June 25, 2007

On The Cover

Sooner Centennial: Facing Our False Bravado

By Frosty Troy

When did Oklahoma become a state of reactionary politics, providing for the wealthy when a fifth of our children go to bed hungry?

What’s Inside

Frosty’s Notebook: Kicking Teachers

By Frosty Troy

True to his word [for a change] Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah, has launched his drive to install merit pay for public school teachers, vowing no more regular raises despite trailing the regional average.

Holmes Tests Formula To Rebuild Democrats

By Arnold Hamilton

Former college professor Ivan Holmes views his chairmanship of the Oklahoma Democratic Party as a two-year experiment in a real-world laboratory.

Oklahoma’s Chamber Report Card Is Bogus

By Frosty Troy

“… Curious and malevolent.” That’s how Gerald Bracey, research professor, author and one of education’s foremost authorities, responded to the ultra-rightwing U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “report card” on America’s public schools..

Deluged Oklahoma Fixing 1,300 Dams

By Clay Pope

Will Rogers once said, “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma just wait a minute.” Never has this been truer in Oklahoma than this spring. In less than four months we have transitioned from the driest year in Oklahoma history to record levels of rainfall concentrated in areas historically prone to flooding.

The Significance of Jim Roth’s Appointment

By James Nimmo

Oklahoma celebrates its centennial this year and one would think that with 93% of the state’s history having occurred in the 20th Century there wouldn’t be much in the way of frontier left to discover in the 21st. However, Oklahoma is full of surprises both on the regressive and progressive sides of the historical coin.

Ignore Venal Media, Dems Scoring Big

By Frosty Troy

Despite the Daily Disappointment ignoring the truth – and no thanks to Oklahoma’s Republican delegation – the 110th Democratic Congress has scored major successes.

Mental Health To Tighten Its Security

State mental health officials are urged to increase oversight of individuals in their custody.

Books

Great Outdoors ’07: Surfin’ And Duct Tape

By Mike Nobles

I have an admission to make: I am a fan of The Mountaineers Books. They publish some of the most useful, informative, readable books on all things outdoors on the market today.

Old Ways And New Collide In Navajo Novel

By Norm Rourke

Special investigator Ella Clah of the Navajo Police is back. Once again she must walk a fine line between Navajo traditionalists and modernists as she seeks to solve a series of violent murders of young Navajo.

Public Forum

America’s Working Class Enslaved Again

By Colin T. Bent

Some years ago, this black man took stock of the problems of the working class, all of it, and coined the term the “niggerization of America.” In my recent reading, I was shocked, but supported in my thinking when I saw the same term used by a most admired philosopher and great thinker, Cornel West, in his book Democracy Matters.

Two Simple Solutions To Immigration Woes

By Kenny Belford

It seems every elected official in America has some kind of “immigration reform” proposal to address the unprecedented flood of illegal immigrants that are already here and arriving daily.

Observations

Just The Facts?

State journalism schools should emphasize the competent use of statistics, especially the facts behind the story’s lead.

Basic Abuse

What is going on at Fort Sill? A searing issue of The Washington Spectator [May 1] documents abuse of soldiers that extends far beyond Walter Reed Hospital.

Nursing Crisis

We take no pride in the fact that we’ve been a lone voice for years shouting that a nursing shortage threatens Oklahoma’s health care system.

The DHS Truth

The Daily Disappointment continues to play the role of sunshine patriots – hiding in the hills until after the battle, then they come down and shoot the walking wounded.

KOSU’s Loss

Craig Beeby has retired after 29 years with KOSU, the premier Oklahoma Public Radio station.