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Chair LaFrance intends to take legal action against mayor, plans to hire law firm to sue over separation of powers issues

Suzanne Downing
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Chair LaFrance intends to take legal action against mayor, plans to hire law firm to sue over separation of powers issues

Anchorage Assembly Chairwoman Suzanne LaFrance is proposing that the Assembly hire outside legal counsel to fight Mayor Dave Bronson on issues relating to separation of powers.

She will introduce a memorandum at the Oct. 12 meeting to spend $50,000 of taxpayer dollars to hire Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot to provide legal counsel to the Assembly regarding how “the new Mayor’s Administration organizes and implements operations, administrative and policy changes.”

LaFrance said in the memorandum the Assembly will vote on that “Members of the Administration have exacerbated some disputes over legislative and executive branch functions and authority.”

The contract with BHBC must be approved by the Assembly.

In recent weeks, the Assembly has attempted to subvert the authority of the mayor. It is considering an ordinance that would block the executive branch’s ability to oversee “overall municipal administrative policy, public safety, and operations” of the city, as provided by the Municipal charter.

In AO 2021-90, the Assembly majority seeks to take control of its own meeting space, which is currently governed by the Mayor’s Office. The Assembly majority wants to limit the members of the public that are allowed in the room, and force them to wear masks, but first must pass an ordinance giving itself that authority.

In another ordinance the majority is considering, AO 2021-92, the Assembly seeks to force the mayor to submit his appointees for confirmation immediately, so they may not remain in an acting position for several weeks before being confirmed or voted down.

At a recent meeting, a member of the Mayor’s staff removed the Plexiglas barricade that the Assembly has forced the public to stand behind when they speak to their representatives.

In previous meeting, Chairwoman LaFrance attempted to force Mayor Dave Bronson to sit in a seat not guarded by bulletproof lining, as the rest of the Assembly would continue to have, and she placed the nameplate of Assemblyman Forrest Dunbar in the mayor’s traditional spot. Dunbar lost to Bronson in the April election and May runoff.

Recent meetings have been filled with opposition to the Assembly majority and LaFrance has lost control of the meetings.

Tonight’s meeting may be hectic, as several groups associated with Black Lives Matter and other Anchorage socialist organizations have organized to attend and protest against what they see as “hate” among those who are objecting to the universal mask law, which the Assembly is likely to pass tonight on an emergency vote.

The emergence of the groups supporting the mask law have has shown up on social media, where they are organizing a confrontation and plan to be at the Loussac Library by 4:30 pm, as the meeting starts at 5 pm.

U.S. task force reverses itself: Low-dose aspirin can do more harm than good

Suzanne Downing
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54
U.S. task force reverses itself: Low-dose aspirin can do more harm than good

One of the most well-established and prescribed preventative medications for aging adults at risk of cardiovascular disease is likely to do more harm than good, according to an independent task force.

For decades, baby aspirin has been considered a safe and effective prophylactic for older adults. Such is the state of settled science and the finding is sure to be of interest in an era where a brand-new Covid vaccine is being forced on millions of Americans.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent organization of doctors, say doctors should stop prescribing a daily low-dose or baby aspirin to most people who are at risk for a first heart attack or stroke. They cite evidence that the side effects outweigh the benefits of this long-accepted preventive and over-the-counter medication, which is taken by millions of Americans to thwart blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

“People ages 40 to 59 who are at higher risk for CVD and do not have a history of CVD should decide with their clinician whether to start taking aspirin.This is a C grade. People age 60 or older should not start taking aspirin for heart disease and stroke prevention. This is a D grade,” the task force reported. D grade means it is not recommended, while C grade means it depends on the patient’s situation.

The draft guidelines were announced today. The group also will be reversing its own 2016 recommendations for use of low-dose aspirin to prevent colorectal cancer. The task force said new data that has come in shows the need for more research.

Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of mortality in the United States, accounting for about one in
three deaths.

“While daily aspirin use has been shown to lower the chance of having a first heart attack or stroke, it can also cause harm. The most serious potential harm is bleeding in the stomach, intestines, and brain. The chance of bleeding increases with age and can be life-threatening,” the group wrote in its summary of its findings.

