The editor:
With someone so beholden to the oil industry, it should not be a surprise that a jury found Senator Ted Stevens guilty of failing to report gifts by the oil company Veco, for which Stevens has worked to give massive contracts.
With Stevens being the main proponent of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, those favoring such a horrific move should reconsider their position. The facts are clear that we need to protect the last five percent of the North Slope of Alaska that is the biological heart of the last intact Arctic ecosystem with a free ranging caribou herd left in the world. The 123,000 caribou feed the Gwich’in Nation as well as the Inupiat peoples. The Gwich’in are caribou people, and have lived off the Porcupine Caribou herd for tens of thousands of years.
That is the herd that breeds on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, right where people like convicted felon Ted Stevens want to drill for oil. Currently, oil companies have not developed more than 85 percent of the land that they have already leased. There is plenty of oil there until we make the fast needed transition to renewable energy. They are trying to get the last five percent while President George Bush is in office, because they realize that no one else will likely be corrupt enough to go along with such a disastrous move.
In my first personal encounter with Ted Stevens at a public meeting in Kaktovik, on Barter Island in the Arctic Ocean, the senator ordered me to not videotape or take photos, even though others in the meeting were allowed. Stevens held the meeting, which attracted nearly 200 native Inupiat peoples, looking for support for drilling in the refuge.
Instead, Inupiat leader Robert Thompson presented him with a petition of the majority of residents opposing drilling. Stevens told the group that Congress had promised him drilling. I began to shake my head in disagreement. Having written two books on the subject, I knew this was not true.
Stevens stopped the meeting and said in a raised, stern voice: “If you don’t stop shaking your head, I will have you removed from this meeting. I will have you removed from this meeting if you don’t stop shaking your head.”
We must demand that Stevens be removed immediately from the Senate for his corruption, and the legislation he championed giving tax breaks to oil companies reconsidered. Rather than more drilling, we must demand massive investment in energy efficiency, solar and wind power to create good, clean sustainable jobs and do something about the climate crisis: by far the most important issue of our time.
Chad Kister
Nelsonville, Ohio
Kister is the Author of Arctic Quest: Odyssey Through a Threatened Wilderness Area; Arctic Melting: How Climate Change is Destroying One of the World’s Largest Wilderness Area and Against All Odds: The Struggle to Save The Ridges. He is also the producer of the 2006 film, Caribou People. The second edition of Arctic Melting is coming out soon, with 100+ more pages and thoroughly updated throughout. chadkister@gmail.com
Letters to the Editor
Alaskan oil drilling not a solution
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Gateway House says thank you
The Gateway House Homeless Shelter would like to extend a sincere thank you to every one who helped make our Community Resource Fair on Jan. 25 a success! Over two dozen nonprofit and state organizations attended this event, and over seventy low income and homeless individuals were served.
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Thanks for shopping and sharing
On behalf of the GFWC/Morehead Woman’s Club we want to thank all of the Kroger shoppers who participated in the 4th Annual Shop & Share Program on Saturday, Feb. 4.
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Thanks from bereaved family
The family of Leroy Jessie would like to thank everyone for everything they did for him and his family. Thank you for everything: the prayers you prayed, the calls you made, the food you cooked and brought, the flowers you sent, the comfort you brought to his family, and the special time you spent with him and his family his last days on this earth.
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Elliott County outreach changes
On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the Elliott County Christian Community Center became an incorporated service organization. Christian Social Services congratulates the leaders in Elliott County for their enthusiasm, compassion and dedication to the people of Elliott County.
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Bring better movies to Morehead
Don’t you love a good movie? We certainly do BUT for me that does not include “R” rated films. Of the seven movies advertised in the 1/20/12 issue of the News, five were rated “R.”
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Abortion advocate change of mind
As the new year begins, it is quite common to see printed in a newspaper or magazine a list of the names of prominent citizens who passed away in the preceding year. I recently came across such a list, and the name of one individual in particular caught my attention: Dr. Bernard Nathanson.
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Large sign is unsightly
While driving to Morehead today, I was dismayed to see that Cracker Barrel has erected one of their typical ultra-high “signs on a stick.” I somehow thought that Morehead’s sign ordinance would protect our community from this unsightliness and that the sign would be the same height as those of surrounding businesses.
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Political cartoon was off the mark
I don’t know how the political cartoons you publish are chosen, but I take exception to the one in the Dec. 27, 2011 issue of the paper. The cartoonist obviously does not agree with Time magazine’s choice of The Protester as Person of the Year.
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Business owners say thanks
We would like to take this opportunity to thank The Morehead News and Noelle Hunter for the lovely article about the loss of our small business, Clay Makin’s.
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Contest helps learn about energy use
As the New Year approaches, many of us are thinking of ways to save money. One way to do that is to reduce your energy usage. This will save you money and save resources.
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Gateway House says thank you
