M.L. Liebler and Peter Lewis bring music the art of the spoken word to Cheyenne Feb. 26-28

Detroit author and performance poet M.L. Liebler and L.A. musician Peter Lewis, one of the founding members of Moby Grape, will perform at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne on Saturday, Feb. 26. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $5, $3 for students, military and seniors. It is understood that some of you "seniors" may still have Moby Grape's "Grape Jam" in the original vinyl. If so, bring it out to be signed.

On Sunday, Feb. 27, Peter and M.L. will conduct a free public workshop at the Laramie County Public Library from 2-4 p.m.

On Monday, Feb. 28, M.L. will serve as one of three judges for the 2011 Wyoming Poetry Out Loud competition. The competition begins at 7 p.m. at the Atlas Theatre. Peter will perform a short performance during intermission. This event is free and open to the public.

These events are all sponsored by the Wyoming Arts Council, the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here is some bio info on M.L. and Peter:

One of our judges for the Poetry Out Loud event will be M.L. Liebler, a mover and shaker in the Detroit poetry scene. He has written several books of poetry including the 2001 Finalist for The Paterson Poetry Prize and was winner of The 2001 Wayne State University Board of Governors’ Award. He has read and worked with Ed Sanders, Diane di Prima, Michael McClure, Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, Timothy Leary & William Burroughs.

In addition, Liebler has recorded his poetry with such musical legends as Al Kooper, Country Joe McDonald, Jorma Kaukonen, Mike Watt, The Magic Poetry Band and many others. Liebler also edited the recently released anthology, Working Words: Punching the Clock and Kicking Out the Jams (Coffee House Press).

M.L. has worked with the Wyoming Arts Council before – as one of the judges for the FY 2002 creative writing fellowships and as a presenter at one of the last ARTSPEAK conferences, held in Jackson in the fall of 2001. As director of the Detroit YMCA Writer's Voice, he came to Cheyenne in 2002-2003 at the request of the YMCA to conduct poetry and music presentations and workshops with Woodstock legend Country Joe MacDonald.

Peter Lewis is a founding member of the 1960s band Moby Grape. Their debut album was released in 1967, and it is still to this day one of the most revered rock albums of all times according to Rolling Stone magazine and other cultural critics. The band's energetic and hyper-exciting combination of folk, blues, and country was a unique sound to rock & roll. It was a new kind of American roots music but the band's career never took off the way it should have, due to personal tragedies. It took Peter Lewis a long time to shake off the troubled legacy of his band and begin to make his mark again with a stellar singer/songwriting recording career. Don’t miss out on the chance to see this living legend perform.

When M.L. and Peter perform together, they take their audience on a historical, cultural & literary journey from poetry to blues, folk and rock up to original contemporary compositions of both poetry and music. Together they blend words & music with beautiful harmonies, memories and the art of spoken word.

Shop and eat locally on "Second Thursdays" sponsored by Art Design & Dine

Attention all you local art and local food lovers: Art Design & Dine in Cheyenne has a new look! Each poster will list the dates for the next three months of art tours. The flyers will list the featured restaurants on the back. Each quarter there will be new restaurants added to the flyer to give you more options and a longer time to use the coupon.

Wyoming: Guns 'R' Us

This e-mail update comes from Brianna Jones of the Wyoming Democratic Party. I'd just share a link but the info isn't up on the web site. So here it is in full:

The past week has seen both ups and downs for Democratic interests. Thank you so much to each of you that has responded to our action alerts over the past week and contacted legislators. It is so important that you are taking the time, even if the outcome is not always the one you would hope.

Your input is critical. Please continue watching for our action alerts and contacting your representatives on some of these important pieces of legislation. You can find email addresses for all legislators here: http://legisweb.state.wy.us.

The following is legislation that saw action this week:

Co-employee immunity (SF 61): As sponsored by Sen. Eli Bebout (R-Riverton) and Rep. Tim Stubson (R-Casper) the bill would raise the bar for suing a co-employee (usually a supervisor) for injuries in the workplace. Currently the standard is "willful and wanton" and the standard this would put in place is "with the intent." The AFL-CIO and Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, and the Wyoming Building and Construction Council all spoke out strongly against this legislation. It failed the Senate on first reading by a vote of 13-17.


Very rare and uncommon area designations (HB 152): This legislation as sponsored by Rep. Semlek (R-Moorcroft) would abolish the rare and uncommon designation and would "retain the authority" to remove protections. Adobe Town is currently designated as rare and uncommon. The Wyoming Conservation Voters and Wyoming Outdoor Council are opposing this legislation.

Health Care Choice and Protection Act (HB 35): Legislation sponsored by Rep. Bob Brechtel (R-Casper) passed first reading in the House today with 35 members voting in favor. This bill would make it a crime to implement the affordable care act in Wyoming. Please write your representatives and ask them to oppose this legislation.


Defense of Marriage Act (SJ 5): This legislation which was defeated in 2009, would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to only recognize marriages that are between one man and one woman. The proposal narrowly passed the Senate on a vote of 20-10, with 11 needed to defeat the measure.

DUI-elimination of right to refuse test (HB 29): Legislation sponsored by Rep. Gingery (R-Jackson) would remove the right to refuse a BAC test when there is reasonable suspicion of driving under the influence. It passed the house 35-23.

Civil Unions (HB 150): Rep. Cathy Connolly (D-Laramie) introduced legislation, which would create a system for civil unions in the state of Wyoming. The bill was heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Friday morning and narrowly failed on a vote of 4-5. Reps. Throne (D-Cheyenne), Barburto (D-Rock Springs), Greene (R-Laramie), and Brown (R-Laramie) voted in favor. Reps. Cannady (R-Glenrock), Peasley (R-Douglas), Nicholas (R-Laramie), Krone (R-Cody), and Brechtel (R-Casper) voted against.


Illegal Immigration (HB 94): This is a proposal mimicking Arizona-style SB1070 legislation targeting illegal immigrants. It was brought by Rep. Pete Illoway (R-Cheyenne) and heard in the house minerals committee. There was no motion to move the bill and it died in committee.

Marital Counseling (HB 65): Legislation as introduced by Rep. Bob Brechtel (R-Casper) was heard in the House Labor Committee. It would require three hours of counseling before a marriage or a divorce. The committee significantly amended the bill, but it ultimately died in committee.

Health Care Freedom (SJ 02): This legislation proposes a constitutional amendment guaranteeing so-called "health freedom." It was written in direct response to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was amended significantly on the Senate floor during first reading and passed. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Leslie Nutting (R-Cheyenne), voted against the bill following amendments.

Abortion - available information for decision (HB 118): This bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Brechtel (R-Casper) would require women who are considering abortion to be given government-scripted information and then wait 24 hours before having the procedure. It failed on general file on a vote of 23-32. 


Concealed Weapons (SF 47): This proposal, sponsored by Sen. Kit Jennings (R-Casper), was defeated last session, would all residents to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. It passed the Senate and will now go to the House.