“Based on new evidence since the 2016 Task Force recommendation, it is now recommended that once people turn 60 years old, they should not consider starting to take aspirin because the risk of bleeding cancels out the benefits of preventing heart disease. The latest information also shows a closer balance of benefits and harms than previously understood for people in their 50s and that starting aspirin use as young as 40 years old may have some benefit.”

Task Force member John Wong, M.D., was quoted by the group saying, “Daily aspirin use may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in some people, but it can also cause potentially serious harms, such as internal bleeding. It’s important that people who are 40 to 59 years old and don’t have a history of heart disease have a conversation with their clinician to decide together if starting to take aspirin is right for them.”

The recommendation only applies to people who are at higher risk for CVD, have no history of CVD, and are not already taking daily aspirin. When deciding whether patients should start taking aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, clinicians should consider age, heart disease risk, and bleeding risk. It is also important to consider a patient’s values and preferences. If someone is already taking aspirin and has any questions, they should talk to their clinician about their individual circumstances, the task force said.

“The latest evidence is clear: starting a daily aspirin regimen in people who are 60 or older to prevent a first heart attack or stroke is not recommended,” says Task Force member Chien-Wen Tseng, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.E.E. “However, this Task Force recommendation is not for people already taking aspirin for a previous heart attack or stroke; they should continue to do so unless told otherwise by their clinician.”

Dan Smith: AO 2021-91 is a step toward communism

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Dan Smith: AO 2021-91 is a step toward communism

By DANIEL SMITH

Anchorage Ordinance 2021-91 is an overreaching expansion of government.

Invariably, as government expands, liberty contracts. Our previous pants-free Mayor Ethan Berkowitz declared, “We cannot be free unless we are safe.” 

Our former illegal Acting Mayor Austin Quinn- Davidson, who held two public offices simultaneously, perpetuated this fallacy by her continued endorsement of the mask mandate at the time Berkowitz left office last Oct. 23.

Risks to health and safety exist everywhere. Forced mask wearing is a risk to health and safety. The truth is, humankind is not free unless government is limited.

“Either you will control your government, or your government will control you.” – President Ronald Reagan.

“Government is never more dangerous than when our desire to have it help us, blinds us to its great power to harm us,” President Reagan also said.

Importantly, we need to realize what a watershed moment this is for the Municipality of Anchorage. We are standing at the precipice of communism. If AO 2021-91 passes into law, there will be more tyranny, mandatory injections of the medical and political kind, and more laws forced down our throats with the justification that it is for the greater good.

“We cannot be free unless we are safe,” is the Berkowitz road to communism.

This is the basis of many arguments made on behalf of communism. The truth is that leftists and communists don’t care about the individual citizen. They claim to know better as to how we should live. In their opinion, one size fits all, even if evidence to the contrary says otherwise. Witness the testimony of many individuals and medical professionals who provided factual statements regarding the health concerns about wearing a mask.

The communist majority of our current assembly has voted to stifle free speech. The chairwoman declared there shall be no further clarifying questions asked by Assembly members or the Mayor, in response to citizen testimony.

Chairwoman Suzanne LaFrance stated, “We are not likely to hear any new facet to the support or opposition of this ordinance other than personal impact stories.” Isn’t that one of the more important reasons for having public testimony? Getting the details of each and every personal impact story is mandatory. Inquiry from assembly members is crucial to achieving that end.

I’m not a lawyer, but I am detecting the foul order of a stinky First Amendment infringement on free speech here.

Assemblywoman Quinn-Davidson stated that she is disgusted with the public process and would rather not be bothered with its continuance.

Assemblyman Kameron Perez-Verdia appears to be done with the public process and wants to shut down the public hearings, per his own words on a Facebook post.

Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel, co-sponsor of AO 2021-91, showed a preference for LaFrance’s decision to eliminate the ability of other Assembly members and the mayor to ask questions and to prevent them from gaining more insight to the public’s personal impact if the ordinance is adopted.

Assemblyman Chris Constant declared that Roberts Rules of Order are there to protect the process from delay of proceedings. These proceedings are, however, monopolized by a majority that does not have the best interest of the people in mind. There is no intent of honest consideration of alternate view points. Therefore, the people are charged the responsibility, if not duty, to halt the undesirable actions being waged against them.

The filibuster is the public’s only available means of restraining the government that would cause oppressive acts against them.

