BLAMES ‘RIGHTWING BLOGGER’
Mayoral candidate and Assembly member Forrest Dunbar tried to explain his remarks made on the record in June, when he said that the U.S. Constitution is “shot through” with racism.
He blamed Must Read Alaska for misquoting him when he had said: “What becomes inescapable when you read it is how shot through every portion of our constitutional law is with race when it comes to the three-fifths compromise, the way the Senate was apportioned in Congress, the Electoral College,” Dunbar said during a recent Assembly meeting.
“The fact is, that at that time, if you weren’t a white, landholding man, you were systematically excluded from those conversations. And we are still dealing with that legacy today,” he said.
“All of it. All of it was tied to race,” Dunbar said, before adding that the CARES Act money that the municipality received and the alcohol tax money that was just approved by voters is something the city can use to promote equity.
“We have this unique pot of money from the CARES Act, and we have another pot of money coming from the alcohol tax, and we have the ability to spend it in such a way where we can promote equity, and where we can materially improve the lives of the people of this city, and we can hopefully set up our economy to function long into the future,” Dunbar said.
On the Fourth of July weekend, Dunbar, a leading candidate for Anchorage mayor, tried to explain his views on his Facebook page, after his superiors at the Army National Guard evidently caught wind of his damning of the Constitution that he is sworn to uphold.
“During my remarks I pointed to the historical fact that at the time of the Constitution’s drafting our Founders were grappling with issues of race and slavery. As they tried to forge a new nation they had to repeatedly make concessions to slaveholders and slaveholding states, including the Fugitive Slave Clause and a prohibition on the abolition of the importation of slaves until 1808. But it went even deeper than that; seemingly race-neutral provisions like the Electoral College and the apportionment of Congressional seats were tied to the Census and how slaves were to be counted. Thus, of course, the notorious ‘3/5 Compromise.'”
Then, Dunbar went on to shift the blame and accuse Must Read Alaska of misquoting him.
“The next day, a rightwing blogger seized on my remarks, lied about what I said (literally in her headline), and published it to her blog/email list. Subsequently, some of her fans have apparently been calling the National Guard, where I serve as an officer, and asking how I can swear an oath to defend the US Constitution when I also acknowledge the complicated legacy of the document. I can only hope that my fellow Soldiers won’t be taken in by her lies or spread her hateful rhetoric, but it’s all pretty disappointing (though not surprising, in the case of the blogger).”
Must Read Alaska had published the video clip on YouTube, which can be seen here:
Dunbar gave his remarks more historical context as he then described how the Constitution has been amended and improved several times, but that the improvements have been “subverted by legislation at various times” particularly at the state level. The then explains that the Constitution today is more acceptable than it was when it was created, and acknowledges that he is sworn to uphold it:
“Again, my actual remarks do not say what she claims, but there are a couple of fairly obvious points even if they did: in the intervening years since the Founding of the nation the Constitution has been amended many times. The most important changes occurred immediately after the Civil War, in what some call the “Second Founding,” when we adopting the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. These reforms abolished slavery, established Due Process in the states and Equal Protection under the law, and forbade restrictions on voting based on race. Of course, all of these have been subverted by legislation at various times (especially at the state level), but the fact remains that our Constitution is significantly more progressive now than in its 18th Century form. In fact, one of the original geniuses of the document was exactly that ability to be amended, so that specific provisions like the Fugitive Slave Clause are now dead letter. It is this amended Constitution, a living document supplemented by monumental laws like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act (which must be renewed, following the “Shelby” decision), that I have sworn to uphold and defend, as well as the Constitution of the State of Alaska and the Charter of the Municipality of Anchorage,” Dunbar wrote on Facebook.
“No document written by human beings is perfect. All of our laws are creations of people, and like all people are fallible. Fortunately, our laws can be changed, and hopefully changed for the better. Our nation has come a long way, but there is still much work left to be done. Ignoring our history or denying our shortcomings in the present will not bring us closer to that “more perfect Union” we seek. Like many of you, I have sworn an oath to, as the Preamble to the US Constitution states, “provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” I look forward to doing so again, because I believe this is a nation where change is possible, and where those blessings can be more equitably shared with people who have historically been cast aside.”
Guy stuck his foot in his mouth testing the liberal waters, then blames our girl for slander. It figures. Lame.
What does the Bible say about speaking out of both sides if your mouth? That is what Dunbar is doing now. Now that he has been called out he is back tracking. I hope the people of Anchorage avoid this person like the plague in the coming election.
Pretty rich ,the part about upholding the Muni Charter when the Assembly has circumvented it numerous times in regards to super majority votes.
SD wasn’t lying. She was quoting! Spin miester.
Nice try, Forrest.
He got caught with is pants around his ankles and now is trying to wighle them back up. After I served 23 years in the Active Army his Superiors in the NG should issue a formal letter of Reprimand and make this a Public View. We can not have any soldier disparaging the very Document we swear to iphold which he clearly does not understand. GOD HELP us if the Citizens of Anchorage don’t wake up and kick him to the Curb.
As a property taxpayer, I am pretty tired of the municipality Assembly and Mayor blowing millions on people that contribute not one thing to the society but I can’t get a manhole on Jade street fixed. This is a load of —-, marginalizing all the people paying the bill and then using the “equality” argument. I have a news flash. People aren’t “equal” in our society because some people have more talent or try harder or work harder. Everybody has an “equal” chance to be what they want to be but it will require work or talent or sacrifice, or all of that, to be successful. And that is not a guarantee, it is a chance. This BS of throwing my money at a “problem” that is a fake narrative is wrong and definitely unfair to me.