Sen. Chris Rothfuss will talk about the concealed weapons bill at Monday's meeting of the Laramie County Democrats (see previous post). This is another in a long line of ridiculous bills considered by this legislature. Most handgun violence in Wyoming comes in the form of domestic dust-ups, drunken brawls, and in suicide, either attempted or successful. It's entirely possible that Wyoming's preponderance of guns keeps the violent crime rate down. I'm willing to give that notion some credence. But carjackings and armed robberies and drive-by shootings are still relatively rare in the state. So why does everyone need to carry around a concealed weapon? Is this another N.R.A. inspired and written one-size-fits-all legislation? Or another Tea Party-inspired be-afraid-be-very-afraid bills?

Ask Kit Jennings. Since 2008, Sen. Jennings has been a member of Don't Touch Us, the Domestic Violence Protection Group. This group was formed in Casper after a rash of 2007 domestic incidents ended in shootings. One involved a woman who shot to death her male partner. Will concealed weapons be handy prevention tools for battered women living under the thumbs of violent and well-armed men?

Here's info from a Dec. 22, 2010, press release from the Violence Policy Center, which addresses gun violence as a "public health issue:"

Since May 2007, concealed handgun permit holders have killed at least 282 individuals--including nine law enforcement officers--in 193 incidents in 28 states. In more than two-thirds of the incidents (134) the concealed handgun permit holder has already been convicted, committed suicide, or was killed in the incident. Of the 59 cases still pending, the vast majority (47) of concealed handgun permit holders have been charged with criminal homicide, two were deemed incompetent to stand trial, two incidents were unintentional shootings, and eight incidents are still under investigation. Of the 193 incidents, 17 were mass shootings where concealed handgun permit holders claimed the lives of 73 victims.

Here's another one from Sept. 30, 2010:

Concealed handgun permit holders have killed at least 202 individuals since May 2007 with 34 percent of the killings involving family violence according to the September update of Concealed Carry Killers, a Violence Policy Center (VPC) on-line resource that tallies news reports of killings by concealed handgun permit holders. The update comes one day before the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

Forty-two of the 122 incidents involved family violence. Of these, 29 involved intimate partner violence. Fifteen of the 42 family violence incidents ended in murder-suicide, accounting for 65 percent (15 of 23) of all the murder-suicides committed by concealed handgun permit holders tallied by the VPC to date.

Violence Policy Center Legislative Director Kristen Rand states, “A permit to carry a concealed handgun has become one more weapon in the arsenal of domestic abusers who ultimately kill their intimate partner or other family member. Contrary to the false assurances of concealed carry proponents, too many of those with valid permits kill in anger, not self-defense.”

And these are permitted gun owners. What happens when anybody can carry a concealed weapon? People such as the mentally ill Tucson shooter? Makes you think...

Concealed weapons law hot topic at Jan. 31 meeting of Laramie County Democrats

The Laramie County Democratic Party and Grassroots Coalition will have a joint meeting on Monday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m. at the IBEW Union Hall, 810 Fremont Street, Cheyenne.  The topic for the meeting will be the current concealed weapon law going through the Legislature.  Sen. Chris Rothfuss, Dem from Albany County, will be a guest speaker.  So many topics to be discussed. Sen. Rothfuss had some success this  week adding amendments to the Republicans' idiotic bill that would end  job protections for teachers.  FMI: www.laramiecountydemocrats.org  FMI: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/lsoweb/session/sessionhome.aspx

Can it happen here? It's already started...

UPLIFT plans Valentine's Day fund-raiser in Casper

Come on out to this event, put together by UPLIFT staff as a fund-raiser. UPLIFT is the Wyoming affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. UPLIFT has faced some budget-cutting the past six months due to reduction in government funding. Hundreds of Wyoming families (mine included) have benefited from the organization's services.

"Food freedom" bill back on the table

Haven't found much to cheer about during this year's legislative session. One bonehead bill after another. However, in a bit of good news, a revised "food freedom" bill is back on the kitchen table:

A week after its apparent death, the Wyoming Food Freedom Act is back in the Legislature.

Rep. John Eklund, R- Cheyenne, has introduced a revised version of the bill, which would ease regulations on certain home-based food producers.

The original bill, which died in committee, would have exempted all homemade foods from state licensing and inspection rules, provided they were sold directly to consumers. The new legislation is similar, but does not exempt milk and meat products from government oversight.

Read more at http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/article_27c79269-416a-5548-a659-56f1437a8964.html

FMI: wyomingfoodfreedom.org

Outside agitators craft some bills for Wyoming Legislature

This article by Ruffin Prevost about outside agitators crafting bills for the Republican-controlled Wyoming Legislature originally appeared in WyoFile but was reprinted yesterday in the Billings Gazette:

Though members of Wyoming's citizen Legislature pride themselves on being closely connected to their constituents, voters might be surprised to learn that some laws proposed and passed in Cheyenne are first shaped by state lawmakers and major corporations during privately funded junkets in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere.

As the 2011 legislative session convenes this week, some watchdog groups -- and at least one legislator -- are calling for better disclosure from lobbyists and greater transparency from groups that seek to influence or propose specific laws.

One of those groups, the national, nonprofit American Legislative Exchange Council, drafts ready-made bills that lawmakers can propose in their home states, with a focus on reducing state regulations and limiting the influence of the federal government.

Read the entire article here.

Rep. Childers: Wyoming promotes modern-day version of South's anti-miscegenation laws

The Casper Star-Tribune provided this tally of Wyoming House votes on HB74: Bill to promote discrimination against LGBT citizens (that's my translation of this legislation):

Here's how members of the Wyoming House voted Monday on House Bill 74, which would stop recognition of same-sex marriages and civil unions performed outside Wyoming.

In favor (32): Blikre, Bretchtel, Botten, Buchanan, Burkhart, Campbell, Cannady, Davison, Edmonds, Eklund, Gay, Greear, Harshman, Harvey, Hunt, Jaggi, Kasperik, Kroeker, Krone, Lockhart, Loucks, Lubnau, Madden, McKim, Miller, Peasley, Petersen, Quarberg, Semlek, Shepperson, Stubson, Teeters.

Against (28): Barbuto, Berger, Blake, Bonner, Brown, Byrd, Childers, Connolly, Craft, Esquibel, Freeman, Gingery, Greene, Illoway, McOmie, Moniz, Nicholas, Patton, Pedersen, Petroff, Roscoe, Steward, Throne, Vranish, Wallis, Zwonitzer (Dan), Zwonitzer (Dave).

Excused: Goggles.

I am glad to see that my Rep., Mr. Nicholas, voted against this ridiculous bill. He's brand new and I didn't vote for him in 2010 but I may next time.

