LETTER: Alaska should be known as ‘The Windy State’

To the editor:

After literally being blown into the Post Office on an incredibly windy day in Palmer, I was catching my breath when I overheard a conversation between two customers. “I don’t recall so much wind and intensity,” said one. The other responded with, “Palmer could take the slogan line from Chicago and become ‘The Windy City’ – actually, Alaska should be known as the ‘The Windy State’!”

Having been reared in the midwest and lived in Chicago for many years, I thought the “Windy” title might be appropriate, but not because of the gusts roaring down the mountains, decapitating houses, and flinging anything not fastened down wildly around. Much controversy swirls around Chicago’s title, and many are adamant that it didn’t originate from winds gusting off Lake Michigan, smashing trash cans and mail boxes and even ripping marble slabs off skyscrapers. They insist the title originated from a late 1800s reporter penning a story about Chicago’s old windbag politicians and the hot air bellowing from them.

Since this has been a ridiculously contentious political time around the country and in Alaska and fueled by social media, perhaps the winds could be attributed to the hot air bellowing from politicians. Should be interesting to see what the wind blows through Alaska politics this year. Hopefully, the blustering and bellowing will cease, politicians will huff and puff and blow themselves out, and the winds of change will bring fiscally responsible legislators and a governor caring about all Alaskans – not just special interests and his/her own welfare.

— Jacqueline Fries

Palmer