An overnight fire at Gov. Sarah Palin's church caused an estimated $1 million in damage, and investigators say it could be the work of an arsonist.Firefighters were called to Wasilla Bible Church about 9:40 p.m. Friday and found flames and smoke coming out windows at the back of the three-story structure, said James Steele, chief of the Central Mat-Su Fire Department.
Five women were inside the church working on crafts, and possibly two children, but everyone escaped unharmed after a fire alarm alerted them to trouble, Steele said.
It was a major fire, the biggest the department has seen this year, and Steele said volunteer firefighters from across the region came to fight the blaze. As many as 35 to 40 people responded, he said.
Firefighters had to tear open wall spaces in the metal building to snuff out hotspots and were on the scene until after 5 a.m. today, Steele said.
"We are definitely treating it as suspicious and as potential arson at this point," he said.
Palin's office issued this statement today:
"Gov. Palin stopped by the church this morning, and she told an assistant pastor that she apologizes if the incident is in any way connected to the undeserved negative attention the church has received since she became a vice presidential candidate on Aug. 29. Whatever the motives of the arsonist, the governor has faith in the scriptural passage that what was intended for evil will in some way be used for good."
Bill McAllister, the governor's media spokesman, said he wasn't sure when Palin last attended the church. He said she would not attend services tomorrow morning because she's traveling to Juneau to release next year's state budget. But the governor's children do plan to go to church, he said.
This is an unforgivably act of destruction.
I do not know who would have done this but I certainly hope they catch the perpetrators soon.
Vandalism, and acts of violence, are NOT civilized methods for expressing anger or frustration at a government official or anybody else.
Neither I, nor any of my friends, endorse or condone anything of this kind. We may want to hold our leaders accountable, and that certainly includes Sarah Palin, but we will NEVER engage or support any activities such as these.
My heart goes out to the members of the Wasilla Bible Church and to Sarah Palin and her family.
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ReplyDeleteWe have to hope this wasn't related to her failed bid to become the first female Vice-President. However, there was a huge Palin derangement syndrome by many on the left. The Mainstream Media tried to Paint her as a book burning, assault weapon packing lunatic who didn't know where Russia was. See picture here.
ReplyDeleteI do find it kind of weird that Palin would immediately issue a statement apologizing in advance if this had anything to do with her. This is an absolutely heinous act of violence, but maybe she's giving herself a little too much credit. Is she really that egotistical? Isn't this the same church that sponsored a pray the gay away event?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, there could be any number of sick twisted motives for someone to do something like this, but for SP to just put it out there that this has something to do with her is a little premature. Seeing that the Wasilla youth love to get out on Friday nights to drink and shoot stuff up, this may be a crime where the only motivation was to blow up something big...not related to SP at all.
After reading a little more about this fire, it started in the back of the church where the offices are located, and spread inside the walls. Could have been an electrical fire, faulty wiring, any number of non arson related causes.
ReplyDeleteFire departments immediately look for evidence of arson at any fire. Why couldn't Sarah wait until the investigation was completed before issuing a statement?
It could have been many things, and possibley NOT ARSON. ¨...MANY VARIABLES¨....
ReplyDeleteand I ALSO agree (or as Ms. Palin would say, AGREE ALSO) for Mrs. Palin to issue a statement BEFORE the cause was determined is ridiculus. I think it worse then that but will refrain.
This is a despicable act reminiscent of the church bombings of 1960´s Southern America.
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You might also note that Alaska leads the way in vandalism and high school drop outs,number 1 in our country. Mrs. Palin´s son is an example of both.
It could have been the ¨malicious mischeif¨ that Track Palin was arrested for (his sentence was Jail or the military). Perhaps it had nothing to do Mrs. Palin.
That COULD happen.
First, assuming it was vandalism, I agree that there are no excuses for an act of destruction like this, whether directed at a church, a school, or any home or business.
ReplyDeleteHowever, to claim it may have been intended to express "anger or frustration at a government official" (Palin) is jumping the gun. Wait until a determination has been made that this really was arson, and, if so, who did it- and why.
You noted that Bill McAllister said "he wasn't sure when Palin last attended the church."
So what makes it Palin's church more than the many others who do attend?
Already- because of Palin's statement that the fire may have been related to her even though the facts remain unknown- the Palinbots are claiming that the fire was caused by "radicals" and Palin "haters."
Pretty soon we'll hear that Bill Ayers was seen "pallin' around" with Mike Wooten Friday night.
Admittedly I assumed that this was a case of arson before the investigation had been completed, and I still FEEL that is the most likely scenario. But I will admit that I do not have all of the evidence to make the statement that it was arson with any certainty. I would be very surprised if it turns out to be otherwise however.
ReplyDeleteThe original reason I wrote this post was to condemn that act, since I well knew that there would be those who would like to blame it on some Alaska Palin haters.
I am personally not a true "Palin hater", but I am certainly not a fan, and I know many people who have worked very hard to make Palin cooperate with the Troopergate investigation and are still working to get her to be more transparent.
I just wanted it to be known, if this turns out to be arson, that it is VERY unlikely to be anybody who has spoken out against Palin in the past. It is far more likely to be the work of teens or young people with too much time on their hands. It is also much more likely to have been done by a local.
So let's sit back and see where this investigation leads.
If this were Obama's church it would automatically be assumed that the issue was a hateful racist crime. Funny how that works one way but not the other. It would also make the front page of every newspaper in the country. I don't think this made the back page.
ReplyDelete