March 26, 2019

MARCH 26 - APRIL 1, 2019

A&E

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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“Mishaps, Miscalculations, Oracles and Aeons” tells a story that words cannot

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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The beginning of spring marks the end of several sports

University unified for education funding

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

UA delegates convened in Alaska’s capital to advocate on behalf of the university.‌ Over March 16-19, six UAA students traveled to Juneau for an annual advocacy trip with UA student representatives from sister schools UAS and UAF, as well as other satellite campuses.

This year it was open for any UAA student to apply. ‌ The trip’s purpose is to bring awareness about the benefits of UA. In past years, the university budget was a common concern, but it was the driving point of this year’s trip after Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed cuts to the university’s funding.‌ In Juneau, the group of students gathered during the weekend to plan and go over what to talk about with senators and representatives of the Alaska State Legislature for a brief amount of time on the approaching Monday and Tuesday. ‌ “We being [in Juneau], providing not only our personal stories and how university made our life different, how it affected us, how it’s important to us and that is backed up with different facts and evidence, it makes a difference and year after year students prove that investment in the human capital is the best long-term investment that any economy can do for itself,” USUAA President Geser BatErdene said.‌ UAA’s delegates included Bat-Erdene, Joey Sweet, Clare Baldwin, Quacyya Cuaresma,

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PHOTO COURTESY OF USUAA

Members of the Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage stand on the steps of capitol building during the Monday spent in Juneau.

Teresa Wrobel and Alex Jorgensen.‌ A rally also took place in front of the capitol building on the Monday spent in Juneau.

The students held signs that said “education is the key to success” and “Alaska stands tall for UA.”‌ “I really think [the trip] was successful… [having] a unified voice made a difference,” Dawson Mann, president of the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said.‌

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However, the trip to Juneau is not the end of advocating for education and the university’s funding, but rather just an annual opportunity. ‌ “As student government, we’ve been trying to come up with different ways of advocacy to ensure that not only our students are aware of the situation and do their part in making their voices heard, but working with all members of the public education,” Bat-Erdene said.‌

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With that came a new advocacy group, “Alaska Public Education Matters,” which encourages members of all areas of public education to come together, attend events and have a cohesive, “strong” voice. They have already released a couple of videos with more information on how the cuts affect education in Alaska and one specifically directed to the legislature, titled “It’s On You.”‌ “I urge all students to reach

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out to their legislators and make their voices heard... We are happy to help students contact their representatives, even if they never have before,” Joey Sweet, student regent on the Board of Regents, wrote in an email.‌ Sweet mentioned that there are cards students can sign their name on to reach legislature at the USUAA office in the Student Union if they want to get involved.‌

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FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019

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HOPE worldwide: UAA’s chance to make a difference

By Mary Ryan

features@thenorthernlight.org

HOPE worldwide, founded in 1991, connects people with local volunteering opportunities. The Anchorage chapter branched out to take on the form of a UAA club last year.‌ “Volunteering and service is the universal love language,” member Artie Gorash said. ‌ Though he had been part of other chapters for over a year, Gorash joined the campus group when he started the nursing program at UAA.‌ “A lot of the time we think that little acts of service mean nothing, but to the people you’re helping it mean everything,” Gorash said.‌ Gorash’s spouse, Mari Gorash, is the president of UAA’s HOPE worldwide club. She was part of Simple Truth, a Christian campus club that decided to shift to a community-service focus. The club changed into an extension of HOPE worldwide, which was affiliated with some of the churches that the members attended.‌ The club is faith-based, meaning that it is a response to the Biblical call to serve those in need. However, this does not mean that members must be Christian.‌ UAA’s HOPE worldwide volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club, the Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis shelter, or AWAIC,

PHOTO BY MARY RYAN

HOPE worldwide members Erin Schroeder, Mari Gorash, Artie Gorash and Symonne Caraway.

