Latino living in a cabin in Chefonak would not be able to hunt subsistence.

The resolution asks Alaska’s congressional delegation to push for a revisit of Title VII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) to permanently protect Natives as priority users. It’s unclear where the delegation stands on a matter that would create race-based hunting and fishing laws.

The AFN’s 57th convention starts Thursday at the Dena’ina Convention Center, with thousands of Natives attending from around the state. The vote on the proposals is expected on Saturday, the same day Rep. Mary Peltola has been allotted 20 minutes on the agenda to give an address to the crowd.

The resolution brings up an old subject of much contention: the Katie John decision, a much-litigated court case that pits the rights of Natives against all other users of fish and game resources in Alaska. Alaska law has a rural preference for subsistence, not exclusively a Native preference.

According to the resolution, AFN thinks that the State’s management system is an attack on Natives:

“The State of Alaska has nonetheless chosen, for decades, to continue to attack the federal subsistence fisheries protections enshrined in Title VIII of ANILCA and the Katie John cases despite the fact that commercial fisheries harvest over 95% of fish stocks, subsistence and sports fishing is less than 5%.; and The State of Alaska has escalated its attacks in recent years and has undertaken a series of new, aggressive litigation aimed at actively undermining Alaska Natives’ right to subsistence; and In one of those cases, United States v. Alaska, the State of Alaska now attempts to rewrite longstanding law and erase the Katie John decisions; andA decision from the United States Supreme Court could mean the elimination of all remaining federally-protected subsistence fishing rights for Alaska Native people at a time of immediate critical need for the rural subsistence priority in times of shortage…”

The Federal government transferred the authority to manage fish and wildlife in Alaska to the new State government in 1960, and the State law has a rural preference. State subsistence law has a priority for rural subsistence use over all other uses of fish and wildlife, but does not define subsistence users as specifically Native.

The resolution is supported by the AFN board and the Association of Village Council Presidents.

All the resolutions to be voted on at AFN can be found at this link.

106 COMMENTS

  1. Even if this passes, which it should not. Does anyone really think that some dude living in a cabin or yurt out in BFE (bum-f-Egypt) out in the range will not cap that moose/caribou that walked by for meat? AFN are just as bad as BLM if they really try to pass this. The Alaskan Dream is not just for them.

      • In the immortal words of Irish Gangster rap band House of Pain,” It ain’t a crime if you don’t get caught”…

      • You keep thinking that buddy.
        If a tree falls in the woods does anyone hear it?

        There is a reason cars can go faster than any speed limit sign.

        Your innocent until proven guilty., liberals for some reason think the opposite.” Your guilty until proven otherwise.” It’s their slogan.

        “If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.”- Thomas Jefferson

        Is a perfect example. The whole country knows these laws the radical left have been passing are ment to cause culture wars. This is that in action here in Alaska.

        Mark my words, pretty soon the radicals here in Anchorage will start putting Native against every other race. Claiming they were the reason their land was taken, when in reality it was the goverment that did this. They need to remember that a lot of these people in office were preselected, it’s become a family career for these elites.

        We will lose our rights if we continue to allow these officials to pit us against each other on the basis of race, religion and culture. We must stop arguing and fighting and come together as one and realize that You and I are not the enemy. It’s the people pitting us against each other like they did in Israel.

        We need to Unite, or these people will erase our history and “reset” everything we have built. Not them.

        We did it, until civilians realize the power they have if they don’t let them pit us against each other, this nonstop fighting will continue to in blood…

    • Alaska’s first people should have first priority to their traditional hunting and fishing subsistence ways of life which was established way before the Russians took control of the land that was illegally confiscated from a non-warring happy people.
      I am a white man that has seen even foreigners run away with Alaska’s resource loot.

      • Ahh, the myth of the noble savage…”a non-warring happy people” which people were those?

        Look up the term “Bow and arrow wars”. Or look up how an Athabascan speaking people took over the west and became known as the Apache, replacing the paternal lineageof those who came before. Or look up Alaskan Native slavery, Sah Quah was the last Native Alaskan slave, he had to sue for freedom 20 years after slavery was outlawed in the US.