So what’s the big rush to conclude the public hearings anyway?

Could it be that some of the “whereas” clauses of AO 2021-91 are no longer accurate?

Could it be that case numbers are declining?

Could it be that as time goes on, more members of the public are waking up to the power-grabbing intent of the hard-left Assembly members?

One can only speculate, but it seems certain that the Assembly majority doesn’t want to let a good crisis go to waste.

Leftists and communists are not tolerant of people who hold opposing opinions. They only tolerate people they agree with. Communists demand acceptance endorsement and obedience of their ideas. If AO 2021-91 passes, Anchorage citizens will be required to wear a mask or be fined.

This has already happened to 16-year-old student Grace Smith in Wyoming. As reported by the Laramie Boomerang, she attempted to attend school without a mask and was found to be in violation of a mask mandate her Wyoming school board is trying to enforce. She was fined $500, suspended from school, handcuffed, arrested by police, and taken to jail.

Her arrest happened Oct. 8, 2021 in America, not Australia.

It is a real life foreshadowing of what is to come for Anchorage if this ordinance becomes law. By all accounts, Grace Smith is a kind, caring young lady and is a good student. Grace has been targeted by peers and school staff members, suspended, arrested, and fined for exercising her rights. Is this what we want here in Anchorage?

The Left will destroy an individual in the name of the greater good. You can search for the whole video of Grace’s arrest and some of the interaction her father had with the local police who stated, “We are just doing our job and doing what we have to right now.”

Imagine if Grace Smith was an Anchorage resident. Imagine if she testified before the Anchorage Assembly as to her personal impact. I would insist there be time and allowance for many pointed questions from members of the Assembly and the mayor.

Public testimony should never be rushed when our liberties are at risk of being taken from us.

Remember, if you are in District 4 Midtown, you have the opportunity to recall Meg Zaletel, the author of the proposed AO 2021-91 that has caused all the fuss. 

Dan Smith is a lifelong Alaskan and Anchorage resident. The Anchorage Assembly meets Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 5 pm at the Loussac Library. While general public testimony is allowed at the beginning of the meeting, the hearing on AO 2021-91 has been postponed to Wednesday at 5 pm.

Daily Covid count drops again: 792

Suzanne Downing
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25
Daily Covid count drops again: 792

The case count for Covid-19 in Alaska has dropped again, to 792 for Oct. 10, or 4 percent from the previous report on Friday.

288 of those cases were in Anchorage, 143 were in the Mat-Su Valley, 91 were in Fairbanks and Kenai saw 87 new positive diagnoses. Juneau, one of the most highly vaccinated places in the state with 79 percent of the eligible population vaccinated, saw 26 cases.

The number of cases diagnosed may be skewed higher by the fact that Alaska is tied with Massachusetts for the second-highest level of Covid testing in the nation, after Rhode Island, according to Johns Hopkins University.

There are currently 184 people in Alaska hospitals with Covid, down from 186 on Oct. 8. Covid hospitalizations make up 17.9 percent of all hospitalizations in Alaska, down from 20 percent last week.

30 new Covid-19 hospitalizations have been logged since Oct. 1 and the death of 12 Alaskans have been attributed to Covid this month. There are currently 184 people in Alaska hospitals with Covid, down from 186 on Oct. 8. Covid hospitalizations make up 17.9 percent of all hospitalizations in Alaska, down from 20 percent. 29 Covid patients are on ventilators.

See the daily Covid count dashboard here.

There are 18 adult intensive care beds available and 282 non-ICU beds available in Alaska/

Show must go on: Public hearing on mask ordinance will continue on Wednesday

Suzanne Downing
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39
Show must go on: Public hearing on mask ordinance will continue on Wednesday

The Anchorage Assembly will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday at 5 pm, but will not continue the hearing for the compulsory mask ordinance, AO 2021-91, during that meeting.

That protracted hearing, which has continued for six days, was postponed on Friday after some people in the Administration and on the Assembly came down with Covid. It was supposed to continue on Tuesday.

But on Monday, Assembly Chairwoman Suzanne LaFrance changed the continuation of the mask ordinance hearing to Wednesday at 5 pm, with a possibility of allowing it to fold into Thursday for more testimony.