Alaska Food Bank and Beans Café. The group also recently partnered with the Age and Disability Resource Center.‌ “We work a lot with kids, but we also wanted to reach the older people in the community as well as people with different abilities,” Mari Gorash said.‌ HOPE worldwide serves the community in a wide variety of ways. One of the free services that HOPE worldwide provides through the Age and Disability Resource Center is installing handrails in houses. This is for people who want to go back

home from the hospital but can’t because they don’t have the tools to live safely. ‌ “There are people who call us who just need help cleaning up or they just need company,” Mari Gorash said. “The goal is to be ready to serve those in need at all times.” ‌ Mari Gorash, who is pursuing a human services major said, “My favorite part is feeling like, even if it’s just something small that we do, that it makes a big impact on the people that we’re [helping].”‌ HOPE worldwide has also

given her experience working with others. ‌ “With human services, I don’t think it will be easy. I think there will be some really crazy things that happen, but it’s good for me to see what helping people in this capacity looks like,” she said.‌ She also enjoys working with children and empowering people to make a difference in the lives of others.‌ Erin Schroeder, who works for a nonprofit organization called Gateway to the Arctic Camp, has also previously been

involved in a different chapter of HOPE worldwide. She joined UAA’s group in October of last year when she moved to Anchorage.‌ “[My favorite part is] just being able to work alongside people who genuinely want to help in whatever way is needed…

It’s a really good way to build friendships with people because we are working together towards a common goal,” Schroeder said.‌ Artie Gorash said his personal goal for the group was “to just help people see how the thing that they are missing in their lives is helping other people… a lot of the time in society we are so self-centered. The thing that we need in life is to serve others.”‌ The group meets at Boys and Girls club and AWAIC throughout the week as members are able. ‌ Coming up next for HOPE worldwide is participating in Box Build at the Alaska Food Bank on March 16, from 1 to 4 p.m.‌ Another event the group is hosting is Art Night on March 29 from 7-9:30 p.m. in the Den. This is a social event meant to connect people with artistic talents on campus. UAA students can contact Mari Gorash to sign up to showcase their works.‌ For more information visit the HOPE worldwide website, Facebook page or contact Mari Gorash at (907) 791-0151.

Steward of bones

By Robert Gant

features2@thenorthernlight.org

Every person has a passion that drives them. Whether it is the Alaskan wilderness, certain bands or a favorite athletic team, any human can identify at least one thing that drives them to research and explore. For anthropologists, that passion is humans.‌ Associate professor of anthropology Ryan Harrod researches and teaches at UAA. His research focus is bioarchaeology, the analysis of human skeletal remains from ancient and historical contexts.‌ “I became a biological anthropologist because I am fascinated by what we can learn about the lives of people who lived in the past,” Harrod said.‌ Working with undergraduate and graduate students is one of Harrod’s favorite academic accomplishments. Liz Ortiz, a M.A. candidate and avid anthropology researcher, holds Harrod in high regard because of the culture of respect he fosters. ‌ “Ryan [Harrod] gives his students opportunities to succeed not just now, but in the future,” Ortiz said. “Every opportunity is unique, and we have worked on forensics research, [Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act] projects, and gender diversity and inequality research together. Working with

Ryan Harrod is one of the most rewarding aspects of my education at UAA.”‌ Ashley Hannigan, another M.A. student in anthropology with Harrod as her graduate advisor, echoes the sentiments of Ortiz.‌ “I personally would not have had the opportunities to do outside research, publish and present that research and move on to continuing education if it were not for Ryan [Harrod’s] support,” Hannigan said. “He puts forth extra effort to support students and offer opportunities for research, presentation and laboratory experience both in and out of the classroom.”‌ Harrod treats human remains with the same dignity he treats his students and fellow researchers. Alive, dead or half-dead during finals week, he believes in respecting all human beings.‌ “I do not ever want to possess bones or fossils,” Harrod said.

“I often act as a steward while I analyze the bodies, but I return them to the descendant community or local authorities when the research is finished.”‌ Harrod said that the purpose of the field of anthropology is to research past stressors as a way to prevent and cope with them in the present. Examples of the stressors Harrod has addressed in his research include intimate partner violence, slavery and captivity, massacres and homicide and the impact major

PHOTO COURTESY OF A. ROWBOTHAM‌

climate shifts have on human conflict.‌ “The analysis of human skeletal remains can help us understand how people dealt with epidemics,” Harrod said. “Grounded in the biological sciences, researchers in the field are working to help us better understand what it means to be human.”‌ Analyzing human skeletal remains isn’t for everyone. Following passions, on the other hand, is a keystone of human nature. If the study of anthropology was limited to one lesson, the lesson would be that human life is fleeting and fragile. ‌ “Follow your passion in life and someday you will find yourself in a career that will bring you happiness,” Harrod said.

