State fair for sale to the highest bidder

To the editor:

The Council of Alaska Producers, a mining coalition, has sponsored Mining Day at the Alaska State Fair on Saturday, Sept. 3.

One of their conditions was that the booth for the Mat Valley Coalition not be allowed to operate on that day. They can’t show up period, end of story. In fact, any booth will not be allowed to hand out any perceived anti-mining literature at all.

It seems that for the right price, community debate and peaceful opposition can be eliminated. Has the Alaska State Fair become political or is it just cold hard business?

Either way, it doesn’t seem right that one paying customer has the permission to oppress another paying customer. The Alaska State Fair should remain a peaceful and equal opportunity forum for all community views that agree to follow the rules.

Will pro-mining groups be asked to leave on Healthy Living Day, Alaska Native Heritage Day, Alaska Grown Day or Wellness Day? If Republicans sponsor a day will Democrats be asked to leave, or vice versa?

This is an unjust precedent and one that could create larger walls of division in our community. If mining has nothing to hide, why oppress the little guy fighting for a healthy community?

We all deserve to make informed choices about what we will or will not allow in our own backyard. By keeping out opposition, the Council of Alaska Producers and Alaska State Fair are working together to keep the public from becoming fully informed.

Please join me in asking the fair to allow the people to have a voice so we can all make a real choice.

Christiana Wright

Palmer