Letter to the editor: Barnes touted

By Joyce Buckner, Tulsa - 11/1/2009


I urge all residents of District 4 to get out and vote for Maria Barnes for City Council. She did a great job when she served as our representative in the past, and I have no doubt she will do so again. She is the real deal an intelligent, grass-roots community activist who cares about Tulsa and supports growth, but never at the expense of our wonderful neighborhoods, the real lifeblood of this city.

Our current representative, Eric Gomez, treated District 4 constituents with total disregard in failing to recognize that residents in the area of the mental health facility being built at 10 N. Yale Ave. should at the least be informed about the plans. He was extremely rude to those of us who expressed alarm, and even threatened a lawsuit against a community leader as a scare tactic to stop our vocal opposition.

If you believe that your council representative should work to represent your views in matters affecting District 4, bring back Maria Barnes with your vote. She is a proven commodity, and most importantly, she will always treat you with respect, even if you disagree.

Do not reward Mr. Gomez for his unacceptable behavior. Vote for Maria Barnes.



Letters to the editor are encouraged. Each letter must be signed and include an address and a telephone number where the writer can be reached during business hours. Addresses and phone numbers will not be published. Letters should be a maximum of 250 words to be considered for publication and may be edited for length, style and grammar. Letters should be addressed to Letters to the Editor, Tulsa World, Box 1770, Tulsa, Okla., 74102, or send e-mail to letters@tulsaworld.com.


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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Moses, Jenks (11/1/2009 12:17:31 PM)
I know Maria Barnes. She is a very nice, hard working lady who is totally dedicated to her district. A vote for her would certainly not be wasted!

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/1/2009 1:02:35 PM)
I'm sorry Joyce Buckner, but...why do you think a bi-partisan group of constituents voted then incumbent Maria Barnes out of office? It's very difficult for a challenger to beat an incumbent in local office. Why was that?..... As soon as the voters of City Council District 4 found out that former City Councilor Maria Barnes voted to keep Tulsa as a "sanctuary city", where the TPD could not even check the immigration status of criminals being arrest during felony arrests, the constituents realized that Barnes was supporting the rights of illegal aliens. Barnes is supporting the wrong people. Plain & simple. Tulsa is a moderate conservative city as a general rule. take a look at the Presidential election results for the past 40 years in Tulsa voting. Then, look at the field of congressmen and US Senators that Tulsa voters have sent to Washington. Most anyone would agree that the two-party political system has worked very well in America for over 100 years. The two parties, although sometimes in a death-grip for power, have strenghtened this great nation. At the end of former Councilor Maria Barnes only term in office, democrats, republicans, as well as independent voters walked shoulder to shoulder to the polls and voted her out of office. I'm sure it stunned both Barnes and her small core group of predominently female supporters, but...the voters were right. If you will check other recent posts concerning this Council district race, you will find many posters who feel Councilor Eric Gomez has made some mistakes. None involve public safety however. Right now, no single issue is as important as restoring public safty for tulsa CITIZENS during these tough economic times. Maria Barnes had her chance to either stand for Tulsa CITIZENS, or support the rights of those who have no respect for law & order in Tulsa. She chose to stand by illegal immigrants. Councilor Gomez sides with the citizens of this city. The voters are way to smart to put her back in office. Barnes had her chance. After a lackluster two year term, characterized with "no new development" rhetoric,... she sided with illegal aliens. Tulsa doesn't need that again. The first time I ever heard the devisive term "McMansions" used, to describe the nicer, newer homes in midtown neighborhoods, it was out of Maria Barnes mouth. She seems to want to keep midtown "lost in the 1950s". Unfortunately, the 1950s also had the 1950s tax base. Tulsa must build economic renewal in these tough times. Fighting development, and supporting illegal aliens who wire money back to their native lands,... is no way to build economic strength. Tulsans will wisely reject Maria barnes once again. We don't need a "re-packaged", retread candidate. Vote for Eric Gomez in District 4.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/1/2009 2:05:51 PM)
democrats for, No one can say it any better than you just did. God bless the late Beverly Jean Duffield. Cut down while enjoying life. Sadly, Tulsa let her down. This horrific problem should have been addressed long ago.

