Oklahoma Independent Media Center

Do you have trouble telling this

from this?

Was that so hard?

Apparently, it is for the major newspapers in Oklahoma.

Slander against peace activists in state newspapers --
and what to do about it

On Tuesday, March 18, a front page story in the Daily Oklahoman by Anne Kelley, "Marine won't draw penalty for flag fight", contained an unbelievable slander against antiwar activists in Oklahoma and across the country.

Here's a passage:

Report: Black and White and Re(a)d All Over

Unprecedented Study of U.S. Daily Newspapers Shows Conservatives with Distinct Advantage in Syndicated Op-Eds Nationally and in Oklahoma

State-Based Data Are Attached (below) as a PDF, while the Entire Report With National Figures and Detailed Analysis is Available Online at www.mediamatters.org/reports/oped/

The publisher of The Edmond Sun would describe himself and his paper as conservative. But last Sunday, Rick Barnes added his voice to that of many a liberal (and a growing number of his fellow conservatives) regarding the US military presence in Iraq: "Enough is enough — let’s pull out"

[...] We, as a country, have invested, or poured down a rat hole, more than $456 billion and for what? The Iraqi government is coming unraveled — Iraqi legislators are fleeing the sinking ship like rats; the Kurds are wanting to form a separate country and control the oil fields and we continue to offer up our sons and daughters as their life vests.

Pull our troops out, save American lives, leave every piece of non-sensitive equipment there and let them do with the equipment as they see fit. This may seem like pretty drastic measures, but no one else has come up with a better idea.

[...]

As a final note — Oklahoma’s portion of this misguided adventure is $6.8 billion and escalating at the rate of $3,111 per minute of every hour of every day. Minnesota had a tragic bridge collapse and reports indicate the bridges of this state are not in much better shape. Why not take a portion of the $6.8 billion and make improvements here? Enough is enough!

[...]

Support for local mass transit initiatives key to Party's support

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma County Green Party decided at its July 17 meeting to endorse Fannie Bates for county commissioner in the special election on August 14.

The election is being held to fill the seat vacated by Jim Roth upon his appointment by Gov. Henry to the state Corporation Commission. Five candidates are vying for the spot, and the one who receives a plurality of votes in the election will serve out Roth's term.

Noting her long history of grassroots activism around issues of civil rights, social justice and environmental sustainability, Party members were unusually enthusiastic about the endorsement.

"We're proud to endorse Fannie Bates," said James M. Branum, OCGP spokesperson. "We are looking forward to seeing a grassroots activist get elected to office and then continue to fight for the people."

Frosty Troy to speak Friday, August 10, at 7:00 p.m. at Fellowship Congregation Church, 2900 S. Harvard in Tulsa. This event is free of charge.

Those of you who have heard him need no introduction, but for the others:

Forrest J. "Frosty" Troy, is an editor, radio and television commentator, critic, humorist and one of the most dynamic public
speakers in the country. He is recognized nationally for his upbeat keynotes and presentations on public education. In an era of weasel words and budget cuts, Frosty Troy is a blunt, dynamic defender of public education.

He and his wife, Helen, published The Oklahoma Observer for 30 years, and Frosty still writes for the publication.

Forrest J. "Frosty" Troy, editor, radio and television
commentator, critic, humorist and one of the most dynamic public
speakers in the country. He is recognized nationally for his upbeat
keynotes and presentations on public education. In an era of weasel
words and budget cuts, Frosty Troy is a blunt, dynamic defender of
public education

Urgent Action Required
Dated: July 16, 2007
8:53pm CST

(Urgent: July 16, 2007, USA) - Some people seem to be missing the point. If the argument is: "I drank out of garden hoses, and ain't nothin' wrong with me or mine": If you are over 35, you never drank out of (as a child) a pvc garden hose.

If your argument is: your water comes to your house, and is distributed throughout your house by PVC pipes; again, you are right. However; we spent three decades, eliminating copper pipes from homes, because the lead solder on those pipes would, indeed, leach lead into homes, and the familial drinking supply, and affect children as a neurotoxin, causing neurological disorders.

The Oklahoman continues to beat the drum for ballot access reform in the state, and this times gives Ricard Winger, a hardworking activist who produces a national newsletter and website on the issue, a nice plug.

That the state's biggest newspaper, usually no friend of grassroots causes, has taken up this issue, is a welcome surprise to the state's small and struggling third parties.

Foiled again: Access reformers lose another round

IT ain't The Wall Street Journal, but a California newsletter has done for ballot access reform what the Journal has done for lawsuit reform. What Ballot Access News has done is expose Oklahoma as having the most restrictive ballot access laws in the nation.

Last month, the state Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a case challenging these laws. These include provisions that new political parties face extraordinary barriers in getting on the ballot.

Today's (6/2/07) Daily Oklahoman includes a guest editorial by Col. Katherine Scheirman, USAF (Ret.), identified as retired in 2006 after a 20-year career in the Air Force.

Her experienced and forceful statement is an important addition to the growing voices in Oklahoma against the war/occupation in Iraq.

Excerpt:

I met with Rep. Mary Fallin on Feb. 22 to discuss President Bush's plan for the military escalation ("surge”) in Iraq. During that meeting, I asked about projections for the numbers of additional casualties expected from Mr. Bush's plan. She told me she had heard nothing about casualty estimates. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had likewise testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January that there were no casualty projections.

John Grisham, author of "The Innocent Man", published by "Doubleday Random House" and Dennis Fritz author of "Journey Toward Justice", published by "Seven Locks Press" Santa Ana, CA have a long term commitment to making appearances related to "the innocence movement" nationwide.

Grisham's first nonfiction book, "The Innocent Man" is a best seller on Amazon worldwide. Dennis Fritz has his first book "Journey Toward Justice" on Amazon and is a top seller worldwide.

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town, is a chronicle of the Oklahoma case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of former minor-league baseball player Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. Once asked whether his book is a kind of social activism, he says: "When I researched and wrote the book, it was impossible not to become indignant and infuriated. And that becomes an activism in itself."