151 Band

Thursday, May 05, 2011

Jam In June Finalized

The 1st Annual "Jam In June" has been finalized and the bands are fired up and ready to entertain as well as increase awareness for Bikers Against Child Abuse - Oklahoma Chapters.  Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) is an incredible organization and we're proud to have this awesome opportunity to show them a little musical love.

We have The Unmanned Blues Band, Wild Heart, Organized Chaos, Collin Houchen opening up the festivities, The Amazing Bob Zilla keeping us entertained, and the headline band is Oklahoma's very own Shotgun Rebellion.  Needless to say, this is going to be an incredible event and yes, you're invited.

When:  Saturday, June 25, 2011
Time:  Kick-off at 7pm and running as late as we need to!
Location:  One mile north of Waterloo Road on Western in Southwest Logan County.
Bring:  Lawn chairs and beverage of choice.

A special thanks to Frank and Pat Paradise for allowing us to use Paradise Farms for the event.  They are incredible people with incredible hearts for non-profit organizations here in Oklahoma.

For more information, click here.

Badge Of Honor: Brady Campaign Gives Oklahoma "2"

Newspaper editors, college presidents and even District Attorneys are more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that Oklahomans have read the Constitution and believe that the 2nd Amendment was/is an important amendment to the Constitution.  As a matter of fact, many states would not ratify the Constitution unless the 2nd Amendment was included. 

So, what about the whole "shall not be infringed" do they dislike?  Well, in short, it's part of the Big Brother aspects of elected officials and the oligarchy.  They themselves believe to BE the law rather than those who are tasked with enforcing the law.  And the Brady Bunch is no different and according to the Tulsa World, they give Oklahoma a "2" out of a possible "100."

From the Tulsa World story:
A leading gun-control group gave Oklahoma a score of 2 out of a possible 100 points Wednesday, but the score was enough to keep the state off the "do-nothing'' list.

According to the fourth-annual scorecard released by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Oklahoma received its 2 points for not forcing colleges to allow firearms on campus.

Still, the group concluded, "Oklahoma has weak gun laws that help feed the illegal gun market and allow the sale of guns without background checks.''
The Brady Campaign and those who support them will not rest until each and every gun owner in the country is lined up and flogged for desiring to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.  Even many prosecutors who have campaigned as "2nd Amendment supporters," fall in lock-step with editorial boards and university elitists who somehow believe university campuses are equal to that of the Holy Sepulcher.  It's sexy to campaign as a supporter of the right to keep and bear arms because it is an 80 percentile issue in Oklahoma.  Most Democrats and Republicans alike find the Brady Campaign and the anti-gun crowd to be far left of center.  But once elected, most find themselves in a precarious situation - they want to be invited to the expensive dinners and the elitist events hosted by the power-brokers who donate to their campaigns.

While the Brady Campaign has other states groveling at their feet, Oklahoma is standing firm and most of us consider their low scores to be a badge of honor.

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Alcohol-Related Deaths Up In Oklahoma

From Mothers Against Drunk Driving:

According statistics from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, drunk driving fatalities have remained about the same since 2005.  However, overall traffic fatalities are down, (from 803 to 731) meaning drunk driving deaths have increased as a total of traffic deaths.

Drunk driving deaths as a percentage of all traffic deaths in Oklahoma:
  • 2005 - 232 deaths - 29% of total fatalities
  • 2010 - 233 deaths - 32% of total fatalities

Alcohol-related deaths have gone up 3%, while total traffic fatalities have gone down.  Another reason Oklahoma needs this bill.

Download the full report here:

http://www.ok.gov/ohso/documents/OK%20Annual%20Report%202010.pdf

Oh, Rick...Not You Too!

