Save Anchorage's Response to 'Anchorage Action' is About What You Would Expect
Last year, Alaska Public Media wrote that Save Anchorage had "contributed to a spread of misinformation about the pandemic, the city's public health measures, the homelessness situation, and other issues. Members routinely share information that has been debunked — among other things, that masks are ineffective or unhealthy, and that reported data on COVID-19 case numbers and deaths due to COVID-19 are being falsified."
International headline maker Eagle River Assembly Person Jamie Allard has described Save Anchorage as her "safe space." Allard defended Nazi terminology on an Alaska vanity license plate and fabricated her Facebook deplatforming earlier this year.
Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson has said that he has enjoyed tremendous support from the Save Anchorage group, which one might think wouldn't be something to be proud of, and has refused to disavow the group whose members have espoused homophobic and transphobic comments, threatened public officials and which was once an online hangout of alleged Capitol Hill insurrectionist Aaron J. Mileur.
Related: It's Only Fraud if it Doesn't Fürther us.
Save Anchorage group member Alaska Rep. Ron Gillham came under fire this year after he shared a social media post that likened members of the media and medical professionals who provide information about COVID-19 vaccines to Nazis who were executed for war crimes.
So it is, perhaps...unsurprising that the group hasn't exactly welcomed their 'Anchorage Action' counterparts with open arms to the online neighborhood.
The Save Anchorage collective hive's reaction to the news that a group of residents concerned about Anchorage's "new direction" (it's really the same old direction) had formed their own group is about what one would expect, especially if one has ever watched group members testify at Assembly meetings.
In response to the announcement, Save Anchorage administrator Joseph Lurtsema wrote, "Oh no, I'm scared, lol." Another seemed to question if 'Anchorage Action' had "permission" to use a photograph of Anchorage's skyline showing the military vessel U.S.S. Anchorage in it.
Another member encouraged others to "hide their pronouns." At least one group member alleged 'Anchorage Action' would be nothing more than a group trying to round up support for Assemblymember Meg Zalatel and the laughable recall against her.
Save Anchorage has endorsed numerous political candidates in the past, and it appears that some of the individuals running for a position on the Anchorage Assembly in the upcoming year are not only affiliated with this group but have also shared fundraising links with them.
Anyway, it sounds like 'Save Anchorage' isn't worried about the new 'Anchorage Action' Facebook group that, in roughly 24 hours, has amassed over 400 members — but then again, they weren't worried when a statement from an FBI agent mentioned the group directly.
Anchorage Action administrators say they are still actively working to approve people who have requested to join the group and plan to take an active role in Anchorage politics and attend Assembly meetings soon.
