By LEIGH SLOAN
I, like you, would love to live a world that is free of hate, bigotry, violence, and oppression. It is a vision of what Thomas Sowell calls “cosmic justice.” It is what adherents to religion take hope in that their God or beliefs will lead them to. It is that sense of the way things should be.
It is normal for human beings to seek cosmic justice that satisfies the soul in addition to the rule of law. However, when government gets in the business of enforcing cosmic justice, things can go terribly wrong.
On Tuesday night the Anchorage Assembly introduced and passed a resolution the members believe will promote “civil discourse.” Let’s look at a few of some of the loaded terms that are peppered throughout the document. You may read it in its entirety here.
Hate speech most often refers to any speech that disparages a social group or member of that group. Hate is attached to a person’s inner motive. One could wonder why we don’t use the term “disparaging speech.” Even though the term “disparaging” is subjective, it does a better job of pointing to the actual speech of the person rather than inserting itself into the person’s inner workings.
The term “hate” elevates the severity of the offender and effectively labels a person a “hater.” When the state of someone’s inner motives is being judged not by the speaker, but by the hearers, whoever has the most power gets to decide that person’s label. When we begin judging hate, we elevate ourselves as a judge and jury to shame the “offender.”
Assembly Member Meg Zaletel wanted to make it clear that this is not a law with teeth. It is merely a “resolution.” So, is not yet about creating legal consequences.
Instead, it is an effort to shame those who do not internally ascribe to the values or loaded language held within. Once legislators shift from a focus on the concrete actions of constituents into judging our heart motives and values, our relationship with our government lacks protective boundaries.
Extremist: Whether or not someone is deemed extreme is subjectively based upon the opinions of the rest of the general population. What was labeled “extreme” in 1950 could be (and is often) commonplace today. The label of “extremism” is always based on the norms of the society around us— a moving target.
Was it extreme of Rosa Parks to refuse to be seated where people of color had been accustomed to sitting? It was extreme for that time, which was why she became famous for it. But most of us agree that we are thankful for her “extremist” stance.
Once upon a time, our country’s elected officials tried to stamp out “extremist” communists through McCarthyism. It was not our proudest moment as a nation— not one I’d care to repeat.
Conspiracy Theories can be a problem and can sometimes spread more fear than necessary. However, some conspiracies are more than theories— they become true. The right to pursue a conspiracy theory is worth any risk it there may be to be deceived by it. It’s the right (and sometimes even duty) of any journalist to pursue conspiracies that have evidence attached, to find out whether or not they are justified.
Corruption in the Nixon administration, for example, was a conspiracy until it was found to be true. Calling something a conspiracy seeks to de-legitimize it. It is for each thinking adult to judge for ourselves.
Misinformation is simply defined as false information. The problem comes when the government or government officials become the gatekeepers for what is true and what is false. That is why we have freedom of the press.
We cannot rely on the people with the power to be the sole arbiters of truth. In fact, the people with the power have a greater incentive to obscure the truth when much can be lost as a result of truth coming to the surface. We cannot stamp out “misinformation” without also forfeiting our freedom to think for ourselves. While it may be true that without “misinformation” we could enjoy a much more obedient population like communist China, it is not a goal most of us Anchorage residents aspire to.
This resolution pays lip service to “freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the free exercise of religion.” In the same breath, it expresses to the political minority of Anchorage that those with differing political views are not welcome here.
It ends with an impassioned plea for Anchorage residents to “join us by adopting these values into their own lives, calling attention to these harms, denouncing hate and extremism, and committing to the resolution of political disputes through and active peaceful civil discourse…”
Yes, peaceful civil discourse is what we want, but this resolution creates more of an obstacle to civil discourse than a bridge.
The language elevates the Assembly to arbiters of cosmic justice—not in the job description of Anchorage Assembly members, last I checked. Their job as civil servants is to help do things like keep our streets clean, manage a reasonable budget, and maintain public safety.
We plead with the Anchorage Assembly majority to stop the lectures, stop the sermons, and stop the condescension. It’s not helping. The cherry on top of the night, which Assemblyman Kevin Cross so aptly spoke to, was the fact that while discussing a resolution to encourage civil discourse, the Assembly majority allowed ZERO public discourse.
