The Anchorage Daily News is running an article about the candidates running for governor of Alaska from within the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP). The fact that Alaska even has a party dedicated to independence is intriguing. No coverage in today's editions of the Fairbanks News-Miner or the Juneau Empire, but I'll keep an eye on them from time to time, as well. I'm not sure if the AIP knows about the Free State Project, but the two deserve an introduction.
Yes, it's easy for someone in the USA to support independence for Padania, Scotland, Flanders, Tibet, or Quebec. The test comes when there are legitimate arguments for independence within one's own borders. For instance, most Americans don't know or care that the Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown by agents of the U.S. government in 1893 and that Hawaii was annexed in 1898, leading to over one hundred years of "fraternal assistance" from Uncle Sam (the Nation of Hawaii site lays out the issues). Similarly, most Americans don't know or care that, in clear contravention of U.N. policies, Alaska was not given a choice in 1958 between independence, remaining a territory, commonwealth status, or statehood. And that's putting aside the question of how Alaska was Russia's to sell to the USA in 1867. Hmm, perhaps 2008 (the 50th anniversity of the previous vote) would be a good time to hold a plebiscite on the question of independence? I still think a story about the secession of Alaska would make a great novel!