Dist 4 Fan, (11/1/2009 3:34:42 PM)
Corvetteguy and Democrats_for_Eric_Gomez, You are quite wrong about Maria Barnes. She never voted against public safety. When the issue of whether the city council should require the police to inquire as to whether someone had legal status was brought to a vote, maria asked the TPD what their recommendation was and they said they did not want to do it and that it would be done if someone was arrested and taken to police headquarters. What you all are talking about is racial profiling. The entire propsal was promoted by John Sullivan and his assistants. They came to Tulsa, met with the Republican city councilors and pushed to effectively have the TPD become ICE agents. Gomez on the other hand has been arrested for assaulting a police officer and serving alcohol to a minor. Great role model. At least MAria stands up for her beliefs instead of making money on the backs of the taxpayers.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/1/2009 4:05:49 PM)
Dist 4 Fan, I noticed you keep your profile concealed.... Interesting. I would suggest you talk to about 25 Tulsa Police Officers or so, before making those statements again. Don't aks the Chief of Police, who is an at large" employee serving strictly at the pleasure of his boss, the democratic Mayor. Talk to rank and file Officers who have to deal with criminals... day in, and day out. Ask them if they enjoy arresting illegals who simply scream "No hable inglés" while being unable to provide a valid Oklahoma Drivers License or proof of liability auto insurance, or any other photo id. You might also try calling Senator Tom Adelson, who as a fellow democrat, strongly supported Oklahoma State House bill 1804. Ever wonder why Senator Adelson is not supporting Maria Barnes? Then you might call Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, who as a fellow democrat proudly signed Oklahoma House Bill 1804 into law. The only statement you made that is accurate, is that Maria Barnes stands up for her beliefs. She has stated that she does not approve of Oklahoma House Bill 1804. She also voted to support illegal undocumented immigrants in blocking the TPD Officers from even being able to question their citizenship. She supports illegals. Her beliefs are that illegals should be able to roam free thruout this city. You're right, she does stand up for her beliefs. The voters wisely threw her out of office. The voters wisely will keep her out of office, again. If you wish to contact me to debate if futher, quit hiding behind that anonymous profile, and contact me directly. I can give you some more horror stories of the CITIZEN victims of undocumented illegals committing violent criminal activity. American citizen's rights and safety must be protected. After all, this is America isn't it?

Dist 4 Fan, (11/1/2009 4:38:06 PM)
Corvette Guy, Maria is also hiding weapons of mass destruction in her garage at home. Better call the ATF guys about that. Are you just totally paranoid? Tom Adelson is supporting Maria and all three mayoral candidates supported including the Hispanic community in Tulsa's future at the Hispanic Chamber luncheon last week. At least Maria hasn't bit a black police officer on the leg like Gomez. Oh, now I see why you support Gomez. Total disrespect for the law and people's rights.

veteran_TPD, Tulsa (11/1/2009 4:41:42 PM)
Dist4, I wonder who she supposedly talked to with the TPD. I don't know of one single Officer who feels the way you claim. Let's hear some names to support that claim. Or is there any proof? And, if you have any additional proof of any racial profiling within the city limits of Tulsa, I would suggest that you report them to the Chief of Police, the District Attorney's office, the City Attorney's office, and the US Marshal and Department of Justice officals assigned to the northeastern district of Oklahoma.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/1/2009 5:46:00 PM)
Dist 4 Fan, why don't you quit hiding behind that anonymous hidden profile? Funny, Ton Adelson isn't showing up in her campaign financial report filings.... opps, better contact him quickly and beg him to send some cash. People are checking the reports, and noticing his total silence in the District 4 race. He isn't supporting Councilor Gomez, but certainly not supporting someone who calls House bill 1804 "mean spirited". A fair and just bill he worked on very hard. Come on out from hiding, Dist 4 Fan. Let us see your other posts just like honest, up-front people like myself do. Rocky Frisco has the guts and integrity. Or, are you only a pawn set up to support Maria Barnes. One of those feminist puppets who runs around in those white T-shirts printed with "Barnes 4 Tulsa"? Get some guts, or shut-up the personal attacks. Back up your claims with verifiable facts. Crawl back in the shadows.

