How does a moderate Democrat survive in Oklahoma, where there is a right-wing Republican around every rock and black-jack tree in the state? In reality, Oklahoma is a heavily Democratic state where local voting is often Democratic, but federal voting goes red. For example, we have a voted governor who is a Democrat, while we send Republicans to Washington DC.
Dr. Bob Colburn screwed up so much with his big mouth, in Oklahoma, he should have been "Rode Out On A Rail," a la, "O Brother Where Art Though." The man claimed that there were whole school districts which had been taken over by Lesbians. This is absolutely ignorant, but it wasn't enough of a gaff that the voters shredded his candacy.
Colburn shouldn't have a teacher in the state of Oklahoma voting for him. The man openly said that he would like The National Education Association and Oklahoma Education Association listed as a victim of a homicide. It has taken me aback that the man is working with Barack Obama in some areas of positive changes. Yet, every Baptist teacher in Oklahoma voted for Colburn. SOP when comes to Oklahoma politics. So, what can a Democrat in Oklahoma do to make some waves and, thusly, help make changes?
The Daily Oklahoman is as right-wing as the John Birch Society, yet the newspaper will allow letters-to-the-editor from "professional letter writers" such as me, to grace its editorial page, ... within reason. A writer can push the envelope a bit, too far, though, and can get banned from having any of their thoughts read in The Oklahoman. Now, I know that the editorial page has changed editors and upgraded, but I haven't tried to see if my ban is still enforced. I count it as a battle award.
A Democrat can find their article or LTTE, read on the pages of The Oklahoma Gazette and The Oklahoma Observer. I have had many articles published in The Oklahoma Observer, and it is bright blue in a state that is bloody red. If a Democrat wants to read Molly Ivins or Dale Hill, you will find them here. It is quite easy to have your article published by Frosty Troy. But ... Troy will accept subscription holder's articles, above non-subscriber, but is the paper of choice to read Ivins and other, liberal, non-Bush enthralled Americans. I've even had an article published in the Oklahoma Observer that spear-headed a change in how we handle early childhood learning in our state
The Oklahoma Gazette is shopper's newspaper. This is the one where you find the issue about "all the best eating places in OKC," or "the best hamburgers in Oklahoma," which by the way, is at Mears, Oklahoma. Don't expect to be paid by these two, but you can have your writing read. Of the two, The Observer is the way to go, if you have some editorial thoughts that need vented. The Observer survives on a shoe string budget, and it is worth your time for a Democratic haven in a state where the majority of your friends think you are going to hell.
Funny, I had a Republican friend who considered us as best friends, since we had so much in common. He played the fiddle, and I play the guitar and the harmonica. We both sang in the choir together and both struggled with faking the bass part, while playing venues of varying persuasions outside of church.
After retirement, I grew a beard, "like the LIBERAL you are!" His only problem with me was, "Hill, you are a 'baby killing Democrat.'" I wasn't chosen to be a pall bearer at his funeral - just Republicans had that honor. Me? I took it in stride. It is possible that, when I die, I could well not find enough pall bearers for my funeral. But, ... there are a few of us in Oklahoma.