    • So what is your point? That person in “BF” remote Alaska would likely qualify as a rural Alaskan resident, eligible to hunt on federally managed lands. And if a rural subsistence priority exists on those lands due to insufficient resources, that person, be they native or non-native, would be seen as equally eligible to hunt in the eyes of federal regulations. The AFN resolution disingenuously blends “native”and “rural” subsistence in the same document. The feds are unlikely to easily budge from “rural” priority as it is clearly an attempt at a non-racist recognition of life in rural Alaska. There is a lot of misdirected vitriol in the comments below; mostly focused on the resolution’s use of word “native” and not consistent use of rural. Nevertheless, your comments make for very enlightening reading as to who a few of my fellow Alaskans are.

      • Not entirely true. Try setting foot in Gambell with a shot gun for bird hunting. The island is private proper. It took us 2 years before we could travel outside the 1 Sq mile of the village proper.

  3. Not just no, F no.

    I, like many, many white people, was born here. I’m as native as anybody.

    First Nations do not hold exclusivity on being native to a place.

  5. Well good luck, not going to happen but you can try. That is no different hen saying only Italians can eat at Olive Garden.
    If you want to be considered for subsistence, then you have to go back to arrows and spears and no use of any gasoline operated vehicles for hunting.

      • I know a guy whose family legally immigrated from Mexico.
        He loves Taco Bell. Loves it.

        I asked him once why he preferred Taco Bell over more traditional Mexican fare.
        He gave me a wry look and reminded me Taco Bell is American food, not Mexican.

        I think same concept applies for Olive Garden.

  6. Clearly a Racist move by AFN. No wonder smart Native Groups have separated themselves from the divisive positions AFN continually promulgates. If the shoe was on the other foot there would be marching in the streets. Be it Black reparations or Alaska Aboriginal hunting /fishing rights only, it boils down to Tribalism at its best.

  9. Because it’s totally fine to segregate citizens by race as long as the beneficiaries can trace their heritage to one of the earlier migrations into North America because, for some reason, that makes a difference. All men are created equal and we all have equal rights under the law are just empty and meaningless words to these people unless they can twist and use them to gain advantage. They believe we should NEVER use skin color to discriminate…well, unless they benefit because, you know, colonists and invaders and all that. What do you think the original, very first ancient peoples who migrated into the Americas thought about the next wave of migration and the next and the next…all those successive waves that came long before the awful white Europeans came in their wave of migration? Were they welcomed with open arms as they pushed into already occupied lands? It’s the hypocrisy of differentiating Europeans from arrivals from Asia. It’s time to tell these people to stop whining about the past and trying to drive division. The truth is that the “native” Americans were invading each others lands, killing and raiding, taking slaves and doing all manner of horrendous things to each other long before Europeans showed up…and after. Mass ritual murder to their various gods. Maybe they ought to come to grips with that history. At least Europeans weren’t cutting the hearts out of living victims by the hundreds. All across the New World, even right here in Alaska, natives were routinely brutalizing each other but now, because they can capitalize on white guilt, it’s all for one and one for all in the “Native American” population. Time to say enough is enough.

      • Greg. I read his statement very carefully. It’s all true. History is history it isn’t “owned” by anyone. Same “my truth” type of language mangling to cover up or change the narrative that cannot be supported by documentation or evidence. In psychology that is called a delusion.

  10. Why is AFN being so cautious? Why don’t they just come right out with the position that no one should be allowed to hunt or fish in Alaska unless they are Alaska Native?

  11. Hypocricy at its finest. Who is racist now? And somehow it’s expected that all will bow down and comply in the memory of past sins whether real or imagined. Fostering the divide is not the solution to the real problem. I encourage everyone to speak up and say what they really feel. Screw the cancel culture. It’s time to stand up. And as far as the fish go, we all know the real issue is out at sea. Not in the river.

  12. “A white man married to a Native woman would not be able to subsistence hunt, but his wife could.”…..what about their child, or the grandchildren if the child marries a “white” person? Who is determining the amount of blood they need to have to qualify?

    This is just pure racism and disgusting but I’m sure we’ll see plenty of support for it because pandering is how this country is run.

    Also, I love how these people go between skin color and ethnicity when it serves their purposes because the truth is that I know a lot of native people who look pretty white until they need to exploit the system. And it’s extremely racist to label all white skinned people as one race….but it’s so much easier to do that when you need to unite “your” people.

