Kerry and Lieberman ignore invitation from native villagers in ANWR

USNewswire ^ | 2-13-2002 | Village of Kaktovik Alaska

[Trailer Trash]

Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation Invites Senators to Alaska
U.S. Newswire
12 Feb 12:02

Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation: For Sens. Kerry and Lieberman,
Ignorance is Bliss
To: National Desk, Environment Reporter
Contact: Fenton Rexford of the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation,
202-544-5363
 

KAKTOVIK, Alaska, Feb. 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Fenton Rexford,
president of the Inupiat owned Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation, sent
letters of invitation last week to Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and
Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) inviting both to visit the village of
Kaktovik, Alaska.

To date, Kerry and Lieberman have failed to respond.

While the nation debates whether to allow oil development and
production on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR), the Inupiat Eskimo residents of the only community
in ANWR go unheard. Fenton Rexford, president of the Kaktovik
Inupiat Corporation, hopes to get his message to leaders in
Washington, D.C. responsible for deciding his people's fate.

Rexford invited Kerry and Lieberman, vocal critics of ANWR
development, to visit his village during the upcoming Senate recess
and experience life firsthand in this extreme region.

"I am confident that a visit to ANWR with my people will help
the Senators see beyond the propaganda and rhetoric distributed by
the extremists within the environmental industry to mislead the
public," says Rexford.

The Inupiat Eskimos have lived in the area for thousands of
years. Their way of life has significantly improved since oil
development began in Alaska's arctic in the 1970s. The industrial
tax base created by the home-rule government has provided public
services that many Americans take for granted including running
water, flush toilets, schools and hospitals.

"For us, responsible development means the right to live healthy
and productive lives. It means educating our children, providing
health care to our people, and creating sanitary living
conditions," remarks Rexford.

Preventing development in ANWR is the environmental industry's
number one priority. They argue that development would adversely
affect the wildlife of the area, and have spent millions of dollars
in a public relations campaign to convince Americans likewise.

"Our people are the aboriginal environmentalists of the Arctic
region of Alaska," argues Rexford. "We have been the stewards of
the land, sea, animals and environment here for thousands of years.
We would never support a measure that would adversely impact our
traditional way of life or compromise our Inupiat values."

"I would hope that the public process would allow those closest
to the ANWR issue the chance to be heard. However, Senators Kerry
and Lieberman only care to hear from environmental extremists based
in New York and Washington, D.C. It is unfortunate that they will
decide my people's future from thousands of miles away without
considering our position," concludes Rexford.
 

KEYWORDS:

ALASKA, WILDLIFE, ENVIRONMENT

http://www.usnewswire.com
-0-
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
02/12 12:02

Copyright 2002, U.S. Newswire

 

[Trailer Trash]

 

The village of Kaktovik Alaska paid US Newswire 2-12-2002 to publish this press release.

The way it works is that you put the release out, and if a lazy reporter thinks it's cool you see it published in a newspaper the next day. And if it's a new and hot story with high profile names you most definitely make some phone calls.

But, today if you do a keyword search for Kaktovik you will see nothing.

Keyword news search Kaktovik

Yahoo/AP/Reuters nothing

UPI  nothing

WP AP  nothing

It's amazing how you can be ignored when you're a Native American that doesn't agree the liberal media.

Is this the same media that will be empowered if campaign finance reform is passed today?

Not even a phone call or letter from the all caring and compassionate John Kerry and Joe Lieberman?

Who's side are they on? Which Joe Lieberman is this?

[HogFixer]

The Dems should be careful, this sounds like a HATE CRIME.

-Joe

[Black Agnes]

Joe LIEberman is on the side of keeping the little brown native people DEPENDENT on fedgov thereby ensuring their continued support of the DIMoRAT party. Being descended from native people that did NOT get the chance to remain on their native lands, I support the Inupiat fully in whatever development (or lack thereof) they choose to do to/with/on/in/under their native lands. The great white father in DC is screwing the natives YET AGAIN! via the eco wackos. If the Inupiat were AGAINST any development I'd argue just as strongly that the developers cease and desist. Property rights are just that, the right to decide whether you want to develop or not.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Freakish Cameron Diaz says: Stop Drilling in Alaska!

Did you see this, Trailer Trash? You should forward your press release to nrdc.org to let them know.

[Wphile]

You mean Joe and John are refusing to take into account the locals? Why, I am shocked! NOT!!!

[Trailer Trash]

Wow! ummm... She's uh... cute!

Will do.

regards

[VOA]

good post!

[El Sordo]

Kerry and Lieberman don't need to go see what the Inuit want because they think they already know what the Inuit ought to want.

[Iwentsouth]

It is amazing how many peopel are such experts on Alaskan Natives and how we feel. From the enviromentalists to the people who blame us for the ANWR mess.

My tribe has five drilling rigs in Alaska Doyon Drilling

I cannot stand these damn people in DC who are holding us back. We never been exploited by the oil companys hell without them the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act would never have been settled.

[AlaskaErik]

These RATS, as with all other RATS, care not one whit for Alaska and its people. They are self-serving offal not fit to sit in Congress.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

For us, responsible development means the right to live healthy and productive lives.

Ignorant "little people"? Hardly! Dems. in DC believe we need them to tell us what to do. No. They obviously need new ears to hear and eyes to see the fine Americans they're screwing over with their own archaic and deadly policies.
E-mail a bunch of pols or pundits with one click.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Excellent post and great, telling comments. This needs wide publicity. Send to Fox news, Hannity, Rush, etc.