Bison3, Tulsa (11/2/2009 8:15:27 AM)
Joyce, Maria certaily has my vote!! I see that there are posts here concerning her stance on "illegal aliens" well what about the way that Eric Gomez treated the legal citizens/tax payers/voters of his own district? To me, his behavior has been appalling. I am not sure about how police officers feel about her but I do know that off duty firefighters were out in force campaigning for her and against Eric Gomez. I live in the district and I know first hand how Mr. Gomez treated us concerning 10 N. Yale. I can not reward such behavior with my vote. If there were a 3rd option, I would give it a very hard look but I also remember that Maria Barnes kept our neighborhood association well informed during her term and was always respectful. That is something that Mr. Gomez has not done.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/2/2009 9:12:32 AM)
One very small, incidental fact concerning those off-duty firemen out canvassing the neighborhoods. I found that a little odd, because firemen I know had told me how sickening it is whenever they respond to a bad car wreck, and if one driver is an illegal, they never have a valid driver's license or insurance. They tell me that prior to losing the "sanctuary city" status, all the Police Officers could do is write a ticket for not having the license and insurance. They also told me they had seen the illegals laugh and wad up the tickets and throw them down after the Officer walked off. So, I went over to a firemen's house that lives close to me and asked why the firemen were supporting Maria Barnes. The answer was shocking. It seems as though, Maria Barne's brother-in-law is Tulsa Fire Captain Alan C.Barnes. Feel free to verify this by checking with any Tulsa fireman, or you can find his name on the helpful database list of Tulsa City Employees Salaries the TW has put on their home page. So much for that endorsement. Interesting fact I would say. About your comment that Maria Barnes kept the neighbors informed. You're right. No disputing that. Unfortunately, she was also keeping illegal, undocumented aliens informed also, that the Police Officers could turn felons over to ICE.

L176, (11/2/2009 10:48:39 AM)
IAFF Local 176 uses a very in depth process when deciding which candidate to endorse for any political office. We have questionaires which address issues important to our Union, that each candidate can fill out and return to our office. If they fill out and return those, we conduct interviews with the candidates to get to know them better. When we make the final decision it is based on the information we have gathered and the same political philosophy we have used for 90 plus years, we support candidates that support Firefighter issues. In the race for District 4 the choice was simple, Maria Barnes is that candidate. I assure you the decision was not made because Maria was the sister-in-law of a L176 member. The decision was made because we feel Maria Barnes is the best candidate for the job! That she will put not only the safety of the Citizens of Tulsa, but also the safety of the members of Local 176 as her number one priority. And that she will assure our members have the resources we need to keep the citizens of Tulsa safe!!!

Bison3, Tulsa (11/2/2009 11:50:06 AM)
L176, I appreciate your post. It has cleared up a couple of things for me and solidified my vote for Maria Barnes!! Democrats: why do you attack junetooke because he/she does not have a profile? I took a look at your profile and it gave me no additional insight into your personality other than what I have read in your posts. We all live anonymously out here. If not, we would use our real names instead of the nicknames we give ourselves. A profile here is worthless because it is only as correct as we choose it to be. I do not have one either for that reason. Anyone reading here is free comment either pro or con on anything that I say and I welcome it. What you read here is what you get and nothing more. Really for all I know, you could be Eric Gomez. As I have told you before in other posts, you sound more like a candidate than a regular citizen.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/2/2009 1:43:14 PM)
Bison3, you seem like a pretty nice person, who has been hoodwinked a little. When someone is open with their profile, then any fellow poster can look at their body of prior posts. Anotherwords, you can see if they are consistent with a pro-public safety satnce, or a pro left-wing liberal stance. Take a few minutes and look at my posts. You will read my account of catching or coming up on, three different burglars recently in my neighborhood watch program. Unfortunatelly for Maria Barnes supporters, two of the three thieves were illegal aliens. It also gives a good clue as to are they just a political puppet that some candidate is pulling the strings for. The sign of this is that they have only left a dozen posts in support of only one candidate. I have seen posters on the TW website that only re-state the talking points of their candidate. I have well over a year of posting, and well over 300 posts. Of course we don't know if you started just before this campaign or not, do we. We can't see that. Another issue is a profile allows fellow posters to send messages to the controversial poster. An anonymous profile is like hiding under a rock, and only throwing out comments or slander. It's your choice. Just don't defend it as "just something people do". In most cases, the anonymous profile is a way to hide from the truth and hard facts. I will not answer any message sent by someone hiding their record. And that isssue of accusing people that they "are the candidate" is getting pretty old. The candiates have every reason to speak out in person if they desire. Their records help themselves with their base support. Typically, they will use a puppet to do their dirtywork. The puppets always have anonymous profiles. Recently one of Maria Barnes puppets posted on another story about a week ago, that the FOP was endorsing Barnes. A check with the FOP showed that this was an outright lie. But it wasn't Maria Barnes caught lying,..... just another puppet.

