THE
FIGHT IS ON!
I received the following from Floyd Martin:
Forwarding
this email at request of State Representative
Thad Balkman:
Rep. Lance Cargill and I are organizing a Rally
for Traditional Marriage on the steps of the
Capitol Tuesday, February 17th at noon. We need a
BIG turnout so that all legislators and our
governor know that Oklahomans support amending
the Constitution to protect traditional marriage.
Invited guests are Cam Edwards, Michael
Delgiorno, Tom Coburn, JC Watts, and religious
leaders across Oklahoma. We also need people to
donate their time to man a table where people can
sign petitions and "check in." I would
also like to print up banners with pro-family and
marriage slogans. Please spread the word.
Thanks, Thad
Information
concerning a counter-protest will be posted on GayOKC.com
as it becomes available.
OK
LEGISLATORS SPAR OVER MARRIAGE
Republican lawmakers are accusing Democrats
of foot-dragging over anti-GLBT marriage legislation.
Democrats accuse Republicans of hysteria. Bernest
Cain says that anyone who opposes same sex marriages
is "a bigot." Gov Henry issued a statement
on Thursday supporting "traditional marriage".
GOP leaders
hit Democrats on gay marriages
OFEC
TRACKS ANTI-GLBT BILLS
A list of the anti-GLBT bills that have been
introduced in this session of the Oklahoma
legislature is now online at the website of the
Oklahoma Freedom and Equality Coalition.
www.ofec.org/ActionAlerts.htm
OKC
MAYOR ELECTION FEB 24
TOLBERT
TO SPEAK AT STONEWALL DEMOCRATS
Oklahoma
Stonewall
has invited, and he has accepted, OKC mayoral
candidate, Jim Tolbert, to address the assembled
Stonewall members and all other interested Democratic
Party supporters, as well as the curious of any other
political orientation, at Stonewall's February
meeting, Wednesday, 11th, starting at 7:00pm, Krumme
Center, 4100 N. Lincoln, State Democratic Party HQ.
Our business meeting will begin at 7:00 with Mr.Tolbert
arriving at approximately 7:30.
Questions or comments can be sent my way at treasurer@oklahomastonewall.org, or call 843-3651.
Jim Nimmo
TOLBERT
FUNDRAISER
Jim Tolbert For Mayor of Oklahoma City
Fundraiser
Friday, February 13th, 5:30p.m. - 7:00p.m.
TAP Architecture, 415 Broadway
Underwriters: Bob & Mary Lou Lemon Family and
Richard Ogden
Hosts: Hon. Debbie & Bob Blackburn, Anthony
McDermid, Terry Gatewood, Scott Wilson
Sponsors: Margaret Cox, Bill Hawk and David Nickel,
Chris Hake, Rob Howard, and the Hon. Jim Roth, Jeff
Erwing & Sam Blackstock, Joe Freeman &
Michael Tone, Gaylon & Jane Stacey, and J.B.
Scheulein
Please R.S.V.P. to 842-1824 or tgatewood@cox.net
If you are
unable to attend but would like to contribute, please
contact the campaign at the above phone number and/or
addresses.
ANDREA
RATKOVIC'S MALLORCA JOURNAL
Norman-based out lesbian athlete Andrea
Ratkovic is currently at a training camp in Spain
preparing to try out for the Olympic cycling team and
has offered to write about her experience for GayOKC.com.
Her second journal entry finds her engaging in some
well-deserved R&R after her intense training
rides with the team. Andrea visits Palma, home of the
second-largest cathedral in the world, and checks out
the local clubs and more than a little of the local
wine selection.
www.gayokc.com/ratkovicjournal.htm
MAY
MUSIC FEST
RAIN Oklahoma and CarePoint present, once
again, the May Music Fest, Saturday, May 8 at the
Farmer's Market. Performers will include Pinkie &
the Snakeshakers, Wendy Woo and Shelly Phelps. More
info is at www.rainoklahoma.org and www.care-point.org.
RAY
TO LEAVE NORMAN CITY COUNCIL
A chapter of Oklahoma's GLBT history will
come to a close when Norman holds its next city
council elections. According to this week's Oklahoma
Gazette, Norman City Councilperson David Ray
will not seek re-election. Ray became the first-ever
openly Gay candidate to be elected to office in
Oklahoma when he was sworn-in in April 2002. (Jim
Roth became the second such person in Oklahoma
history when he was sworn-in as Oklahoma County
commissioner in January 2003.)
Ray says that he will devote his full attention to
his political science professorship at OU, despite
apparent interest from constituents who want him to
run for mayor of Norman.
BARLOW
DROPS OUT
Barlow opts out of 2004 congressional race
February 5, 2004
For Immediate Release
Barlow cites balancing family life and campaign
rigors as reason for opting out of race
Lou Barlow, who entered the race in July 2004,
announced plans today to opt out of the congressional
race in Oklahoma's fifth district. Barlow had been
diligently working toward the Democratic nomination
to take on Congressman Ernest Istook to represent
Oklahomans in the fifth congressional district.
Barlow, who raised over $100,000 in his short
campaign, also announced that he would make pro-rated
refunds to campaign donors who have supported his
candidacy.
Barlow said, "I am eager to change the way
Washington operates and to help send the special
interests packing. Unfortunately, this year will not
the year for me to make my case to the people; that
we deserve better and we can't afford to have a
congressman representing us who does not fight for
our community in Washington, D.C."
Barlow commented that this announcement allows him to
increase his involvement in the daily lives of his
children and wife, as he discussed why he would not
be campaigning for the nomination to take on Istook.
Barlow also has a major role in his family's
business, Barlow Education Management Services. He
said that he got into the race for the right reasons,
but that now is not the right time for him,
considering the rigors of a campaign to defeat an
entrenched incumbent.
