I’m quite fascinated by the commentary going on in my home state.

In the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, a fellow named Ken wrote a letter to the editor to ask

Now that Obama is going to be the new commander-in-chief, what does this mean for Alaska? Will Obama choose to reduce the military status in Alaska? If he did, what would that mean for Fairbanks? Will he choose to try to block the natural gas pipeline out of revenge to try to hurt Sarah Palin? I believe these are the things Alaskans are going to face in the next four years. What say you Fairbanks?

Responses vary, but focus mainly into

1) You Obamabots sure are gonna be sorry when the military bases are closed down, and they take away our guns and the Russians come!
2) Sarcastic liberal responses. Yes, I hear Pres-elect Hussein is printing out Korans and massing African witch-doctors to destroy Christianity as we speak! Buy all the ammo you can now!
3) Umm, has Obama even been to Alaska? He’s probably more worried about the economy than your guns.
4) Arguments over the use, legality, and appropriateness of various guns.
5) You can’t trust democrats/republicans/politicians.
6) Arguments about literal readings of the bible versus not so literal interpretations

Read for yourself, here’s a smattering.

Alaskan who now feels more cocky about being blue:

With all the pressing issues affecting this country, Ken, I think you can sleep well at night knowing that reducing the military here in Alaska may not be at the top of his “to do” list.

Alaskan who paid attention in high school government class:

The President cannot withdraw soldiers without a two-thirds vote from congress.

Alaskan who probably moved there to get away from the gu’ment:

We had our chance to warn the voting public before the election and it “didn’t take” – now we’ll just have to wait and see. I hope, as I’m sure you do, that things won’t be that bad but we’re just going to have to wait and see. You might want to buy a couple of boxes of bullets while you still can but other than that, there’s nothing else we can do now…

Alaskan who begs to disagree with the previous:

lol, warned? more like paranoid drivel from frightened little people.

Another Alaskan not impressed by the above:

I keep forgetting how many unhappy, end-of-roaders come to Fairbanks, paranoid to the point I can’t help but laugh. It’s insane to assume Obama will take “revenge” on Alaska. That says more about YOU, than it does about him.

Alaskan who has more rights to the title than most others:

Obama must support Indian Country in Alaska!

Alaskan who is actually thinking clearly:

Ken, you must be used to politicians who are petty and/or have lots of time on their hands. I seriously doubt that Obama has given much thought at all to Alaska, one way or the other. And why would he need to ‘get back’ at Mrs. Palin? SNL and the entire country already did that, through laughter. As far as military installations, Alaska is vitally important to our national defense, so why would they be closed? After all, Russian Pres. Medvedev can see Alaska from his house.

Alaskan wondering:

Has Obama ever stepped foot in Alaska? Does he have any clue what’s up here, who is up here? I have a hard time believing he hates us, but does he care about us? Will be interesting to see…..

Alaskan commenting on Alaskan politicians:

Well, it’s common knowledge that Palin goes out of her way to punish people who have the audacity to vote for her opponent, and Young has stated on camera that he only represents the people who vote for him. I haven’t heard anything of the sort about Obama so I doubt it’ll happen.

Alaskan taking this question seriously, and distrusting politicians:

I don’t think Obama is vindictive, or that he’ll come after Sarah. That’s her MO, not his. I do fear though, that he’ll escalate the war in Afghanistan, and that he won’t hold the criminals in the White House accountable for the trillion dollar slaughter of over a million people who weren’t a threat to us. It’s the crime of the century but they’ll get off scott free. He’s one of them.

Alaskan making vague inflammatory comments:

According to the press, Al Qaeda knows what Obama is.

Alaskan making vague inflammatory comments II:

koolaide was invented by the liberal media

Alaskan making vague inflammatory comments III:

Osama Bin Ladin has condemned Obama and Biden. Weird.

Alaskan who isn’t worried:

I wouldn’t worry about Obama he’ll let us drill for oil and open are resources he’ll just tax the hell out of it like he said about the coal industry and have a lot of government regulations to render it impossible to do any thing in are state. So I wouldn’t worry about Obama.

