4 villages shun gift of free oil

[harpboy_ak]

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8248161p-8143814c.html


4 villages shun gift of free oil

WESTERN ALASKA: Patriotism led to a rejection of the Venezuelan handout.

By ALEX deMARBAN
Anchorage Daily News

Published: September 29, 2006
Last Modified: September 29, 2006 at 03:05 AM

Leaders from four Western Alaska villages have rejected an offer of free heating oil from a Venezuelan- owned company because that nation's president this month called President Bush "a devil" and made other inflammatory comments about the United States.

"Despite the critical need for fuel in our region, the Unangan (Aleut) people are Americans first, and we cannot support the political agenda attached to this donation," read a statement from Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association released late Thursday.

(snipped, see link for full story)

Too bad their anger isn't at the Bush administration for not providing price breaks for villages where heating oil is over $5/gal & gas for boats & snowmobiles is $7/gal or more.

[Bonobo]

1. USA! USA! USA!

[LynnTheDem]

2. "patriotism"??? No, it most certainly is not about patriotism.

The word is nationalism.

And no, that is not a good thing.

[Tellurian]

14. It's Fear..

Fear of losing what they have if they accept Chavez` deal.
They're having a hard time holding on to preserving their land as pristine
free from oil drilling. Their very livelihood depend on it.

[pampango]

35. I agree that nationalism is, generally, not a good thing.

A more global outlook is preferable to favoring everything American. I have just been discussing this with some DU'ers who claim that nationalism is a good thing when it comes to protecting American jobs and wage scales from illegal immigrants and goods imported from abroad.

I think you are the right track.

[SenorSanchez]

44. Nationalism is generally a good thing

I believe, but if nationalism causes you to make bad decisions, then well thats a bad thing. Nationalism was a major factor in the US winning World War II, but nationalism also caused Germany to kill millions and millions of Jews. Its a two way street.

[babylonsister]

3. This really makes me wonder who/what they're listening to. If

people are aware of Chavez, they're being informed from someone. Could that be faux, limbaugh, etc.?:think:

[0007]

8. Probably Ted Stevens - You know those bridges to no where

[Wretched Refuse]

9. What will the

Toll be on those bridges to nowhere?

[0007]

31. ....it all depends on how far you want to go to "nowhere"

[1932]

12. That was my first thought to -- what's Stevens bribing them with?

[IndianaGreen]

4. The Bible says that Sodom's sin was pride

All we have left is pride. We have no country, no republic, no Constitution. We don't even have any sense of humanity left for we have embraced wars of aggression and torture.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Pride goeth before a fall - or a hard freeze?

What's the purpose of hyping this stupidity? :shrug:

After all, it's damn cold in Alaska.

Why not give these villages a call-back during "the dead" of winter?

Methinks there could be a change of mind in the interim. :P

[VegasWolf]

7. Fewer Republicans. Darwin's theory works. nt

[VegasWolf]

5. If they don't want it, can we have it? nt

[rpannier]

10. My feeling exactly

I'll always take the cheap oil.
Chavez is free to call me the Devil too if it'll get me cheap heating oil.

[Straight Shooter]

11. Fine. That's just more for someone else who really needs it. n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. Pride & $3.00 will buy a bag of ice cubes.

What a bunch of nit wits. Let them freeze. Maybe halliburton or exxon will see what great patriots they are & make the same offer - when hell freezes over.

[me b zola]

15. Morons

They'll think differently once the bombs fall on Iran and the price doubles. Will they be warm enough to wave the flag then?

[humbled_opinion]

16. This is exactly my fear

We will all be suffering but our poor most of all in the winter because they will not be able to get oil to keep warm. Iran will close the straits of Hormuz and Chevez will cut us off thousands will die.

[Peace Patriot]

17. Well, you know, there is only so much the world can take of Bush Junta

crap. Tens of thousands more innocents slaughtered will not be tolerated. And we the people, and especially the poorest among us, will suffer the most, you are right about that.

So we had better do something about it.

See my posts on the ABSENTEE BALLOT PROTEST, aimed at the heart of the problem: Bushite corporations "counting" all our votes with "trade secret," proprietary programming code. It's so obvious to me. No "trade secret" vote tabulation, no Bushites elected!

(What do you expect from the Diebold Congress?) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2851762
(More of the same:) http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2854648
(Diebold 'smoking gun' in Georgia/Rolling Stone, Robt. Kennedy Jr.): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2855386

THROW DIEBOLD, ES&S AND ALL ELECTION THEFT MACHINES INTO 'BOSTON HARBOR' NOW!

BUST THE MACHINES--VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER!

If enough people do it--if everybody who despises the Bush Junta (60% to 70% of the American people) votes by Absentee Ballot--the reign of these diabolical machines will be OVER!

:patriot: :think: :woohoo: :think: :patriot:

[robcon]

18. Good for them

Principle above money - who woulda thought?

