Press releases & proclamations from the Alaska Governor's Office: on Civil Rights

Comply with same-sex partner benefits despite disagreement

In addition to adoption of the regulations, Governor Palin signed HB4002 today, which calls for a statewide advisory vote, proposed by the Legislature during its November special session. ”I disagree with the recent court decision because I feel as though Alaskans spoke on this issue with its overwhelming support for a Constitutional Amendment in 1998 which defined marriage as between a man and woman. But the Supreme Court has spoken and the state will abide.

Recognize Martin Luther King holiday

• WHEREAS, as we observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we remember the dream of a great man--an American hero--and his message of social change through nonviolence.
• WHEREAS, Dr. King dedicated his life to empowering people, no matter their circumstances, and challenged them to lift up their neighbors and communities. He broke down barriers within our society by encouraging Americans to look past their differences and refused to rest until our Nation fulfilled its pledge of liberty & justice for all.
• WHEREAS, Alaskans will join volunteers across the nation who will celebrate Dr. King’s life & teachings by converting the holiday into a day of service, dedicated to meeting community needs.
• WHEREAS, yet more work remains In the words of Dr. King, “We will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters & righteousness like a mighty stream.’”
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gov. Sarah Palin, do hereby proclaim Jan. 21, 2008, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Alaska.

HIV/AIDS among Alaska Natives is public health crisis

• WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have experienced a long history of a lower health status, which includes a lower life expectancy and higher disease occurrence than other racial/ethnic groups due to inadequate health education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health care services, and access to quality health care.
• WHEREAS, the spread of HIV/AIDS virus among American Indians & Alaska Natives poses a significant risk to the public health and well-being of these communities.
• WHEREAS, the status of HIV/AIDS epidemic among American Indians & Alaska Natives is a public health crisis that requires a focused national effort as well as tribal effort to bring attention to the prevention needs of Indigenous people.
• NOW THEREFORE, I, Gov. Sarah Palin, do hereby proclaim March 20, 2008, as: Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Alaska, and ask the residents of Alaska to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities.

Recognize Juneteenth to celebrate the end of slavery

• WHEREAS, Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the ending of slavery--the oldest celebration of its kind. Its roots go back to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the war’s end and that all slaves were now free. That news took two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863.
• WHEREAS, today, Juneteenth is a day, a week, and in some areas, a month that is set aside to celebrate African American freedom.
• WHEREAS, in cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities, & religions are joining together to celebrate this extremely important historical event.
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim June 21, 2008, as Juneteenth Day in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to reflect on the importance of this celebration, and encourage citizens to take part in the events taking place in your communities.

ADA brings expanded freedom to Americans with disabilities

• WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is one of the most compassionate and successful civil rights laws in American history. In the 18 years since the ADA was signed into law, more people with disabilities are participating fully in our society than ever before.
• WHEREAS, for the last 18 years the ADA has sought to ensure that people with disabilities are respected as equal citizens with equal opportunities: to access inclusive education, achieve gainful employment, and fully participate in the recreational, leisure, and social activities of our communities.
• NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim July 26, 2008, as 18th Anniversary of the ADA in Alaska, and encourage public officials, business leaders, people with disabilities, and all Alaskans to pursue the ADA’s full promise of equal opportunity and to celebrate the expanded freedom that the ADA has brought to our way of life.