That could be a ploy. With a supermajority, LaFrance could call a halt to the hearing tomorrow and bring the matter to a vote, hoping that she can succeed in doing so without many members of the public present. The chambers has been filled with protesting public for over a week on this item.

The emergency order has been requested by Kameron Perez-Verdia, and there appears to be enough votes to pass the ordinance.

The public has been eager to talk about the impacts the past mask mandate, put in place by emergency order of former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz by executive order. They have come out by the hundreds to protest the new ordinance being pushed by the liberal majority.

The three agenda items on the old agenda included the mask ordinance, and two other ordinances to usurp the mayor’s authority.

One ordinance would force the mayor to bring his appointees up for confirmation immediately before the Assembly.

The other would take away the authority of the mayor’s office to control the physical space of the Assembly meetings — in other words, the Assembly would be able to limit participation by creating crowd control measures.

That proposed ordinance was a shot over the mayor’s bow last week by the nine Assembly members who oppose him on every front, but he showed the Assembly that they might run into trouble: He controls the contract for the security staff, and last Wednesday, he dismissed them so the Assembly chair could not forcibly remove people from the Assembly hearings. This sent her meeting into chaos as the entire auditorium of public attendees broke into song and sang the first verse of the National Anthem.

Assemblywoman Jamie Allard, who is quarantining at home, said she hopes members of the public are not discouraged from coming to Tuesday’s meeting, because there’s no telling what the Assembly majority will do.

Others who are quarantining are Crystal Kennedy, Felix Rivera, Suzanne LaFrance, Forrest Dunbar, and Kameron Perez-Verdia. Sources say that Vice Chair Chris Constant will return from Las Vegas to conduct the meeting, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

Sources also report that a compromise was crafted between Mayor Dave Bronson and the Assembly on the mask ordinance, but that it fell apart when the Assembly demanded that Mayor Dave Bronson wear a mask when he announced the compromise to the media. That was a deal-killer, and likely was the poison pill intended by the Assembly to quash the compromise.

Former campaign manager for Don Young spotted with Nick Begich, fueling speculation about a congressional run

Suzanne Downing
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31
Former campaign manager for Don Young spotted with Nick Begich, fueling speculation about a congressional run

The 2020 campaign manager for Congressman Don Young has been spotted in various places in Anchorage with Nick Begich III, the Republican who was the 2020 co-chair for the Alaskans for Don Young campaign.

Truman Reed, who worked in Young’s office in Washington, D.C., took a leave of absence to run Young’s campaign in 2020, and then returned to his position as an aide to Young up until last week, when his resignation became public in Must Read Alaska’s newsletter. He wasted no time in moving back to Alaska.

Reed, son of lobbyist Ashley Reed, wasted no time in moving back to Alaska after leaving federal service. Raised in Anchorage, the 27-year-old is a hockey player who played for Providence College in Rhode Island.

Begich is the Republican Begich in the longtime Alaska Begich family. His grandfather, Nicholas Begich, was the congressman for Alaska until his plane disappeared on Oct. 16, 1972. He was declared dead and Don Young became congressman in a special election in 1973 and has served since. Begich, whose uncles are Mark Begich and Tom Begich, has talked to people about his interest in running for Congress. An angel investor and business owner, he lives with his wife and son in Chugiak and serves on the board of the Alaska Policy Forum. He received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, graduated from Baylor University and has an MBA from Indiana University.

Congressman Young filed for reelection in April. He is Dean of the House, and the member who has served the longest time of any Republican in the House in American history.

(Shown above, Nicholas Begich III)

It’s official: Congressman Don Young files for reelection

Bronson names new equity officer

Suzanne Downing
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Bronson names new equity officer

ULUAO ‘JUNIOR’ AUMAVAE IS RETIRED FROM NFL AND DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson today named Uluao “Junior” Aumavae as the Chief Equity Officer for the Municipality of Anchorage.

This means he has released the chief equity officer appointed by former Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson in April. Clifford Armstrong was moved from Tacoma, Washington by the taxpayers of Anchorage to take the political appointment that was created at the request of now-disgraced former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.