“Even if it is a little odd, like the study of human skeletal remains.”‌

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THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019

03

Unidentified: Mysterious art on campus

By Robert Gant

features2@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO BY LEVI BROWN

There is an unidentifiable statue outside of the university bookstore that often goes unnoticed. ‌ The statue depicts a little girl sitting on a rock and reading a picture book. There is no plaque or signature indicating a title or artist. Her copper figure is oxidized and corroded and her face is scratched and dirty. The shade from the trees growing nearby conceals her.‌ Concealed within the Alaska collection of the UAA/APU Consortium Library lies documents. These documents detail an unsolved mystery from two decades ago. They lie in two dusty black binders, rings straining from the weight of information and the passing of time. The volume is known as “The art at the University of Alaska Anchorage: an inventory” by Wanda Seamster. ‌ These volumes contain a

complete inventory of every piece of art the University of Alaska has ever acquired, including the artist name, the title of the piece and value of the art. The level of detail varies from entry to entry, some nearly blank. ‌ The statue outside of the UAA campus bookstore is one of many pieces with the title and artist marked as “unidentified.” Bookstore visitors inevitably walk by the statue outside or may view it through the window.‌ Pre-nursing student Angelina Odegaard spends many hours at the campus bookstore working as a barista and cashier. Although she is busy with her two jobs, she still took note of the statue outside.‌ “I forgot about the sitting statue because it’s winter and it’s covered with snow,” Odegaard said. “But I have seen it.”‌ Bookstore cashier Nicholas Schied is finishing his freshman year as a professional piloting major. He works at the bookstore four days a week and often

goes to the Student Union.‌ “I didn’t even know there was a statue outside,” Schied said. “I just sort of come in and out without looking around a whole lot.”‌ Natural sciences student Christian Whittwer has been employed as a barista at the university bookstore for three years. He is very familiar with the bookstore, but not the statue outside.‌ “I barely pay attention to [the statue],” Wittwer said. “I don’t know too much about it. I just walk by it.”‌ Where does this leave this untitled statue hidden in the foliage and the countless other mystery artworks acquired by the university? With the invention of technology, we are redefining things once thought to be lost. ‌ In the app Pokémon Go, users have given the untitled statue their own name, “Picture Book.”

The records of the past may be lost, but we can give this unclaimed art new meaning in the present.‌‌

Exhibiting storytelling family. He has been pursuing art for 28 years and has been drawing for as long as arts@thenorthernlight.org he can remember. He says that he’s continuing his ancestors’ work and acknowlThe Kimura Gallery is hosting a new edged his four kids’ artistic inclinations.‌‌ exhibit entitled “Mishaps, Miscalcula“The thing that drew me to McCoy’s tions, Oracles and Aeons” that’s vivid, work in the first place is the fact that, alcolorful and a whole lot of unique.‌ though they are individual artworks, they The art in the new exhibit is created feel like a full, ongoing story is happening

by Santa Fe-based artist Daniel McCoy Jr.‌‌ throughout his oeuvre,” Riva Symko, cu“[The exhibit] is somewhat reflective, rator of the Kimura Gallery, said. “What somewhat thankful and being somewhat I think is particularly striking about the upset within painted surfaces,” McCoy works in this exhibition [are the] ways said.‌‌ that the characters seem to emerge from Many of his projects are paintings. the imagery.”‌‌ McCoy utilizes that particular medium to McCoy’s piece “They Speak to Me tell a story that words cannot. The pieces II,” features a portrait of a young McCoy are a collection from various times from thinking about things of his childhood the past five years. Some pieces took lon- that were especially important or sentiger than others, like his piece “The Chain mental to him. ‌ of Being,” which took up to a year for The International Gallery of ContemMcCoy to think out the concept and six porary Art is a non-profit gallery in Anmonths to complete the project.‌‌ chorage of mostly local, contemporary “My favorite part of painting is when artists.‌ you are really dedicated to what is going “It was just a delightful day and the on in the moment, and the line work is entire group from the IGCA had so much comparable to a form of meditation,” he fun,” Joe Carr, an IGCA board member, said. “The painting kind of paints itself said.‌ sometimes, so much fun when this hapFifteen IGCA members collaborated pens.”‌‌ during a workshop to make their own Art seems to run throughout McCoy’s piece, following in McCoy’s style, with

By Malia Barto

PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVA SYMKO

“Chain of Being” by Daniel McCoy.

their own painted shapes that held some sort of story or meaning to the artist and entitled the mural, “Stories from Santa Fe to Anchorage.”‌ “I enjoy seeing the twist that the staff at Kimura gallery put on the exhibition.

