Young Response
Dear Editor: Re: ‘‘Young Tells Sitkans ‘Regulatory Law’ a Threat,’’ Daily Sitka Sentinel, March 28.
Here’s a news flash for Congressman Young: this country has been ‘‘adrift’’ a lot longer than just since the ‘‘monarchial’’ Obama ascended to the throne. At the very latest, it started back when a guy named Nixon decided that he was above the law and got away with it. Or, before that, when Lyndon Johnson lied his way past Congress and the American people into a place called Vietnam.
Would Rep. Young care to identify those other ‘‘previous administrations’’ who believed more in ‘‘regulatory’’ than in ‘‘legislative’’ law? Well, for loyalty’s sake, he obviously CAN’T mean the Cheney-Bush or Bush-Reagan regimes; so it must be Clinton’s, the last time – remember? – that this nation had a balanced budget.
And while Mr. Young and his fellow Republicans ‘‘stick to their principles’’ and try to figure out how to ‘‘sell it better,’’ an ominous portion of the American people are still suffering the collateral damage inflicted by those very ‘‘Republican principles’’ that manifested themselves so clearly as the so-called ‘‘financial crisis’’ of 2008, and the GOP-orchestrated bailout of the banks in the biggest transfer-of-wealth Ponzi Scheme in the history of this nation.
What makes the Congressman’s comments event more disingenuous is the simple fact that Mr. Young and his friends, colleagues, and partners-in-crime of both parties at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue (and the people, organizations, and corporations that buy and sell, and thus own, operate and control them) have suffered not in the least. And never will.
Thank you for your consideration and may all be well with all that you love.
J.G. Moebus, Master Sergeant,
U.S. Army (retired), Sitka
Salvage Archaeology
Dear Editor: What is it like to do “salvage archaeology” at a building site in downtown Sitka? When you are 76 years old and ought to know better.
Well, folks, it is fun. Lots of fun. And full of suspense. What might be found? What might it tell us about our shared histories? A pencil from the old Territorial School built in 1926? A brick, a nail, a tarred roof tile from the old Russian Hospital built in 1843 and burned in 1882? Maybe a stone tool from the fine beach just below? A bit of 19th century glass, ceramic, porcelain?
Why am I so addicted to this crazy hobby? It has been so cold, so muddy, and scary, too. There hangs over the site the ominous shadow of disapproval of “real, traditional archaeologists” who of course would never bother to dig in an area which contains “already disturbed dirt.” “Never” – as if it was contaminated with disease microbes about to attack and devour.
Admittedly, a bit of terror does exist - of finding a bit of bone and having layers and layers of Regulations bear down on you, squishing the fun right back down into the dirt. A cow bone, a deer femur, a dog rib sometimes emerges. A human skull would stop everything, with good reason. But hopefully few hominids were buried or cremated this close to the beach.
Oh, yes, I suffered the agony of seeing truckloads of artifact-bearing dirt pulling out to be dumped somewhere, somewhere allocated for sorting and recycling dirt to be reused somewhere else, confusing fragments of history further. Or – a different perspective – adding yet another layer of mystery to the future.
So far since November 26, 2012, a total of 96 plastic baggies of stuff have been retrieved, with the day of “discovery” recorded on each bag. A huge mound remains to be explored. It is fenced, and all the artifacts found belong to the citizens of Sitka.
And now a real archaeologist, Anne Pollnow, has volunteered to lead a salvage dig on Sundays. Hoorah!
Anne is president of the Alaska Historical Preservation Commission. She knows the regulations, she owns her own company, Sea Level Consulting, and she really knows archaeology. Further, she is willing to work with already disturbed dirt. And teach the rest of us how to do it.
The city has prepared a release form for the privilege of working in the specified, fenced area, on Sunday, five persons at a time. If the time slots are filled, come by and watch how it is done, and join the fun of guessing about what is uncovered.
Rich reference resources abound relative to the Pacific High site on Lincoln Street: The National Park Service published works and archives about what was found right next door, just over the fence. The documentation of what was discovered on Castle Hill is on line - thousands and thousands of artifacts for comparison.
Finding artifacts is only a small, beginning part of a complex, interesting process. Washing, listing, drawing, photographing, identifying and comparing awaits attention in the future.
Also, Sitka is rich in living resources. Our citizens include at least three retired curators, numerous trained workers from previous digs, and long time residents with decades of knowledge and experience to draw on.
What a wonderful opportunity for Sitkans to experience first hand what is involved in A Dig. Thank you, National Park Service, for lending the screens, and funding many valuable studies, archives and publications in the past. Thank you, State of Alaska , Office of History and Archaeology for the extensive Castle Hill research. State Archaeologist Dave McMahan recently identified surface material on The Mound at Pacific High as including mid to late 19th century material. Thanks, too, to David Garcia and Team with Sunland Development Co., LLC, for their interest and artifacts contributed to the collection. And thank you City of Sitka for permission to explore a specific area and for preparing a Release Form for volunteers on this city property on Sundays.
Finally, I personally thank Anne Pollnow for volunteering her expertise to the Project, Salvage Archaeology of The Mound of Mysteries, at the new Pacific High School site.
We are linked across the city through our histories. The artifacts link us further, internationally, so much yet to be learned.
Call Anne Pollnow, 738-0794, to get on the volunteer list. It is great fun!
Nancy Yaw Davis, Sitka
SB 21 Rally
Dear Editor: I want to invite all Sitkans to demonstrate against the give–away of our public resources to private oil corporations. Help support Sen. Stedman, Rep. Kreiss-Tomkins, and the state of Alaska by showing your opposition to Senate Bill 21 at this Thursday’s public rally at Crescent Harbor shelter from noon to 12:30 p.m.
This proposed corporate welfare bill and the whole process, with employees of those same corporations voting in the Senate for tax breaks, is an assault on good government and it will cost Alaskans billions of dollars that could be used to reinvest into our state. Please join your neighbors at this Thursday’s rally from noon to 12:30 at Crescent Harbor to support democracy.
Brian McNitt, Sitka
