Editor letter: 6/19/19

Last week, it was announced that the federal government would detain as many as 1,400 migrant children at the Fort Sill Army installation in southwestern Oklahoma.

Disturbing as this development may be, it’s not the first time the facility has been used in this way. During World War II, the site was an internment camp for Americans of Japanese descent. In 2014, it briefly held unaccompanied minors from Central America, a move met with outcries from Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma.

One difference between 2014 and now? Back then, these children could play soccer, take English classes, and receive legal aid. The current presidential administration—uniquely cruel in its application of this American tradition of immigrant detention—has cancelled all education and recreational programs for the more than 40,000 children currently detained by the U.S government.

The headlines came even closer to home last Monday, as advocates and activists packed the Tulsa County Commissioners’ meeting to discuss the county’s 287(g) contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which was extended by county officials behind closed doors. Check out Mary Noble’s account of that turbulent meeting, and the passionate voices fighting for immigration justice and the repeal of 287(g).

There’s fun stuff in this issue, too—calm down.

Do you like beer? We’ve got two really great stories about beer. First, Brady Whisenhunt looks at the art behind your favorite local craft breweries, talking to the artists themselves about their work and inspiration. You’ll meet Colin Healey of Prairie Artisan Ales—who illustrated our amazing cover, which we’re all obsessed with—along with designers from Cabin Boys, Heirloom Rustic Ales and American Solera. I want a Double IPA just thinking about it.

Then, strap yourselves in for the truly wild history of Oklahoma’s original brew, Choc beer. We’re not talking about the brewery in Krebs—though their histories intertwine—but rather the milky, frothy concoction brought to Indian Territory by the Choctaws, which bears little resemblance to what we think of as “beer.” It comes to us from Russell Cobb, who examines how this strange brew became the most dangerous libation in Oklahoma, and how it illuminates our distinctly weird paradoxes of race, immigration, and good times.

Also, if you’ve been glued to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, don’t sleep on our sports section. We’ve got a story about the Fortuna women’s soccer club, which is finally getting an even playing field—literally. You’ll also meet the late, great Bertha Frank Teague, the godmother of women’s basketball in Oklahoma, who left a lasting impact on the game, along with some specific lunch instructions: “Peaches and crackers, or poached eggs on dry toast, with tea. Reserve the heavy meal until after the game.”