Kansas Newspapers

[hfojvt]

The Leavenworth Times just published an editorial from Emporia's paper. Surprisingly, it was bashing the marriage amendment. I recently made a trip to Hays, Ks where I happened to get a paper from April 3 (it was at the bottom of the newspaper vending machine so I grabbed it.) That newspaper had an editorial opposing the marriage amendment and two columnists opposing the amendment. In the LTTE section there were two letters for the amendment to only one against, but the against letter was first.
So I am happily surprised that these Kansas newspapers are as progressive as they are. Here in Leavenworth, the editorial page is filled with the likes of Diane West (who writes for the Moony Times - 'nuff said), Joseph Perkins, and Nat Hentoff. They usually seem to use editorials from other papers, even as far as Connellsville, Pa, instead of writing their own. The only break we get is Gene Lyons in the Sunday paper and Cokie Roberts once a week.
The Leavenworth paper did run a guest column against the marriage amendment, and that seemed to provoke a firestorm of mean-spirited LTTEs which attacked the columnist, but the paper published anyway. They have published most of the LTTEs I sent them too.

[Ian David]

1. Maybe there is hope for Kansas after all. BTW, thanks for sending Phelps

Dumb Dumb Dorothy
By Brenda Sutton
© 2000

I've clicked my heels so many times. I was a fool to grieve
For Flatland and the monochromes I now desire to leave
I want my eyes to match my gown, to float the bubble tram
And be where I know simply who I am

Summon all the Gods of Air and let the wild wind howl
I'll pitch my porch to the gray-green sky and ply the witch's trowel
Put Kansas to my backside, and bid a swift farewell
To the dust and the hogs and the prairie corn sage smell

Chorus:
I want to go where nothing's as it seems
I want to sing and fight and laugh and dream
I want my answers to be "Just because
That's the way in the merry old land of OZ."

<snip>

So hand me down my ruby shoes. Oh, Glenda hear my cry!
I know I begged for sepia tone but now I don't know why
I've learned the grass IS greener on the far side of the moon
Oh, if I have my way I'll be up to green real soon...
If I have my way I'll be covered in green real soon..

More:
http://www.threeweirdsisters.com/lyrics_dumbdorothy.htm

Listen to sample:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/3weirdsis

You can also download it from iTunes.

[hfojvt]

2. I have a hard time finding the flatness

especially this close to the river. I did not notice it on my trip to Hays either. It probably just did not seem unusual to a boy from Dakota. It was kinda funny when I was going to school at the University of Minnesota. Every time I went back to my hometown the buildings looked so small, like you could jump over them or something.
But I also drove into KCMO to hear Thomas Frank, and that is something I would just as soon not ever do again. I foolishly thought most of the rush hour traffic would be going "out" of the city.