Aumavae recently worked as the community outreach specialist for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Alaska as part of Operation Engage. Aumavae’s role was part of a comprehensive approach that targets the top drug threat in a community, supports drug use prevention efforts, and bridges the gap between public safety and public health efforts. He worked with non-profit organizations, including the United Way of Anchorage, and other entities, including the Anchorage School District, private schools, the Office of the Governor, the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, the Municipality of Anchorage’s Department of Health, and the Anchorage Assembly.

Aumavae has previously worked for the National Football League Player Association, serving as the Secretary and Vice President. In that capacity, he assisted a diverse group of players in developing a plan for life in the workforce after retiring from professional football. That included connecting the former athletes with leaders in the public and private sectors to help them access the resources and benefits they needed to succeed.  

“Junior Aumavae is the perfect example of someone who has overcome the hardships of life to become successful and strive to help others in need,” said Mayor Bronson. “With his background, experience, and heart, Junior will be a great addition in our efforts to ensure the Municipality of Anchorage’s workforce is more representative of the incredible diversity and talent of Anchorage’s citizens.”

Born in American Samoa, Mr. Aumavae moved to Anchorage with his family as a young child. He attended William Tyson Elementary and Clark Middle School in Mountain View, East Anchorage High School (now known as Bettye Davis East Anchorage), and Palmer High School. As an all-state football player in high school, Junior later attended Western Washington University on a football scholarship where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Aumavae played professional football with the NFL, IFL, and AFL for teams that included the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets, among others.

He is also the founder of Elite Athletic Trend (EAT), a non-profit that works with youth in athletics to develop successful life skills and civic engagement, ensuring communities are vibrant, resilient and strong. Through EAT, he has worked with troubled youth to teach them how to obtain academic excellence, while learning how to live healthy and active lifestyles.

Aumavae started his new job October 11, 2021.

The chief equity officer position was created by the Assembly last year with an ordinance that said the person holding the position cannot be fired without the permission of the Assembly, but the administration obviously doesn’t interpret it that way. Armstrong hasn’t shown up at City Hall for weeks, according to sources, and has scarcely been seen since Bronson took office. His whereabouts is unknown. He was making $115,000 per year.

The NAACP issued a news release claiming Clifford was fired illegally “in attempt to cover up report of Municipal record on equal opportunity in hiring.”

Read: Mayor Berkowitz seeks to add equity officer to his cabinet

Read Tacoma man hired for Anchorage equity officer

Anchorage’s deep state: New equity officer can’t be let go without OK from Assembly
Tacoma man hired as Anchorage’s first-ever Chief Equity Officer
New office: Mayor seeks to add Anchorage Office of Equity and Justice

Alaskans running in the 2021 Boston Marathon

Suzanne Downing
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7
Alaskans running in the 2021 Boston Marathon

This is the official list of those who are registered for Monday’s Boston Marathon, which is the race’s 125th year. They include Sam Crow of Bethel, a town with only 16 miles of road. (Not all runners who register end up running):

10618 Anglen, Lisa 40 F Anchorage 
322 Cox, Ryan 31 M Anchorage 
12978 Crossett, Clay 60 M Eagle River 
9210 Crow, Samuel 55 M Bethel 
1753 Dickerson, Julianne 33 F Anchorage 
8354 Evans, Emily 24 F Anchorage 
15362 Faulkner, Susan 62 F Fairbanks 
12800 Fick, John 65 M Anchorage 
14467 Finstad, Gregory 66 M Fairbanks 
10285 Galloway, Lucy 41 F Eagle River 
6659 Gannon, Grace 22 F Anchorage 
9475 Henrick, Lindy 34 F Anchorage 
10597 Hines, Scot 62 M Anchorage 
909 Jahn, Corbyn 30 M Anchorage 
612 Kirk, Jacob 29 M Anchorage 
D16 Larsen Klingel & wheelchair rider 57 M Homer 
7351 Mahlen, Tsaina 26 F Anchorage 
16051 McCarty, Thomas 68 M Anchorage 
2031 Miller, James 41 M Anchorage 
5779 Miller, Kamie 42 F Eagle River 
5843 Nevalainen, Alec 48 M Juneau 
13280 Nickell, Larry 65 M Wasilla 
5263 Nottingham, Derek 46 M Eagle River 
12362 Reed, Amy 43 F Anchorage 
4077 Ritchie, Tom 47 M Anchorage 
486 Ross, Jerome 46 M Anchorage 
6408 Sackinger, Bruce 51 M Fairbanks 
13050 Sauer, Jane 60 F Anchorage 
9260 Setian, Carrie 42 F Anchorage 
3995 Short, Torrey 36 M Homer 
967 Steele, Derek 24 M Anchorage 
3443 Troxell, Eric 48 M Anchorage 
5484 Trujillo, Claire 26 F Anchorage 
8487 Ustasiewski, James 58 M Juneau 
12125 Velazquez, Heather 41 F Eagle River 
7984 Vincent-Lang, Amanda 36 F Anchorage 
9753 Wu, Amie 42 F Anchorage 

