Eddie Burke v. Vic Fischer: Disrespecting a Founding Father for Ratings

“You Are Alaska’s Children

“We bequeath to you a state that will be glorious in her achievements, a homeland filled with opportunities for living, a land where you can worship and pray, a country where ambitions will be bright and real, an Alaska that will grow with you as you grow. We trust you; you are our future. We ask you to take tomorrow and dream; we know that you will see visions we do not see. We are certain that in capturing today for you, you can plan and build. Take our constitution and study it, work with it in your classrooms, understand its meaning and the facts within it. Help others to love and appreciate it. You are Alaska’s chidren…”

-Resolution passed by the members of the Alaska Constitutional Convention at the University of Alaska, February 5, 1956

Alaskans were granted what many argue is the most protective state constitution in the Union for Alaska’s citizenry; spelling out ownership rights. Between 1955 and 1956, 55 delegates gathered at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and drew up our founding document. Among one of those delegates was one Vic Fischer. According to public record, his resume looks something like this:

Name: Victor Fischer

City: Anchorage

District: 18

Occupation: City Planner, Legislator, Professor

Born: May 5, 1924 – Berlin, Germany

Alaska Resident: 1950-Present

Convention Posts:

• Chairman, Committee on Executive Branch
• Member, Committee on Local Government
• Member, Committee on Style and Drafting

Quote from the Constitutional Convention:

“Mr. President, I would just like to very briefly point out the importance of establishing a good system of local government to the future success of our state… That is one of the points that we have tried to meet here, not to establish too many local governments but those that would be established would be effective to carry out not only the local but also state functions as may be necessary… In Alaska it is particularly important that we provide a local government system that will have the maximum amount of flexibility with the maximum amount of home rule, and at the same time with the maximum amount of state interest and participation in local affairs.”

-Delegate Victor Fischer, Day 58 of the Constitutional Convention, discussing the form and function of local governments established in the Alaska constitution

Education: University of Wisconsin, MIT, Harvard

Public Offices and Organizations:

• Director, Office of Metropolitan Development, US Department of Housing and Urban Development – 1962-66
• Planning Director, City of Anchorage – 1950-55
• Territorial House of Representatives – 1957-59
• State Senate – 1980-86
• Vice President, Operation Statehood

Honors Received:

Littauer Fellowship in Public Administration, Harvard University – 1961-62

On Tuesday night, Mr. Fischer, who many refer to as Alaska’s Thomas Jefferson, humbly attended the Anchorage City Assembly meeting to argue on behalf of funding for the arts, the library, and public transportation, which he believes are intrinsic to the vision of a prosperous community. His passionate plea came in the wake of a proposed 6 year fiscal plan submitted by the Mayor’s office which intends to “starve the beast” by slashing funding to these critical staples of the commons, including a staggering drop in arts funding by 86.9%.

Mr. Fischer stood up to say No, sir.

But also in the crowd of people waiting diligently to testify was local conservative radio talk show host Eddie Burke, who I had the displeasure of meeting after the Mayor vetoed equal rights legislation earlier this year. He assumed that my firm stance in support of equal rights for all (hey, speaking of Jefferson!) meant that I was gay. So, he lumbered up to me, shoved a microphone in my face, and asked why I wanted special rights. I was reasonably sure my wife was going to clock him, but we both managed to refrain.

In similar fashion, Mr. Burke – who rarely experiences truth being on his side, but remedies this by constantly substituting honesty with airtime – railed against property taxes, child care services, and Campfire as socialist evils.

In contrast to Mr. Fischer, let’s just quickly run through Eddie Burke’s resume:

Name: Eddie Burke

City: Anchorage

Occupation: Conservative Talk Show Host on KBYR-AM 700

Fun Facts: Suspended for one week without pay “after broadcasting the phone numbers of women involved in organizing a protest rally against Sarah Palin” and calling them “socialist baby-killing maggots.”

Self Described as a:

• Homophobic
• Red Shirt
• Bible Thumping Nazi
• Gay Bashing
• Tea Bagging Rascist [sic]
• White Guy Bigot

Honors Received: One-time runner-up on Countdown with Keith Olbermann for Worst Persons

So, clearly, we’re dealing with two people on a level playing field. The following two videos are how this narrative played out, and are exceptionally important for a specific reason that exposes an important characteristic of the far right, which I will get into below. But, really, give this a good watch.

The most important part of this video to me is the left hand corner of the screen while Vic Fischer is talking, and Eddie Burke is laughing. This fully illustrates a hidden reality interwoven into the ideology of the far right crowd, who for nearly a full year now have been ferociously trumpeting “traditional American values” according to the founding fathers; the framers of our Constitution. The signs, the mantra: Getting America back to its core.

But, when you pull the wool from over their eyes, and go beyond Glenn Beck’s short sighted repainting of Thomas Paine, who the Christian church tried to paint out of history because of his views on organized religion, and you put historical context to the limited quotes that adorn the protest signs and bumper stickers, does the “Tea Party” movement really represent the determination of the founding fathers? Because Eddie Burke is publicly disrespecting one of ours. Vic Fischer helped write our state constitution. His wife, Jane Anvik, who testified later, helped write the municipal charter for Anchorage. These are our framers. Living history. Living wisdom.

Burdened by our unique case of having a living delegate to the 1955-56 Alaska State Constitutional Convention, Eddie Burke and his ilk cannot misconstrue the intentions and intent behind our state’s architectural foundation, nor can they make claim to the opinion that our state’s constitutional authors would roll over in their graves if confronted with the current tax burdens. Although he tries with reckless abandon (and poor spelling), you can’t argue against that which is before you.

“All persons are equal and entitled to equal rights, opportunities, and protection under the law; and that all persons have corresponding obligations to the people and to the State.” [Article 1, Section 1. Inherent Rights]

“The legislature shall provide for the promotion and protection of public health.” [Article 7, Section 4. Public Health]

“The legislature shall provide for public welfare.” [Article 7, Section 5. Public Welfare]

This is the reality. Eddie Burke’s open disrespect for living history exposes the truth; that for all the flag waving, if the founding fathers of our United States walked our streets today, by law of human nature – and by records of their actual beliefs regarding democratic principals – these monoliths of American history would find that many of the values, which they put their lives on the line for, are actually anathema to many of the claims put forth by tea party conservatives and 9/12 Beck-bots. And, make no mistake, they would abandon Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and the rest as turncoats, in the exact same way we see this arrogant, hate-profiteering whelp, Eddie Burke, turn against Vic Fischer, and it should not be tolerated. This destructive movement’s “patriotic” kinship with the very men who wrote this country, and our state, into existence, is nullified at the first hint of any disagreement along rigid ideological lines that were very much written on the airwaves, not in Philadelphia, and what appear as solid bonds will break faster than voting trends in New York’s 23rd district.

Should sensationalism, hubris, lies, and ratings-inspired hate mongering trump the integrity of our nation?

Please, tell your Assembly Members and Mayor Sullivan which side of truth you would like Anchorage to reside.

And, Mr. Burke, stop spitting on integrity.