Makes it real. Especially like the 'indict the system' sign!

Despite being born and raised in Alabama, despite having spent the last decade in Washington, I still consider myself an Alaskan.

I wouldn't live anywhere else.

I had to get out for economic reasons; the town was steadily dying, being reliant on fishing in the sound, and losing all its bids for outside money to Valdez. The business I was in was shuttering and my options were get on a boat, live in the woods, or leave... and it happened I had welcoming friends in Seattle, and no one in Anchorage or elsewhere, soooo...

A horrible town full of nice people. just make sure you know your Swedes from your Norwegians and don't assume anyone not in uniform is a Coastie and you'll do fine.

That sounds about right. Were you there pre-spill or after?

Though, I remember, the night it happened perfectly clearly - My family was in Wake Forest, north Carolina at the time. I forget what time it was - late o'clock. The phone starts ringing off the hook. it's my mother's friend from bible college, calling her after twelve years, in a complete panic, telling her, "turn on the news, turn on the news." As a young child, this was probably the first time I actually noticed the world outside my little bubble.

You could still tell though. I'd heard that if you went out with a clam shovel and duck a little on the beach, you'd still find oil seeps puddling into the hole. I learned all about the collapse of the herring hatchery in the sound, and the effect this has on the salmon, and of course the effects of the toxins on the big bottom-dwellers like the crabs and halibut. in a town wholly dependant on income from fishing at every level... this is important stuff.

And all this tim after the spill, people are still sick - my mother's current boyfriend worked on the emergency cleanup. he was out there on the water, fishing oil boom back and forth with a paint filter and hardware store rubber gloves for protection. he's got some sort of degenerative bone disorder and constant lung problems now, and he believes it's from chemical damages during that. He's not alone; if you haven't alredy, I reccomend picking up dr. Ricki Ott's sound Truths and corproate Lies, detailing the damages caused to the people and environment around the sound, and Exxon's efforts to weasel out of liability.

And people here on DU sometimes act baffled why anyone would oppose the Keystone pipeline proposal!

...Ahem... /rant off, sorry... it's not really relevant to the topic at hand. Go Anchorage!

and I remember that day like it was yesterday, just a horrible sick feeling like you can't even believe. I, too, know people who are still sick from the cleanup, and, yes, even now, 25 years later, that oil is still oozing up.

I feel as though I'm there.

A lot of good people with their signs making sure we all know where they stand.

Good for them!

Thank you for taking us along.

K&R

... for "taking us there!"

Looks like a terrific crowd! Thanks so much for sharing them with us!

I don't see the Palin family in this crowd.

That's some good people who care for their fellow brothers and sisters.

Really good to see people coming out all over.