I hope you respond with your own personal resolution to not be discouraged or deterred, but to step up to amplify your voice in Anchorage like never before. Write public testimony, speak at public meetings, write letters to editors, and use your freedom of speech peaceably but firmly before you turn around and discover that it has vanished.
Leigh Sloan is the host of Brave Nation podcast, available at Apple podcasts. The Brave Nation movement pursues courage and wisdom to enact cultural reform in every sphere of influence.
You can plead with them all you wish. It’s pointless. This is the government Anchorage wants and deserves.
They have no need or intention of listening to you or giving a damn about your concerns.
You just had an election, you voted these junior level fascists in, and now you’re unhappy they are doing exactly what they’ve been doing?
This is a classic exercise in the old axiom of insanity. You, citizens of Anchorage, voted them in-again and again- then expect them to do something different?
This is delusional.
Spot on.
I don’t Plead with anyone do not like what I say turn and walk away. The Assembly will feel the wraith in due time.
I agree wholeheartedly with you on this MA, with the exception of them having been voted in legitimately. While there are many ways to manipulate a vote count, the computer aided vote tabulator methodology has been available and in effect for at least two decades. It would be foolish to believe that those who seek to achieve their ends by any means necessary, including to lie, cheat, and steal – would do otherwise. Given the opportunity, there is no way they can resist. Imagine how much easier it is to rig the vote counting when hardly anyone participates. Imagine that they weren’t striving to keep their ‘skills’ sharp. Unless the potential for that to occur is entirely eliminated, it will occur.
You quite literally cannot vote your way out of communism.
Take a hard look at the districts these people come from. They don’t have to resort to any sort of cheating when they outnumber you 3-1.
I didn’t vote them in. I wanted different people on the Assembly. You don’t speak for me. Do you live here? If you do then keep talking, if not stop. I refuse to move from Anchorage. I will vote, pray and keep battling.
Newsflash. Assuming you actually voted, you’re not the only one who did.
Far more people voted for this mess than against it. Repeatedly.
Clearly I don’t speak for you. I wouldn’t let you say something this stupid if I did.
Again, the Avenger is correct. What part of this resolution was surprising? They ran the table this past election and now they’re gloating in it by proposing a resolution that dares anyone at the mic to utter any dissenting comments lest they be cut off. They’re laughing their as-es off.
Hate can be a spiritual vaccine. If you hate what is bad you vaccinate yourself from elements and practices that may harm you or your conscience. Say you love family and maturing and being effective in investing in and creating your own healthy family. Say you live in a community whose favorite hobby is getting falling down drunk each happy hour. The raucuses associated with the community hobby of getting drunk and liberally misspending funds, waking up with strangers who do strange things becomes unfun for you. Gradually you begin to hate these activities but your neighbors thoroughly enjoy each other’s toxic stumbles and confusions of “love”. Isn’t one innoculated somewhat from the over drinking hobby of the entire town by this hatred of what is bad? In this application one may be innoculated from the snares laid so carefully by cunning drinking hobbyists. Can’t you see however that regular toxic drinking lifestyles could become hateable and an innoculates one from the many snares associated with that hobby? Of course the drinking hobbyists will seek to lay snares for souls, play switch partners and what have you but a good strong love for family and hatred for the drinking alcohol hobby could be a real innoculation for this and all it brings. Only a spiritual kindergartener would suggest all hatred of bad things is too healthy to be endured or endorsed. No I will not join you in hating what is good and saying it is bad in well modulated spiritual baby talk. No thanks.
It is so key to observe that many of the assembly’s resolutions put them in the seat of judge and jury, deciding motive, heart condition, and what is true and false about any speaker who doth come forth to share. Instead, each speaker will have to be careful too not offend “the gods” lest their wrath of cancellation reign down.
Some freedom of speech, wrapped in a hubris resolution. And they may not even see it themselves.
Good points, Leigh.
Who was the judge and jury that decided to turn the Fluoride off (illegal)?
I feel the assembly says hateful things about me. I don’t like and an fearful of their speech related to my beliefs. Can I sensor or sue them?
You lost me at using a religious concept to govern.
Look again at the first amendment Leigh. Especially as you want to enact cultural reform in every sphere of influence.
The Assembly just hates that they have to listen to people who might disagree with them. It gets in they way of them voting to spend your tax dollars on stuff that benefits everyone but the taxpayers.