Many of the yay votes come from the expected sources, especially Amy Edmonds of Cheyenne. Very disappointed with the anti-gay vote by usually moderate Rep. Tim Stubson of Casper. What was he thinking?

Here's another telling snippet from the CST article:

State Rep. Pat Childers, R-Cody, who has been one of the leading opponents of anti-gay marriage bills in the House, compared HB74 to Jim Crow laws in place when he was growing up in Texas in the 1950s. 

"What we're doing with this law is basically the same situation that the state that I grew up in and many other Southern states did -- they denied the right of a black person to marry a white person," Childers said. "Now what we're doing here is with gays."

In the heat of argument, Rep. Childers talked about Jim Crow laws when he meant anti-miscegenation laws, which prohibited marriage between whites and blacks. Or maybe it's a reporter error. You can look it up.

Repealing Affordable Health Care Act "does not help the people of Wyoming"

Great letter to the editor in today's Casper Star-Tribune from Barb Rea and Jan Drury:

The new health care law may not be perfect but the framework is there to make the health care system stronger for Wyoming constituents. Instead of repeal and replace we should focus on making sure Wyoming constituents benefit from the consumer protections provided in the Affordable Care Act. Repealing does not help the people of Wyoming.

Barb Rea and Jan Drury are members of Consumer Advocates: Project Healthcare (CAPH) to promote consumer involvement in transforming the health care system. For more information, contact projecthealthcarewy@gmail.com.

Google "equality and Wyoming" and see what you get

I just Googled "equality and Wyoming." It got 1,670,000 hits. Most are about the current battle being waged for real equality in Wyoming. Equality for all, including gays and lesbians and bisexual and transgendered people, as well as immigrants from south of the Borderlands. The Wyoming State Legislature thinks it is O.K. to discriminate against all of "these people." They have another think coming.

There are some links to "equality and Wyoming" which show that equality exists here. Wyoming Equality is first on the list. Its motto: "Connecting Wyoming's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community." It just sponsored a dance in Casper, but the year's main event is "Rendezvous." Here's a description for this summer's event:

Rendezvous (Aug. 3-7, 2011) is a 5-day campout at Medicine Bow National Forest, between Cheyenne and Laramie.

The Rendezvous Event provides a friendly, safe, GLBT-affirming environment for everyone, from everywhere.  Pitch a tent or bring an RV and join us for a week of making new friends, entertainment, and outdoor adventure.

Rendezvous is an experience you will not forget.

From laughing around the campfire with friends, old and new, and enjoying the crisp air and bright stars while cooking out, you'll have fond memories for years to come.  That's why so many people return to Rendezvous year after year.

See you at Rendezvous 2011!

"Equality" is also part of the name of the state's Medicaid program:

EqualityCare is the name chosen by the Wyoming Department of Health for its Medicaid Program. Medicaid is a joint federal and state government program that pays for medical care for some low income and medically needy individuals and families.

The issues of Medicaid and health care are also being discussed in the current legislative session. The Repubs want to make it a crime to enact the Affordable Health Care Act in the state. The legislature says that the state doesn't cotton to any federal interference and wants to come up with its own plan which they will discuss at a later date. More important to get rid of that darn Obamacare.

More talk of equality from the Equality State. The Equality State Policy Center blog issues weekly reports on progress (or lack thereof) in the legislature. As Director Dan Neal says on the blog, this week "ended on a low note," equality-wise. Read the entire post at http://equalitystatewatch.blogspot.com/2011/01/second-week-ends-on-low-note.html

As Dan notes, there's more equality to come Monday:

The House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee will take up HB 94 - Illegal immigration, at 7:30 am. The bill mirrors Arizona’s controversial measure.

One equality-named literary organization that I've been involved with is the Equality State Book Festival in Casper. I'm a member of the planning committee and we've been promoting books and writers and reading since 2006. The Equality State Book Festival has featured a whole slate of quality writers from all over: Annie Proulx, Robert Wrigley, Ravi Shankar, Kim Barnes, David Romtvedt, C.J. Box, Michael and Kathleen O'Neal Gear, Alyson Hagy, Mark Jenkins, Mark Spragg, Gerry Spence, Tim Sandlin, Lori Van Pelt, Lee Ann Roripaugh, Robert Roripaugh, Laura Pritchett, Rosemary Daniell, Lily Burana, Nina McConigley, and many others. Children's author and memoirist Jack Gantos has conducted workshops and presentations for hundreds of Casper students in 2008 and 2010. Olympic champ Rulon Gardner (now a reality show star) brought his book and his rousing speeches to Casper students in 2006. Noted children's author/illustrator Ray Troll traveled from Alaska to bring his passion for dinosaurs to the bookfest and to schools.

Reading and writing knowledge is crucial to good citizenship. Good citizens know about a state's core values, and work hard to promote them.

I'm not saying that our legislators aren't knowledgeable. I am saying that they are putting narrow-minded interests before the health of the state. And the world is watching.

Go ahead, Google "equality and Wyoming." See what you get. Lots of bad news, but certainly some gems in the mix.

Calling on Congressional Republicans to renounce their taxpayer-funded health coverage

Republicans in Congress (including Wyoming's lone U.S. Rep, Cynthia Lummis) have passed a bill to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act.

It will die in the U.S. Senate. But Repubs in both chambers will be bringing this up over and over and over again in an effort to unseat Pres. Obama in 2012. They are like pit bulls, those Republicans.  

Families USA, sponsor of the Health Action 2011 conference in D.C. Jan. 27-29, has developed a report entitled "H.R. 2: Guilty of a Double Standard." Here are the juicy parts:

...those who vote for repeal intend to keep these very health benefits and rights—which they enjoy courtesy of America’s taxpayers—for themselves:

Members of Congress enjoy government-subsidized health coverage for themselves and their family members. Congressional promoters of repeal would take away tax credits that will help make coverage affordable for hardworking American families.

Members of Congress are sheltered from the threat of discrimination due to pre-existing conditions. Congressional promoters of repeal would deprive ordinary Americans of this very same protection.

Members of Congress, when faced with an insurance claim that is denied, have a guaranteed right to appeal that denial. Congressional promoters of repeal would deny many Americans a similar right.

These are just three examples. There are more, and we’ve outlined them below.

What Congressional Promoters of Repeal Will Take Away from American Families—But Keep for Themselves:

1.   Affordable health coverage

2.   Guaranteed coverage, regardless of pre-existing conditions

3.   A right to appeal claims that are denied by insurers

4.   Protection against discriminatory premiums due to pre-existing conditions

5.   A complete package of health insurance benefits

6.   Guaranteed coverage that can’t be taken away

7.   A prescription drug benefit with no coverage gap

8.   Protection against catastrophic health care costs

9.   A choice of easy-to-compare health insurance plans

10.  Protection against unreasonable premium increases

11.  Fair and equal premiums for women

12.  Coverage for early retirees

13.  Access to free or low-cost preventive services

14.  Access to affordable care at clinics

Busy time on the Wyoming theatre scene

Our family heads out in a few hours to volunteer at the Cheyenne Little Theatre's production of "A Streetcar Named Desire." The show plays through next weekend. Director of this Tennessee Williams' drama is Brenda Lyttle with her husband, John Lyttle, serving as assistant director. They often acted together and also volunteer at the Old-fashioned Summer Melodrama. Brenda is one heck of a convincing torch singer while John's sheriff makes people quake in their boots.