  13. They have the perfect native rights advocate spearheading the campaign to take back what is rightfully theirs (and hers) Selected to the house of Reps earning close to a million in outside money to keep her in power.
    Now is the perfect time for Natives to gain some ground with hunting privileges as well as Quintillions of taxpayer dollars being squandered everywhere (for what starlink can do for a fraction of the cost)
    Its a win win situation as long as they can keep their champion in the ring.
    Go Mary Go!!!
    I guess the natives dont want to share their wild game with their blood brothers from Asia.
    I would rather see my property taxes go to someone besides Anchorage ASSembley members to squander. Lets give it to the D’naina since it is/was their land?

    • Bullsh*t, I’m the only one paying my property tax. It is not their land unless they are paying their taxes. I know Andy you are a Los Anchoragealino, but, don’t be talking about everyone else’s property taxes and how they should be spent. Your fault for living in town. I do agree Starlink is the future and the future is now. As for “giving to the d’naina”, I believe you all provide three hots and a cot for some of them in town. I’m for giving them back what is “rightfully theirs” IF they give up ALL twenty-first century items that includes Wellfare, AK kids care, PFDs, Electric assistance, HUD housing, etc.

      • Dont get your panties in a twist over a little sarcasm.
        We are on the same page.
        I pay property taxes in 3 boroughs AND the Anchorage muni where I do business
        My issue is with how the muni assembly pisses it away.
        I am not the “original” valley trash but have been labeled valley trash by others. Cheers

  14. 21st century Natives = Racists.
    .
    Without White men they would still be hunting porcupines with sticks and squating in the woods…….beating off mosquitoes.

  15. I’ve seen alot of natives bitching on social media that the moose population is low because of hunters. They must have conveniently forgot about the ice storm and the hard winter that took a heavy toll on the moose population 2 years ago. They never allow facts to get in the way of their hatred of white people.

  17. Here is what I see: another play to divide the people of Alaska. It does not matter what the topic is, if the evil globalists can get a dividing play in place they will do it. I think, while people should remain polite and respectful, we need to stand up to this idiotic move that is trying to remove all people’s rights to live where they want and to live off of the land. Whether you are an Alaska Native or not, we all need to stand up to the globalist attempts to divide us and we can do it legally, lawfully and respecfully.

  18. Let’s not leave any relevant topics unaddressed. How does AFN feel about private non-native land ownership in Alaska? Similar to subsistence rights, perhaps?

    • Who’s brainchild was this? Trace it back! Dammed stupid to keep driving that wedge deeper. What is a community? Huh, AFN? And if you can’t define that then shut your organization down permanently!

    • Read Theodor Seuss Geisel’s “The Sneetches”, and then figure out who (individual and/or group) is playing the role of Sylvester McMonkey McBean and using the left (useful idiots) to divide us.

    • Why are Covid Cultists so intent on taking away the rights, the jobs and the freedoms of good people who refuse to believe the lies and propaganda? Because Cultists enjoy abuse and control and they need victims to play that game and get their kicks.

      • Obsession: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling.

        You and your buddy are obsessed with covid, fanatical even. It’s over, move on.

        • It’s not over for all those who continue to suffer, and die, from the effects of the lockdowns, the needless denial of medical care, the lonely deaths of those isolated for no reason from their grieving families, and most of all, from the poisonous clot shots that YOU rabidly defended and advocated here in this forum countless times.

          No, Steve, the lies and crimes are NOT over. Nor are our memories of those who helped spread those lies for a sociopathic ruling class.

          • I’m sorry for all the trouble you’ve had with covid Jeff, if you ever need that hug feel free to reach out. Also I seem to remember some true believers saying that those who got the clot shot would all be dead in six months…then a year…then two years…then……

            Yep politicians screwed us all, that’s what they do. They screwed those who bit the hook hardest, and boy did you ever bite the hook.

            Covid is endemic, it’s done with, it is just called life from now on…just like the Spanish flu and the black plague. You live and you move on, or you become obsessed and fanatical. Life goes on, it’s beyond time for sane rational people to move on. Sorry I know it’s hard to tear the bandaid off so if you need two hugs now to help you get through it I understand.