The colors are very vivid. I believe these installations speak to all ages, which is

nice to break up the stuffiness that art shows can become,” McCoy said.‌‌ The Kimura Gallery is located in the Fine Arts Building on the second floor and is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. “Mishaps, Miscalculations, Oracles and Aeons” opened March 4 and will be on display until April 12.‌

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SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019

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Several Seawolf teams done for the season

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

With the quick passing of spring break, several UAA teams competed for the last time of their 2018-19 season.

While women’s basketball stayed busy playing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships and NCAA DII West Regional Championships, skiing was across the country competing in the NCAA Championships.‌ The small group of UAA skiers that qualified for the 66th annual national championships traveled to the University of Vermont during March 6-9 to compete for their final time this year.‌ Cumulatively, the group placed eighth overall out of 24 teams, with a total score of 204 points. No. 1 Utah finished with 530.5 points and No. 2 Vermont had 476 points. This was the highest the Seawolves have placed since also placing eighth in 2014.‌ “Our kids skied their hearts out this week. The big news was Liam [Wallace] throwing down first run from bib 19 against guys skiing World Cup and finding himself in contention for the podium,” head coach Sparky Anderson said. “Our coaching staff was on pins and needles waiting for Liam’s second run, and I about had a heart attack when he got back and jacked exiting a flush. He’s such a talented young athlete, and he was able to find the front of his boot and make a recovery.”‌ The meet started off with the men’s 10K freestyle and women’s 5K freestyle on March 6. Becoming the first Seawolf to earn All-American status, Casey Wright placed tenth overall to win a spot

Djurestaal and Burgess were the final racers of the meet, completing the women’s slalom. They finished at 25th and 27th, respectively.‌‌‌ While the skiers were racing at nationals, women’s basketball was competing in GNAC championships in order to prepare for west regionals.‌ They competed in two games, one against Central Washington and another against Northwest Nazarene.‌ The Seawolves started out strong with a win against CWU (70-52) but lost their momentum the next day and fell to NNU (64-70), ending their conference playing time.‌ However, less than a week later, the PHOTO COURTESY OF UCSD Seawolves were back on the court to play in the DII West Regional Championships.‌ UAA’s Hannah Wandersee prepares to take a free throw against University of California San Diego.

In a close win to start out their playon second-team. ‌ time, in the women’s 15K classical and ing time, UAA overtook Hawaii Pacific Michaela Keller-Miller and Anna men’s 20K classical.‌ by just seven points for a 76-69 win. They Darnell also competed in the 5K, finishWright, again, was the highest finisher moved on to an even closer win, reining ing 17th and 24th, respectively, in a race on the women’s side. In a field of 40 wom- just two points over Northwest Nazarene of 40 women.‌ en, she placed 21st overall. Keller-Miller (69-67) for their second win of the chamSigurd Roenning was the top-scorer (30th) and Darnell (34th) also competed pionship.‌ for the Seawolf men in the 10K, finishing in the 15K.‌ Their final game came close to a third 14th overall, with Toomas Kollo (30th) In one of the top performances of the win, but the Seawolves lost their momenand J.C Schoonmaker (38th) trailing be- meet, Roenning completed the 20K clas- tum and fell two points behind against hind.‌ sical as runner-up, just six seconds be- Azusa Pacific at 63-65.‌ The following day, alpine skiers got hind first place. He was competing in a Head coach Ryan McCarthy felt bitthe chance to race but did not secure any field of 40 men.‌ tersweet about the final games.‌ All-Americans.‌ Schoonmaker and Kollo also complet“It hurts a lot more this year because Georgia Burgess and Li Djurestaal ed the 20K, finishing at 26th and 39th, re- we had more buy-in. I’ve had teams that were the only two Seawolves competing spectively.‌ lost in the first round and others that have in the giant slalom. They placed back-toFor the final day of the national cham- competed for a national championship, back at 17th and 18th, respectively.‌ pionships, the alpine team competed in and I don’t know that any teams had the As for the men’s giant slalom, Sky the men’s and women’s slalom.‌ buy-in that this group did and was able Kelsey was the lone UAA racer, afSimilar to Roenning’s performance, to overachieve to the extent they did. I’m ter Liam Wallace did not finish. Kelsey Wallace competed in the men’s slalom extraordinarily proud of everyone, espeplaced 16th overall.‌ to finish runner-up. He finished less than cially our four seniors,” McCarthy said.‌ The next day, both Nordic ski teams one second behind the No. 1 finisher.