Alaskan who isn’t worried II:

no worries the rednecks down south will get’er done before he can get us!!

Idahoan who wants to get his two cents in:

I would like to know how do you bury your guns and money when the ground is frozen?I wish to move to Alaska but I need to know how you dig a hole in frozen ground. Otherwise I will stay in Idaho. Alaska seems more suited to me though.

Alaskan offering advice to the above:

you use a weed burner to thaw the ground first. it’s laborious and time consuming, but it works. dunno, think i’d want quicker access to those guns anyhow.

Alaskan who is somewhat sarcastic:

Yes,Ken. Obama will close Alaska completely I’m sure it’s been his plan from the get-go. ASo,list your home on Craigslist at a reduced or even free price,turn your guns into the authorities .If you have large flat panel T.V. I would be interested in that, turn your pets loose. Good Luck and get some sleep.

Alaskan who is somewhat sarcastic II:

I also hope Obama cuts the military in Alaska. I may get to practice my Russian.

Alaskan who is somewhat sarcastic III:

In addition to going out to buy up all of the ammo, you guys better start buying up bibles. I heard that after President HUSSEIN (B.O.) is sworn into office, he’s going to outlaw the bible and replace it with the Koran in every store in America!!!

Quick, run!!! Cling to those guns and religion!

Alaskan who is somewhat sarcastic IV:

did you no that obama and palin are both robots. Yup heard it on a.m. radio so it must be true…

Alaskan who believes in the office of the president:

I’m a patriot, and while I did not vote for Obama, I believe in supporting the president until he/she(someday) does something to lose my support (lying to a grand jury Clinton), (failing to close US borders Bush). As is stands now, I don’t think Obama will be vindictive towards Alaska, but that of course can change.

Alaskan who is pessimistic about the economy:

Remember All the Great-Things that you put on the Community Discussion board about the Son of a Goat Herder, “Obama”, it will give you something to talk about, while you’re standing in the Soup & Bread Line!

Alaskan who is more fond of the caps lock than the president-elect:

where is the CHANGE your canidate PROMISED??? SMART GUYs!?! i can’t believe you would vote for OBAMAMAMAMESSIAH. where will you MOVE when he has to SELL ALASKA back to the RUSSIANS because we HAVE to PAY for all the HOMELESS!! i HEAR they need JOBS in the YUKON

Alaskan offering advice to either president or fellow commenters:

It is impossible to please everyone. Most people are lucky if they can please their families, and if you have teenagers in the house, that NEVER happens. So, start with yourself and work your way out, see how far you get, and if you make it to the Presidency, make sure you drop by here once in awhile too defend yourself. Becuase regardless of what you have done or will do, we will be judging, with our crystal gavel. Mr. Obama, goodluck. Check your rose colored glasses at the door, you dont need them where your going.

Alaskan whose username is “prophetone”:

Since the fourth of November we have seen in Alaska panic buying of all firearms and ammunition. Further more at Fort Greely there has been close to 100 lay-offs. We don’t need Sarah Palin as a US Senator, send Todd or her sister instead if given the opportunity, but delete Mark b. The news media will continue to hammer and down play the great governor of our state. Obama will continue to divide as every Democrat would. The only good Democrat is a Democrat that doesn’t vote. All over our nation people either have or are choosing sides. The next four years will be tumultuous and cataclysmic. The line has been drawn, now choose who you will serve.

Alaskan environmentalist:

I can only hope that Obama will reduce the military presence in Alaska. As for ANWR, with a democratic president and a democratic congress, I think you can forget about drilling there. yay!

Alaskan responding to the environmentalist:

I think I’m rather correct in assuming that most people who voted for Obama feel the same way as you. Alaska sinks further into Third Worldism. If you think that selling trinkets to tourists is a great thing, then I encourage you to do more. Personally, I do not share this dream. I dream of exceptionalism for my people.