  20. Another mask-off moment for AFN. But who are we kidding, they know what they are doing.

    Hopefully it serves to educate Whites into understanding that a colorblind society was always a fiction. A trope that racial activists like MLK Jr. sold gullible White moderates since the beginning. Racial ‘awareness’ was only ever intended to work in one direction, when it benefits the left. Keep going down this path and White Americans are guaranteed to end up marginalized in their own homeland, similar to the plight of Afrikaaners today.

    Republican Inc. isn’t doing us any favors by continuing to virtue signal and push this 60’s era fiction to avoid the ‘RAAACIST’ label – while unilaterally disarming our side on the topic.

  21. Pass the resolution, Big deal, it means nothing. Maybe this will finally go to the US Supreme Court. The very idea is blatantly unconstitutional. So is rural preference. The entire tier 2 system should be challenged and defeated in court. If the Native Corporations were interested in actually enhancing opportunities for their constituents they would do some aggressive wildlife management on their corporation lands. Habitat enhancements, predator reduction, etc. They have huge tracts of land that they already have a right to limit access to. They have NO right to claim exclusive access to state and federal lands. This is a political statement to stir up the ignorant activist perpetual victim class.

  22. This racist war called “subsistence” will never go away until we simply shut it down every time they bring it up again.

  23. Hard to imagine any of this well-upholstered lot forsaking warm offices, comforts of home for the rigors of subsistence hunting.
    .
    Perhaps more to the point, in MRAK’s “AFN’s missing speakers and sponsors”, we find: “The top sponsor for AFN’s convention this year is the group that brought open primaries and ranked choice voting to Alaska: Alaskans for Better Elections. AFN has a resolution supporting that new voting system that went into effect in 2022”:
    .
    (mustreadalaska.com/afns-missing-speakers-and-sponsors/)
    .
    Why would “Alaskans for Better Elections” sponsors who never gave a damn until now about Native-only subsistence, buy top sponsorship, maybe majority ownership, of AFN if not to manipulate AFN into doing public-relations work for “Alaskans for Better Elections”?
    .
    Why would “Alaskans for Better Elections” want a public-relations wing in the Native community if not to help flip, perhaps permanently, Alaska’s congressional delegation to all-Democrat?
    .
    Remember Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby? Suppose “Alaskans for Better Elections” strategists realized Native-only subsistence might be the Tar Baby which Alaska’s GOP senators’ll never touch because they know they’ll be stuck on record arguing for something their sponsors don’t want, something they know won’t end well in congress or courts
    .
    … while Alaska’s lone Democrat rep will be seen (and heard) rousing AFN supporters (and voters), fighting passionately for Native-only subsistence, Mary’s Law, standing courageously against a clearly hostile non-Native congress.
    .
    The optics… care to imagine what “Alaskans for Better Elections” strategists can do with such magnificent optics?

    • The unfortunate facts for rural Alaskan voters is that they know without Democrats championing everlasting welfare life in the villages is not tenable. The unfortunate part is that the Democrats do not support the resource extraction that is the backbone of the real economy for all Alaskans. I would hazard a guess that over 90 percent of Democrats in the lower 48 AND Hawaii, do not support hunting for any reason and certainly don’t understand hunting. They would not support snowmachines, ATVs, etc. They don’t support the right to firearms. The reality is that the Democrat Party is at odds with the core values of Native and really, Alaskan lifestyles and the Alaskan priorities are drowned in the wokester, leftist part of the Party. NYC ALONE has at least 10 times more Democrat voters than all of Alaska. The Native coalition would be wise to support more conservative Republicans who promote energy production, mineral extraction, wise development of resources and infrastructure. They support hunting and fishing and gun ownership and individual liberties. Those values are shared by the vast majority of conservatives in the lower 48 as well. They would have congressional support from Florida to Idaho to Nevada to New Hampshire. They have NO Democratic support south of Ketchikan. Peltola’s voting record confirms that.

