Wasilla - Meth Capital of Alaska

[Octafish]

From Andrew Sullivan:

Wasilla: The Meth Capital Of Alaska

Andrew Sullivan
The Atlantic.com
04 Sep 2008 09:37 am

More background on the social problems of the home-town of Sarah Palin:

In 2003, authorities uncovered nine meth labs in the area. Last year, the number increased to 42, said Kyle Young, an investigator with the troopers who works with the Mat-Su narcotics team.

Officials with the Office of Children's Services in Wasilla said the problem affects children. The office receives about 40 calls a month from people reporting abuse or neglect involving some aspect of the highly addictive drug...
When authorities surrounded a converted bus housing a meth operation in Big Lake in January, a 13-year-old boy who answered the door bragged that his mom cooked the best meth in the valley, according to the troopers.

During a 2003 bust at a house outside Wasilla, officers discovered five children living inside, all younger than 8 years old.

The calls about meth to children's services in Wasilla accounts for as many as 40 percent of the agency's total monthly child protection calls.

SOURCE:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/wasilla-the-met.html

She sure is ready. Ready to lead the BFEE.

[grannie4peace]

1. this needs to go to the campaign

[Octafish]

21. If the label fits...

...she should wear it.



Labels can be heavy things. Remember how Poppy's team hung "Boston Harbor" and "Willie Horton" around Michael Dukakis' neck?

[KharmaTrain]

2. A New Whisper Campaign

The other day I got a call from a friend who isn't very political, but the Palin baby story sure got his attention.

He's convinced little Trig is Bristol's. I mentioned that these type of children tend to be born by older, high risk mothers, and he then chuckled and said, they also are symptoms of young mothers with a problem...either alcohol or meth. This isn't making light of this sad situation, but it makes you think...especially in light of how Meth has become a major problem with teens in rural and ex-urb areas.

[jberryhill]

3. Your friend is wrong

It is a genetic condition that is not influence by pre-natal environmental factors.

[KharmaTrain]

5. I Found His Response Worth Sharing...

I want to give this lady the benefit of the doubt...and I feel terrible about putting this child in the national fishbow. That's my biggest issue, but others seem not to be sold on the story and one that could nag (thus the word "whisper"). The meth epedemic is a big issue that is rarely covered and I would really hope this isn't a problem with Bristol...that poor child has enough troubles.

Cheers...

[OBrien]

4. this is a story that has long legs

this is what ALL americans would be disgusted by

[Douglas Carpenter]

6. RECOMMENDED !!!

[OBrien]

7. sounds like Wasilla could use ...

some "community organizers"!

[annabanana]

11. Boy ain't THAT the truth!

I've heard that Wasilla is crawling with media types.. Are they ALL camped out at "City Hall"? Did ANYONE besides Sullivan cross the damn street?

[CK_John]

8. What is this author's track record? n/t

[ensho]

9. here is another article about the problem

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/030805/sta_20050308002.shtml


Troopers dub Mat-Su area the meth capital of Alaska

[countryjake]

13. "Troopers dub Mat-Su area the meth capital of Alaska" - thems the facts, ma'am!

Thanks much for that link!

[Javaman]

10. My neighbors are from Alaska.

great young couple. The wife worked for social services up there and guess what she told me just a few days ago? that area, known as the "upper valley", was crack head central. She would get so many calls to that area for meth and crack addicted mothers abusing their kids it was bizarre. Also, it has a major prostitution problem as well as huge majority of the teen pregnancies in Alaska itself. It's a pit.

[Romulox]

12. Good lord, PLEASE do not let this election be about who's a bigger drug warrior!

This is a bad avenue to pursue, which will actually hurt Obama more on the Left than it will help on the Right, especially given Joe Biden's "Drug Czar" credentials.

[FatDave]

14. Well isn't that interesting...

I ain't gonna name any names, but there's one person involved in this saga that definitely has the tweeker look about him or her.

[Karenina]

17. Oh? You don't say...

[Mortos]

18. Watcha talking bout?

Surely not Todd

[FatDave]

19. He's not who I was thinking about.

But now that you mention it.... :evilgrin:

[EFerrari]

15. Someone pointed out this fact the other day and I got belly flips.

:shrug:

[The Straight Story]

16. Or you could say she did a great job finding them.....

;)

[Blue_In_AK]

20. This is true.

It has been for a long time. Whether or not it's fair, the Valley, particularly the Wasilla side, hasn't had such a good reputation -- thus Ben Stevens' (son of Ted's) famous remark about "Valley Trash." I know good people out there, but they do have their quirks.

[Norrin Radd]

22. kr

[Citizen_Penn]

23. Sounds like Wasilla could use a community organizer nt

[Arctic Dave]

24. The day Palin was announced this was the first thing

I thought of. She was goin to run as the Mayor of the "meth capital of Alaska". Too funny. Not just meth though, it is the marijuana growing capital of Alaska also. FYI