One Year Later: Fire at Wasilla Bible Church Wasn’t Arson – It Was The Attempted Murder of Women and Children!
A year ago someone set fire to Gov Sarah Palin's home church: The Wasilla Bible Church.
Today, the arsonist (or arsonists) is still out there. But the attack was MUCH more than arson:
It was an act of attempted murder and a monstrous crime.
The arson/attempted murder was started Dec 12, 2008, about 9:30 p.m. Alaska time.The reported temperature outside at the time of the blaze was -20 below zero. Inside the church were a small group of 5 women and 2 children working on a crafts project according to Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. Providentially, all made it out safely.
It took fire crews until 5 a.m. to fully extinquish the blaze. Damage estimates were 1.5 million dollars. The emotional trauma of the victims, though, couldn't be estimated.
Governor Palin arrived later at the scene and apologized if the fire was connected to "undeserved attention" received from the 2008 campaign as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
"Somebody lit a match and God came back with a whole lot of grace,"commented Pastor Larry Kroon on the outpouring of support and contributions.
Facts:
1) The crime was the attempted murder of women and children.
There were 5 women and 2 children in the church at the time the blaze was started. It was obvious to the arsonist(s) that the church was occupied.There were cars parked near the front entrance and lights were on inside the building.
2) An official report states that a fire accelerant was found to have been “poured on and around the outside of the Wasilla Bible Church in multiple places,” and spread across EVERY ONE of the exits in an attempt to prevent escape of the victims. This was an obvious attempt to injure or murder anyone who was inside.
3) Its likely there was more than one arsonist as it would have been near impossible for only one person to spread the accelerant around multiple exits around a 35,000 sq foot building without help (especially in minus-20 below temperatures with snow on the ground.)
4) The phone wires and both fire alarm and water system wires were cut by the arsonist(s) from inside the building. Again proving that the arsonist(s) knew the building was occupied.
I pose these questions:
1) This was a well-planned and executed attempt to harm or murder.Were the arsonist(s) mere amateurs or professional arsonists?
2) Can you imagine the media outcry if arson were suspected to have caused a million dollars worth of arson damage to President Obama's old Trinity United Church Of Christ (and the church of Rev. Jeremiah Wright?)
3) Do you think this would have led the news on every LSM outlet for months?
4) Was this arson/attempted homicide used to tear down Sarah Palin in the name of politics, power, and money?
5) Was this church arson 'just' collateral damage in an attempt to attack Palin herself?
Both The Huffington Post ("Palin's Church may have shaped Controversial World View") and The Daily Kos ( "Sarah Palin: Dominionist Stalking Horse." ) spewed innuendo-filled articles in the immediate months preceding the blaze attacking both Governor Palin AND the Wasilla Bible Church. Hate begets hate. Dress it up in fancy words and engage in the gymnastics of logic, but it is still just as detestable.
WHATEVER the goal of the arsonist(s)...It did not (and will not) succeed. Several days after the blaze, a spokesperson for Governor Palin issued this statement: "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."
-Amen To That.
7 comments
In your comment instruction box, you say you want "facts, no speculation", yet your blog post above is rife with speculation.
December 12, 2009 7:45 AMIt's a little shocking, and interesting, that your post above is nearly word-for-word the same as this one from January 29, 2009, and this one from June 11, 2009.
Here are the facts, and you can read them yourself by going to the linked article.
From the ADN:
"crews are still working on repairs to about a quarter of the building, including offices, classrooms and the main entry/foyer area. But the church's sanctuary, which suffered smoke damage in the Dec. 12 blaze, is ready to be used again."
I understand church records, including birth and adoption records, were destroyed in the fire.
"Palin's ties to the church sparked widespread speculation about whether the person who lit the fire was motivated by that connection. However, investigators reaffirmed Monday that idea remains in the realm of pure speculation."
"whoever lit the fire poured gasoline in several places around the building, including by the sides of the front and back doors."
