LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR SUMMER 2018
Kudos to Oklahoma state lawmakers for approving legislation (SB 1140) that grants legal protections to faith-based adoption agencies which cite their religious beliefs for not placing children in LGBT homes. But it’s amazing and alarming that this country has sunk so low morally that such legislation is actually needed. Placing innocent little children with parents who openly set immoral lifestyle examples for their children is almost super-obviously wrong and could be considered a subtle form of child abuse.
Thinking people have known for centuries that homosexual activity is immoral and a bad legal precedent, plus have known that homosexuality is an objective disorder. For example, Plato wisely and logically deprecated homosexual activity centuries ago. Many other intellectuals over the years have also deprecated homosexual activity. It is relatively easy to point out serious flaws in all the arguments homosexuals use to try to rationalize homosexual activity. So, to put voluntary aberrant homosexual activity on the same level as involuntary skin color or age is clearly absurd and downright offensive to many people of color.
It may surprise you that some colleges like Harvard now have officially recognized student groups devoted to promoting the acceptance of BDSM – sexually deviant bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism. That’s right. If you are a psychologically disturbed student who gets sexual thrills from hurting people, some colleges like Harvard now have groups for you! Is that bizarre or what. (Are Neanderthals running that school?)
Those paying attention can see that the “logic” of heterophobic homosexuals is rapidly leading this society down a slippery slope to a more aberrant, disordered, and irrational society. Legal polygamy is coming soon. Maybe down the line we’ll see “marriage” between straight and homosexual consenting-adult incestuous people! Whoopee! Anyone who thinks this is progress is deluding him/herself.
Wayne Lela
Downers Grove, IL
After OK Primary Thoughts
Now that the Oklahoma primary elections enter into the “run-off” era ending in August, we hopefully will be relieved of the barrage of, often nasty, radio, TV, and trash mail request for our vote or usually false claims against one of the contestants. My memory of elections dating back to the election of 1932 when Governor of New York managed to oust an incumbent President, named Hoover, has seen not one so filled with false claims and nastiness, including photo shopped pictures to falsely depict a candidate. Most of those were put forth by the so-called “dark money committees” supporting another candidate. Usually these candidates are political unknowns recruited by special interest groups such as the OEA and NEA (teachers unions) or individuals with a personal grudge against another office holder. It is a relief to me to be free of those plus the multitude of “robo-calls” for the same purpose and mostly on my cell phone, but also serving to interrupt my positive efforts.
Turning from objections, there should be some suggestions. It seems to me that the “Ethics Commission” should establish rules, and then enforce them with real penalties, requiring that ALL political advertisements clearly disclose the entity putting them out together with a person’s name, address, and electronic means of contact. Some of the most onerous post cards carried no visible disclosure, as is supposedly required by law or regulations. If such regulations are already established, then the commission is not meeting the responsibility and staff should be replaced with ones that will. Indeed, there should be severe penalties for any false statement advertising. Personally, it is my policy to not vote for candidates whose campaign resorts to such tactics. Also, it should be required that the “campaign consultant,” if one is retained, should be identified, possibly stated with the finance reports.
A State Question was passed labeled “Medical Marihuana” which actually will allow “recreational” use of the plant. Reports are surfacing that there were a least 40,000 more votes cast on this than on the rest of the ballot, and that many young voters would not even take the “yellow” ballot containing the office candidates.
One of my children living in Colorado has told me that the problem of “hit and run” incidents has increased substantially there since the plants use for ‘recreational use was permitted. Also that a large percentage of those involved in these are here illegally. And many Democrat leaders supported this change as well as a few misguided with an "R" behind their name. All this puts the rest of us in increased danger. There are derivatives of the plant that have no habit forming properties and have some very beneficial properties for certain conditions. Fortunately, this was passed as a “statute” and so can be amended by the Legislature. It might be noted that all this is in violation of Federal law and could put some State funding in jeopardy, should the U.S. Department of Justice decide to enforce it!! In my opinion, this was a badly and hurriedly written proposal, perhaps deliberately, and catered to those mostly in younger generations. Time will tell just how bad it will be.
Robert W. McDowell, Jr.
Broken Arrow, OK
Blunt Talk
We have an old expression down on the farm about getting to the point of an issue; the expression is “stop beating around the bush.” Most of my mentors adhered to that old adage, when they told you something you didn’t have to wonder what was on their mind. Years ago one of my mentors told me his views about taxes in blunt, and to the point manner. He said that taxes and government regulations are very similar to catching a social disease; he made the point that it is far easier to catch the disease than it is to cure it. The recent decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to invalidate the initiative petition to allow the citizens to have a say concerning the biggest tax increase in Oklahoma history is a case in point.
It seems ironic that the very people who organized an illegal strike were the ones who the court sided with. You can call the teacher strike whatever you want to, but it was a strike by individuals who were under a signed contract to provide their services for that school year. The Oklahoma Supreme Court must have played a lot of basketball when they were children; they were very good at running out the clock to prevent the taxpayer group from having enough time to mount another petition drive. In our system we are supposed to be able to voice our opinions for or against issues that affect our government; I have found that there is something about getting something off of your chest win or lose. All our black robed geniuses did was to widen the divide between the taxpayers and the government class. At one time I had a lot of faith in our state government, but that faith has taken a huge hit over the past couple of years.
Oklahoma is considered to be the reddest of the red states in the union, but our elected leaders are proving that to be less than true. Our state has a Republican Majority; the Republican Platform is a conservative platform. We need to remember that the platform is voted on at the state conventions by true conservative activists, but many of our so-called conservative elected officials are not conservative. I have no faith in our Republican governor who experiences ecstasy any time a new tax or fee is levied upon the taxpayers of this state. I have no faith in our state legislature; there are some good legislators in the capitol, but as a whole they have proven themselves to not practice conservatism. Our ball playing, black robed geniuses’ recent actions have also removed my faith in them. In the last presidential campaign one of the big issues was the forgotten man, the taxpayers of this state are experiencing the same thing. Once a tax or fee is implemented, it is becoming more difficult to debate and use our constitutional rights to address the problem.
In the just-completed primary election there may be a ray of hope. Our state did legalize medical marijuana, and there is supposed to be pot of gold in new tax revenues because of it. Maybe we can get a prescription and smoke or take enough to get everyone completely stoned, then most people won’t care what the elite ruling class does or doesn’t do.
Russell Turner
Stilwell, OK
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