Bison3, Tulsa (11/2/2009 2:26:14 PM)
I have been posting on the TW website long enough that I recognize the names and know what they're about before I read their posts so as far as a profile goes, it won't do me much good. As to your remark about "accusing" someone of being a candidate, I made the comment honestly. I do not know who you or Democrat are. For all I know you could both be the same guy!! To me, the comments that Democrats makes sound like someone that is running for office. There is nothing wrong with that and if Mr. Gomez wants to be anonymous out here, that is fine and I welcome his comments. If you choose to ignore my posts here because I do not have a profile, that is certainly your right but do not think for a minute that I will give you the same courtsey. If you post and I disagree with it enough, I will call you on it. And yes, some people do not want to have a profile for whatever reason. And another thing, you call us "Maria Barnes puppets"!! So what, I will vote for her because I choose to. You are an Eric Gomez puppet and you will vote for him because you choose to. Big deal!!!

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/2/2009 2:43:07 PM)
Bison3, that is your freedom to vote for whomever you choose. It is your right to evaluate issues like public safety to the best of your ability. By the way, have you ever been threatened by an armed criminal? I have, twice. Tell you what we can do, that might be very good for our fellow posters. On November 10th, the voters of District 4 will decide again which candidate looks out for them. We have all hashed their records throughly. I have had the objectivity to publicly state the areas that I felt Councilor Gomez was wrong in. I ahven't heard you give any objective commentary. I only hear about your one issue of 10 North Yale. If Maria Barnes wins on November 10th, I will agree to get off the TW postings for six months. If Councilor Gomez wins, I would ask you and the other, 100% unanimously ANONYMOUS profile posters to do the same, and stay off the postings for six months. Sound fair? Let's let the voters decide again. They did this two years ago. Let's let them evaluate the condidates one more time. Whatever the voters say, is fine with me. I trust the voters in District 4.

Bison3, Tulsa (11/2/2009 3:26:55 PM)
Yes, I have one issue and it is 10 N. Yale. I have rarely thought about our city councilor(s) since Tulsa has changed it's city government. The reason that I am vocal about Eric Gomez is for that reason!! If he had not turned his back on my neighborhood and if he would have at least acted like he cared about us, well we probably would not be having this conversation. The bottom line is that he did and he's a slug for doing it!! As to your statement about having the objectivity to publically state those areas where you thought that Mr. Barnes was wrong, well what I remember you doing was agreeing with what posters like myself were saying but that's about it. You did not actively come up with those points on your own. And yes, I have not come to the defense of your point concerning Maria Barnes and her stance on illegal aliens and maybe I should as I also believe that those that are here illegally should not be here. Will that stop me from voting for Maria Barnes......no it won't. I am thinking that the other 8 councilors will keep her in check on that issue. I am against Eric Gomez because what he did to our neighborhood affects me personally!! Talk about crime...I am getting ready to see it first hand in my neighborhood where it hasn't been that bad in the 26 years that I have lived there. Sometimes a single issue will lose votes for a candidate!! Also, I have not heard you say what Eric Gomez has done right, only what Maria Barnes has done wrong in your opinion. As to your proposal, in all honesty, that's a stupid idea!!! I will not speak for anyone else on this or any other thread and those who post here can do as they please.