OKLAHOMA'S
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Wesley Clark and John Edwards prevented
Kerry from making a clean sweep of Feb 3's primaries
here in Oklahoma. So where does that leave GLBT
campaign supporters, particularly those devoted to
Dean, who placed fifth in Oklahoma? Apparently, some
of them are undaunted - for evidence, see Jim Nimmo's
essay below. According to Pam Paul, Dean supporters
are more committed than ever, breaking fundraising
records this week, bringing even more new supporters
into Wednesday's Dean Meetups, and participating in
public demonstrations such as Saturday's "Stand
Up for Dean" when supporters will gather at NW
Expressway and Penn at 3PM with signs that say "I
am Howard Dean's Special Interest". While Dean
has not made a good showing in the primaries so far,
90% of delegates remain to be chosen before the
Democratic National Convention in Boston.
The Oklahoma
Democratic Party's state convention takes place
February 21.
JIM
ROTH ON OKLAHOMA'S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Oklahoma voters recognize a qualified leader
in life, in war and in peace. General Wesley Clark's
victory in Oklahoma proves that his strong stand for
equality for ALL Americans is the right message for
fair-minded citizens all across America.
General Wesley Clark is a 'Uniter,' which our Country
needs during these difficult and divisive times in
America. I am proud that he has stood strong with his
belief in Equality for ALL and I am proud of us
Oklahomans who stood with him.
Jim Roth
JIM
NIMMO ON OKLAHOMA'S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Influence is no Government
In trying to quarterback the Oklahoma Tuesday primary
let me say in the interest of full disclosure that
I'm still rooting for Howard Dean, the grassroots
candidate extraordinaire.
As chair of my precinct 452, our officers organized a
primary forum at which all campaigns were invited. As
the officers were also strong Dean supporters, we
sent out a Dean mailing to 800 of the strongest
Democratic precinct voters. I worked the Dean phone
banks and made yard signs. But my own efforts of time
and money were very modest when compared to the state-wide
accomplishments made by others.
I will be voting for the Democratic nominee of the
Boston Convention, regardless of who it is. But it
will be hard to love that person if it's not Howard
Dean. And why shouldn't it be Dean on the Democratic
side of the November ballot?
The man is a passionate campaigner and, so I hear, a
good dancer! His campaign is the standard by which
all the other campaigns are measured, especially in
the use of the Internet for information
dissemination, voter involvement, and fund raising.
I would like to state the fact that Kerry made no
visits to Oklahoma until January 31, 2004. He had no
formal campaign office in Oklahoma prior to our
Democratic primary.
So why is the Dean campaign now in a parlous state of
edginess? I suggest you take a look at a review
written by David Podvin available on line at: The Scream
This story does
a good job, by my lights, at describing the terrible
collision of a campaign which wants to take back our
country from the korporate interests, and the brick
wall constructed by the bought media as it protects
its feudal masters living in the high castle.
Our Oklahoma State Party Secretary Paul Barby warned
several years ago of the danger, now upon all USA
citizens, of a concentrated media in the hands of a
very few korporate barons. This influence is
pernicious and has deep pockets. The FCC was
overruled by Congress when the FCC wanted to increase
media ownership in any single market. However even
this admonition to koporate kontrol was eliminated by
an amendment to one the the Federal budget bills,
allowing koporate ownership to rise as high as 39%,
exactly the level of ownership now sustained by the
Murdock Media Empire. Serendipitous or sanctimonious?
Look at the PBS program, "NOW" with Bill
Moyers, at www.pbs.org for more detail on this
threat to American liberty.
As George Washington said of Shay's Rebellion of 1786,
"influence is no government."
Our Congress is influenced and is not governing.
Dean's campaign threatened this tidy contract between
our elected officials and our unelected korporations.
Is this what the Oklahoma voters have exchanged for
their boundless apathy: a hearty and passionate Dean
candidacy for a ho-hum business as usual Kerry
campaign with ties to korporate interests?
The nominee of Boston must make changes in the
korporate influence in government if America is to
fulfill its promise of Democracy. Is anyone but Dean
up to the challenge?
James Nimmo,
Delegate to the Democratic State Convention, February
21
NUUF
MARRIAGE AD
Speaking of marriage rights, Susan Cogan at
the Norman
Unitarian Church has put together an ad which they
would like to place in the Norman Transcript.
The half-page ad will cost $825. According to Susan:
"This is beyond the means of our tiny church and
we are asking for donations to help pay for it."
If you would like to donate to the cost of running
the ad, Mail Checks to:
NUUF
1309 W. Boyd
Norman, OK 73069
Please make out checks to "NUUF" with
"marriage ad" on the memo line. Include a
note indicating whether or not you want your name to
appear on the ad. These donations are tax deductible.
Here is a pdf of the ad: http://www.nuuf.org/ad_for_transcript.pdf
You can reach Susan at susan-brassfield@ou.edu.
GROWING
& LEARNING WITH SISSY
NEWEST WEBISODE
Sissy becomes a teenage hobbledehoy and goes
to join the Loyal Order of the Hobbledehoys. What's a
hobbledhoy? Find out in Sissy's newest webisode
titled "The Hobbledehoys" starring Brett
Young as the President and Jenn Manley as the Vice-President
with David Mays as Sissy.
http://www.tarsplace.com/Webisode_Five.htm
Check out the
latest theater openings and tidbits in and around
Oklahoma City at TaRsPlace Home Page.
http://www.tarsplace.com/index.html
Let us know what
you think. Please feel free to send this e-mail to
your friends and ask them to join our growing list.
Enjoy,
Robert & Terry
tarsplace@cox.net
THANKS
FOR VISITING!
i 