This year’s race was postponed by six months. Usually it occurs on the third Monday of April. Racers had to show proof of vaccination for Covid-19 or a negative test, and the race association also made the start times staggered so that runners could spread out.

Suzanne Downing: Cast off Columbus Day? Read all about it before you do

Suzanne Downing
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20

By SUZANNE DOWNING

MUST READ ALASKA HAS A READING LIST

Columbus Day — Monday — is when we won’t be able to bank or visit our favorite federal bureaucrats.

Thanks a lot, Christopher Columbus.

The feds will close in honor of an explorer who did not actually discover the Americas so much as he bumped into some inhabited islands and lands already filled with people, some of whom had developed complicated cultures, languages, and even had a written record. 

Leaving aside the unheralded accomplishments of Leif Ericsson and Polynesian explorers, readers know that Columbus Day is marked by sales fit for the bank accounts of the federal workforce. No one else marks the day but banks, which follow the feds.

In Alaska, Gov. Bill Walker went trendy a couple of years ago and signed a proclamation changing the recognition to “Indigenous People’s Day,” in honor of the folks roaming and abiding here long before Columbus made landfall.

Except that Christopher Columbus never made landfall in North America. He landed on Hispaniola, where today two countries coexist: Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Columbus made four trips, beginning in 1492 with the three ships we know as the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

The brutish Italian navigator explored the Central and South American coasts. His explorations were historic for a Spanish kingdom that celebrated exploration and expansion.

As with many of his time, Columbus was not a benevolent ruler of the islands he governed. In fact, Spain brought him up on cruelty charges and he lost his post when it became known what he was up to in the New World.

Columbus was, by today’s standards, a monster. But so was Genghis Khan and his Mongols, and Uganda’s Idi Amin, centuries later. So are the Taliban and Isis.

History is replete with monsters not worth celebrating, but we remember them for a while as we pass along the lore of our time on earth.

Former Gov. Bill Walker wrote, “Alaska is built upon the homelands and communities of the Indigenous Peoples of this region, without whom the building of the state would not be possible.”

Walker said in his word-salad proclamation that 16 percent of Alaskans have indigenous heritage, and that “the State opposes systematic racism toward Indigenous Peoples of Alaska or any Alaskans of any origin and promotes policies and practices that reflect the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, ensure greater access and opportunity, and honor our nation’s indigenous roots, history.”

There’s no consensus on what the “experiences of indigenous people” means, but tribes of the Pacific Northwest also engaged in slave trading and ownership, like Columbus did on Hispaniola. Tlingits were known to trade their daughters for blankets. Chief Sealth (Seattle), a legendary warrior and slave owner, wiped out the Chimakum tribe near Port Townsend around 1847. That was genocide.

History is full of inconvenient truths, but this one is unavoidable: The Americas were not a Garden of Equal Opportunity Eden before European stock arrived. When politicians pretend that pre-contact tribes were more noble than the European stock that followed, they bow to myth and legend and try to bend race politics into proclamations.

The historical record doesn’t support celebrating Columbus Day, nor does it support Indigenous People’s Day as a passive-aggressive snub of Columbus’ European ilk.

Better to call it “Historical Accuracy Day,” a day when all Americans can wag their fingers at each other as they correct the timeline of mankind’s hustle and bustle of discovery.

Must Read Alaska’s reading list for Columbus Day:

  • Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, by Mathew Restall.
  • Conquering Paradise: Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Legacy, by Kirkpatrick Sale
  • 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, by Charles Mann
  • 1493: Uncovering the World Columbus Created, also by Charles Mann

(This column first appeared in Must Read Alaska in 2017.)

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