The Seawolves are now done for the had an opportunity to race one more Kelsey also competed, trailing in at 29th.‌ season. ‌

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019

06

The Electoral College is messy and undemocratic — let’s abolish it

By Robert Hockema opinion@thenorthernlight.org

In the 2016 presidential election, the candidate that won the presidency won the official election but lost the popular vote by three million votes. The system that allowed this to happen, the Electoral College, has recently become a hot topic in the news thanks to Senator and presidential-hopeful Elizabeth Warren’s proposal to abolish it. The rest of the country should join in calling for the elimination of one of the most undemocratic mechanisms for voting in the United States. ‌ Before we delve in, how does the Electoral College work, anyway? The most important thing to understand is that when you turn in your ballot, you’re not actually voting for a candidate.

In reality, you’re voting for an “elector,” or an appointed person who votes with other electors to elect the president. The size of your state determines the number of electors representing you, meaning less-populated states like Alaska get three while heavily-populated California gets 55.‌ These electors can, in most states, vote for the opposite candidate that their state voted for.

For instance, one of our 2016 electors, former Gov. Sean Parnell, could have cast his electoral vote for Hillary Clinton, even though the state voted for Donald Trump. After all the electoral rallies have been added for a total of 538, the president is decided once a candidate reaches at least 270 electoral votes to win the election. ‌ The most obvious problem

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with this system is that it directly defies the will of the people.

Because electors are not bound by the people, they can go rogue and vote for whoever they want.

Granted, defectors — or “faithless electors,’’ as they’re often called — are unlikely. According to federal archives, electors vote with their state 99 percent of the time. However, the possibility that a group of unelected appointees could try to override the people’s vote is enough to abolish the system. ‌ The most avid proponents of the Electoral College claim it is necessary to act as a check on the people. The argument is rooted in a principled defense of representative democracy, which says that we already don’t live in a “true” democracy to begin with. Senators, Representatives and other elected members

of government make decisions for us so that we don’t have to vote on every single issue out there. If we had a direct vote on everything, democracy probably wouldn’t function. Moreover, elected representatives put a damper on more populist, irrational sentiments that lead us to vote for undemocratic decisions.

This is why the Senate was originally an unelected body, as it was intended to act as a check against the populist wills of the House of Representatives.‌ The same logic exists for the Electoral College: a bulwark against our worst inclinations and to stop an unqualified, demagogic president from being elected by the people. This justification would be much more persuasive had the Electoral College not allowed for the same kind of candidate to reach presi-

dency in 2016. Regardless of whether you like Trump or not, he embodies the precise kind of candidate the Electoral College was supposed to prevent. In that case, what really is the point of the Electoral College anymore?‌ All of this is to say that the Electoral College is at best unnecessary and at worst grossly undemocratic. These are reasons alone to scrap the system.

However, there are also plenty of practical reasons to defer to the popular vote. ‌ The first has to do with the way electoral politics works.

Right now, the election is decided by only a few states every election cycle like Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania. The reason these states are so important is because of what’s called a “first past the post” system, meaning the presidential candidate that

wins a state takes every single electoral vote. So, even though Hillary Clinton won 43 percent of the vote in Texas, Trump took home all 38 of the state’s electoral votes. The states that are solidly liberal or conservative are “safe states,” meaning that whether you campaign in the state or not, they’re probably going to vote the same as they always have. ‌ The problem here is that there’s almost no point in voting for your preferred candidate in an election. If I’m a Democrat in Alaska, what on earth is the point of voting for the Democratic nominee for president when I know all three of our electoral votes are going to whoever the Republican is? There’s almost no point in turning out to vote, as millions of Americans choose not to do every election cycle. ‌ Another harmful effect is that states that are reliably Republican or Democrat get ignored every election cycle. This is why arguments about how the popular vote will simply empower giant, left-leaning cities will make small states irrelevant. Small, solid red states — often referred to as “flyover states” — with a few electoral votes already get ignored. If Democrats think they can squeeze some 30 or 40 percent out of a red state like Nebraska or Kansas, they now have an incentive to travel there to try and win votes. ‌ The change to the popular vote would be undeniably preferable to the archaic mess of a system we have now. It is vastly more democratic, changes how candidates campaign and makes voting more fair for everyone. ‌