Family values. And fun.

This is a busy time of year for the CLTP. "Streetcar" on stage and rehearsals going on for the "War of the Worlds" radio drama. Auditions coming up, too, for "The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Noises Off," directed by Jim Rolf. There are several dozen community theatres in Wyoming but none is as old or as busy as the CLTP. I understand that Cheyenne has one of the oldest community theatres west of the Mississippi. I will have to do some research to see if that's accurate. I'd like to believe it's true.

Here's audition info for this week's auditions:

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"

Directed by Doreen Oakley

Auditions on Monday-Wednesday, Jan 24-26, 6:30 p.m., at the Mary Godfrey Playhouse

Performance Dates: Mar 18-27

Adults Only - Age 20-60

The directors will be looking for 5 men and 4 women between the ages of 20 and 60. Some roles require the actor to play multiple characters.

"Noises Off" auditions will be in February. CLTP also is hosting the 2011 Rocky Mountain Theatre Association Festival in February. FMI: http://www.rmta.net

FMI: 307-638-6543

Tea Party Slim limits vacations to red states

Tea Party Slim was packing his RV. I stopped to chat.

“I thought you’d be headed south before now,” I said.

Slim smiled. “There was a Wyoming election to win in November, and then with Christmas and all… Well, we got a late start.”

“Headed to Arizona again?”

Slim smiled. “Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and maybe a few of the southern states.”

“They’ve been having some troubles down in Arizona.”

“In Tucson,” Slim said, “but we never go to Tucson. Mesa and Phoenix, mostly. We have friends in Lake Havasu City.” Slim paused as he hauled bags into the RV. “We like the red parts of the red states.”

“Tucson too blue, I suppose,” I said. “But it was pretty red a few weeks ago.”

Slim looked at me. “Now don’t go blaming the actions of a lone nut on any of us.”

“Any of whom?”

“Conservatives. Republicans.”

“Tea Party members?”

“You liberals like to blame us, don’t you? Hate speech is what it is, hatred toward white Christian conservatives. I see it every day. But are we a protected minority? ” He looked thoughtful as he plucked boxes and bags from the sidewalk and hauled them into the RV.

“New Mexico is a blue state, at least it was in the 2008 election. Went for Obama.”

He stopped and stared. “They have a new Republican governor. And the majority of the Congressional delegation is Republican.”

“Look at your map, Slim. New Mexico is blue. How are you going to get from Arizona to Texas without going through New Mexico.”

Slim looked thoughtful.  “We’ll loop up through Colorado.”

“Colorado’s blue.”

Slim again looked thoughtful.  I hoped this wasn’t becoming a habit.

“You could always take a shortcut through Mexico.”

“And get my head cut off by drug gangs? No thanks. We’ll just take the long way around. We have plenty of time, and plenty of money for gas. We’ll burn lots and lots of carbon products.” He grinned. “Hundreds of gallons, maybe thousands. Greenhouse gases by the tons.”

He was trying to get my goat. But I wasn’t going to fall for it.

“Hope you’re not going to Florida.”

“Blue state?”

I nodded.

“Even with its new Tea Party governor who wants to get rid of all those free-loading state employees?”

“There are so many Democrats in the southern part of the state," I said. "Retired Yankees, and lots of swarthy immigrants from the Caribbean and South America.”

“There’s always Alabama.”

“Too humid. Even in the winter."

Slim disappeared into the RV. He came back with a map of the western U.S. He unfolded it against the side of the RV. We both stared at it.

"You have to go through Utah to get to Arizona," I said. "Utah's reliably red."

Slim nodded. "Good solid conservatives in Utah."

"But you see the problem about getting to Texas from Arizona." I pointed to the big blue block that's New Mexico. "Lots of Hispanics. They were there first."

"You're forgetting about the Native Americans?"

"Don't get all politically correct on me now, Slim."

"But they were there first. Not the Mexicans. Besides, we like the casinos."

"You'll have to skip all those New Mexico casinos, Slim. The winnings all go to Democrats."

Slim stared. "The hell you say."

"It's the truth. Most Indians -- Native Americans -- vote for Democrats."

"I'll just go to Vegas."

"Nevada went blue in 2008."

Slim folded his map. "Time to get moving," he said.

"Enjoy your trip," I said. "If you change your mind about Arizona, I hear northern Idaho is very nice this time of year. And red? It's almost as red as Wyoming."

March against anti-equality measures Friday in Laramie

This comes from the Organizing for America-Wyoming Facebook page:

Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 21) at 1 p.m. at University of Wyoming Union, Laramie

Join Organizing for America volunteers and engaged students in a social justice march to raise awareness of Wyoming House Bills 74 and 94. These bills are anti-immigration and anti-gay marriage legislation that would effect many Wyoming citizens. Your voice is needed to send a message to our local legislators that Wyoming citizens are ready to move forward. Feel free to come early and help engage individuals.

If you have any questions, please call Bryon Lee at (307) 752-5972.

Rolling back health care reform is "a bad deal for Wyoming's People"

Letter from Chuck Herz, chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party:

Republicans in Washington and Cheyenne have made it their crusade to roll back the healthcare-coverage reform finally achieved last year after problems with our system became overwhelming for many of our people. We Democrats think that's a bad idea for the people of the U.S. and Wyoming.

Let's review what the problems have been:

1. Americans as a nation spend way more on health care than folks in other advanced countries, but we get significantly less in healthcare results as measured by hard facts like life expectancy and child mortality. Child mortality in the U.S., for example, is twice what it is in Western Europe.

2. Millions of Americans and tens of thousands of Wyomingites have no health coverage at all. Millions more have coverage with such high deductibles, co-pays, and exclusions that it pays very little of their actual medical expenses.

3. Many with inadequate coverage have been driven into bankruptcy by medical bills. This is unheard of in most other advanced countries.

4. Businesses have been finding it more and more prohibitively expensive to provide healthcare coverage to their employees, so fewer employees are getting adequate employer-sponsored coverage.

5. The cost of healthcare coverage has been rising much faster than people’s incomes and faster than government revenues.

The Affordable Care Act deals with all those problems. It also addresses weaknesses in healthcare coverage that have plagued Americans and Wyomingites. For example, it:

• Prohibits health insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

• Prohibits insurers from cutting off coverage for someone who becomes sick or injured.

• Enables young people to stay on their parents' policies while they are going to school or getting started in life, up to age 26.