[Peace Patriot]

19. And the "principle" is what? That the poor and brown should dis each

other, and undermine each other? That if you kiss Bushite ass, they might helicopter you off the ice floes as the Arctic ice cap dissolves beneath you--if they aren't too busy torture Arabs that day?

These Aleuts need to consult with the poor citizens of New Orleans--and the people of Venezuela, who had to come out in the streets by the tens of thousands to stop the violent military coup against their elected president and suspension of their constitution, which the Bushites applauded, and probably instigated.

Ignorance and stupidity and myopic self-interest is what I see in this wretched gesture. If not bribery and strong-arming by Karl Rove, who needs a couple of soundbites at the moment.

[roody]

39. Thank you.

[Canuckistanian]

20. Oh, right

Like the Aleuts are all flag-waving, troop-supporting, GOP voters?

These are people who, like most natives living in the north, are dependent on federal govt. services and programs to survive.

"Patriotism", my ass. They were either threatened or bribed.

[MrPrax]

21. Stupid Elders...

Probably corrupt...as it makes no sense to refuse free oil while endorsing a economic distribution that sees oil from your OWN LAND being sold back to you at the white mans' prices you can't afford.

You can tell these NATIVES are not aboriginals...

[harpboy_ak]

37. What an ignorant, bigoted slur

Ungans, or Aleuts, are indeed Native Americans, you ignorant idiot. However, in many villages in Western Alaska, whether they are Aleut, Yup'ik (Eskimo) or Inupiaq (Eskimo) there are no cash jobs except for the school (a couple of urban white folks + a local janitor or 2) and maybe the one store and maybe one or two tribal government folks, so the villagers either have to move to Anchorage or join the National Guard to get cash income to supplement hunting, fishing, and berry picking.

As a matter of fact, a large company from the Alaska Guard just returned from Iraq, and another company is in training in Mississippi right now for training and heat acclimation before they head for Iraq. Many middle-aged villagers are Vietnam vets, and the elderly are often veterans of the WWII Territorial Guard or the Cold War era National Guard Eskimo Scout Batallion, legendary for their ability to become invisible in wintertime snows.

And yes, these villagers do indeed depend on Senator-For-Life "Tubular" Ted Stevens and Congressman Dumb Young for funding of health care, Essential Air Service bush flying subsidies, and other Federal funding.

So please don't slur them as "not being aboriginals". These folks have lived there for at least 20,000 years, enduring enslavement by first the Russians and then the US government (until the 1960s!).

[MrPrax]

41. Went right over your head...

Eskimo? what is that? Did you mean Inuit? You know...the ones that have sovreignity over their territory and don't actually have to check in with the 'white mans' politics? Other acceptable public uses: First Nations as in First Nations People.

You know a free people unlike yourself doesn't have to worry about the flak they might catch from corrupt white politicians on their own land?

Who even refers to them as native anymore except the US media and YOU?

Here's what our Constitution says:

Section 25

The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including

(a) any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and

(b) any rights or freedoms that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.

....

Part II: Rights of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada
Section 35 (1)

The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.


Section 35 (2)

In this Act, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.


Section 35 (3)

For greater certainty, in subsection (1) "treaty rights" includes rights that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.


Section 35 (4)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the aboriginal and treaty rights referred to in subsection (1) are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.

Your Constitution got any of this in it?????? Did your forefathers bother to invite any aboriginals to Philadelphia?

Don't even try to give lectures about racism to free people -- you and your country don't have that right.

....

Government of Nunavut

Premier's Message

Tunngasugitti – Welcome to Nunavut

For thousands of years the people of Nunavut have thrived on top of the world. Ours is a vast and beautiful land, one of the last unspoiled corners of the earth.

Nunavut is also a land of opportunity. Our economy has excellent prospects for growth and we expect significant development in the mining, fisheries, arts, culture, film, and tourism industries over the next decade. We look forward to gaining control of our natural resources and resource royalties so we can take full advantage of the economic opportunities that arise from our human and natural resources.

The territory of Nunavut came into being through the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. The Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Inuit birthright organization, are working together to encourage self-reliance and to protect the rights and benefits of the Inuit of Nunavut.

As we move forward we will continue to work with our land claims partners. Through open communications I am confident that we will reach our goal -- improving the lives of all Nunavummiut by strengthening our culture and expanding our economy.

We have a wealth of resources, a growing economy, breathtaking landscapes and a unique culture to share with Canada and the rest of the world.

I invite you to use this web site to learn more about how you can participate in our emerging economy, spend time in our unique culture and experience our unspoiled nature.

Premier Paul Okalik...

....

You give these rights to aboriginals? You grant them autonomy over their land? Or do you just post up your white liberal outrage and do nothing else as what minorities can usually expect from dumb white liberals?