"Five church members were in the building when the blaze started, but were alerted to the fire by smoke alarms and were able to get out unharmed."
AP reporter Rachel D'Oro, stationed in Anchorage, wrote the day after the fire, "The fire was set at the entrance of the church and moved inward as a small group of women were working on crafts, Steele said. The group was alerted to the blaze by a fire alarm."
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I think that your reprise of the circumstances of the crime are conflated into something that it's not. I think the arson was deliberately set to destroy records, not lives.
By the way, why is it no one speculates similarly about the Wasilla fire death of the hospice/neonatal-specialist nurse who died only a month after the church fire?
Some folks feel the two fires are connected in some way.
Not sure of your point, KaJo, since this post is a roundup of what occurred a year ago.
December 12, 2009 8:52 AMWe know you came to Palination from an anti-Palin site, then boasted of posting here.
Any crime against women and children is just that... a crime. Surely even the site you came from does not condone such activity?
It is you who are speculating about destruction of records being the intent.
Well said Meadow...and good post Alaska Shrugs
December 12, 2009 9:54 AMI worked on a Acute Care Burn Unit ICU for 2 years. There are few worse ways to die than to be burned alive. We have several friends who belong to The Wasilla Bible Church. We pray that justice will be done to whoever did this.
December 12, 2009 12:13 PM(If not in this life,then surely in the next Life.)
*KaJo:I noticed you're from a trashy anti-Palin blog.
-Funny that,huh?
I know members of the Wasilla Bible Church and the facts stated here are their recountings as well.
Your 'compassion' for the victims is er,commendable.
-Thanks for playing KaJo.
(And please say 'hi' to Gryphen,Shannyn Moore,Phil Munger and the rest of your progressive girlfriends)
Alaska Shrugs--- Good overview of the facts of the WBC fire that was nothing short of attempted murder.
December 12, 2009 5:10 PMYour post puts us in remembrance that what was was meant for evil, God turned for good as Pastor Kroon got to share God's grace with the nation through interviews on FOX News Channel (and local news). He said himself that while the spotlight was on him and the church, even if it was to report a tragedy, he was going to use the opportunity to share the Gospel. I admire that man beyond words.
And to the arsonists: Vegence belongs to the Lord, and He will repay. You may hide from man, but you cannot hide from the Almighty Living God. Woe be unto you.
Update:
December 13, 2009 7:36 PMSeveral trashy anti-Sarah blogs latched IMMEDIATELY onto this humble pro-Sarah site (And my WBC arson/attempted homicide post) after it was published on Saturday.
It was bizarrely fascinating watching the quick number of 'hits' my post took as it went viral among the 'anti-Sarah' nether-regions.
(It hit too close to home for their comfort perhaps?)
My 'compliments' to 'Kajo' (above) for sticking to Saul Alinsky's 'Rules For Radicals' to-the-letter.
'Kajo' is an EXCELLENT student of Alinsky~ He'd be proud!
From 'Rules For Radicals':
1) "You do what you can with what you have and clothe it with moral garments."
2) Rule 4: "Make opponents live up to their own book of rules. “You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity.”
3) According to Alinsky, the main job is to bait an opponent into reacting. “The enemy properly goaded and guided in his reaction will be your major strength.”
4) Rule 3: "Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat."
Sorry 'Kajo': Alinsky tactics don't work here.
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*'Rules for Radicals' opens with this quote 'honoring' Lucifer (Written by Saul Alinsky):
"Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgement to the very first radical:
The first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom -- Lucifer."
Chilling!
How very Sarah-esque of you, Alaska Shrugs. Sarah would give you a standing ovation for calling KaJo out on 'its' record and associations. Nothing wrong with calling it how you see it. KaJo has identified 'itself' as an Alinsky prodigy, and you called his hand. Ouch!
December 14, 2009 5:24 PMPost a Comment