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Progressive lobbyist Keith Smith dies
by OK Indymedia Editorial Group - OK Indymedia Tuesday, Nov 21 2006, 1:43pm
oklahoma (state news) / miscellaneous / feature

Huge loss for Oklahoma progressive community

Senator Andrew Rice and former Senator Bernest Cain announce with deep regret that Keith Smith passed away last night at Integris Hospital about 11:30 p.m. Final arrangements have not been made, but the funeral will be in Alva and a memorial service will be held here in Oklahoma City sometime in the next two weeks.

“Keith was tireless and determined in his efforts to speak for those who otherwise would have no voice in the legislative process. Whether his issue of the day was the rights of children, women, seniors, the protection of the environment or adequate health care for the poor, or the disabled, Keith was a leader in the fight. said Senator Rice.

“His energy was boundless and he felt that one of the most important duties of every citizen was to become active in the political process, and he served as an active volunteer in numerous political campaigns whether hosting fund raisers or walking door to door”, said Senator Cain.

Keith’s most endearing attribute was that he never admitted defeat. He might lose one battle, but he always bounced right back strategizing on how to win the war.”

Keith was born on March 4, 1955 in Alva, Oklahoma and graduated from Oklahoma State University. He was a member of the National Board of Stonewall Democrats, co-chair of Central Oklahoma Stonewall Democrats, a founder of OGLPC; former ACLU Oklahoma and National board member, a Director of Progressive Alliance Political Action Committee and former Board member of Cimarron Alliance. Keith was the first openly GLBT delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma.

Keith was president of The Smith Group and his clients included ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Oklahoma Policy Consortium for People with Disabilities and the National Association of Social Workers.

The rewards he received for his hard work in the public arena include the Angie Debo Civil Libertarian Award form the ACLU of Oklahoma; the Margaret Sanger Legacy Award from Planned Parenthood of Oklahoma; the Ron Schaffer Memorial Award and Bill Rogers Award of Merit from the Gay and Lesbian political Caucus; the Democracy in Action Award from the League of Women Voters and the Swan Award from the Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays.

He is survived by his mother and three brothers. Keith asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Planned Parenthood of Oklahoma.

From profile in Sierra Club publication:

"I'm an environmentalist, civil libertarian, pro-choice advocate and openly gay man," says Keith Smith, who lobbies Oklahoma decision-makers for a variety of clients, including the Sierra Club. "I'm a screaming liberal in a conservative state, and that I have any victories at all is surprising."

Why does he keep at it? "They desperately need me - and I'm effective," he says. "I became an activist in college, and I've been a volunteer or paid lobbyist ever since." Smith's favorite fight is over concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, and the public seems increasingly interested in booting them from the state. "It's an issue that lets me build trust and alliances with farmers and decision-makers who are conservative on other legislation," he says. "It's good for Republicans to see family farmers hanging out with Keith Smith at the capital."

Smith was born in Oklahoma and is part of a farming family, which helps open the doors of lawmakers.

"I grew up in a rural part of the state, and that's where the big CAFO conflicts are, so it helps that I know what life is like there. Probably the scariest thing to an Oklahoman is an outside agitator. I'm a weird liberal, but I'm their weird liberal, and that makes a difference."