151 years later: Seward’s Folly paid off

By Ben Edwards

opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

Alaskans observed Seward’s Day on March 25, commemorating the 1867 purchase of the Alaska territory from the Russian Empire. The $7.2 million price tag, or approximately two cents per acre, was a bargain as far as then-Secretary of State William Seward was concerned.

The expansionist diplomat saw Alaska as an enormous extension of the United States, as well as a point of strategic leverage over the Pacific. Although the sale was approved, much of the American press at the time ridiculed the deal as “Seward’s Folly,” “Seward’s Icebox” or the “Polar Bear Garden.” It was difficult for many to predict how a frozen wasteland up north could be advantageous for a country that seemed to possess plenty of land and resources already.‌ Doubts about Alaska persist to this day. David Barker, an

economist at the University of Iowa, wrote a provocative essay arguing that Alaska has been a net drain on the U.S. Indeed, we are still one of the top recipients for federal spending per capita.

We absorb far more federal dollars than we pay in federal taxes.‌ Even Alaskans doubt Alaska.

We have a net population decline as of July 2018, and a panel of speakers at an event on March 8 about Alaska’s future reported with regret that the majority of high school students they’ve spoken to “couldn’t wait to leave the state.” ‌ So can we really say that Alaska was a good investment?

Is there any reason to celebrate Seward’s Day? I think that there is. To recognize that is more meaningful than just a scholarly debate among historians. It correlates to a sense of confidence in Alaska and its future. It is a sentiment that influences population growth and retainment in this state. That is sorely needed in a globalized world where hu-

man capital moves freely.‌ To set Alaska’s record straight, we need to look at the nation’s return on investment in a more holistic way. The aforementioned essay by economist David Barker looks at Alaska in terms of the U.S. Treasury. It is true that this state absorbs far more federal dollars than it pays in federal taxes. Alaska receives nearly twice the national average of per capita federal spending yearly. Our small population implies a small income tax base, and our oil companies possess special privileges that allow them to defer or acquire exemption from federal tax. ‌ However, gross domestic product paints a more important picture when arguing Alaska’s worth. The state’s GDP per capita, which measures the value of all final goods produced here annually relative to population, sits at an impressive $63,971 as of 2016. Our pre-recession high of $71,087 in 2011 is worth noting as well, in order to account for

the steep fluctuations that Alaska goes through in its productivity. Alaska’s GDP per capita is frequently among the highest in the nation. The significance here is that Alaska’s economy is especially productive in relation to its population. This is largely due to the high value of export commodities like oil, gas and minerals. Alaska’s contribution to GDP matters more than its federal dependency because, ultimately, GDP is constructive while federal taxation is extractive. One grows an economy and the other siphons from it.‌ The federal government isn’t getting a totally raw deal on Alaska. Its return on investment should be viewed as strategic rather than financial. Alaska is the only reason that the U.S. is an Arctic nation. That matters when considering how important the Arctic will become as ice recedes and rival nations scramble to stake claims. Because of Alaska, the U.S. gets to have a say in how maritime ship-

ping through the Bering Strait is conducted, as well as preventing or monitoring the movement of Chinese military vessels into the Arctic. The advantage that Alaska’s polar position bestows upon Washington D.C. is something that Seward’s detractors could have never imagined. ‌ We could do a better job at communicating Alaska’s benefits, though. Washington D.C. is still mostly apathetic, and it is rare to see a bill in Congress that addresses an Alaskan issue specifically. Our senators are lucky enough to get something tacked on to one of the gigantic omnibus spending bills that Congress passes without reading. Alaska doesn’t need special treatment, but it surely could use some recognition given the current population decline. In all of the noncongruous foreign territory acquisitions that the U.S. has made through its history, Alaska has been the most rewarding. ‌

OPINION

07

Tech companies need to deal with white supremacy

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF COUSSINS ASSOCIATES

By Ben Edwards

opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

It is important to distinguish between categories of terrorism.