• Requires that insurers cover basic preventive care, such as well-baby visits and annual physicals, thus eliminating much bigger costs that are incurred when medical problems are unattended until they become a crisis.

Those who oppose healthcare reform, or think they do, need to be asked or ask themselves which of these reforms they oppose, and why. Those who say they too want to fix the problems with our system (but did not do so in the twenty of twenty-eight years before Obama when they were in control) owe it to us to say just how else they would fix those problems. In the case of our Republican friends, that has to be more than a pale imitation. It needs, for just one example, to be an alternative that gets coverage for more than a tenth of those currently without health insurance.

We know what the Republicans are against. We need to know what, if anything, they are for.

That so many have had no health coverage, or inadequate coverage, has meant that those people are playing Russian roulette with both their health and family finances. In addition, many who could afford health insurance, if they were willing to forego less essential expenses, have chosen to play Russian roulette in that way. They know hospitals and doctors must take care of them when they get sick or injured. Then the hospitals and doctors have to make up for resulting charity care and bad debts by charging the rest of us more.

Rolling back the reform thus far achieved would be a very bad deal for Wyoming's people and America's people. We Democrats don't claim that reform so far has fixed all the problems with our system and created no new ones. Significant fixes may soon prove necessary, and some may be needed sooner rather than later. We should all be looking to improve our healthcare system and the law further, with open minds and bipartisan cooperation.

What we should not do is go back to what was working so poorly for so many ordinary people. We should not run around like Chicken Little proclaiming that the sky is falling, that our liberty is in danger, that "death panels" will be doing in Granny, that the reform will drive the Federal deficit sky high (when in fact it will reduce the deficit, as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said multiple times), that America is becoming a socialist country, or other such silliness. None of those things have happened so far. There's no reasonable chance that they'll ever happen. Instead, we've taken the critical first steps to building a stronger, healthier nation.

Guest blogger: HB 74 is not legislation that reflects our history as The Equality State

Don't have too many guest blogs on these pages. But this is a great one from Emily Cram (pictured at right), a doctoral student at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. Way back when, Emily worked as an intern for me at the Wyoming Arts Council. A writer and champion forensics student at University of Wyoming, Emily has gone on to bigger things.

However, she is a daughter of Wyoming -- a native. As such, she is free to weigh in on anything she damn well wants to. So say I. Emily gives permission for anyone and everyone to borrow her fine words and send them to his/her legislator. She hopes for wide distribution.

Emily speaks:

Just recently, past and present Wyoming governors gathered to discuss how to govern Wyoming’s future, while taking care to be sure that governance was in the spirit of Wyoming’s political attitudes and culture. As I watched Governors Mead, Freudenthal, Geringer, and Sullivan, I was moved by the sense that Wyoming is a place where our disagreements never foreclose the way that we feel a deep sense of obligation towards each other in times of need. I believe Governor Geringer was the one who said: at one moment you may fight with another on the capital floor, but the next day that person just may be the one pulling you out of a snowdrift. 

The movement of HB 74, or the “Validity of Marriages” Bill out of the House Education Committee to the full consideration of the House and Senate is more than a snowdrift. It is a bill that cuts against the core values of Wyoming’s political culture: the belief that the government should not impinge on the ways in which a person desires to conduct their personal life and the families they wish to consensually create and ethically sustain. HB 74 invalidates the legal marriages of those who have committed no legal offense. Rather than commit to building and supporting Wyoming’s families, diverse in organization as they may be, HB 74 destroys the kinds of support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender couples ought to be able to access, just as any other human being who desires to faithfully participate in the institution of marriage. Acts that authorize only particular partnerships (i.e. the “males” and “females” that HB 74 validates), yet withhold the access to legal rights such as hospital visitation, fair housing, among others, marginalize people in Wyoming. 

HB 74 is not legislation that reflects our history as the Equality State. As the daughter of parents from Casper and Riverton, I am proud to have grown up in a place like Wyoming and still call it home. But HB 74 harms families and perpetuates the problematic belief that only certain kinds of families are valuable. I encourage the people of Wyoming to embrace our ability to disagree with each other yet always feel the need to pull others out of a snowdrift. Please support Wyoming’s families and vote against HB 74.

Sincerely,

Emily Dianne Cram

Cheyenne marks the 25th anniversary of King holiday

Today we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many speeches will be delivered, many of the man's quotes will be requoted. The holiday this year comes on the heels of the violence in Tucson. Violence, of course, is "as American as apple pie," said sixties Black Power activist H. Rap Brown. His original quote mentioned cherry pie. Apparently, that didn't seem American enough. But you get the picture. The U.S. has a history of violence that can't be denied, no matter how many whitewashed texts are written by ultra-conservative revisionists (Lynne Cheney, Glenn Beck, Texas, etc.).

But Americans haven't yet cornered the market on violence. Protesters in Tunisia were gunned down this week. Coalition soldiers continue to be blown up with IEDs planted by Afghanis angry that their relatives were blown up in a U.S. drone attack. Knifings and shootings and beatings and torture are a fact of life worldwide.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was a proponent of nonviolence. He died by the gun, but he didn't promote the gun. Just the opposite. Some black activists did take up guns, although their numbers were wildly exaggerated at the time. But not MLK.

Dr. King gave thousands of speeches that promoted peace and nonviolence. Her actively campaigned against the war against black people in the South. He also opposed the Vietnam War and the Cold War. As he said often, notably in "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community:"

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Chaos or community? Have to wonder if those are the only choices we have. We're not exactly at the chaos point, but closing in on it. Community was much in evidence in Tucson last week, as we all came together for a brief time to honor the dead.

Author and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley makes a great point in AP story about Dr. King. If we don't create a nation that's serious about nonviolence, Dr. King's legacy may fade away. In 50 years, all that we may be left with is a day off to go buy more trinkets at Wal-Mart.

"The holiday brought the freedom struggle into the main narrative," Brinkley said. "The day is meant to be a moment of reflection against racism, poverty and war. It's not just an African-American holiday. The idea of that day is to try to understand the experience of people who had to overcome racism but in the end are part and parcel of the American quilt."

Two years ago this week, I walked in Tucson's King march. I walked with my son Kevin from the University of Arizona campus to a city park. Nice January Arizona day. The marchers were white and black and Hispanic and Asian, a representative mix of Tucson's population. Many, such as my son, were younger than King was when he was gunned down in 1968. They are aware of his struggle but might not know the full weight of his commitment to nonviolence.

Two years later, some of these same people will march again. They also were out last week at vigils and memorials and funerals for Arizona's dead. Yesterday, hundreds of Tucsonans staged a march from McCormick Park to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords office. Today, many will be volunteering during a "Day of Service" for the King holiday.

Returning from my 2009 trip to Tucson, I watched most of Pres. Obama's inauguration from the Phoenix airport. I thought to myself: "A new America begins today." I jumped the gun a bit was a bit premature with my forecast. Change has begun, but so has a violent reaction to it. We can make progress as long as we don't succumb to fear and hate. We'd do well to keep Dr. King's words of nonviolence in our minds and in our hearts.

