Do you feel connected to rest of the US in Alaksa?

[rumguy]

Or do you feel like your slighthly off to the side, so to speak? And that's not a bad thing, I would say it's a good thing.

So do you feel kinda independent up there? Does American popular culture fully penetrate Alaska?

[Curious Dave]

1. Yes and Yes

A lot of the time I find myself looking at the news and being very thankful I'm in far away Alaska. I've lived all over the country and I would say that being up here does make it a little bit easier to emotionally detach ones self from Outside issues.

Politically things are interesting here. Generally speaking people here are conservatives, but not always in that bad bible thumping kind of way. A lot of Alaska conservatives have a strong libertarian aspect in their views. Sadly, we have very few people that could be described as extremely liberal. Something to the tune of 70 to 75% of people here favor drilling in ANWR for example... a number that size has to include more than a few Democrats.

As for American cultural fully penetrating the state... Nothing strikes me as more bizarre than the site of an Inupiat (Eskimo if you're unfamiliar) kid in Barrow (200 miles from the nearest road out) chewing a piece of muktuk (whale blubber) while wearing a Raiders warm up jacket along with all the latest hip hop fashion statements. I would never be one to tell someone else how to live and I can understand the strong allure that popular American culture has around the world. And I certainly don't think Native Alaskans should be compelled to try to live up to the whiteman's idealized standard of what a Native should be. Still, I can help but be a little bit saddened by the fact that TV (and yes they have TV everywhere, even out in the bush) seems to be slowing destroying everything that makes Alaska and Alaskan culture (Native and anglo)unique.

Hope that helped

[rumguy]

2. That did help

I suppose it's to be expected that the power of TV woud reach even into the Alaskan Bush.

It's sad to me that most Alaskan would want drilling in the ANWR.