Classification helps politicians, analysts and law enforcement better understand the causes and methods of terrorist activity.

After all, Islamic terrorism and white supremacy express distinct beliefs and goals, and it is important for security services to keep track of that. However, both of the aforementioned categories use the same tool, even if their message is dissimilar.

This tool is the internet. This means that the tech companies that dominate the internet possess a suppression technique that is applicable to terrorism of both kinds. ‌ Unfortunately, tech com-

panies are failing to apply this technique to white supremacy with the same vigor that they exercised against Islamic terrorism. We see evidence for this in the measured suppression of ISIS propaganda. Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube formed the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism in June 2017. GIFCT pools each company’s resources to share information, identify goals and leverage technology against terrorists’ ability to promote their message. Ask.fm, Cloudinary, Instagram, Justpaste.it, LinkedIn, Oath and Snap have since joined the consortium.‌ GIFCT has actually been quite successful, as much as could be expected in the limitless anarchy that is the internet.

They recorded nearly 100,000 “hashes,” or digital fingerprints

STAFF CONTACTS Opinion Writer Robert Hockema opinion@thenorthernlight.org‌

Executive Editor Levi Signe Brown (907) 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org‌

Opinion Writer Ben Edwards opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

Copy Editor Caleigh Jensen copy@thenorthernlight.org Features Editor Mary Ryan features@thenorthernlight.org‌ Features Reporter Robert Gant features2@thenorthernlight.org‌ Arts & Entertainment Editor Malia Barto arts@thenorthernlight.org‌

tack, which the shooter had livestreamed. There is also a manifesto that is circulating around, which is concerning because such things are literally intended to spread the terrorist’s message.‌ GIFCT doesn’t need to exercise widespread censorship. The consortium has already pledged to respect free expression, and it involves independent human rights NGOs in its technique design to be sure of that. It should, however, subject white supremacy to the same scrutiny that it used to thwart ISIS. This means updating its database to include hashes unique to white supremacy, depriving white supremacists of advertisement revenue and teaching recommendation algorithms to ignore such material. This entails deleting material that runs afoul of their terms of service, which is distinct from government censorship because a private company retains the right to decide what it allows on its property. Of course, all of this needs to be done in close partnership with free speech experts, and an appeal process needs to be available, so as to mitigate errors and avoid overreach.‌ Some might question why Islamic terrorism and white supremacy warrant the primary at-

tention of GIFCT. Indeed, there are many other forms of terrorism in the world, from Colombian communist rebels to the Hindu cow protection vigalantes that attack Indian farmers. But GIFCT’s capacity is limited and its mission is best served when it zeroes in on the most dangerous forms of terrorism. At the time of writing, Islamic terrorism and white supremacy are the most dangerous forms. The criteria for that claim is the number of innocent people affected, the prevalence of the ideology and the political realities that tolerate or otherwise fail to address it. Additionally, terrorists and sympathizers in those two categories are heavily reliant on the internet for recruitment and self-validation. ‌ GIFCT must adapt by elevating white supremacy to the same level as Islamic terrorism.

This might change in the future as one or the other declines in severity. This also implies that GIFCT’s mission is somewhat eternal since there will always be new terrorists to adapt to. But it is reasonable to expect the tech companies to play a role in public safety for as long as they hold such massive sway over social media. ‌

A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S

3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508‌

Managing Editor Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org‌

of pro-terrorist content that automated algorithms can identify and delete, into a shared database by the end of 2018. This prevents terrorists and their sympathizers from simply migrating to a different social media platform when they are suppressed on the first. Thanks to GIFCT, all participating companies have access to these hashes.

ISIS cannot be obliterated from online messaging, but it has at least been downgraded to the dark web. ‌ GIFCT has made progress against Islamic terrorism, but we are not seeing comparable progress against white supremacy. This needs to change.

The stereotype of unemployed, fringe neo-Nazis holding ad hoc meetings in obscure biker bars is largely antiquated. Today’s fascists can be fellow coworkers and students, and they spend a great deal of time behind their computers. White supremacy has an impressive presence on Reddit, 8chan, Twitter, YouTube and others. This presence largely goes unchallenged.‌ Recent events have made this problem ever more urgent. In the 24 hours after the New Zealand terrorist attack, Facebook experienced more than 1.2 million shares of the video of the at-

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