Dictating Dictators

Dear UTW:

Hamilton is at least consistent in his disdain for Tea Partiers and Tenthers. States' rights? Bah!

It's evident from the posting on okhouse.gov Terrill has no problem with a state law against talking and texting ("Smart Is As Smart Does," UTW Jan. 12-18, by The Capitolist, Arnold Hamilton). He just doesn't want it to be enforced at the national level. Maybe Hamilton is right though. Maybe there's no such thing as overreach.

It's just that I was reading on the Hosanna-Tabor case recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, a unanimous hand-slap to the government, prohibiting it from interfering in a church's determination of who will act as its ministers. Sounds kind of overreachy to me...shh! Nothing to see here. Move along.

I was also musing about Ted Rall's last column ("Our Suicidal Ruling Class," UTW Jan. 12-18). Seems that Ted believes the government is the ultimate arbiter of wealth and happiness, with consummate authority to create jobs, redistribute incomes, pay off mortgages, and give us all a lifetime supply of Chunky Monkey.

A couple of weeks ago Hamilton is shrieking about the possibility of rescinding the state income tax. Not enough money to fund the essential services. State capitol building is a dump. Need money to fix it, etc. What I don't understand, is if we are all a bunch of fat, dumb, lazy, sick people here in Oklahoma ("OK Is Not Ok," Jan. 12-18), how can we possibly be trusted to decide our own fate? Wouldn't it be better to just let Oklahoma be run from Washington? I would think that Hamilton would get behind abolishing the state income tax. Cut out the middle man, so to speak; no more fat salaries for useless state legislators, no more worrying about the dome at the state capitol building falling in; and surely the feds could fix our crappy roads -- because apparently we can't.

Maybe Uncle Sugah really can solve all our problems. And maybe if not for the obstructionist Republicans President Obama would have shipped our Chunky Monkey orders by now. It's just that the President still has a lot of overreaching to do in his fundamental transformation of America: rebuilding America's worldwide image, cooling the planet down, and making us buy health insurance. And he's still trying to quit smoking.

Let's be patient. He'll get to it.

--Todd Kreigh

Gunga Din

Dear UTW:

I'm writing with heavy complaints about a dose of irresponsible journalism on the part of Katharine Kelly, in regards to an article written on the subject of a wine bar that I have frequented for several years ("What a Bistro Should Be," Jan. 19-25, Restaurant review). The article was favorable and fa[i]r in the assessment of the food, drink and service quality. My discontent and frustration began when the article, designed to review and inform the general public of the eatery, failed to mention, even once, the management staff that runs the operation. A major oversight in my opinion. An article all about a business, that has no mention of the people that run that business... If the eatery is going to receive praise and be publicized for outstanding dinner service, don't you think the people actually making that happen should be rewarded, or even acknowledged?? Somewhere?

I know, I know, "it says Tim Baker and Joe Breaux," and that's where the irresponsible journalism takes place. As a longstanding regular, four to five times a week, I can personally say that I have seen Joe Breaux in the build[ing] less than half a dozen times and from talk with staff he has no hand in the day-to-day operations of Sonoma. In addition, I can't say, honestly, that I've seen Mr. Baker, the owner, in the building any more than Mr. Breaux.

I'm sure there was a correspondent with the restaurant that gave the writer the names and information but that's not journalism, that's emailing. A journalist or writer investigates, key word invest, the work at hand. Had any effort been made to interview an employee of the actual restaurant in addition to the intellectually inept receptionist in the office, the article would have carried much more intended weight. Not just to staff receiving recognition but also to the guests who frequent this bar who deeply appreciate this staff and their efforts. More importantly, this article would have more accurately hit its intended mark; to inform the citizens of our community of quality businesses in the area with the intent of diminishing reluctancies [sic] in branching out of their comfort zone and expanding the sturdy economic base of this community. What better way to do that than to introduce your readers to the general manager and the kitchen manager, even if only in print.

--Jessica Dunn

Editor's Note: We're sure Mssrs. Baker and Breaux appreciate the staff who they hired to run their properties. Love All, Serve All, but Dammit, nobody can name all. Quick: do you know the name of the Publisher of Urban Tulsa Weekly? Does that really matter? Of course!