Rick Springfield, who recently performed here in Central Oklahoma, has been arrested for Driving Under the Influence and had a .10...here is the story:
(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - "Jessie's Girl" singer Rick Springfield was arrested Sunday night by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies on suspicion of drunken driving.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department says in a press release that Springfield was stopped around 8 p.m. after a deputy spotted him speeding in his 1963 Corvette on Pacific Coast Highway.
According to the Los Angeles Times, officers smelled alcohol on Springfield's breath and administered a breathalyzer test. The department says Springfield's blood-alcohol content was .10 percent. The legal limit in California is .08.
The singer was released Monday around 2 a.m. on a $5000 bond, according to the paper. Springfield is due in a courtroom in Malibu for a first appearance on July 5.
While a $5,000 bond may seem rather steep compared to some of the less expensive bonds here in Oklahoma, for a guy like Rick, it's probably just pocket change.  Of course, if he were arrested in Oklahoma for DUI and it was in a municipality, city attorneys could negotiate the charge down and trade for an autographed picture or perhaps tickets to his next concert venue...and there is nothing at all the taxpayers and citizens of the great state of Oklahoma could do about it.

Here's a little Rick Springfield music to get you through the day...


Prater UFC Round One

The Oklahoman is reporting that things got a little rough during a murder trial.  From the story:
A convicted murderer attacked Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater inside the courtroom Monday at the close of trial, and the two men fell fighting to the floor at the feet of the victim's mother.
Prater, a former police officer, was punched in the face. He then pushed Emanuel D. “E Man” Mitchell toward a wooden rail that splits the courtroom in two. They fell through a swinging gate, their upper bodies landing inside the spectators' section.
What relevance there is to David Prater being a former police officer, no one knows, but the Oklahoman has certainly warmed up to Prater after he made the decision to prosecute Jerome Ersland with 1st Degree Murder.  Ersland is the pharmacist who was robbed at gunpoint and defended himself against the armed robbers and ended up killing one of the young men who robbed him.

The defendants in his case have been found guilty of murder as well as other crimes, but Ersland is being prosecuted for 1st Degree Murder.  Doesn't quite make sense, does it?  If you recall, there was quite a bit of distaste over this prosecution until conservatives started asking questions and then, well, the Oklahoman stepped up to the plate to defend District Attorney Prater.

Probably had nothing to do whatsoever with Prater's support of the MAPS tax increases or his prosecution of the Oklahoman's "Most Wanted Man - Representative Randy Terrill."  Of course not.

Posturing Over The Killing Of OBL

Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Green Party members, Hemp Party members and pretty much every member of every political party celebrated at least a little bit when the news broke that Osama Bin Laden (OBL) was a dead man.  But it didn't take long for the posturing to begin, of course.  In correspondence from Oklahoma GOP Chair Matt Pinnell, no mention is made of President Obama but rather a quote from former President George W. Bush:
"As President Bush said shortly after 9/11, "We will never back down, we will never give in, and we will never accept anything less than complete victory." Thank you to the men and women who have sacrificed their lives fighting the War on Terror. Al Qaeda is unfortunately not a hierarchy, but a network, and the fight should and must go on."
But not to be outdone, the Democratic operatives have been working hard to ensure that everyone in America knows that it was President Obama who made the call to go into Pakistan with our elite SEAL Team Six to eliminate OBL.

Democrats and Republicans alike have to be careful not to overplay their hands on this situation.  Radical Islam has already sworn "revenge," and the fight is hardly over.  If Democrats like MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell continues to push the issue that "Democrats are not soft on defense" and radical Islam attacks American interests, their incumbent candidate for President will find himself struggling to explain why those on the left have their own "Mission Accomplished" moment.  Watch his video compilation for yourself and determine whether or not he is over the top...


Conversely, Republican commentators would do well in giving credit where credit is due - it was, in fact, President Obama who made the very tough decision after receiving actionable intelligence to go into a sovereign nation to extract OBL.  Not an easy decision to make at all, particularly when President George W. Bush had said previously that he wasn't "too concerned" about OBL and absolutely would not go into Pakistan, regardless of actionable intelligence or not.

The American people as a whole are glad that one of the world's worst terrorists has met his end and the rhetoric that has already hyped up serves no one except the over-inflated egos of commentators and party operatives who are already laying out their spreadsheets, determining how they will profit from this event.  The families of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are breathing a sigh of relief, experiencing a moment of clarity and thankful to our Armed Forces for popping the pimple on the ass of the world - namely, OBL.  They are thankful that while we know that terrorist scumbags will do their level best to seek revenge, the mastermind of numerous terrorist attacks is now fish food.