Ahhhh Anchorage. This is what you get for not voting. You guys are sure turning out some liberal nut jobs on your assembly and in the state house.
Time for people to use their 3 minutes or whatever in assembly meetings and make sure to identify some “hate speech” coming from the majority. Demand they silence themselves. Just a thought.
The assembly is working on an agenda of their own making to distribute as much wealth as possible into the coffers of their “non profit” organizations and to make the taxpayer as remote as possible from this process. I have never watched a political body act with such impunity en masse to marginalize the taxpayer while blatantly stealing what was extorted from the taxpayer to enrich a small group of people. Using the “homeless” excuse has gotten old as most of us have watched the whole problem explode in concert with the spending, which is the goal of those that are using it to continue milking the property owner of ever higher taxes.
If people would put their money where their mouths are and actually go VOTE!!!! so many people are lazy. They can’t take the time to go VOTE. Talk is cheap! If you don’t go out and vote, then shut up.
Not putting”teeth” in it dodges legal repercussions
Excellent article written by a very thoughtful caring individual with the education and intellect all members of the Assembly should possess but unfortunately that is obviously not what is present with this time spent on preventive measures that need to be in place in the event of angry public outcry. Which is expected when citizens voices are purposely squashed by tyrants with the power to rule as they wish regardless of the impact on the citizens who have to pay for and live with the dangers created by their decisions. They absolutely must silence the people who disagree with their plan in “their” democracy. Just shut the hell up and pay for it. We dont have time to listen to those who disagree. Does anyone remember hearing Kameron Perez Verdia snoring while attending remotely during the all important public testimony during the “covid emergency”? I remember it like it was yesterday because of the way it made me feel like such a small and insignificant citizen in a community that I used to be a proud member of but because of their lack of respect for EVERYBODY sadly I no longer feel that way.
What good is any attempt at discourse with those people? Can anyone point to any edible fruit ripened on the Tree of Discourse with the Anchorage Left?
And where were the heated denunciations of this hateful, tyrannical and egregiously unconstitutional power grab by the municipal ass-embly by the supposedly non-radical-leftist representatives Kevin Cross and Randy Sulte?
.
As a Chugiak resident, I am disappointed in Kevin Cross in particular, as so far he has been little more than a limp noodle in opposition to the Marxist Nine/Ten, in contrast to Jamie Allard, who pulled no punches in calling them out on their power-grabs, suppression of dissent, outright lies and manifest malfeasance.
Reading some of the responses here reminds me of the Kevin Bacon scene in Animal House.
He’s throwing a tantrum insisting “all is well” while Faber riots around him.
This is representative of a good portion of people. Insisting, against evidence, Anchorage is conservative and all this is some sort of voter fraud aberration.
Face reality.
-Anchorage is deep blue
-Alaska is light blue, getting darker daily
-elections aren’t being stolen, they’re being lost.
-the GOP is beyond useless from Dunleavy down.
-conservative voters are too lazy to bother to vote and get involved in the process
Deal with it.
Thanks again Leigh but unfortunately christian values gets in the way of the iron fisted rulers.
Andy-look again at the first amendment.
Don’t lose focus on the main work in anchorage neighborhoods over something trival, which can change. Tonight
There is community council meeting for huffman area.
So if a woman addresses the Assembly that she fears for her and/or her daughter’s safety due to a trans-female (biologicall male) in a public restroom or locker room at a local pool and, is passionate to the point of inciting any member of said Assembly to lay down the “hate speech” hammer and shut off her mic… are they (the Assembly) guilty of violating their own resolution by muzzling a female? Because on Page 3 Section 5 of said resolution, being misogynist isn’t tolerated either. It’s a typical leftist circular firing squad in that they dig deep to find a problem for their solution. Duh.
Leslie Sloan’s column was well written. Anchorage is my home and I vote, provide public written and in-person testimony to state, assembly, and community council. Attending in person assembly meetings is unique civic lesson when you witness the assembly members’ narcissism and theatrics. The exception was Ms. Jamie Allard, the only assembly representative who cared to listen to the community members who spoke at the podium or phone. I know I am of the silent minority who vote gets canceled or not counted due to mail in ballots. In conclusion, it is my hope more of the legislative representatives will follow acting mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson into retirement from public office.
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