Forest Dunbar is a deeply flawed Candidate and must not be elected the Anchorage Mayor…or any further public office…..he has done far to much damage already….
This person appears to try to talk his way out of the mess he created for himself by suggesting that he is somehow a deep Constitutional scholar. He obfuscates and fails to directly address whether he thinks the United States Constitution is fundamentally and irredeemably flawed as conceived. To be clear: His initially remarks, as accurately recounted on these pages say EXACTLY that.
Mr. Dunbar makes things worse for himself. Previously, we understood him to be a disloyal officer. Now we can also see that he lacks the honor to admit it.
“A right wing blogger” (read: the only honest journalist in Alaska)
Typical leftist word salad nonsense, response/apology. I didn’t say what I said even though I said it in a public setting and it was recorded for all to hear. Meanwhile leftists like this guy are accusing others of gaslighting. This is yet another example of how they think of the general populace, they think we are all idiots who cannot think for ourselves or even understand the words they use.
These people are insane, and love revisionist history. The 3/5 compromise was designed to take representation in government away from slave holders. The slave holders wanted it both ways, to own slaves and count them to gain more representation in government. The framers could not immediately abolish slavery for fear of a civil war with foreign aid, destroying the new country in its early beginnings that they had fought so hard for. Instead they took the approach of weening the country from slavery by taxing the importation of slaves making it unprofitable. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, but also denounced slavery calling it a “moral depravity” and a “hideous blot” and believed that in order for this country to survive everybody in it had to be free.
The general welfare clause has also been bastardized by politicians. The clause was in reference to taxing for defense purposes, not charity. This bastardization has effectively ruined State sovereignty making State politicians beholden to the federal government for federal money. It has also grown the federal government far beyond the framers’ vision, and they warned that we would see endless wars if this happened, and government interference with every facet of life.
The Constitution is NOT a living document in the sense that it has not been altered, so much as added to, to expand rights, or deal with government structure, with amendments, aside from Prohibition. Please people, study our real history so that you can fight against this kind of false narrative!
Amen!
3 months with no public schools doesn’t seem to have harmed us. Let’s try for a full year. From there we will see that we can certainly cut its budget by huge dollar amounts.
Ah, “Suzanne’s Blog.” And all the while you quote him verbatim paragraph after paragraph with video evidence too. Everyone has some bias. But you, Suzanne, have been beyond fair “blog” after “blog.”
Your digital news only gets better and amounts to much more than a blog, unless someone’s feelings are hurt. Then, you might be Hitler, as today’s rhetoric goes!
Spoken like a true rat. Get caught in a lie then blame someone else. Always someone else’s fault. Apparently just a little too far left to get reelected.
Between Dunbar and Rivera, it’s obvious the borough has violated laws on anti racism, etc. Some federal agency should investigate the Boroughs hiring and employment policies!
Seems like there is a division that deals with stuff like that and there was a dust up about a sticker not long ago…
As if CARES or alcohol tax money has anything to do with his interpretation of “equity”. This clown is the perfect example of the problem. He is “serving” simply to gain access to the resources of others in order to play his games. To make it worse, he goes as far as to condemn the foundations of the system he is gaming as if he’s the cure. Dump this chump.
Run Forrest! Run!
As everyone mentions every day, eventually this federal largesse will end in Alaska. We will then learn that Alaska has a very unproductive and tiny economy; too small to support 730,000 consumers, and probably too small to meet legacy obligations of transfer payments to public retirees, incarcerated people, and people who choose to not work.
Lt. Dunbar drives his military Commanders nuts by his radical leftist fascism. If Lt. Dunbar is elected Mayor of Anchorage he will be a 1000 time worse than Mayor B.
Congratulations, Madam Editor, it would appear you hit the journalistic equivalent of a hole in one.
.
Not once, but twice… and, like a true artist, made it look easy.
.
Well done.
If I were his CO his next post would be from “somewhere in Afghanistan.”
Serving in a dangerous forward area is an honor and a responsibility. I would assign him a windowless office with faulty air conditioning at a base in Texas. With nothing at all to do.
Amen brother
Yay! Suzanne hit a nerve! Haha!
Suzanne is the best!!
What a whiny little girl. Cheers –
He has transformed into Forrest DUMPSTERFIRE.
The simple truth is… most of our founders were opposed to slavery, Forrest… it was the South Carolina delegates that muddied up the water during the debates. Jefferson, although absent from the Constitutional Convention called Slavery a ” Firebell in the Night”, George Mason lamented what would become of his 200 slaves? In the end the group was able to sunset IMPORTATION of slaves in 1808. Again the boys from ‘ Carolina played their cards well. One needs to read Madison, the debates therein were amazing.
But stupid Forest is too narrow minded for the truth.
Oh, BTY my Grandfather was a serf on the Hapsburg Platation, seems lots of us have the slavery stigma to contend with…
Reading James Madison is prohibited in today’s “woke” culture: Wrong ethnicity, wrong gender, etc. Plus he had a first-rate mind and was a magnificent political philosopher. None of those things are allowed or valued today.
Its time the military investigates Dunbar for UCMJ violations. He has become an embarrassment to the Guard.
I called this some time back that the CARES act is simply a redistribution of wealth scheme. Dunbar called it that himself.
Anyone who is an enemy of our Constitution is an enemy of our country. Forrest Dunbar is a pathetic example of the enemy within our great Republic. He is a pathological anarchist.
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