UPDATE 2: Day 18 since the disappearance of Wally Dunn.
A big thank you to all who expressed their wishes of support and to those indicated that they were praying for my family. It means a lot to me.
Through my talking to people in area, a few claimed that they may have seen my father in the Big Lake area. Two eye-witnesses believed that they saw my dad in Big Lake IGA. Jerry Hill, the IGA manager, very kindly permitted me to view the surveillance video for as long as I needed and for two days that was my job. Evidently, the witnesses saw other older gentlemen whom they thought was Wally Dunn. That showed to me the limited value of sightings by people who had never met my dad, unfortunately. I only heard of the Montana Creek after returning to Ontario. But the quality of this sighting may not be better than the ones that we already knew about.We had a family meeting Wednesday evening and decided that the media saturation in Alaska sufficed that the majority of people in the State and practically everyone in the Big Lake Region knew about Wally Dunn’s disappearance, we decided there was little left to do. If he is in the wilderness, he has no chance of living after seven days without food. I checked numerous cabins and RVs in the area to see if he had stowed away in them, spoke with many people who have cabins and residences at Crooked Lake and Papoose Twins. On the other hand, if he is at large in the State, someone would see him and report him. All we can do is see if he shows up. But since reviewing the surveillance at Big Lake IGA, I have no verifiable evidence that my father ever left the wilderness area where people saw his truck on July 12, 2012, at approximately 2:00 pm. His disappearance remains a mystery. On Thursday afternoon, I flew back to Toronto, arriving Friday morning. I am finally caught up sufficiently on my rest to make this report.
My sudden trip to Alaska has made me acutely aware how the so-called “Ex Patriot Act”, against which I wrote in the American Thinker but still manages to kick around, and the so-called “Reed Amendment”, are pieces of crap legislation by politicians who think that human rights violations are a means of covering over their own immoral and incontinent spending habits. If I were a covered expatriate and had been banned from the United States because of my expatriation, it would have been cruel and unusual punishment both to me and to my family. It is a crime to punish people with permanent exile for exercising their fundamental right to expatriate, protected by the US Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the US Expatriation Act of 1868.
UPDATE 1, Day eight of Wally Dunn’s disappearance:
Border: I passed US formalities in Vancouver. I was asked why I was going to the US. Once I mentioned that it was to search for my father who was missing I received a concerned look and a good luck. The officer did not ask for my CLN. I did not volunteer it. My impression is that for now, if a vocal person like myself has nothing to fear, the vast majority of the rest of us have even less to worry about.
Search: On Tuesday night my Dad’s friend Les found my dad’s pick-up at the end of “The road to nowhere” as the locals call it (erroneously called Goldsteak Dr., Big Lake, AK, by Google Maps). It ends in a cul de sac. Trails in four directions into the forest, leading in most cases to impassable muskeg and swamps. The whole area has an insane amount of mosquitos. The Alaska State Troopers have been leading a search and rescue effort that includes helicopter support (for two days), volunteer and professional search and rescue teams with dogs. On July 18, volunteers from both the civilian population and thirty soldiers from a company from Fort Richardson. They did line searches (people spaced apart to try to uncover person hidden in the dense brush). Yesterday, I participated in one of these sweeps and was able to keep up with the young soldiers and civilians for about two hours. The line search yielded no clues. So far, the four-day search has resulted in finding nothing. The Troopers plan to continue the search again Saturday. I am increasingly of the opinion that my father walked back towards civilization, and picked up a ride. Apparently, Alzheimers victims wander off, take buses, or hitch rides and have been known to disappear for several days only to be found alive somewhere. If the search continues to yield nothing, there seems to be an increasing possibility that he is not in the forest but somewhere in civilization yet suffering from amnesia. Today, I spent my efforts taking posters to the business on the main strip of retails stores, churches, and other business along South Big Lake road, talking to people about the search and asking them to keep on the lookout for my father. I am very impressed with how the folks here are concerned and are making an effort to help us. My family has built up a debt that we will never be able to pay to payable to the volunteers, some of whom have participated in all four days of the search so far.
Original post:
This afternoon I received an e-mail from my sister who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, explaining that my father has been missing since last Friday (see press release).
As the chief rabble rouser here at the Isaac Brock Society, I’ve put my neck out in a way that is little more risky, perhaps, than others here. I have expressed my fear of returning, and I have said I will not do it except in the case of a family emergency. Like me, many of you are also afraid to return to the United States. Well, I think of all the regular participants at Isaac Brock, I am probably the most likely target for detention and arrest, because of my outspoken activism at this blog. However, because I will partake in the search party that my family is putting together, I must risk entering the United States for the first time since I relinquished my United States citizenship. However, I wanted you to know where I was going, so that all of you would know that if I disappear, who to blame. I would become the much sought after poster-boy of the Isaac Brock Society–a Canadian harassed only because he is a former American.
Hopefully, however, on compassionate grounds, the US authorities will refrain from arresting, detaining, or harassing me (though for what crime they might charge me, I’m not aware). It has been over one year since I filed my Form 8854 and my last tax return, and I’ve heard nothing back. So as far as I know, as far as what the IRS has informed me, we’re all good.
I will have my precious Certificate of Loss of Nationality and my Canadian passport with me, and we are flying Air Canada through Vancouver. Wish me luck clearing US formalities at the Vancouver Airport. I covet your prayers.
BTW, I’ve upgraded our comments editor, Pacifica, to full administrator. That way, if the worse happens to me, you all can continue blogging.
First published July 16, 2013, 22:35
Wishing you good travels and luck and success finding your dad.
Petros,
Have just returned to hear this sad news. Praying for your Dad and all your family and that all turns out well. Just have it in your heart that you have to go home and the rest should fall in place allright.
@Petros
Late at reading this, and so by now I hope your crossing as gone smoothly, and your dad is found safe. Anchorage, as we both know, is not large, and the areas described very familiar to me. Hopefully this ends swiftly and happily. Long days and warm weather now, make success much more likely. Best wishes
Wishing you good fortune, Petros.
http://www.ktva.com/news/local/Police-Searching-for-Missing-Elderly-Man-215830801.html
Best of luck, hope your father is OK. I visited Alaska once about 30 years ago, and stopped by in Anchorage. I traveled by car up the Alaska Highway. At one point we crossed the border, but there were no buildings or border post, just mountains and wilderness from what I remember, the border post was ten or twenty miles down the road. Seems like simpler days when the border was not such a big deal, we were across the border going down the road and had not officially checked in yet.
I am sorry to hear the news of your father’s disappearance and hope that by the time you arrive he has been found.
With regard to your fears about travel… your activism has been positively directed, you are an educator in all respects, and I am sure you will share your wisdom with any border officials who might question you.
Please post just a short message once a day to let us members know your still ok and a free man. We don’t need you becoming a another Snowden or Assange.
Good luck Petros. Our prayers are with you.
My heart goes out to you and your family, Petros. I hope your father is found safe.
You have much to be proud of in that you are risking your freedom and safety to find your father. I wish you success. The long days and warm weather work in your favor.
Hope your father is okay and your trip uncomplicated.
Here’s an update from the Anchorage Daily News on the search for Petros’ father. Wish it were better news but at least they have a major lead now.
“The search for a missing elderly man last seen a week ago in Anchorage continues, now north of the city in Big Lake, where his pickup was discovered Wednesday, according to police.
Family members told police they last saw Wallace Wilkinson Dunn, 81, at a soccer game near Waldron Lake on July 11, a police spokeswoman said. Dunn’s family reported him as a missing person Tuesday and said he might have driven to Big Lake, where he has a cabin, police said.
Police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro said Alaska State Troopers joined the search effort Wednesday, when they found Dunn’s pickup. The gray Ford F-150 was parked and locked at the end of Susitna Parkway, several miles from his cabin, she said.
Troopers with a search dog looked for Dunn on nearby trails without success, Castro said. They began searching again at 10 a.m. Thursday and hoped to use a helicopter or plane, she said.
Police ask that anyone with information on Dunn’s whereabouts call (907) 786-8900.”
Thanks for posting this, Em. I hope Peter’s dad and Peter are OK. It would be good to know that Peter has made it to Anchorage OK for his help in the search for his dad. Be safe, both.
My sincere prayers in support of Mr. Peter and his family and safe return of his Dad
Thank you for the update Em. I’m keeping Petros, his father and family in my thoughts and prayers each day.
There is nothing new to report right now. Just keeping tabs.
http://www.ktva.com/news/local/Police-Searching-for-Missing-Elderly-Man-215830801.html
3 hours ago from the Anchorage Daily News…
http://www.adn.com/2013/07/18/2979684/missing-elderly-anchorage-mans.html
Petros, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Thanks, Just Me.
Here’s another from Big Lake, Alaska http://www.frontiersman.com/news/search-for-anchorage-man-expands-to-big-lake/article_e357b9dc-effa-11e2-871f-0019bb2963f4.html and an entry in Wikipedia about Big Lake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lake,_Alaska.
I’ve been out of the country for the past two weeks on a family holiday to Europe, and have only now read this sad news. I hope for the best for Peter’s father, and I hope the US keeps their grubby hands off Peter.
While I was in Germany, opposition politicians in Germany were quoted in Deutsche Welle (which I monitored for news because my CBC app wasn’t working for some reason) comparing US spying actions under Bush and then Obama with the Stasi. That whole mess, coupled with the signals from Congress that the so-called IGAs will NOT be reciprocal from a US standpoint, do not bode for anything remotely like an easy ride for FATCA, IGAs, the EU-US trade agreement, or any other US “diplomatic” initiatives for some time to come, IMO.
Let’s hope the Stasi analogue doesn’t extend to Peter during his foray onto American soil, or at least Alaskan soil (I believe there are some in Alaska who would make a distinction, though they probably don’t work for the US government).
For those who didn’t notice, Petros updated the opening post. Hopefully, his dad is being helped by a kind stranger.
Thank you Petros for the update. The whole Brock bunch is wishing you success in finding your father and we’re relieved to hear your “border crossing” was uneventful. It sounds like you are getting a huge amount of help in the search and it’s good to know that the caring nature of Americans has not disappeared. It is just as I remember it in my former Colorado mountain community. There’s something about that photo of your father in the Anchorage Daily News which reminds me of Pete Seeger. I’ll bet he has the same strength of character. Good luck to you!
Hi Peter,
Best of luck in your search for your dad. I would think that with so many of us Brockers around the world supporting you the authorities will let you pass.
The US is losing face because of what Assange and Snowden have revealed, not to mention the IRS scandal about interference with political parties. And you are not Snowden or Assange. You (& we) have only released documents and links to doucments here at IBS, Maple and elsewhere that are openly available, and drawn our own constitutional and logical arguments about them and the injustice, hubris, and ignorance that is US FATBARDT etc.
The world is watching and if uncle sam interfers with your efforts to find your dad, or causes you trouble to return back to your own country of Canada, it would really be a shame on the US.
Best of luck and godspeed my friend.
Jeff