ROUNDHOUSE ROUND-UP: A BREAK FROM SOUND-BITE POLITICS

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
Feb. 17, 2004

We live in an era of sound-bite politics. Policy debate too often is reduced to noisy Crossfire-like exchange of talking points and sloganeering. Public interaction with public officials frequently consists of hand-picked supporters asking pre-screened, softball questions.

Considering that, something refreshing happened at the Roundhouse this week.

Two state senators from the social-conservative wing of the Republican Party - Bill Sharer of Farmington and Mark Boitano of Albuquerque - did something that too few politicians do these days. They went out among the public and had civil, but very serious, conversations with people who they know passionately oppose their political philosophy.

The occasion was a Valentine Day press conference featuring GOP lawmakers talking about a package of bills they would encourage the institution of marriage and discourage divorce in the state.

Among the proposals: Reducing the $25 marriage license fee for couples who take marriage education programs; requiring 10 percent of federal welfare funds received by the state be used to encourage two-parent families; requiring divorcing couples with children -- or those in which one spouse doesn't want a divorce -- go to pre-divorce counseling classes; and spending $200,000 to community groups and religious organizations for a range of educational programs and advertising campaigns to promote marriage.

The issue of gay marriage wasn't even mentioned by the senators and other speakers at the press conference itself.

But it was very much on the minds of a majority of audience members. Monday also was Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Lobbying Day at the capitol.

Dozens of those who came to lobby against bills that would prohibit same-sex marriage - including SB 587, sponsored by Sharer - showed up to the Republican event on the west side of the Roundhouse. The speakers looked out to a crowd with large signs reading "Love = Love" and "All Love is Equal" and a poster with photos captioned "The Faces of Gay and Lesbian Families."

To fully appreciate this, you've got to realize how radically different this scene was from the typical Roundhouse "news conference." Usually these exercises are preaching-to-the-choir pep rallies where the audience consists primarily of true believers who applaud at all the right places.

This event had every potential of becoming just another screaming battle in the culture war.

It didn't.

There was a couple of instances of mild heckling from a few in the crowd. And a few times when a speaker said something about strengthening marriage, some audience members responded, "for us too."

"I didn't feel much hostility at all," Boitano said immediately after the event. But heck, he had just received loud applause from both straights and gays in the crowd when he concluded his talk by saying love is the most powerful force in the universe.

Sharer later told me he was prepared for much worse. "I thought they might throw tomatoes at us," he said. I think he was only half-joking.

Nobody threw anything, but several people wanted to let the senators know how they felt about same-sex marriage and how legislation would affect their lives and their families.

They approached both Sharer and Boitano, and some interesting conversations ensued.

Despite the friendly tone of Monday's encounters, it's not likely anyone changed his or her mind on the issue.

The activists will continue to fight Sharer's bill. And Sharer and Boitano still are going to vote to define marriage as being only between a man and a woman -- though Sharer held out the possibility he could back Sen. Cisco McSorley's SB 576, which would establish "domestic partnership" licenses that would give unmarried couples the same rights and benefits of married couples.

At one point Monday, Mary Ellen Capek, a lesbian who was married to her partner in Canada, asked Sharer: "How do we get past stereotypes?"

I can't help but think both sides made some steps in that direction that day.

ANOTHER SANTA FE FAR REPORTER

I'm not the only Santa Fe contributor to the Freeform American Roots (FAR) radio chart any more. I'm joined by Kathleen Brandon, musical director and co-owner (with her husband Steve Bumpous) of the new KWRP, 101.5.

Kathleen plays a mix of alt country, bluegrass, blues, southern rock and other music that made America great. (Except late night when they switch to classic rock, for reasons of which I'm not quite certain.)

I just checked out their web site and within the past few minutes they've played:

The Resentments - Rich Man's War
Tres Chicas - In a While
Robinella & The C C Stringband - Man Over
Reckless Kelly - Baby's Got a Whole Lot More
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Watching The Detectives

Give them a listen. (But not during my shows!)

