Native Rights
Dear Editor: The tyranny of the majority is an inherent weakness to majority rule in which the majority of an electorate pursues exclusively its own interests at the expense of those in the minority. This results in oppression of minority groups comparable to that of a tyrant or despot, argued John Stuart Mill in his 1859 book On Liberty.
The tyranny of the majority is any decision “which bases its claim to rule upon numbers, not upon rightness or excellence,” Alexis de Toqueville.
“The U.S. Constitution, without the Bill of Rights, is a perfect documents for the tyranny of the majority,” James Madison.
Voting is going to be small comfort to a minority whose fundamental rights have been and continue to be trampled on by an abusive majority. That this is the case in Sitka is indisputable. Native Americans and Alaska Natives have been denied the same voting rights as the white majority for over 200 years. In 1915, the Alaska Territorial Legislature recognized the right of Indigenous people to vote if: Alaska Natives met seven requirements, three of which being: (1) applicants obtain endorsements from five white men, (2) pass an English literacy test, and (3) “sever all tribal relationships and adopt the habits of a civilized life (genocide).” Barriers to voter access for Native Americans persist today, and such barriers range from (but not limited to) obstructing voter access, to vote dilution, literacy tests, intimidation, and malapportionment of electoral districts. H.R.1694 - Native American Voting Rights Act of 2019 was passed just last year to address these persistent barriers.
There are still people alive today in Sitka who lived here when there were “No Dogs and No Indians” signs in downtown Sitka. In the 1990s Lingit, Native American and Black students were regularly taunted with racial epithets by their fellow students at school. Protests by local tribal members to the Sitka School District administration were dismissed and ignored. The racists and complicitors with regard to this hateful behavior are still living here in Sitka today.
The Baranof Statue is a monument glorifying this past and present racist, genocidal oppression. And, now, after over 200 years of subjugation and the reduction of a former majority to a small minority, the All-Euro-American Sitka Assembly is considering a proposal for a public vote on the removal of yet another racist taunt. It’s no longer muskets and cannons. It is much more nuanced than that. A vote on fundamental rights is a perfect example of the tyranny of the majority. It’s lipstick on a pig.
Dr. Ronald E. Dick, Sitka
Thanks, Rotary Club
Dear Editor: Sitka Babies and Books would like to thank the Sitka Rotary Board and members for the recent contribution to our organization. This year marks the 29th year of your continued support.
Because groups like yours are committed to opportunities for enhancing the lives of our Sitka children, our non-profit organization can continue in its mission to ensure that all Sitka children have the opportunity to become lifelong readers by offering books, programs, and education to the families of Sitka’s young children.
Sitka Babies and Books
Board Members
Baranof Statue
Dear Editor: I support STA’s resolution to remove the Baranof statue and place it in a museum where Baranof’s life will be put into historical context from all perspectives. I urge our Assembly to do the same.
It is important that we don’t try to change history. We need to remember our past, and learn from it. Baranof was a part of Sitka’s history. But the placement of Baranof in front of our town hall is inappropriate. The statue does not belong in front of a building where we gather, connect, discuss, meet, vote, and where our local government convenes. In place of the Baranof statue, we should put a statue or symbol that all cultures can respect, a true leader, not a colonist who used violence and oppression against the Alaska Native people.
I moved here in the early ’90s and, like many others, I fell in love with beauty and wonder of Sitka. I am honored to be living on Tlingit land, the land of the people who have been here for over 10,000 years. I want to be an ally to my Native friends and neighbors, and support removing a symbol of oppression and violence so that healing can begin.
Bridget Hitchcock, Sitka
Statue Issue
Dear Editor: In the spirit of the 4th of July and America/Sitka the beautiful, I’d like to suggest that, instead of calling for removal of Baranof statue, to add another statue for the Tlingit leader Katlian who was instrumental in making peace with Baranof, or Elizabeth Peradovich who fought for the Natives’ rights.
The presence of both statues in the same square will balance the negative feeling of the history when Baranof landed here, with the sense of pride of the heroic struggle of the Natives.
It is definitely important to be sensitive to how some people feel about the statue. But moving or removing the Baranof statue is not a good idea and may do very little in hopeful healing. It is a beautiful piece of art that was a gift to the city from honorable families who served this community well. Its presence at the Centennial Hall, beside being an attraction to the tourists, allows an opportunity to tell the story of the city of Sitka, including its Russian heritage. I don’t see it as honoring Baranof himself, but rather a documentary of the history of the city, with its good and bad.
I believe there is healing of the bitterness of the past in the bright present and the promising future with its richness in opportunities, diversity and equality. Let’s cherish the blessings we all have and share in the beautiful American fabric.
Paul Bahna, Sitka
