Protestors Brave Cold and Slush in Saturday Demonstration

Ralph Brodin, Kathy Trautner and Indavady Sopraseuth respond to honks of support. “I’m young but I’m still fighting conflicts that predate me,” Sopraseuth said. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

At the edge of Alyeska Highway Saturday afternoon a man inside a truck jutted his head from the window and yelled, "F***k immigrants" at a group of a dozen protesters. 

One of a long line of vehicles heading toward the Alyeska mountain Saturday, the man's invective was not lost on demonstrator Indavady Sopraseuth, who wore a thin, lace white headscarf above a fleece jacket.

"I'm a direct product of U.S. imperialism," Sopraseuth said as cars passed, many honking support. She said her parents are refugees from Laos who fled to the United States to escape nearly continual bombing during the Vietnam War.

"Before the conflict started, the US was bombing every day, 24-seven," said Sopraseuth who moved recently to Girdwood from Utah. "Two million tons of ordinance was dropped on Laos before and after the war. Thirty percent of unexploded ordinance is still in the ground."

Her father left his country for Thailand before immigrating to the United States. Her mother was born in a refugee camp.

Saturday's rally was organized by Emma Kramer, who said she was in Zoom meetings with nationwide organizers "pacing my cabin, wondering what to do."

"I was going to quit when others said they were going," Kramer said. With winds whipping fresh slush over ice, Kramer drove the unmaintained, perilous Crow Creek Road to hold a sign, "Defund ICE".

Emma Kramer (left) and Betsy Connell hold a banner reading “Defund ICE”. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

She said she wanted to "let Girdwood have a chance to show its common community values."

Kathy Trautner stood next to Sopraseuth holding an American flag aloft.

"It's very disturbing how our country is being run right now," she said. "It's destroying the image of the United States around the world. Alienating our allies is what I'm most disturbed about."

She said the local gathering was also necessary to support "defending our democracy and our right to free speech."

Sopraseuth agreed. 

"I think people are angry. I have not been able to get out and shout," she said, adding, "the [protest] community is obviously very tired."

"I'm young but I'm still fighting conflicts that predate me," Soparseuth said.

Protesters greet traffic into Girdwood Saturday morning. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)