| June 2, 2006 Rank and File by Nova Stubbs, insurgent49 Anchorage:
A City of Great Potential
Everyone who has ever lived in Anchorage knows that it is a unique city. Nestled between the Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains, it is a community isolated yet extremely diverse. In a utopian world, racial and cultural diversity would be worn as a badge of honor, but in Anchorage this diversity has essentially created great gaps both socially and economically ... gaps that some wish to close, that many ignore and that others continually perpetuate. You can drive through one neighborhood and gaze up to mansions on mountains, but across town, there are slums with boarded up buildings, and dumpsters brimming with garbage. This is a city that at times is more concerned with oil than the blood of their neighbors who can’t afford health care. I suppose that in this sense we are a typical American city, built on the foundation of individualism. But, I believe we are much more than that. We are unique, and should not continually look to the atypical model of the average American community in order to grow both economically and culturally. Because the truth is ... we are Americans, but we are Alaskans first. And, in Anchorage, we have a city of great potential. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Anchorage has slightly less than the national averages as far as the White, Black, and Hispanic/Latino populations are concerned. However, we are well above the national average within the minority of minorities: American Indian /Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian /Pacific Islander, and mixed races. Do we embrace this diversity and view it as a pathway into educating ourselves about different cultures and building bridges between races, or do we stick to the white American-constructed world, where different ways of knowing and doing are often rejected and shunned? According to the 2004 FBI Crime Report, Anchorage ranks #20 as one of the most violent cities in America. This is the reality; we are par for the course compared to the national average in the murder rate, but high above in crimes such as aggravated assault and forcible rape. The only violent crime where we rank slightly below the national average is in robberies. But, we are better than this in many regards. Anchorage has a higher percentage of both high school and college graduates compared to the national average. Furthermore, we have a higher employment rate and fewer families that live below the poverty level. We show many signs of progress, but our social ills cannot be ignored. Therefore, we must ask the question ... why is Anchorage such a violent city? Let’s face it, we are many towns within the greater municipality. Trying to compare Dimond to Downtown or Muldoon to Mid-town is like trying to compare apples and oranges. Each part of town has a unique flavor compared with one another. Some parts have assimilated toward the “American way” and others toward the “Alaskan” way. And don’t forget that there are many sub-cultures within each. This is the diversity that we as Alaskans are meant to embrace. The conundrum of violence banks on the ultimate rejection of diversity and the inclination to cling to the individualistic ideals as opposed to the community ideals. In other words, European trends show that strongly connected communities are far less violent and it is due time for Anchorage to turn back to its community roots, which is one of the greatest distinctions between being an Alaskan and an American. Less than one hundred years ago, Anchorage was built on a community foundation. The pioneers needed one another to survive the elements and to set the groundwork of our city. Of course, times have changed and the dependency on the community has weakened, and our mentality has been changed, as drilling for oil became the number one priority. Yet that glint of community still exists. We have all been stuck in the snow and a person pulls over to help us out. We have all trekked down a frozen street only to look up to a warm hello. In moments, you can see our potential. We must always keep in mind this potential and look back and learn from our history as a community, a place where we need one another. We may not need each other for our daily functions, but we do need each other to keep our Alaskan spirit alive. The Alaskan spirit screams for community, while Americanism preaches individualism. Anchorage is unique and our city should continue to grow our way. Nova Stubbs is a freelance writer and activist, and is co-founder of Insurgent49. Nova resides in an undisclosed location in downtown Anchorage and may be contacted at nova@insurgent49.com. |
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2005
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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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