Tony Blair had an incredible statement on Piers Morgan's show wherein he said something to the effect that America is a beacon of freedom, a place where people of many religious backgrounds and ideologies can come together and co-exist in peace with one another - much like that in Britain.  He also warned everyone watching that the death of OBL could very well energize splinter groups of radical Islam and spur them on to action.

Monday, May 02, 2011

Fallin's "Oklahoma Now" Column

Strong Finish: More Reforms Needed in Last Month of Legislative Session

May is the last month of the 2011 legislative session, and I’m happy to say this legislative year is on track to be a productive one. Several key reforms already having been signed into law and more are on the way.

We have delivered, for instance, on landmark lawsuit reform that will help to create more jobs in Oklahoma by establishing a better business climate and placing a cap of $350,000 on non-economic damages.

Where education is concerned, the legislature has worked with me to pass bills making it easier to let go ineffective teachers, ending a lengthy and costly legal appeals process known as “trial de novo” that had previously made it nearly impossible to fire even the most ineffective instructors.

We have also passed important pro-life measures, prohibiting abortions after 20 weeks (when an unborn child begins to feel pain) and ensuring that those citizens who purchase private health insurance are not unknowingly or unwillingly subsidizing abortion.

Finally, legislative leaders and I have agreed to reject $54 million in federal funds to ensure that the state of Oklahoma sends a clear signal to Washington: we do not want, in any shape or form, to be tied to ObamaCare. And while we continue to fight the president’s health care plan, both legislatively and in court, we’re also moving to establish our own Oklahoma-based health solutions, including the creation of a new online insurance network where businesses and families can shop for affordable, high quality private health insurance.

The first three months of the legislative session have been a testament to the goals and values that many conservative lawmakers, including myself, outlined during their campaigns: encouraging more private sector job growth and boosting our economy, reaffirming our commitment to conservative values and standing up to the Obama Administration when it overreaches.

All of this is good news. But we have a long way to go before we reach the finish line.

During my campaign for governor, I promised voters I would bring Oklahoma a smaller, smarter government able to operate more efficiently and effectively. To deliver on that promise, my administration is proposing two important reforms: the consolidation of several agencies under the Office of State Finance, and the restructuring and consolidation of the state’s Information Technology resources.

Together, these two reforms will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year – with the potential for much more – while eliminating government waste and duplication of services. Our IT reform bill, for instance, will reduce the number of financial payment systems the state uses from over 70 to just one, delivering a more streamlined, efficient way of doing business.

We have a number of other important reform measures that we must deliver on this session. Overhauling our workers compensation system, in order to reduce skyrocketing legal and medical costs that continue to drive jobs out of state, is a priority. We must pursue additional education reform, including an A-F grading system for our schools. And the creation of a Quick Action Closing Fund to lure new businesses and jobs to the state of Oklahoma is necessary before we can truly say we are doing everything in our power to create the best business climate possible.

All of these are substantial reforms that require political courage and willpower. But each one of them is necessary for our conservative lawmakers to fulfill their promises to voters.

I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our legislative leaders to date. Now it’s time to finish the heavy lifting and close out the legislative session by delivering on the important reform measures we promised voters we’d act on. I look forward to our lawmakers working to send these bills to my desk.
###

Charlie Meadows On Sally Kern

(From a Charlie Meadows, OCPAC Email)
++  MY ONLY DISAGREEMENT WITH REP SALLY KERN

This past Wednesday evening, State Representative Sally Kern walked into a buzz saw. It was like a lamb taking a stroll through a valley only to be set upon by hordes of ravenousness and vicious wolves.

Up for consideration was legislation to allow Oklahoma voters to decide next year to amend our State Constitution to prohibit the practice of affirmative action. Liberals were strongly opposed to the measure as they objected by using irrelevant statistics such as high incarceration rates among black Oklahomans and lower wages for working women.

Representative Kern rose to debate on behalf of the measure. I have obtained a transcript of her debate and would say she could have done a better job of expressing her arguments. I will also say there have been countless times after speaking to a group or simply with individuals that upon reflection, I wish something I had said could have been phrased differently, most human beings would say the same thing if they are honest.