Like I said -- REAL ABORIGINALS don't have to check in with you or worry about what Chavez thinks about your BS fucking President. Real aboriginals don't have to prove their loyality to YOU by placing 'American' in front of native.

They are FREE to do what they THINK is right by THEIR people --NOT YOURS.

Now run along because I am sure there is a post about a child molesters in Congress or some OTHER Senator has made a career-killing racist comment. (career killing anywhere else in the civilized world)

(no I won't be replying -- if you still didn't get it then you need to do some reading and step outside Camp Amerika for a change)

[harpboy_ak]

48. Let me tell you bigotry is worse in BC & Yukon than Alaska

At least from what I've personally encountered in my numerous trips in the parts of Canada nearest Alaska. The Alaska Native Land Claims settlement happened far before BC & Yukon began work on land rights. I've seen very little overt racism against Native Americans in Alaska in the past 30 years, but I still see it every time I visit BC and the southern Yukon, the part of Canada closest to me.

Native American is, like the term First Nations in Canada, the current politically correct and approved by tribes expression in English defining their origin. Most First Nations people I have met have their own names for their tribe or clan.

Inuits do not live in Alaska. They live in northeast Canada. The most closely related group linguistically to them are the Inupiaq of Northwest Alaska. The next most closely related group are the Yup'ik of Southwest Alaska and Siberia.

But you apparently aren't interested in facts, just your take on this incident. Since the decision was apparently made by a 4 member board, not the entire tribe, I suspect that the refusal of a heating fuel subsidy might change. A followup story in my local paper today says that some other community leaders are not pleased, and noted that the tribal chairman was unavailable for comment because he was vacationing in Tucson (while the villagers pay $7 per gallon for heating oil!).

See http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/100106/sta_20061001020.shtml

Mr. Philemenoff will, I'm certain, have some serious opposition at the next tribal government election.

[leesa]

22. They would give up free oil for the honor of the idiot Bush?

Why do people confuse the honor of America with Bush? Bush has done more to disgrace America than Hugo could do in 20 lifetimes.

[54anickel]

23. A small town in our area has only 2 stations - Citgo and BP. There's a

sign out in front of the BP now that says "None of that Chavez gas here". :eyes: Idiots.

First they ought to get off the Nationalism bandwagon.

Second, maybe they out to take a good look at their Bush-god - they were so willing to call Clinton the spawn of Satan and the anti-Chirst. Maybe Hugo's got it right with this devil talk?

Third, and this assumes they have some logic capabilites, they need to look at the DOE records which show that nearly every petro corporation has bought crude from Venezuela - including that station's provider - BP. I wonder if I could bring a suit for false advertising? :evilgrin:

[Zorra]

24. The folks that are not going to get the oil might not be so poor

if their leaders were a little more intelligent and perceptive - or possibly, did not have some other agenda?

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

25. Thanks to global warming, they won't need it - now Eskimos need A/C:

http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/headlines06/0827-03.htm

So I guess that whole GOP thing is really working out for Alaskans.

[dkofos]

26. Sounds to me like they a problem with education also.

[gulfcoastliberal]

27. Let them eat Exxon. nt

[OneOneBravo]

28. There may also be a constitutional issue

I'd love to get a special deal for gas from HC - but a state or municipality taking a special deal from a foreign government could be construed as excercizing foreign policy at that level - and the Constitution relegates that right to the federal government ONLY.

Methinks someone there may have checked the legal issues - not a stupid move.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

29. there were no 'legal issues' when Chavez sent cheap oil here last year. nt

[OneOneBravo]

32. Details ?

Links, cites, cases ?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

33. hello? links to what? I said there were no reports of legal troubles.

How am I supposed to give you a link to something that doesn't exist?

Google link to nothing
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&q=legal+chavez+free+cheap+oil+US&btnG=Search

[OneOneBravo]

38. "Chavez sent cheap oil here last year"

IIRC, that was via a Citgo program - a perfectly legit commercial transaction - and not a government-to-government transaction - and not a "free" gift as in this case

Why not just drop the price for gasoline at all Citgo stations ?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

40. same program as last year.

Findlaw has no mention of any legal problems in their article.
http://news.lp.findlaw.com/ap/o/632/09-21-2006/416a0017894e57ad.html

[OneOneBravo]

45. Meaningless link

Your implication is that FindLaw has somehow "found nothing" - totally bogus.

This article has NOTHING to do with FindLaw - It's an AP Wire story that was printed in a multitude of newspapers / websites. If you Google "Chavez Vows to Discount Oil for Poor" you'll get over 25,000 hits on that article.

This whole thing is an emotional issue - the fact is that it's really a no-win for anyone to bring up possible constitutional legal issues against what seems a great deal.