Today's Cheyenne march for Dr. King begins at noon at the Depot Plaza downtown. It concludes at the Capitol Building. Following the event, Love & Charity Inc. will serve chicken noodle soup at Allen Chapel, 917 W. 21st. Weather forecast: This morning's weird torrential rains have given way to sunshine. Wind still blowing, but what else is new?

Federation survey: "Severe mental illness alone does not predict future violence"

The National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health released a release this week in response to the tragic shootings Oct. 8 in Tucson. The read it in its entirety, go here.

Here are the notable paragraphs:

The National Federation reminds us that most individuals who have mental health conditions – and that can be as many as one in five Americans at any given time – are no more likely to be violent than the rest of our population. A 2009 analysis of data from over 34,000 participants in the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions revealed that severe mental illness alone did not predict future violence.

We do know that in order for families and youth to be more positively engaged with mental health and other services, they need to know about them and how they can be useful. The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health encourages people to join us in making a pledge to help parents connect with other parents whose children may have behavioral, substance use or mental health difficulties and to connect youth with other youth who have experienced mental health concerns. By giving parents and youth information about how to connect with other parents and youth, we provide natural productive support for all family members to increase their wellness and recovery management skills. To find those local family-run organizations, call the National Federation at 240-403-1901.

All of our communities have families struggling with mental health issues. One thing that parents can do is share their experiences and assist others. That was a huge topic at November's FFCMH conference in Atlanta.

As I recounted in a Nov. 13 post. Gary Blau outlined five areas in substance abuse and mental health that the feds at SAMHSA and federation members would like to be included in benefit packages, such as those that are part of Medicaid and Medicare.

1. Respite care, so parents can get a break and even go back to work.
2. Therapeutic mentoring to extend services
3. Behavioral health consultation services. Monitor children in daycare and preschool and get help for those who need it. Can reduce the number of kids kicked out of daycare for aggressive behavior.
4. Use technology to deliver services. “Our kids come out treatment and don’t go to AA meetings. They do communicate via social network sites.” This can be used for e-therapy and peer counseling.
5. Parent and caregiver support services. He said that this is the number one issue for SAMHSA. “We need a cadre of parent support providers, and we’re working on a certification process.”

Not to say that your neighbor's experience with a troubled child would prevent another tragic shooting. But support and information from those "who have been there" could make a difference. These type of support services will be coming our way, whether we're ready or not. Clinicians can't do it all. There are no child psychiatrists within the borders of our 93,000-square-mile state. There are many reasons for this. But instead of waiting for an influx of child psychiatrists craving wild winds and wide-open-spaces, why not claim the resources we already have and get to work?

Rev. Rodger McDaniel takes the long way home

I was pleased to see that today's lead story in our local paper was also on the web site. To read it all, go to: The long way home - Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online.

On the day that Rev. Rodger McDaniel retired from his state job, he grabbed his backpack and walked to the COMEA Shelter to spend a week as a homeless person.

For many years, Rev. McDaniel has been urging others "to get out of your comfort zone." He puts that into practice. He's been involved in the Cheyenne community for many decades. I first met him when we served together on the first Laramie County Habitat for Humanity board. He and his family spent a year in Nicaragua directing Habitat projects. He served in the state legislature. He brought new vitality to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division of the state Department of Health. He's established partnership with Wyoming social service non-profits, such as UPLIFT. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm on the UPLIFT board. I was on hand on a snowy November evening last year when UPLIFT awarded Rodger its public service award.

As I read about Rev. McDaniel this morning, I thought about David Brooks' column in Thursday's New York Times. We have lost our sense of modesty, he writes, the knowledge that we are limited in our skills and accomplishments and need others to fill in the gaps. The self-effacing are forgotten. The self-aggrandizing take center stage. The stage itself, it seems, has taken center stage.

In a famous passage, Reinhold Niebuhr put it best:

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. ... Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore, we must be saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”

The Rev. McDaniel probably won't disagree with this quote. Embedded with it are the Three Virtues that I learned in Catholic school: faith, hope and love. Or rendered a different way: faith, hope and charity. Jesus is quoted about these virtues in 1 Corinthians 13, the passage that so many of us heard (or read) at our wedding masses. It wraps up with a line that's translated in various ways. Here's one version: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three: but the greatest of these is love."

When I blog, I'm not always thinking of faith, hope and love. Usually I'm thinking very uncharitable thoughts. For example: "Tea Party members are a bunch of ignorant assholes." Not sure what Jesus or the Corinthians would have made of that. Not much love there, though.

Blogging is an attempt to communicate. But the most visible bloggers, it seems, are those who shout the loudest to rise above the din. I don't shout very loud. But that doesn't mean I am any less interested in my "brand." When I write, I am interested in the content but I also want people to read my work. I am shouting that the content on hummingbirdminds is pretty darn thoughtful and you ought to go read it.

Perhaps I'm deluded. Blogger and Facebook and other social media sites may not be new and innovative ways to connect people. They may just be other ways to say me-me-me.

Beginning on Equality Day, Republicans get to work promoting inequality in health care

Received this message from the Wyoming Democratic Party. It's all about addressing the fraud that is the Republicans' effort to repeal health care reform. These efforts are taking place in the U.S. House of Representatives and in our own state legislature. They are spurred on by Tea Party and corporate influence in the 2010 elections. You can see the Tea Party influence by the prominent display of "freedom" in the legislation. You can see the corporate influence in the fact that Republicans are always in the hip pockets of health conglomerates. They fought the Democratic Party's health care reform all the way. They had no ideas of their own. They were the party of no from 2008 to 2010. They are also the party of yes, as in always saying yes to their corporate overlords.


Get in the groove in opposing this chicanery. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing begins tomorrow, on the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. In Wyoming, it is officially known as Equality Day. There is some irony in this. Starting tomorrow, Wyoming Republicans will be promoting a return to inequality in health care.


Here are some ways to start your opposition (from Brianna Jones at the WyoDems):


Two so-called "Health Care Freedom Acts" (SJ 02 and SJ 03) propose amending the Wyoming Constitution with language that is generally aimed at opposing implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Wyoming.  You can read the language and find out if one of your representatives is sponsoring the legislation by following the links above.

We need to make clear to the sponsors of these proposals that we do not want to take Wyoming backward.  We need to move forward!  

Below we have included some basic points you might find useful when discussing this legislation.  We are asking you to write the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee (listed below) and to also write letters to the editor about your opposition.  Finally, if you can, come to the hearing on Monday to show your support for constructive solutions to our country's health care crisis rather than divisive political posturing.

