| September 2, 2005 Editor’s Desk by Aaron Selbig It's been a triumphant week here at Insurgent Headquarters.  [Editor's
note: for the benefit of those insurgents who cannot be here with us to
enjoy this historic moment, the following editorial is reprinted from
the innaugural edition of the Insurgent49 newspaper. It is used with
permission.]
Welcome. What you are holding in your hands is an experiment. Over the last few months, while wars have been raging at home and abroad over oil, climate change, “intelligent” design and gubernatorial jets, a small band of insurgents right here in Alaska has been plotting a revolutionary media project. You, fair reader, are our test subject. At this point, you’re likely brimming with questions. Why the hell would somebody name a newspaper Insurgent49? Aren’t insurgents those guys over there in Iraq that set off car bombs and IEDs? What are you guys, like a bunch of Communist tree-huggers or something? Answering these questions, and soothing your fears about our (peaceful) insurgency, will take time. This newspaper is the first of many and hopefully, one day soon, you’ll begin to accept us, regardless of your politics, as a useful and important part of the Alaskan marketplace of ideas. To get a better idea of what we’re all about, and the range of subjects we explore, please check out our website, www.insurgent49.com, where you’ll find hundreds of original articles, interviews, opinion pieces and cartoons that we’ve been publishing on the net since April 1st. Normally, I will use this editorial space to sound off about Alaskan media, politics, and culture. Believe me, I can’t wait. There is no shortage of self-righteous politicians to skewer or injustices to expose in this great ‘red’ state and Insurgent49 will be there to do it. This month, however, I’d like to share with you how this project came about and what we have planned for the future. First of all, I’d like to send a BIG thank you to everyone who has helped make this newspaper happen. There are too many to name here but, to everyone who has contributed stories, ideas and moral support, you have our undying gratitude. Extra special thanks goes out to local artist Brian Moon, who designed and built our “guerilla” newspaper racks. Also, there are two people who have been so instrumental to the paper that, without them, it never would’ve happened. We are proud to have as our Art Director Mr. Heywood Wilkinson, whose talent is responsible for the snappy, unique layout you see in these pages. And, as no newspaper can survive without revenue, we owe much to our Marketing Director, Nova Stubbs, who has spent the better part of the last two months trying to convince local businesses that advertising with I-49 is a sound decision (and it is). Nova, Heywood, Brian, myself, and all of our contributors are volunteers. We do this because we love Alaska and are impassioned to raise its consciousness. Here at Insurgent49, we see ourselves as coordinators. Several dedicated progressive organizations are established here in Alaska and have been doing good work for years. Many of them have agreed to help us. And so, we have attempted to put them all together (the anti-war movement, Native rights groups, conservationists, gay & lesbian organizations, etc.) into one solid and consistent forum. In addition to our role as coordinators, we’re also gardeners. What I mean is that, if you want a seed to grow into a tall and healthy tree, you must nurture it. To do that, we need your help. If you like what you see in these pages, help us spread the word. Tell your friends about Insurgent49. Get a conversation going around your dinner table about Brian Yanity’s article on renewable energy. Send Owen Cruise’s “Army Of One” story to your conservative brother-in-law. Whether you are pleased or outraged by the material you read in this newspaper, we hope you’ll find it worthy of discussion. Also, we are always on the lookout for fresh material. If you'd like to fire off a letter to the editor or an opinion piece, it's easy and stress relieving to do so. If you'd like to do an in-depth feature article, cartoon, or an interview with a newsworthy Alaskan, we'd be thrilled to have you on board. On the right-hand side of this page, you’ll find several ways to contact us. We would love to here from you. Insurgent49 is dedicated to the idea of grassroots media by and for Alaskans. No experience necessary. Finally, I’d like to thank you. Thanks for taking the time to pick up our newspaper and for reading it (at least this far, anyway). It’s all for you. I hope you enjoy it. Regards, Aaron Selbig Editor, Insurgent Media AK |
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Columnists -
- column archive -
August 26, 2005 August 19, 2005 August 12, 2005 August 5, 2005 July 29, 2005 July 22, 2005 July 15, 2005 July 8, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 24, 2005 June 17, 2005 June 10, 2005 June 3, 2005 May 27, 2005 May 20, 2005 May 13, 2005 May 6, 2005 April 28, 2005 April 21, 2005 April 14, 2005 April 7, 2005 April 1, 2005 |
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| Copyright 2005
Insurgent Media.
All rights reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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