Stock photo

Stock photo

Alaska Voices: The importance of an independent Alaska judiciary

Our civic discourse and the orderly process by which we self-govern is at risk.

  • Tuesday, October 20, 2020 9:26pm
  • Opinion

As Yogi Berra would say, “It’s like deja vu all over again.” Once again, just a couple of weeks before the Nov. 3 election, the same old players are back at the same old game. Echoing their 2010 and 2016 unsuccessful attacks on our independent judiciary, those with a narrow and divisive religious agenda are this time around targeting Alaska Supreme Court Justice Susan Carney in a retention vote.

We are in the midst of a disheartening season of national politics, absolutely unprecedented in its disregard of facts, reliance on personal attacks, and outrageous revelations. Many people are understandably taking a respite from Facebook and other social media as our newsfeeds have become poisoned by a level of mean-spiritedness that threatens to destroy long-standing friendships and family relationships built over a lifetime of shared experiences. Opportunities for reasonable or respectful discussion and reflection, the bedrock of our American democracy, are under assault from a political culture and a news cycle, which reward the candidate that yells louder or proves more adept at distortion and manipulation. Common human decency, respect for the rule of law, and a sense of our shared values as Americans are all casualties, sacrificed to the false god of extreme partisanship and a lack of critical thinking.

It is not hyperbole to simply state that our civic discourse and the orderly process by which we self-govern is at risk.

To safeguard against just such a day, the wise framers of the Alaska Constitution set aside the state judiciary to be an independent, nonpolitical and coequal branch of government, operating on the principles of judicial restraint and faithful adherence to the law. Unlike some other states, the Alaska Constitution set up a merit-based and nonpolitical judicial selection and court operation to protect our religious and civic freedoms, as well as our constitutional rights and liberties from interference or backroom deals by special interests or imperfect politicians.

The first and most sacred duty of a Supreme Court justice is to rule based upon the facts of the law and the constitution of this great state of Alaska, and not to be swayed by political pressures and campaigns which will come and go. Only in this way, whether we are Democrat, Republican, independent, nonpartisan, Libertarian, Green, and regardless of faith tradition or none at all, can we be sure that justice in Alaska will be fair and impartial, regardless of which party or politician is currently in office.

The current campaign to deny retention to Alaska Supreme Court Justice Sue Carney is a blatant and manipulative attempt to impose the narrow view of the few, at the expense of the solid foundation of the law and the fairness and impartiality of the constitution.

As faith leaders from a variety of different churches and perspectives, we believe that it is time to reclaim the center, resist the invitation from extremists to politicize our courts, and to defend the traditional framework of an impartial Alaska judiciary. We urge all Alaskans to vote to retain Justice Sue Carney on Nov. 3.

Signatories are by pastors and church leaders from a variety of Christian religious traditions across the state of Alaska:

The Rev. Michael Burke, Anchorage

The Rev. Shelley Wickstrom, Bishop, Alaska

The Rev. Betty M Glover, Fairbanks

Rev. Dr. Curtis Karns, Executive Presbyter, Alaska

The Rev. Gordon Blue, Juneau

The Rev. Ann Whitney, Big Lake

Reverend Matthew Schultz, Anchorage

Nora Ortiz Fredrick, Anchorage

The Rev. Mary Norton, Kotzebue

Pastor Kaitlin Pabo-Eulberg, Valdez

The Rt Rev. Mark Lattime, Bishop


• By Rev. Michael Burke, Rev. Shelley Wickstrom, Rev. Betty M Glover, Rev. Dr. Curtis Karns, Rev. Gordon Blue, Rev. Ann Whitney, Rev. Matthew Schultz, Nora Ortiz Fredrick, Rev. Mary Norton, Pastor Kaitlin Pabo-Eulberg, The Rt Rev. Mark Lattime


More in Opinion

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, speaks to Anchor Point residents during a community meeting held at the Virl “Pa” Haga VFW Post 10221 on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Opinion: Big beautiful wins for Alaska in the Big Beautiful Bill

The legislation contains numerous provisions to unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource economy.

Children are photographed outside their now shuttered school, Pearl Creek Elementary, in August 2024 in Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo provided by Morgan Dulian)
My Turn: Reform doesn’t start with cuts

Legislators must hold the line for Alaska’s students

Deena Bishop, commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Development, discusses the status of school districts’ finances during a press conference with Gov. Mike Dunleavy at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Opinion: The fight to improve public education has just begun

We owe our children more than what the system is currently offering

President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia at a joint news conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. (Doug Mills/The New York Times file photo)
Opinion: Mistaking flattery for respect

Flattery played a role in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

(Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Life is harder when you outlive your support group

Long-time friends are more important than ever to help us cope, to remind us we are not alone and that others feel the same way.

Deven Mitchell is the executive director and chief executive officer of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.)
Opinion: The key to a stronger fund: Diversification

Diversification is a means of stabilizing returns and mitigating risk.

A silver salmon is weighed at Three Bears in Kenai, Alaska. Evelyn McCoy, customer service PIC at Three Bears, looks on. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Opinion: Will coho salmon be the next to disappear in the Kenai River?

Did we not learn anything from the disappearance of the kings from the Kenai River?

Jonathan Flora is a lifelong commercial fisherman and dockworker from Homer, Alaska.
Point of View: Not fishing for favors — Alaskans need basic health care access

We ask our elected officials to oppose this bill that puts our health and livelihoods in danger.

Alex Koplin. (courtesy photo)
Opinion: Public schools do much more than just teach the three Rs

Isn’t it worth spending the money to provide a quality education for each student that enters our schools?

Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Letter to the Editor: Law enforcement officers helped ensure smooth, secure energy conference

Their visible commitment to public safety allowed attendees to focus fully on collaboration, learning, and the important conversations shaping our path forward.

Laurie Craig / Juneau Empire file photo
The present-day KTOO public broadcasting building, built in 1959 for the U.S. Army’s Alaska Communications System Signal Corps, is located on filled tidelands near Juneau’s subport. Today vehicles on Egan Drive pass by the concrete structure with satellite dishes on the roof that receive signals from NPR, PBS and other sources.
My Turn: Stand for the community radio, not culture war optics

Alaskans are different and we pride ourselves on that. If my vehicle… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) delivers his annual speech to the Alaska Legislature on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Sullivan, Trump and the rule of lawlessness

In September 2023, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan established his own Alaska Federal… Continue reading