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
Monday, January 17th at 8:00 A.M.
Herschler Building, Room B63 in the basement

Email the Senate Judiciary Committee:
Sen. Drew Perkins (R-Casper)
Sen. Floyd Esquibel (D-Cheyenne)
Sen. Bruce Burns (R-Sheridan)
Sen. Leland Christensen (R-Jackson)
Sen. Larry Hicks (R-Baggs)


Talking Points:

• Tell your personal story.  Has a member of your family lost coverage or been denied care?  Is your child now able to get on your insurance?  Can you now get prescriptions because the Medicare Part D donut hole is closed?  Do you own a small business and can now get tax credits to provide your employees with insurance? Are you pregnant and can receive care for a healthy pregnancy?...and many more scenarios.
• So called "health care freedom" is not free.  A system needs to be in place where everyone can count on receiving the care they need and no one receives care at the expense of others.  
• Instead of playing political games with our constitution we should be trying to learn what parts of health reform can help Wyoming citizens.
• No one should have to worry about losing a loved one or losing their home because they cannot get insurance and cannot afford care.

Wyoming's UPLIFT displays the better side of human nature

It was a week marked by savagery and bravery.

A disturbed young man shoots 18 people in front of a Tucson grocery store. Six of them die, the rest wounded, one -- Rep. Giffords -- critically.

Amidst the slaughter, people rushed to save the wounded and subdue the attacker. You're heard the stories, if not from Cable news than from Pres. Obama's eloquent speech at Wednesday's memorial.

What causes some people to run away from chaos and others to run toward it? I've been asking myself that question all week. Daniel Hernandez ran toward the gunfire and tended to his boss's wounds. He didn't leave her side until the ambulance got her to the hospital. When he spoke Wednesday, we saw a self-confident and self-effacing 20-year-old college student. He's devoted himself to a life of public service. We saw that commitment to both the "public" and "service" parts of the equation this week.

When challenged, we will sacrifice our own lives to help our fellow humans. This is the good side of our nature, the empathetic and charitable side. Researchers announced recently that there is a part of us -- the "altruism gene" -- that promotes charitable instincts. We also know that there are parts of us that respond to the venal and violent.

In the end, which wins out? Physiology is only part of it. Family upbringing makes a difference, as do other role models. Intelligence and education do to too, although we know that many sins have been committed by "the best and brightest." Religion can play a part. Again, many slaughters have been committed by the righteous.

I was thinking of this yesterday during the quarterly board meeting of UPLIFT in Cheyenne. We are a volunteer board of 14 members. We just welcomed a new one, LaWahna Stickney, from Thayne. We now are a truly statewide board, with members from Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper and Thayne. Most of us became involved in children's mental health and behavioral issues because our own children were struggling. Teachers complained that our kids were unruly and defiant. Other parents complained when our children got aggressive on the playground. We were at wit's end at home because we could not understand why our little darlings were such monsters. Weren't we kind and generous and educated human beings?

We were stymied when we attempted to find help in the community. We were either told outright -- or it was implied -- that we were bad parents with bad kids. We knew that wasn't true. By the time our son, Kevin, was five, we'd seen practically every specialist along Colorado's Front Range. We finally found a psychiatrist in Fort Collins, Dr. James Kagan, who diagnosed Kevin with ADHD and helped put us on the right road. That involved medication in the form of Ritalin. Therapy, too. But we still had this weird sense that we were all alone in this, that it was our struggle to bear and understand.

Finding UPLIFT when we moved to Cheyenne gave us some handy tools, especially when it came to dealing with schools. We also found similar struggles among its staff and board. We discovered helpful ways to deal with schools. It was cathartic to share our stories and hear those of others.

Here's UPLIFT's mission statement:

Encouraging success and stability for children and youth with or at risk of emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental, or physical disorders at home, school, and in the community.

UPLIFT just marked its 20th anniversary of service to Wyoming. At yesterday's board meeting, we heard details of our recent financial setbacks. UPLIFT is an organization that gets 97 percent of its funding from governmental (mostly federal) sources. Sometimes you get turned down for grants, and sometimes funding streams dry up. Strings are attached to most government funding. So, while your organization has a significant budget, you may not have enough money to pay for the basics, such as salaries, electricity and a office space. It's a truism in the world of non-profits -- keeping the lights on is the biggest challenge.

UPLIFT had to cut the administration budget. That includes salaries and benefits, including health insurance. Two employees left because that health insurance was crucial to them -- many employees have kids with special needs. One employee moved out of state. The ones that remained not only stayed and worked with their clients around this very rural state, but they even stopped claiming travel reimbursements. Some employees even made cash contributions. That's something, isn't it? Salaries and benefits get cut, yet you still find the means to put some cash in the kitty.

They know that this is a short-term problem. They also know that the cuts bring pain to their boss, Peggy Nikkel. They are certain of the good work they do and don't want it to stop or interrupted. Most of their time is spent working with families. They accompany parents to school meetings, helping them make sense of the requirements with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Individualized Education Programs. At these meetings, the principal and school psychologist and half the teachers are arrayed against you. We have had several of UPLIFT's family support specialists (Judy Bredthauer, for one) at these meetings and it made a huge difference. They are cool and calm and knowledgeable. They can get tough when presented with intransigence. But the main thing is that schools now know that UPLIFT can be trusted. Oftentimes, they welcome the participation of UPLIFT staffers.

As I've recounted often on these pages, Wyoming is a huge, rural state with many challenges when it comes to children's mental health.

UPLIFT, an affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, fills a huge gap. Its staffers don't provide clinical services, but they are the great connectors between families and those services. They can translate government regulations. For cash-strapped families, they find funding. They make sense of the great big world of mental health.

They are on a mission. Maybe, as were the Blues Brothers, they are on a mission from God. Whatever their motivations, they come from the better side of human nature.

By the way, if you want to stimulate your own better natures, you can donate to UPLIFT by going here.

Looking for help, call toll free 888-875-4383.

Merwin poem fitting close to Arizona memorial

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton at Wednesday’s memorial for the Tucson shooting victims:

SHELTON: I know conclude the program tonight by reading a poem that was written by W.S. Merwin who is the current poet laureate of the United States of America. Mister Merwin has a long history with the Poetry Center here at the University of Arizona.

To the New Year

With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible

W.S. Merwin
from Present Company, Copper Canyon Press

Thanks to Joshua Robbins for posting the poem at http://againstoblivion.blogspot.com

Rep. Throne: Good speech, Gov. Mead, but what's your beef against health care reform?

Wyoming State Rep. Mary Throne wrote the Democratic Party response to Gov. Matt Mead's "State of the State" speech delivered today at the Capitol. Rep. Throne is one of the few Democrats still in the Legislature after the Nov. 2008 Election Wipeout. I walked a few neighborhoods for her back in 2006:

Cheyenne, WY – Senate Minority Floor Leader John Hastert and House Minority Whip Mary Throne released the following statement in response to Gov. Matt Mead’s first State of the State address:

“In Gov. Mead’s first State of the State address he outlined a number of critical priorities to the citizens of Wyoming.  He rightfully noted our vast resources from open spaces to mineral wealth to our citizens. 