Captain's Girl, (11/2/2009 3:43:37 PM)
I can assure you, that Capt. Barnes has NOT pushed any political agenda on TFD or anyone else. Since Mrs. Barnes started on the Kendall-Whittier Neighborhood association and the Mayor's group over a decade ago, Capt. Barnes has done nothing but keep politics and his family separate from his job. Even at family functions, the discussion of politics was always avoided as more often than not Capt. Barnes and Mrs. Barnes had opposing view points. This trend has carried on through the first campaign for City Council in the early 2000's up to now. If you want to support Maria Barnes, do so because she does stand up for what she believes and she fights for those beliefs. She helped to clean up the K-W neighborhood and helped to make that area safer. But please, don't drag her entire family and extended family into your opinions.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/2/2009 3:51:18 PM)
Gee, another anonymous profile Pro-Barnes supporter. What a remarkable coincidence. Amazing, absolutely amazing

Bison3, Tulsa (11/2/2009 4:41:27 PM)
Captain's Girl, it's good to hear another like minded poster!! From your post, you sound like you might be related to Capt. Barnes. I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate your post. I would like to hear more about Maria's agenda once she's re-elected to the City Council. I have been discussing her with Corvette Guy (Eric Gomez?) but we are not seeing eye to eye. Also, he's on some kind of kick concerning us not having a profile. Oh well, you can't please everyone.

NTS, (11/3/2009 9:58:53 AM)
Wanting Gomez out because he didn't do what you wanted begs the question: what is it you wanted him to do? I understand the importance of being heard. But constituents should never expect their district councilor to go against federal law to appease them. As to why I would not vote for Ms. Barnes. Her own words reveal her ignorance as to who is considered disabled under federal law. This ignorance informs her position regarding sober living in residential neighborhoods. Along with Rick Westcott and Bill Martinson, she made statements about how the city might go about keeping the Oxford House out of residential neighborhoods. Ms. Barnes' (with her position on the Oxford House) representing people against 10 N. Yale? Sorry, that combination is way too toxic...for the entire city.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/3/2009 12:41:53 PM)
I guess no one had the guts to accept the losing side stay off from posting for six months.

Bison3, Tulsa (11/3/2009 3:42:06 PM)
Corvetteguy: As I had said before, it was a real stupid idea and no one on this thread is stupid enough to take you up on it. Why are you surprised? Really I think that the only one that would fall for it is you. NTS: Mr. Gomez decided that my neighbors and I deserved no respect and he treated us that way and you would want me to look past that and vote for him anyway. I feel about him the way that you feel about Maria Barnes so no, he will not get my vote because he has not earned it and he does not deserve it.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (11/4/2009 9:05:32 AM)
NTS, excellent post... excellent point...

Rocky Frisco, Tulsa (11/13/2009 12:41:53 PM)
May I comment that I use my real name on these forums? I also use my real photo and not an avatar. If anybody wants to know about me, there are thousands of references available from a Google search. I don't say that to disparage anybody else's desire for anonymity; I just don't feel I need to hide my identity. I lost the primary, but I feel like I won the election in the person of Maria Barnes. I'm pleased with the outcome. I was far from certain of the outcome, since EG had significant funds from the big corporate interests downtown. My opinions about the Tulsa City Government have not changed and I will continue to address those through my representative, Maria, and in Council meetings I plan to attend. I want to see some of the restrictive and unnecessary city laws and ordinances removed from the books and from our lives. I also want to suggest that, now that 10 N. Yale is a done deal, we make sure that the residents have free or very inexpensive regular shuttles to the 21st and Yale area, where there are many small shops, a Target, a Reasor's and a Walmart Grocers, since this will make their lives easier and tend to keep them from wandering in the residential neighborhoods.



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