Legislature(2003 - 2004)
05/01/2003 03:35 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 45-SECOND VERSE OF ALASKA'S STATE SONG
REPRESENTATIVE BRUCE WEYHRAUCH, sponsor of HB 45, stated that
the issue to adopt the second verse of the Alaska flag song has
been before the Legislature several times. Most recently it was
co-sponsored by Senate President Rick Halford.
During the Governor's inauguration he learned that the second
verse isn't part of the official song even though it was sung
there, children sing it in school, and it was sung when members
were sworn into the House. He said this would be an opportunity
for the Legislature to follow what the public is already doing.
In researching how the verse was developed, why it was promoted,
who sings it, and why, it became apparent the public believes
the flag song should incorporate the sentiments expressed in
verse two. It's a tribute to Benny Benson, the young man who
designed and drew the "state stars of gold on a field of blue."
It celebrates Alaska as a society open to all peoples and
cultures.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS invited the Alaska Youth Choir to come
forward.
MISSOURI SMYTH, Artistic Director for the Alaska Youth Choir
introduced herself and led a small ensemble within the choir in
singing the second verse of the Alaska flag song.
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY said he has been in Alaska for a long time,
is proud of the Alaska flag song and doesn't want it to change.
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH replied the Legislature would make a
statement if it adopted the second verse and it would make the
song an integrated whole.
SENATOR COWDERY asked if not approving the second verse makes a
statement.
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH said that when the Legislature does
something, you are able to read their intent. When they change
words, it means something. When the Legislature doesn't pass a
bill, it means it didn't have the political support to get
through. It's not necessarily a statement against the issue.
SENATOR COWDERY inquired about the associated costs.
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH pointed out the zero fiscal note. The
statute would be revised and the public would decide what to do
from that point.
SENATOR COWDERY asked if he would favor four additional verses.
REPRESENTATIVE WEYHRAUCH said he would not. He noted that Carol
Beery Davis, former poet laureate of Alaska, wrote the second
verse and school children sing it and understand it and enjoy
talking about it.
SENATOR DYSON expressed gratitude to the sponsor for introducing
the bill. In response to Senator Cowdery, but not directed at
him, he said, "I think it is always presumption when we presume
to think what somebody else means or what their vote means...and
I think it's off the reservation of what I consider to be
ethical conduct to presume that I know what somebody else's
intentions are about what they did or didn't..."
SENATOR COWDERY replied, "I didn't intend to say that."
SENATOR DYSON assured him his comments weren't directed at
anyone in particular. He said that as a culture, we learn as we
grow. When this issue came up, he looked at the verse and the
state seal and found that neither has any recognition or
acknowledgement of the role that Alaska Natives have made and
continue to make in this country. It's altogether proper to say,
"We could do better." and it's a mark of maturity to do better.
It would be more than a gesture to have the Alaska song and
perhaps the seal explicitly acknowledge the profound
contribution Alaska's aboriginal people have made.
CHAIR GARY STEVENS commented he always enjoyed the song and it
was likely the first verse would continue to be sung more
frequently than the second. Intellectually, it's always bothered
him that just the Sourdough is mentioned in the first verse.
Although the Sourdough was an important aspect of Alaska
history, neglecting up to 50,000 years of aboriginal pre-history
as well as the Russian history has always been bothersome.
When he was first in Alaska, he had the pleasure of knowing
Benny Benson. He had great respect for him and is pleased he is
mentioned in the second verse. After all, the song is called
"Alaska's Flag" and Mr. Benson is the man who designed it.
J. ALLAN MACKINNON urged members to support HB 45 adding there
are a number of reasons the bill hasn't passed in previous
years. When Marie Drake wrote the poem to describe the flag
designing contest, the dynamics of the time were such that there
probably wasn't any thought given to aboriginal or Russian
history in Alaska.
Carol Beery Davis was a contemporary of Marie Drake and Elinor
Dusenbury and she also had ties to the Native community. As time
and perspective changed, there were discussions about being more
inclusive and recognizing the contributions of all Alaskans.
Mrs. Davis wrote the second verse and gifted it to the
University of Alaska Foundation in February 1987.
MATHEW CAMPBELL asked, "Please help our second verse be noticed
by all Alaska."
KALA BALOVICH asked, "Please help our Governor and please vote
yes."
SARA LANDON said, "Please make Alaska state song verse two
because some of us are Native and it represents our culture."
SENATOR DYSON announced, "Whether we do this or don't do this
may not make a statement for various individuals, but for me it
does."
SENATOR COWDERY advised he homesteaded in territorial days and
he still cherishes the land. He is a traditionalist and that
follows his earlier statement.
SENATOR LYMAN HOFFMAN said the verse is good. He advised that
his paternal great-grandfather had a trading post on the
Kuskokwim and church records indicate he guided the Bethel
founding fathers up the Kuskokwim River in 1884. His great-
grandfather married a Native woman and one hundred years later,
a Hoffman family reunion in the Bethel area was five hundred
strong. The second verse recognizes the merging of two cultures
and how Alaska was founded.
SENATOR DYSON made a motion to move HB 45 from committee with
individual recommendations and zero fiscal note. There being no
objection, it was so ordered.
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