Gov. Mead highlighted the need to support state and local governments, build our infrastructure, and strengthen our connectivity. We look forward to the specifics of Gov. Mead’s proposal to invest our dollars in Wyoming’s Main Street rather than Wall Street.  He spoke of streamlining state government and supporting state employees.  He indicated his support for Wyoming workers when he called for legislation that will grant Wyoming contractors preference.  These are all proposals we support.

It is essential that we continue discussing Wyoming education.  We must ensure that our children and their success is central. If policy proposals will not improve what goes on daily in the classroom they should not be made.  Our students deserve an excellent education and our teachers deserve the tools necessary to provide one.

We continue to oppose the unnecessary decision Gov. Mead made to join a lawsuit against the federal government for health care reform and oppose creating a litigation fund of $2 million of taxpayer funds.  This money would be better spent on providing care than paying lawyers.  The health care system fails our citizens every day and continues to worsen.  We must continue to look towards innovative solutions in Wyoming much like the 'Healthy Frontiers' program, while we take those pieces of federal legislation that will work for Wyoming.

We join the Governor in calling on the 61st Legislature to pay attention to those things that matter most and to have the courage and faith to make wise decisions.”

10 Ways to Get Your Winter Locavore Fix

I like the list of craft brewers. Go to 10 Ways to Get Your Winter Locavore Fix | Kate Whittle | Food & Agriculture | NewWest.Net

Searching for Arizona's soul

While watching crusty and opinionated Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik on TV over the weekend, I thought, "I'm glad this man is watching over my boy."

My boy is Kevin. He's no longer a boy but a man. A resident of Tucson, and a student at Pima Community College. Kevin probably doesn't give it much thought but it's good to have a sensible and sensitive human as the county's chief law enforcement officer.

I've spoken to Kevin several times since Saturday's shootings. Yes, everyone in Tucson is talking about it -- and we're all upset. No, he's never seen the shooter around campus. But there are five PCC campuses and thousands of students. I haven't had a chance to talk to him since this evening's memorial service at the University of Arizona Arena. Attendance was 26,000. I wanted to be there.

Tucson is a fine city. My most recent trip to Arizona was in January 2009. Call me a genius but January in Tucson is much more temperate than July in Tucson. My wife Chris and daughter Annie and I drove to Arizona in July of 2007. Long Fourth of July weekend and we had a week off. The evening of July 3, we stopped in Bernalillo north of Albuquerque and watched fireworks with a bunch of teenagers sitting on the hoods of their cars. The next night, we ventured out of the AC to watch the holiday fireworks from Tucson's A Mountain.

A few days later Kevin and I ventured out in the midday sun to visit the University of Arizona Poetry Center. U of A has since built a new poetry center, which was mentioned by University President Robert Shelton in tonight's closing remarks. He read a poem by W.S. Merwin, who lives in Hawaii but has spent a lot of time at the center, according to Shelton. Interesting how poetry and music are needed in times of woe.

Since Saturday, I've spent many hours online reading commentary about the Tucson shootings. I tended to gravitate to those pieces that talked about Arizona's culture.

One of the best is by Aurelie Sheehan. She's the director of the U of A creative writing program. She's a friend and a one-time Wyomingite. She wrote this:

Saturday night we had signed on to go to a benefit concert for a small organization that develops music programs for at-risk children in the Southwest. It was organized by a talented 12-year-old boy who took guitar lessons alongside our daughter, and we had been looking forward to it. Now no one really wanted to go — we were all too beaten down by the day. But we went anyway, to support the young guitarist and the nonprofit group.

We sat down in the school auditorium, restless, a little ill at ease, scattered in our thoughts. About 200 people were there. The lights went down and, after a weirdly protracted pause, Brad Richter, the nonprofit’s co-founder, took the stage. 

We talked quietly about what had happened that morning. He had played guitar at Gabrielle Giffords’s wedding, in 2007. And that evening he played an original composition for us, something she had requested he play then: “Elation,” the song was called. The feeling of community in the room was palpable, and if elation was beyond our reach, we were at least consoled.

Aurelie is such a great writer. I've also worked with Brad and know his soulful music. Again, here are the arts helping us to make sense of tragedy.

A harsher critique of Arizona appeared on Media Matters. It's by Will Bunch and is entitled "Arizona is where the American dream goes to die." Here's an excerpt:

The real factors behind this Arizona Nightmare -- venal banks, too much borrowing, too much outsourcing of jobs that, unlike home construction, would have been permanent and stable -- were too abstract, especially for the toxic soup of talk radio. It is tragic how a state that once prided itself on Barry Goldwater-style can-do self-reliant libertarianism devolved into blaming The Other the minute that things went south here. Virulent anti-immigrant nativism -- occasionally sprinkled with things like neo-Nazism -- grew into the desert, as did fear of Muslims, to the point where an architecturally unusual new Christian church in Phoenix had to declare in a giant banner that it was not Islamic. Political heroes were now those like Arpaio who didn't just pursue reactionary policies but actually heaped humiliation and degradation on The Other, in sweltering outdoor prison camps. Ditto with members of Congress suddenly out of step with the new zeitgeist -- moderate Democrats like Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords were not just to be disagreed with but to be physically threatened with vandalism or worse. Meanwhile, guns became a statewide obsession, as lawmakers competed to see just how lax an environment they could create, where it was legal to bring concealed firearms just about anywhere. This was the world that surrounded and buffeted a disturbed young man in Tucson named Jared Lee Loughner.

I've seen that part of Arizona. I've seen it in Wyoming, too. The anger of people who are well-to-do but who feel a strange resentment towards The Other. Those people who are wildly indignant about nearly everything because, well, because...

O.K., calm down, self. No name calling tonight.

Will Bunch does that pretty well. Although he wraps up with this hopeful note:

...maybe Arizona can dust itself off, gaze into the splendor of its big sky and see what an outsider sees, and remember what it was that brought them all to this scenic corner of America in the first place.

The promise of paradise.

Timothy Egan wrote "Tombstone Politics" for the New York Times op-ed pages. He wrote that great book on the Dust Bowl. To read his column, go here: 

Tombstone, the town, is in Giffords’s southern Arizona district, an Old West burg where shootouts are staged, bodies fall into the street, and then everybody applauds and laughs it off. Tombstone politics is the place we’ve been living in for some time now, and our guns are loaded.

We're living in a mythic cowboy West and our guns are really loaded, unlike those on "Tombstone Territory" and "Wyatt Earp" or "Gunsmoke." All Hollywood versions of Wild West shoot-em-up towns. But a fake Tombstone is one thing. A very real Tucson where deranged people fire guns at politicans?  We can't afford that.


For full text of Pres. Obama's speech, and other coverage of today's Tucson events, go here.