      • Good points!
        .
        Could this be just as accurate: The unfortunate facts for urban neighborhood voters is that they know without Democrats championing everlasting welfare, life in their ‘hoods is not tenable.
        .
        If so, maybe this means rural Alaskan voters and their urban counterparts are both stuck on Democrat life support because they’ve been indoctrinated through generations that disconnecting from Democrat life support won’t end well for them.
        .
        The same Democrats seem opposed anything which promotes self-sufficiency in rural or urban lifestyles arguably because confident, successful, self-sufficient, people are damned difficult to control, indoctrinate, and tax into submission.
        .
        But the same Lower 48 Democrats tolerate the existence of semi-autonomous tribal regions and urban no-go zones, which even cops don’t enter without heavily armed back up… maybe rural Alaskan voters are taking a lesson from this?
        .
        Not surprising the Democrat Party is at odds with core values of Native lifestyles. After all, aren’t Native borders, languages, and cultures defined by Native core values? But wait, aren’t borders, language, and culture defined by American core values under Democrat attack everywhere in America? Why should Alaska Natives be exempt from the Democrat Cultural Revolution?
        .
        So… back to the AFN circus; what would you do if hell froze over and you accidentally got elected AFN President? No right or wrong answer, just curious.

  24. I commented on this earlier, but it was never posted, so I’ll try again. The state does not, repeat, does NOT have a rural subsistence priority.

    Title VIII of ANILCA is what created the rural subsistence priority on federal public lands in the state. The state lost management of subsistence on these federal lands about 1990, specifically, because there is no provision in the state constitution, allowing for a rural preference.

    • It isn’t constitutional either in the Alaska or federal constitution. Discrimination is not allowed for any reason.
      The market really takes care of this anyway. Why would a person from Anchorage or Fairbanks pay money or travel great distances where the abundance of game does not support a decent prospect of harvest success. The relative abundance of game is variable based on habitat, and animal predation, bears and wolves. All the energy placed in this unconstitutional argument would be better served placing some pressure on state bureaucracies who are SUPPOSED to be managing for, really consumptive uses, that IS in the constitution. Fires help rejuvenate moose habitat, logging creates clearcut feeding opportunities for deer and elk in SE AK. Wolves depress ungulate populations where ever there is a growing wolf population and bears are a significant downward pressure on Moose calves everywhere and especially in the Nelchina basin.
      People should ask themselves this question. Why would someone spend over 2 thousand dollars to hunt in an area where the desired species is depressed and the chance of success is low?

  25. This article was written, specifically to stir up the pot and generate the kind of ignorant comments you now see on here.

          • The fact that this article claims that the State has a rural subsistence priority, which it doesn’t. There is a federal rural priority which comes from Title VIII of ANILCA, not from the Alaska Constitution. To miss this point is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts.

            The State lost management of subsistence on federal lands in 1989 after the State Supreme Court ruled on the McDowell decision. I know many on here, like Jefferson, are unconcerned about reality, especially when it conflicts with how they want reality to be, but facts are facts.

  26. Then I want to keep any non working self supporting native from coming into any city in Alaska. They want their rights then no support for the misfits sent to anchorage as they were kicked out of the village.

  27. Pretty safe bet that the “Looking out for all Alaskans” Peltola would vote in favor of this if she had the chance…AFN telling us that they’re racist without actually saying “We’re racist”…

  28. How about Subsistance Hunting all has to be done by muscle power only and without metal, glass, or plastic in any of the tools used.
    Those wishing to use modern tools and equipment would have to join the permit process. Genealogy should not be a factor.

  31. Article 8, Section 2 of the Alaska Constitution states “The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people.”

    The problem is that the State HASN’T done that in the case of fisheries. They did a pretty good job until about 15 years ago with Oil and Gas, which the benefit to the “people” is the Permanent Fund and the dividend (until they taxed most of the oil companies out of the state, but that’s another discussion). They have never managed the fisheries “for the maximum benefit of the people”. It’s been managed for the benefit of the commercial fleet, most of which is based out of Ballard (Seattle).

    If they bias more escapement to support the sport/subsistence fishery, then we probably would never have this problem. That hasn’t happened for years, but things gotta change soon in Juneau, or we will go back to the days where we were essentially a colony of Seattle and DC, which is exactly what the Statehood compact and the Alaska Constitution were written to avoid.

    • The state has let the money players take control of the fish and wildlife. Case in point is the commercial fisheries and the lack of fish. Where are the environmentalist now as the fish stocks have been depleted by overfishing, dragging by catch and too many out of state fishing fleets.