There is also a "constructive taxable income" issue - getting a special below market deal implies the receipt of income equal to the difference between the market value and the price paid. If the oil were a gift, the IRS could get very interested - but it would be political poison for the repugs to go after the beneficiaries.

Chavez has staked out a pretty clever position, IMHO, but it's strictly a side show.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

47. and you have not been able to provide any info on legal troubles

and you brought it up, so... link?

[reprobate]

30. Too bad they don't know why Bush attacks Chavez. Greg Palast knows.

Why do we keep doing business with a nation -Saudi Arabia - that financed the 9/11 attacks, that was the native country of 15 of the 9/11 hijackers, and has been no friend to civil rights and democratic government?

And yet our government vilifies a nation - Venezuala - that has never done anything against us - other than a few words - while we have tried to overthrow their fairly elected government more than once and tried to assassinate their leader?

Ever wonder why this is?

Greg Palast has the answer: It's all about the money. More specific ly, it's all about the money flow.

The Saudi Royal family makes billions selling us oil, but they have no interest in spending that money on their people, so they lend it back to us to finance our profligate lifestyle and the neocon war on humanity, and live off the interest we pay them. Therefor they are our friends.

Venezuela, on the other hand, sells us oil, but Chavez spends most of it to enhance the lives of the people, both his own and those in the region. He does not send that money back to us in the form of loans. He builds housing for his people. So he is not financing our lifestyle or our war. Therefor he is our enemy.

Makes more sense now, don't it?

Rule of thumb: When governments speak in angry words, they never say what they mean. There's always something behind it they aren't saying. When OUR government speaks, they are ALWAYS lieing.

[Peace Patriot]

34. Palast is right. And there is yet another twist. Argentina's economy and

society lay in ruin, the victims of World Bank/IMF loan policy that bled the poor and enriched the corrupt elite, and above all enriched US financiers and corporate plunderers. Argentinians rebelled (coalition of the poor and the middle class went around the country with tiny hammers breaking every bank ATM display window, to protest the bankers' collusion with these policies). Three governments later--in quick succession--they finally got a leftist government that pledged to free Argentina of World Bank debt and never incur such debt again. Enter Venezuela, with its egalitarian and Bolivarian ideas of the uses of oil revenues. Venezuela bailed Argentina out--bought up about a third of their debt on easy terms--so Argentina could quickly restore social programs (education, medical care, help for the poor), stability and future prospects. Argentina--as the result of this new stability, and a rising economy--is now in discussions with Brazil about a common currency (like the euro)--to get off the US dollar.

The poor Aleuts are being used as a Rovian "talking point" to undermine the efforts of other poor, brown people, half way round the world, who are trying to achieve self-determination and independence, and solidarity with their neighbors in dealing with the Bushite-led behemoth of the north. And the Bushite-led behemoth has lost all cache in the rest of the hemisphere and in the world. We have no credit and no good will left with anyone. The stupids in the White House tried to assassinate Chavez, then funded a wasteful recall against him with OUR taxpayers' money (against Venezuelan law), probably bombed (and killed) an investigator into that scandal, pulled off a CIA jail break for the perps of the military coup, and are harboring a US-funded criminal who bombed a Cubana airlines plane, killing a Venezuela soccer team (among others). Then they furthermore sicked Pat Robertson on him, with an assassination threat. They have done everything conceivable to anger Chavez, and to destroy Venezuelan democracy, and so, is it any wonder that Chavez is vocally, and by policy, opposing them, and trying to wrench his country and his neighbors out of their clutches?

And they set Aleuts against him! What turds they are!

Well, I hope it was worth it to the Aleuts. I hope they drove a hard bargain. I do have sympathy with oppressed peoples, and know that they sometimes have to kowtow to bullies, or feel that they do. We should pity and not condemn them. With Diebold/ES&S controlling our elections, with TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, we are in much the same position as they are. We get no help unless we sieg heil to Bush--and, as the Israelis, and the poor of the rightwing, will learn, even then, they will mercilessly screw you, and betray you, and break all promises, if they see profit in it.

[reprobate]

43. Thanks for the info on Argentina. I knew all this but hadn't

put it together with the Ameri-fascist anger at Chavez.

Now it makes even more sense.

[TrogL]

36. Of course not, they'll get it from Kazakhstan

Each one of those black dots is oil

[NOLADEM]

42. May your ignorant nationalism warm your children throughout the winter

[IndianaGreen]

46. I wonder if this story is as credible as 7-Eleven dumping CITGO

CITGO announced back on July 12 that it was dropping 1,800 independent gasoline customers, including 7-Eleven, while 7-Eleven itself announced on July 13 that it was going to market its own brand of gasoline because CITGO was dropping it in September.

Then the PR bash came out in which 7-Eleven proclaimed it was dropping CITGO because of being offended about Chavez's UN speech.

We are being fed a lot of lies by the Bush cultists. No criticism of Dear Leader will be tolerated.