There were two main points of contention. In her effort to tear down the myth that women are somehow discriminated against in pay compared to men she inadvertently said: “You see women usually don’t want to work as hard as a man…”. If you have seen or heard that on any news broadcast and that is all you heard on the subject, that news outlet is dishonest and is trying to drum up sensationalism, because in just the next few words, Sally corrected her wording on the floor and went on.

What Kern was trying to say was that a study by Dr. Warren Farrell showed that when all variables were taken into account, women actually make more than men for the same work performance. What are those variables? Things like full time versus part time, hours worked, experience, work hazards willingness to commute long distances and etc. The point Sally was trying to make on working hard is that once women start having children, they are more likely to interrupt a career to stay home with the children or work part time to spend as much time as possible dividing duties between work and being the homemaker. Men tend to be more willing to focus on career advancement and make certain sacrifices on the home front. Kern was not degrading women or suggesting they don’t work as hard as men. Anyone who understands how much work it takes to be a successful homemaker is wise and to do that as well as work outside the home is very hard work.

The other point of contention and the one that caused the race baiting wolves to descend upon Sally was her honest attempt to tear down the myth that black people have high incarceration rates, simply because of the color of their skin. Sally dared to suggest that perhaps it had more to do with character, personal initiative, drive, hard work and a willingness to pay the price. She suggested these problems show up early in school with an unwillingness to work hard and learn. Drawing upon her 20 year career as a teacher, Sally said the following: “I taught school for 20 years and I saw a lot of people of color who didn’t want to work as hard, they wanted it given to them. Matter of fact I had one student that said, ’I don’t need to study, you know why? The government’s gonna take care of me.’”

That little bit of TRUTH that Sally spoke caused the race hustling pimps in Oklahoma to descend upon her like my suggested wolves upon a lamb scenario. As a result of the pressure, Sally issued an apology which is my only point of contention with what was done. She took care of the misspoken words about women not wanting to work hard immediately in her floor debate. However, the next day she issued an apology to those she offended which is where I differ with her. I think it would have been fine to issue a clarification, but not an apology.

I know Sally well and she doesn’t have a racist bone in her body. 
Let’s be honest folks. Anytime we speak of race or groupings of peoples in any regard, we are talking about anomalies, trends or averages which give certain groupings a reputation for certain characteristics. Intellectually honest people will always know there will be exceptions to the trends and examples. So when we talk about groupings of people, we are NEVER talking about everyone in that grouping. We may not even be talking about the majority of people in a grouping. However, we talk about a grouping because there is a large enough anomaly to distinguish a difference or reputation.

For example, if accurate statistics were to suggest that only 10% of white people live in poverty while 30% of black people live in poverty, that is a notable difference. If statistics show that 70% of black children live in a single parent home while only 30% of white children are in single parent homes, that is also notable. If statistics show Asian children outperform all other racial groupings in school, that is a notable difference. I could go on and on with such examples, we see them all the time. The problems begin to manifest when we try to come up with the reasons for the differences.

Let me suggest, that there are way too many black folks who would rather blame others for many of the problems black people in America face rather than take much, if any personal responsibility for those problems. When I say “way too many” I am not saying all, I may not even be saying a majority, but I am saying way too many.

The moment I, as a white person, say such a thing I might immediately be descended upon and labeled as a racist and bigot by race hustling pimps like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and locals like Representative Mike Shelton or perhaps leaders of local NAACP groups.

You see, according to my friend the Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson, a black minister, white people aren’t supposed to be part of the dialogue regarding racial issues. It is to be a one way conversation.
Race hustling black leaders empower themselves and become famous and or wealthy by telling black folks their problems are a result of the “evil whitey suppressing them.” These black leaders hold themselves out to black folks as saviors and leaders to stop white people from holding black folks back. As they spew their hatred and venom it builds horrible attitudes into the minds and hearts of black people who buy into their poison. Those attitudes become the most destructive force in their personal lives.

I wrote an article in the Oklahoma Constitution Newspaper in 2001 in which I suggested back in that day that few white people tolerate racism. Most white people don’t want to hear racist jokes and people who refer to black people as “niggers” (shock and horrors, I used the dreaded word) are disrespected and shunned. However, I suggested that racism was alive and well in that day as it still is today, and that it would mostly be found in the black community.