  32. I always sport hunted and fished in the bush. Living off the land is the same thing. I know folks that run down wolves on snowgos and shoot them with AR rifles. I know a guy that killed a Grey whale and let it go to waste. Feeding your family or village is one thing. This won’t pass.

  33. How many Moose did Mary’s husband fly out before his mishap. I say look in your own backyard before complaining about no moose.

  34. Even if it passes through AFN, how will it get passed through the Alaska’s governor’s office, judicial, legislature, congress, senate, the president, and finally the supreme courts.
    I can’t see this is possible its a fantasy. Eventually a little old non native man and little old native woman of 70 who always lived in Rural Alaska will take it to court and the Supreme Court will vote it unconstitutional.

  36. Divide and conquer. How obvious.
    Why not white only?
    Because we are all Alaskans, Americans, Humans that are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.

  37. I have 36 years on the YK Delta, 27 in Bethel and the last 9 in Quinhagak.

    First, AVCP is nothing more than a grant managing agency. Set up by Senator Stevens decades ago to eliminate duplication of oversight jobs between AVCP and the Villages.

    AVCP believes their own lies that they are more than what they legally are. Which is they most certainly not a policy forming government body.

    Last I checked, they were paying more than $160,000 for department heads and over $230,000 for the President of AVCP.

    Now bear in mind, they’re supposed to be working for the people in a grant funded world, that in my opinion should pay considerably less than their counterparts in the real world of business, that work and compete not just be totally dependent on leaching off the American tax payers.

    Funny how the bunch that supported the “Bethel Gag A Maggot Tour” this spring, which is the First Lady Bidens ” inclusiveness agenda”, now wants to exclude the tax payers that pay 100% of their salaries. Plus fund food stamps, fuel , electricity, free health care, ect.

    P. S. The taxpayers just paid for AVCP’s airfare, lodging, car rentals and food and drinks… Vivian Korthius, sit down and choke on your $230,000, or whatever your overpaid salary is.

  38. ANSCA transferred roughly 44,000,000 acres of land to Native Corporations, more than 10% of Alaska’s land. Many, if not most of these corporations do not allow people (including other natives) from outside their corporation to use their lands, some allow “trespass permits” for a fee. These corporations do not own the fish and game upon their lands but by locking out any outsiders (including other natives) they can, and do, control the access to the fish and game on their lands. For comparison all other private land holders combined hold title to less than 1% of Alaskan lands.

    • Bing-o! Steve-O.
      The only thing you missed is that the constitution does not allow discriminatory use of federal resources for any reason or based on any factor. All federal lands are constitutionally open to the use of all Americans regardless of race, ethnicity, religion (or residence location).
      There is NOTHING wrong with a land owner restricting access to anyone they choose based on ANY reason or no reason at all. A point that is often missed for cake bakers.
      Native corporations would be wise to send a few kids to wildlife management programs and develop a plan to enhance wildlife habitat and manage predators to increase the ungulate population and fisheries returns as well. Then manage that ungulate population for the benefit of their members. That would solve the issue in as much as the cyclic population swings can be managed, weather and wolves and bears are more of a limiting factor than a few hundred hunters that live in Anchorage or Fairbanks and can afford 2 to 5 thousand dollars to fly out for moose or caribou. Note: This state allows unrestricted numbers of out of state hunters for every species. This is the ONLY state that does that. This benefits only Air Charter companies and guides, many of who live in other states. There is some positive economic benefit for a couple days of hotel stays and commercial air carriers.

  40. This is nothing more than an attempt at the usual democrat “Identity Politics.” Instead of realizing that any rural resident is entitled to subsistence those democrat woke people presently in charge of AFN would attempt to drive a stake between Alaskan natives and Alaskan non-natives. All are Alaskans. The state constitution is correct that all people are equal. Let’s get back to respecting one another and learning from one another.

  41. This is too easy to get around. All anyone has to do is identify as native.

    Prove I’m not native you racist.

    • My tribe has a roll. You must prove your degree down to 1/8. In Alaska, you can have red haired kids with blue eyes and a Scandinavian last name and be speaker of the house. Go figure.

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