By the way, other New Mexico FAR reporters include Steve Scott & Denise DeLeon whose show The Real Deal is aired Saturdays on KFUN in Las Vegas and Tom Funk of KGLP in Gallup whose Green Chile Revival & Medicine Show airs Saturday afternoons. And though El Paso officially is in Texas, we in New Mexico know different, so I should include Dan Alloway of KTEP. I've actually appeared on his Saturday night show, Folk Fury.

I just wish Carl, Barry and Marilyn of KUNM's Home of Happy Feet -- a true inspiration of my Santa Fe Opry -- would hook up with FAR.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, February 13, 2005
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Now Webcasting
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Valentine by Concrete Blonde
Laredo (Small Dark Something) by Jon Dee Graham
Reptilia by The Strokes
Crawl Through the Darkness by The Von Bondies
Berlin by Dickie B. Hardy
Time Warp/Brain Damage by Link Wray
Psychedelic Love by Big Ugly Guys
Valentine by The Replacements

The Ring by The Hangdogs
Wedding Day by Alejandro Escovedo
Ballad of the Soldier's Wife by Kazik Staszewski
Hard Times by The Moaners
Truth Doesn't Make a Noise by The White Stripes
I'm Leaving by The Fiery Furnaces
Brand New Special and Unique by Stan Ridgway
You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover by Bo Diddley

Memphis by Jerry Lawler
Nothing is Impossible (from Zakhmee Soundtrack)
Chunga's Revenge by Frank Zappa
Soulsville by Isaac Hayes
Just Step Sideways by The Fall
Robby, The Cook, and 60 Gallons of Booze by Louis & Bebe Barron
Please Warm My Weiner by Bo Carter

My Funny Valentine by Elvis Costello
Hashish in Marseilles by The Mekons
Two Circles by Sraddha
The Kindness of Strangers by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Blue Valentines by Tom Waits
Where or When by Dion & The Belmonts
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

HEY LORETTA!

I caught Loretta Lynn and Jack White on The Grammy Awards. Loretta's Van Lear Rose won -- rightfully -- country album of the year. White noted that it won without any airplay on (so-called) country radio.

I normally don't put much stock in The Grammys, but hey, when they're, right, they're right. And this is the second time in recent years the Grammys picked a top country album that had virtually no country radio play, the previous one being O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

When will these soulless radio twits learn?

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, February 11, 2005
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Now Webcasting
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Payday Blues by Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks
A-1 on the Jukebox by Elizabeth McQueen
St. Valentine by Joe Ely
Wasted by Laura Cantrell
Country Darkness by Elvis Costello
Blacklisted by Neko Case
Junko Partner by The Hindu Love Gods
Tiger Love and Turnip Greens by Duane Eddy
Train Kept a Rollin' by Paul Burlison

Violent Love by Cornell Hurd with Dee Lannon
Harder Than Your Husband by Frank Zappa with Jimmy Carl Black
There Ought to Be a Law Against Sunny California by Terry Allen
Where's the Dress by Joe Stampley & Moe Bandy
The President's Penis is Missing by Drive-By Truckers
Wanted Man by Johnny Cash
The Marriage Song by The Stumbleweeds
You Don't Miss Your Water by Jerry Lee Lewis
Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals by Hank Williams

On a Real Good Day, I'm the World's Best Friend by Robbie Fulks
2000 Man by The Gourds
A Beautiful Thing by The Handsome Family
Tramp on Your Street by Billy Joe Shaver
Right or Wrong by Wanda Jackson
If I Kiss You by Lynn Anderson
Back in My Home Town by Frank Hutchison

The Blue Girl Says Yes by Ronny Elliott
Better Word for Love by Big Al Anderson
Take Me by George Jones
Rough and Rocky by Michael Hurley
Lead Me On by Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
The Last Letter by Waylon Jennings
Everybody Needs Love by Robyn Hitchcock
The End by Justin Trevino
Valentine's Day by Steve Earle & The Fairfield Four
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list