June 14, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Book review : 2 ~ comics.com EMAIL: [email protected] ZOtd Awonewy wnee, CEA ze Effects of criticism COLD-WAR nently affected. Her grade school photos show a lonely OKLAHOMA child with sad eyes. To this day 50 years later, she has difficulty seeing herself as the Glynda Lomax is a Chris- of 19 receiving a new bible intelligent person she really is, and the words of those tian author and podcaster and writinga prayer in it. “I cruel taunts still echo through who resides in the Ozark asked God to please make me her mind. Mountains of Northern Arkan- abetter person somy Mom Another older woman re- sas with her two very bossy would like me,” she says. “I members her mother telling dogs. She wrote her first About reasoned she must love me her as a child to “stay away Life... column in 2003 fora because moms love their chil- from people. No one will want newspaper in Dallas.She is dren, but I felt she did not like to talk to you because you're planning her next book. me because nothingI ever did poor.” She grew up believing Glynda Lomax pleased her. She criticized By Don Munsch “Go where you're celebrat- everything about my appear- no one wanted her com- Editor pany and so she made few at face value and so internal- ed, not where you're toler- ance - my hair, my makeup, friends. In her latter years, ize the negativity directed at Irecall my father saying when I was boy growing up ated.” - Unknown my clothes. Criticism is like she finally realized her self them. As adults, we must take around the late 1970s to early 1980s that the Soviet Union corrosion — it happens over perception was incorrect. She the time to evaluate whether would never invade the United States and try to take over the I know many people whose time. The more you hear the now has more friends than the things we were told as country. lives have been profoundly negative comments, it actu- she can count and is ajoy to ‘Simple reason for this? affected by the criticism of ally changes you as time goes children were true or untrue Americans would never consent to working for lower others. For some, it was be- on.” She went on to relate be around. Two sentences by our own standards, not wages, he said. spoken to a child left a hole someone else’s, no matter ing cruelly taunted at school that she can only remember And thus, if you take that theory to the logical next step, by their peers. For others, one time in over 40 years where her self esteem should how important that person Americans would never accept any kind of“classless soci- have been and changed a may have been in our lives. ety” that Karl Marx envisioned. [Come to think of it- and aclose family member who her mother actually compli- life that should have been not to question my dad - wouldn’t Americans defend their criticized or ridiculed. Or mented her on anything. To filled with friends and happy The bottom line is, itis up homeland and way of life for many other reasons besides some, a critical boss. No mat- this day, although she is a relationships, but was instead to you to decide who you are economics?] ter who it comes from, criti- beautiful, kind, caring per- lived in decades of loneliness and whether you are “OK” But the Soviets did throw their weight around decades cism always carries the sting son, she struggles with self and isolation. or not, by your standards, not ago, trying to outdo Americans on the world stage in space, that leaves us wondering if esteem and has social anxiety Sometimes the person criti- someone else’s. If there is sports, geopolitical influence and nuclear arsenal. we are “good enough.” It is to because of continual destruc- cizing is externalizing what someone in your life who con- Reading Landry Brewer's book “Cold War Oklahoma,” our advantage to reflect upon I was reminded of those times when the Americans and tive criticism from someone they feel about their own tinually offers only negative Soviets were at odds with each other, but not on the brink of those criticisms that continue she loved. shortcomings. Sometimes comments to you, go the other war as had been the case in the 1960s, when the Cuban Mis- to echo through our souls and One woman I know, now in they actually mean it in the way. We must not give other sile Crisis occurred. People of my generation [Gen X] recall decide whether we agree with her 60s who grew up in a very best interest of the person and people the power to form our the Americans’ boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in them or not. The giants of our poor family, still remembers are trying to be helpful, not opinions of whether we are Moscow — put in motion by President Jimmy Carter, because childhood were, after all, only the school yard taunts of chil- realizing how hurtful their “OK” or not, whether we are of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan — but we don’t children, though at the time dren from wealthy families. comments are. Sometimes beautiful, smart or worthy. have any recollection of “duck and cover.” they seemed to be rulers of For years, she was taunted they suffer from some type of Brewer, who teaches history at Southwestern Oklahoma the world. As John W. Mor- for not having nice clothes imbalance that makes them ‘You, and you alone, choose University-Sayre, analyzes the role of Oklahoma in the Cold gan said, “Sometimes in order and called “stupid.” Around more cruel. Others criticize who and what you will be in War last century. Those tense days of the Cuban Missile Cri- to see what something is, we the age of 12, an observant to control and manipulate this life. sis in October 1962 are examined in one chapter, when Elk “Oh, myfriend, it’s not City residents endured a technical malfunction of the city’s have to first see what it’s not.” teacher realized what the another’s actions. emergency alert sirens that sent the city into some kind ofa A woman I know in her 40s real problem was and, after Children don’t have the what they take away from you frenzy one day. An article in The Elk City Daily News said been the subject of a lifetime getting eyeglasses, her grades ability to differentiate wheth- that counts. It's what you do that some false alarms were sounded on a Tuesday and a of criticism by her mother. improved. Her self esteem, er criticism is deserved or with what you have left.” - Saturday. She remembers at the age however, had been perma- not, they process everything Hubert Humphrey The false alarms, which were fixed by Southwestern Bell telephone specialists, created “near panic conditions” as parents rushed to schools to pick up their children on the Tuesday of that week. “Cold War Oklahoma’ also looks at what Elk City resi- dents were doing to be prepared back in the day — the 1960s, that is- in case ofa nuclear war. The basements ofthe Casa Grande Hotel and First Baptist Church served as the first Child Advocates release “Report Card” for lawmakers two fallout shelters. Other shelters were added, and a civil defense support group was formed at Elk City High School to aid the adult civil defense group responsible for guiding the city through a nuclear attack. The book also mentions how “an unassuming metal storage building” now at Elk City Municipal Airport stores fallout shelter supplies that were OKLAHOMA CITY - The criminal justice reform; while lawmakers received scores of or vetoed key bills that once kept at the Elk City Fire Department. Oklahoma Institute for Child lawmakers passed an impor- 100 with one or more excused reached his desk. While Stitt Brewer devotes sufficient space to what was occurring Advocacy (OICA) today tant measure to make State absence on an OICA-priority was supportive of almost all around the state, also, including around Altus, where 12 released its 2019 Child Well- Question 780 retroactive, vote. measures sent to him by the Atlas F Missile sites were built near Altus Air Force Base being Legislative Report thereby giving offenders with OICA Chief Executive Legislature, his 96 (or “A“) between 1960 and 1962. As explained on the historic marker Card. The Report Card tracks some drug-related prison Officer Joe Dorman said he score reflects his veto ofa near the Willow Atlas missile site, pictured in the book, the U.S. government developed the Atlas Intercontinental Bal- 25 key pieces oflegislation sentences a chance at early supported many of the actions measure to update the HIV/ listic Missile to counter the Soviet nuclear threat. Brewer related to the health and release, other key measures taken by the Legislature this AIDS education curricula in worked to get the historic marker placed near the Willow safety of Oklahoma children stalled. year but hopes lawmakers public schools. site. During a dedication speech at the marker site, he ex- and rates lawmakers based on In the House, twelve will act even more boldly in Dorman said OICA was plained how his father, Jerry Brewer, worked at the Cache their voting record. The bills representatives earned 2020. particularly grateful for the and Granite missile sites when they were being built in 1961 were selected by the Advo- perfect scores, having voted “While we were pleased governor and First Lady Sar- and 1962, and Landry Brewer’s grandfather, Clyde Brewer, cacy Committee for OICA. “yes” on every measure with with the positive direction of ah Stitt’s work to raise aware- worked at the Manitou missile site when it was being built. Overall, the Legislature re- no missed votes, excused this past legislative session, ness of Adverse Childhood “Cold War Oklahoma” gives a description on the Cold War ceived a score of 85 - or alet- absences or “no” votes. They we are eager to see many of Experiences that negatively and includes a chapter on Oklahoma military installations ter grade of “B”. Lawmakers are Reps. Rusty Cornwell, the ‘big ticket’ items move impact children and follow and a chapter on two important figures from Oklahoma from were rewarded for passing a Jim Grego, Ronny Johns, forward next year,” said them into adulthood. the last century; Former Congressman and U.S. Speaker of budget that included funding Lundy Kiger, T.J. Marti, Dorman. “At the top of that “Sarah Stitt has been a the House Carl Albert and astronaut Thomas P. Stafford. Brewer also dedicates a couple of chapters to Maurice Hal- for more immunizations at Nicole Miller, Lewis Moore, list is an Oklahoma Plan that tremendous champion for perin, a University of Oklahoma professor and Soviet spy. county health departments Melissa Provenzano, Jacob ensures all children have early childhood issues early In achapter called “Photo Not Available,” we learn that and more services for chil- Rosecrants, Danny Sterling, access to affordable health in this administration, and finding Halperin’s photos from yesteryear proves difficult dren with disabilities. Other Mark Vancuren, and Tammy coverage. We also need to we cannot thank her enough because he apparently didn’t like having his photo taken, positive accomplishments West. Seven senators re- take greater strides to reduce for taking on this challenge,” which seems to have been a calculated move on his part, as included the restoration ofa ceived perfect scores with our nation-leading incarcera- said Dorman. “If we allevi- Brewer says in the book. Overall, Halperin proves more odi- tax credit for families with no absences or “no” votes, tion rate which contributes to ate many ofthese issues at ous than compelling, and as such, probably too much time in foster children and the adop- including Sens. Bill Coleman, family separation and keeps an early age, that will in turn the book was spent on exploring his story. tion of “healthy relationship” J.J. Dossett, Tom Dugger, children confined to poverty. I reduce incarceration rates, Still, “Cold War Oklahoma” is a keen look back at a time sure to provoke uneasy memories for older people who curricula in public schools. Chuck Hall, Julia Kirt, Ron believe our lawmakers are up poor health outcomes and the remember those tense times of the 1960s while informing ‘The Legislature was penal- Sharp, and George Young. to this challenge and I hope high poverty levels we face as younger people what it was like when the world’s superpow- ized for failing to advance Legislators were not penal- to see them build on their astate.” ers came close to an unthinkable war. any bills supporting Medicaid ized for excused absences, accomplishments this session The full report card, which “Cold War Oklahoma” can be purchased at amazon.com expansion and failing to rein- as lawmakers are frequently and deliver more wins for assigns each legislator a and barnesandnoble.com and at Grandview Pharmacy, state the refundability of the called off the House and Oklahomans next year.” score, is available at: http:// Paul Jones Drug and Currell’s Do It Center in Elk City, Gal- Earned Income Tax Credit. It Senate floor for important Governor Stitt was scored oica.org/2019-legislative- lery@112 in Sayre and the AllianceHealth Clinton gift shop. also earned mixed marks on meetings or events. Over 60 based on whether he signed scorecard/.