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October 01, 2006
AMERICANS SACRIFICE FOR PATRIOTISM
by Tina Grazier
Last week Jack was asking for patriotism from his fellow Americans. On Friday four villages in Alaska answered the call by refusing the offer of free fuel by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez:
"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," Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Heating oil runs between $5 and $6 a gallon in the region and is $7 a gallon in the remotest villages.
Atka Mayor George Dirks apparently thought the decision was stupid, "We can use the fuel."
Tribal leaders and board members with APIA decided that supporting President Bush and the U.S. government was more important than free fuel. Said Dimitri Philemenof, APIA president who said the decision was strong and unified, "When you look at the desperation in our region, especially with the fishing seasons poor and high unemployment, I take my hat off" to representatives of the four villages who made the decision.
I applaud this incredible expression of support for our president and our nation. Wouldn't it be great if an American Oil company, a group of citizens, or a "sister city" could step up to the plate and donate fuel or cash to defray the cost of heating for these four villages?
Posted by Post Scripts at October 1, 2006 09:11 PM