Tulsa Meth Summit

A few weeks ago, the Tulsa City Council hosted a Meth Summit and asked state representatives, District Attorney Tim Harris, County Commissioner Karen Keith and myself to speak about the problems we are facing in our community with meth. Not only do our Tulsa Police and Fire Departments face public safety issues when it comes to meth, but it also turns into a quality of life issue for our citizens by bringing this problem into our neighborhoods.

At the summit, we were able to bring community leaders and citizens together to begin a dialogue to address the methamphetamine epidemic growing in our community and raise awareness of this problem. At the Meth Summit, I mentioned that I recently viewed a video on PBS, entitled, "Meth is on the Rise Again". This video shows a graphic picture of what meth does to a community and the effect it has on ordinary people. I hope you will take the time to view this video at pbs.org to see the problem each community around the country is facing.

We don't have the answers yet to this problem, but together we can work to find solutions to protect our families, homes and businesses from the devastation of meth. I would like to thank the Tulsa City Council for hosting the Meth Summit and you will soon be able to view the summit online at tgovonline.org.

During the summit, we all took a vested interest to help remedy the problem our cities and state face with meth. I hope you will take the same promise with us to help reverse this trend we are starting to see in our community.

I look forward to more discussions with the community shortly on how to best remedy the meth problem in Tulsa.

--Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr.

Spacious

(In response to "The Right Track" in the June 29--July 6 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

I heard from a friend that the Chicago-to-Springfield trains were all sold out for the weekend. In a state where there is a well-developed rail transportation system, with several trains a day between many of the high-traffic destinations, rail service is very popular. Honestly, I'd much rather take the train than drive, and I'd also much rather be on a train -- with its room to spread out -- even in the cheapest coach seat, than to either get nuked or felt up for the privilege of being crammed in to a flying sardine can.

--Stephen Martin

Following Suit

(In response to "Read and Reap" in the June 29--July 6 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

I like the Kentucky Derby, but is it worth $126 million of tax money?

Oklahoma's Republicans in Congress echo Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky by insisting we have to cut Medicare for the elderly, Medicaid for the crippled, poor and school lunches for hungry kids in order to reduce the budget deficit. McConnell, who put the tax payments for race horses into the farm bill in 2008, says it is imperative that we cut trillions from spending on food stamps, school lunches and Social Security but not a penny of what we give to thoroughbred owners in his home state.

Of course, the tax dollars given to the horse breeders does sort of pale in comparison to what we pay the oil companies but lets not talk about that in our state.

--Bradley C. Byers

No More

(In response to "The Gospel According to Tom" in the June 22-29 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

What does "Doc" Coburn know about us po' folks in the over-the-hill gang? Being a U.S. Senator and a baby doctor, a 63-year-old "silver spooner," not much.

Coburn has yet to be like us, pooped out, burned out, worn out, stressed out, worked out, aged out, arthritis-ed out, shafted out, crippled out, carpel-tunneled out, foreclosed out, 401ked out, bankrupted out or repoed out.

So until Coburn has walked a mile in our moccasins, he should keep his mitts off of our Medicare and Social Security.

Instead of proposing to increase Medicare premiums and raise the eligibility age from 65 to 67, Coburn should pick on the Rush Limbaugh's who should have to pay the payroll tax on what they make over $100,000.

And, why not shut down the war machine and bring our boys and girls home from Iraq and Afghanistan?

All the Coburn's of the world can talk about is shared sacrifice; those of us over 65 have sacrificed all our lives and don't deserve to be kicked around one more time.

--Virginia Blue Jeans Jenner