Most white people today want there to be closure to the hurts and sadness of racism which occurred in our past history. Most white people want the best for black Americans. I personally look forward to the reality and substance of the dream as espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. when he said he looked forward to a day when men could be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.

To get to that point in time, black people must realize that opportunities exist and most white people want black people to succeed and prosper, as long as they do so on their own initiative and by working hard. I for one am opposed to trying to make that happen through favoritisms created by court decisions or through laws. Thus my opposition to affirmative action laws.

What has occurred in the past, is in the past. To continue to dwell on the past, other than for historical references, is harmful to black people in the present. They must seize their opportunities through hard work and upon their own merits. Life is not easy and there is certainly competition for opportunities, so black people must press on and not get discouraged when they encounter difficulties.

To help accomplish the desired successes, I would suggest fleeing from the poison of anyone  who teaches black people to blame others for their problems. Abandon the race hustlers like Jackson, Sharpton and Representative Mike Shelton. Build relationships with people who will encourage you, abandon black churches if the preacher teaches you to blame others.

The church President Obama selected to attend for Easter Sunday is pastored by what I believe to be a  race hustling black pastor. One who, on Resurrection Sunday, preached a sermon describing today’s modern day Jim Crow types as one who didn’t need to wear white sheets, but rather they came dressed in pinstripe suits and were under the cover of talk radio and Fox News. If black people feed off of that type of venom, they are being poisoned. Their hearts will be filled with hate and their attitudes we be corrupted.

Unfortunately, Speaker Steele threw Sally under the bus when he stated publicly that he disagreed with Sally and was glad to know that she was producing an apology. Hey Kris, just what exactly did Sally say on the floor in which you disagree that she didn’t correct during her debate? Why don’t you man up and spell it out for us in detail so we can determine if you are part of the problem or part of the solution?

I was also disappointed in State Chairman Matt Pinnell when he said:
“The GOP strongly disagreed with Rep. Kern’s comments, and we are pleased that she quickly apologized for them.”  I haven’t talked with Matt, but I wonder if he has even read the transcript of what she said?

The Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson would likely describe Pinnell’s statement as a knee jerk reaction just before he runs and hides in the closet of cowardice and silence in hopes that he won’t have the racist label thrown at him or at the Republican party of which he is a spokesman.

I believe Matt has done a good job so far as Chairman, but he needs to understand his statement will not dissuade the race hustlers from throwing the racist label at the Republican party, they do it all the time, no matter how many apologies and no matter how many statements to the contrary.

We all must learn to recognize racism when it truly exists and condemn it, but on the other hand, never throw someone under the bus when they have been accused by the race hustlers and they have done nothing to deserve such an accusation. We must all start calling these race hustling pimps out and expose them for what they are. Only then do we have a chance for the healing to occur and allow people of all races to get along and live together in harmony and peace.

Bin Laden Dead, Now What?

Like most Americans, I breathed a sigh of relief when the news came that Osama Bin Laden had been sent to meet his maker after coming face-to-face with a few of the most feared and most dangerous men on earth - the Navy SEALs.  It felt good, it felt right and while we aren't really supposed to celebrate the death of any human being, this one was a long-time coming.

President Obama gave an exceptional speech about the operation and in my estimation, it was the best of his political career.  Obama went into Pakistan when President  Bush refused and the aggregate result was the death of the worst terrorist in recent history.

Well, now what?

More than likely, OBL's supporters/followers will do everything they can to try and debunk the death of their terrorist leader and in so doing, rally their followers to take further action against American interests.  You see, it is a double-edged sword...we wanted him dead but in killing him, we may have made him a martyr.  His popularity had waned over the last few months to be sure, but we often forget that we're dealing with radical Islam - a mindset that believes everything about us and Israel is wrong and must be destroyed.

Our troops truly are heroes and for a time, will be on high alert.  They deserve our support and not political rhetoric.  Already there are individuals who are making this situation political and using it to further their own political ideologies.  The bottom line is that the scumbag is dead and it was American covert operations that killed the terrorist bastard.