A couple of progressive Oklahoma bloggers leaving state

I’m pretty bummed about the Oklahoma Netroots losing two bloggers in one week.

John Sutter of Concrete Buffalo (formerly of the Oklahoman and its Go Green blog — which apparently has been deleted) got a gig in Atlanta is already on his way. He also did some great work for The Gazette while he looked for steady work that ultimately took him away.

I don’t think John was from Oklahoma or whether he labels himself “progressive” but his reporting and blogging certainly were helpful to those of us interested in bringing Oklahoma kicking and screaming into a “greener” era. John’s offering to turn over Concrete Buffalo to an Oklahoman who wants to continue his investigations into the state’s environmental sins (many) and wins (a few) — if you are interested, leave a comment here.

Hopefully we can keep up with John through his personal Twitter account.

In a few days, Ethan of Sinister will leave Tulsa for Portland. This is a huge loss for Oklahoma’s profile in the national Netroots. Sinister is one of the few Oklahoma blogs with pretty significant national/international readership and influence. He’s out and proud as a Jew, as a gay man, as a progressive, and was not one to suffer fools. But he was also fair, and willing to listen to rational arguments on all sides.

Sinister the blog will continue (Ethan has turned his attention to Oregan politics already), and I’ll keep reading, but not having it originate in Oklahoma is such a loss for us. I hope other voices like his can fill the void soon.

I wish John and Ethan much success and happiness. I hope they can show their new communities that Oklahoma has a broader range of perspectives than is typically presented.