Alaskan who suggests relying on liberal media rather than right wing talk radio, and doesn’t believe in excessive firepower:

No Pat Robertson, SkinHeadUSA, & Sarah Palin are not sources & neither is Rush Limbaugh, he’s an entertainer thus he makes money by stirring you up. Let’s go for something a little more mainstream. Maybe CNN, WSJ, Washington Post or even NPR. If you just look at the data, how families do under Democratic vs Republican administrations. http://www.visualizingeconomics.com/2008…

P.S. He’s not going to come and take your guns, nor is hey gonna dismantle the base in Fairbanks. He will however probably take away your AK-47’s, M-14’s, M-16’s, G-3’s, AR-10, FAMAS’s as well as a number of other assault rifles. How can you possibly justify having an assault rifle? You can’t hunt with it, there’s no shooting events for 700 shot accuracy.

Alaskan in favor of more firepower:

in truth, AK-47s, M-14s, M-16s, AR-10s, and especially the FN FAL make superb hunting weapons. When I was in Africa, I observed that the majority of large animals, including Cape Buffalo and Elephants are taken with these weapons. Especially set to short burst or full-automatic. Of course, the FA version of these firearms are outlawed already in this country for hunting. So, you have no argument there. Just misinformed fantasy.

BTW, the Ruger Mini-14 semi-auto (.223) is the most popular caribou and wolf hunting rifle in Alaska villages, especially amongst reindeer herders.

Alaskan for sensible use of firepower:

So what’s left to eat after you kill a moose with an AK-47? I think if you can’t kill an animal is Alaska with something as simple as a 308 then you shouldn’t be hunting.

Alaskan (who don’t like gu’ment above) on the use of firepower:

The wording in the 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with hunting, it has to do with a militia. …AK-47s, M-14s, M-16s, AR-10s, and… FN FALs are especially what is needed because we the citizens are the first line of defense. …There was a movie made probably 25 years ago called “Red Dawn” about a hypothetical invasion of the United States by Russian, Cuban, and Nicoraguans (sp?) and how a group of highschool kids in Wyoming or Montana or some such place “out west” escaped to the mountains and fought back in a guerilla campaign. I’m guessing that most Liberals find that story highly illogical but I can also tell you that most conservatives don’t – we find it very possible and very frightening (and we therefore want to have weapons close at hand that are suitable for killing invaders should the ‘hypothetical’ ever enter the realm of ‘reality’).

Alaskan who might be named Charlie Brown:

Good Grief. Knock it off you crazies from both sides. I don’t think Obama is the Anti-Christ, nor is he The Savior. He is, however, a democrat. To me that platform just by it’s very nature is not going to be pro-Alaska development. It’s not going to be pro-gun. It will be pro-environmentalist, It will be pro-social programs. It is what it is, that’s not paranoia and it has nothing to do with Palin. It’s fact and frankly I assume it’s what the democrats who voted for him want. Of course he will be my president too, so obviously I will pray for the very best for my country during his term, as I do for all of my political leaders.

Alaskan who is a fundamental Christian:

I also do not believe Obama is “The Anti-Christ” but I believe he has the spirit of the Anti-Christ. If anyone really cares, go back to all the speeches he gave about doing away with all nuk’s and uniting the world as one. Never did he ever say uniting the world threw Jesus Christ. So this is why people say he is Anti-Christ. Now for all the dem’s out their you will say what is wrong with wanting world peace? And I say to you that true peace comes threw Jesus Christ and with out Jesus Christ you will never have world peace.

Alaskan who must be a dirty heathen:

And there you have it folks. This particular Christian will not be satisfied until the entire world has been dominated by his religion… Isn’t this what all of the Christians keep “chicken littling” about the Muslims? “They want global domination” “They are trying to take over the world” blah blah blah

…and now we are down to a handful of people arguing over literal readings of the bible versus viewing the old testament as a mythology, and whether Obama, being in the latter camp, is a decent or depraved person.

Finally, one commentator linked to this: