Finding Your Legislator in Oklahoma
You can either look for your state senator or representative Monday through Thursday noon at the State Capitol or you can find them online at the following website sponsored by AU. Even if you don't agree with the mission of the AU feel free to use their site to locate your State Legislator with your zip code. If you can't find them at either of these places you should look at the Faculty Club on Lincoln Blvd at lunch hours, in the hotel bars along Lincoln Blvd. after 5 pm, or at the many breakfasts, lunches, dinners and receptions that lobby groups host for the Legislators. These are hard to find though because they aren't advertised.
If you are looking for Senator Frank Shurden or Representative Randall Irwin you should look for them where you hear that democracy is under attack.
Saturday, March 01, 2003
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
The Gaylords of Oklahoma City - An Article that won't be seen in Oklahoma.
The Dallasnews.com has an interesting look at the Daily Oklahoman Gaylord Empire in Oklahoma City. As the article points out, the newspaper conglomerate is in transition. Many welcome any opening up of this tightly-controlled family newspaper that has ruled Oklahoma City for a hundred years. The shame is that this article would never appear in Oklahoma, not even in the Tulsa World. Everyone (well, almost everyone) is afraid of crossing the Gaylords.
The Dallasnews.com has an interesting look at the Daily Oklahoman Gaylord Empire in Oklahoma City. As the article points out, the newspaper conglomerate is in transition. Many welcome any opening up of this tightly-controlled family newspaper that has ruled Oklahoma City for a hundred years. The shame is that this article would never appear in Oklahoma, not even in the Tulsa World. Everyone (well, almost everyone) is afraid of crossing the Gaylords.
Sunday, February 23, 2003
Church muscle fights right to vote
Whether or not one thinks Governor Henry's proposed lottery for education is a good idea or not I can see no reasonable argument against letting the people vote on the lottery question. Yet tax-exempt churches and faith-based (all Christian) organizations have suddenly turned on the squeeze and frightened many Legislators to back away from supporting a bill that would put the matter to a public vote. As reported in a KOTV story the churches are determined to not let the people get a chance to decide. While many of us are ambivalent on the lottery issue we cannot be ambivalent about the citizens right to vote on an issue. The churches are acting in an undemocratic fashion and should be ashamed of their attempt to deny us the right to vote.
Sure, this matter should be decided by our Legislators we elected to represent us but like on many controversial issues, the Legislature wants to punt to the public. Given that, let's do their job for them but lets not let the Baptist Church do it for us.
Whether or not one thinks Governor Henry's proposed lottery for education is a good idea or not I can see no reasonable argument against letting the people vote on the lottery question. Yet tax-exempt churches and faith-based (all Christian) organizations have suddenly turned on the squeeze and frightened many Legislators to back away from supporting a bill that would put the matter to a public vote. As reported in a KOTV story the churches are determined to not let the people get a chance to decide. While many of us are ambivalent on the lottery issue we cannot be ambivalent about the citizens right to vote on an issue. The churches are acting in an undemocratic fashion and should be ashamed of their attempt to deny us the right to vote.
Sure, this matter should be decided by our Legislators we elected to represent us but like on many controversial issues, the Legislature wants to punt to the public. Given that, let's do their job for them but lets not let the Baptist Church do it for us.
Tulsa World's Janet Pearson Focuses Attention on Legislature
Janet Pearson, the tireless editorial writer at the Tulsa World, continues to focus attention on the cockfighters' buddies at the Oklahoma Legislature. In the Sunday World she again reveals the underhanded good ol' boy network that has keep the cockfighting issue from being settled. She points out that several urban Senators are voting the cockfighters way, presumably because they are trading their votes on this issue to garner votes on their pet issues. Trouble is, they aren't representing their constituents - which is, after all, what they were elected to do. Citizens are understandably tired of the games Legislators play at the Capitol. Fed-up voters voted in term limits as a result of their disgust. More and more people just don't vote anymore because they have become so disgusted with these Capitol games. The only thing left to do is focus in on the game players like Senators Jerry Smith and Ford of Tulsa with laser-like attention and make them pay at the voting booth.
Janet Pearson, the tireless editorial writer at the Tulsa World, continues to focus attention on the cockfighters' buddies at the Oklahoma Legislature. In the Sunday World she again reveals the underhanded good ol' boy network that has keep the cockfighting issue from being settled. She points out that several urban Senators are voting the cockfighters way, presumably because they are trading their votes on this issue to garner votes on their pet issues. Trouble is, they aren't representing their constituents - which is, after all, what they were elected to do. Citizens are understandably tired of the games Legislators play at the Capitol. Fed-up voters voted in term limits as a result of their disgust. More and more people just don't vote anymore because they have become so disgusted with these Capitol games. The only thing left to do is focus in on the game players like Senators Jerry Smith and Ford of Tulsa with laser-like attention and make them pay at the voting booth.
An Oklahoman's Thoughts on War
I had the pleasure of hearing the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa talk on the subject of whether a upcoming war in Iraq will cost America its soul. The Rev., neither a hawk or a pacifist, made some of the most salient observations I've heard on the subject. Certainly he made more sense than any of the cable TV pundits I've suffered through in recent months. He expressed great concern for both the Allied troops and the Iraqi people who will all suffer but he also asked us to think about what engaging in this particular war will do to the soul of our nation. The Reverend believes war is sometimes a necessary evil but he does not believe this particular war is a just war. I hope he will soon place his discussion on the web. In the meantime, check out his other work.
I had the pleasure of hearing the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa talk on the subject of whether a upcoming war in Iraq will cost America its soul. The Rev., neither a hawk or a pacifist, made some of the most salient observations I've heard on the subject. Certainly he made more sense than any of the cable TV pundits I've suffered through in recent months. He expressed great concern for both the Allied troops and the Iraqi people who will all suffer but he also asked us to think about what engaging in this particular war will do to the soul of our nation. The Reverend believes war is sometimes a necessary evil but he does not believe this particular war is a just war. I hope he will soon place his discussion on the web. In the meantime, check out his other work.