The Okcitykid – A Peaceful Vet

My response from Mary, she seems to have changed her tone a bit.

January 22, 2009

Mr. Roger Harkness
1908 Hughson Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73141-1042

Dear Mr. Harkness:

Thank you for contacting me about U.S. foreign policy. Understanding your ideas and concerns is important to me, as it helps me to better represent you and the Fifth District of Oklahoma.

I am committed to representing your views and working with other Members of Congress to make a positive impact here in Washington. I have made a note of your comments and will keep them in mind in the future.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your ideas and concerns. As the 111th Congress addresses the many challenges facing our nation, I hope you will continue to share your thoughts and views with me. However, due to increased security measures, mail delivery may be delayed for up to two weeks. Accordingly, I encourage you to visit my website at www.fallin.house.gov to contact me via email in the future. While visiting my site you may also sign up for my e-newsletter as well as find useful information about issues facing the 5th District.

Sincerely,
Mary Fallin
Member of Congress
***************************************************************

Dear Mary

I can’t call you honorable right now because you keep sending me emails telling me that Israel has a right to terrorize innocent civilians. But innocent civilians are not hurting them and revenge is never a right and I believe Israel has had their revenge, they can stop now.

It is to my shame both you and my tax dollars support this.  But maybe you watch Fox News and don’t really know what is going on over there.  So I thought I would share with you some REAL NEWS:

”
Still Breathing
By Caoimhe Butterly in Gaza
January 16, 2009

The morgues of Gaza’s hospitals are over-flowing. The bodies- in their
blood-soaked white shrouds- cover the entire floor space of the
Shifa’a hospital’s morgue. Some are intact, most horribly deformed,
limbs twisted into unnatural positions, chest cavities exposed, heads
blown off, skulls crushed in. Family members wait outside to identify
and claim a brother, husband, father, mother, wife, child. Many of
those who wait their turn have lost numerous family members and loved
ones.

Blood is everywhere- hospital orderlies hose down the floors of
operating rooms, bloodied bandages lie discarded in corners, and the
injured continue to pour in- bodies lacerated by shrapnel, burns,
bullet wounds. Medical workers, exhausted, and under siege, work day
and night and each life saved is seen as a victory over the
predominance of death.

The streets of Gaza are eerily silent- the pulsing life and rhythm of
markets, children, fishermen walking down to the sea at dawn brutally
stilled and replaced by an atmosphere of uncertainty, isolation and
fear. The ever-present sounds of surveillance drones, F16s, tanks and
Apaches are listened to acutely as residents try to guess where the
next deadly strike will be- which house, school, clinic, mosque,
governmental building or community centre will be hit next and how to
move before it does. That there are no safe places- no refuge for
vulnerable human bodies- is felt acutely. It is a devastating
awareness for parents- that there is no way to keep their children
safe.

As we continue to accompany the ambulances, joining Palestinian
paramedics as they risk their lives, daily, to respond to calls from
those with no other life-line, our existence becomes temporarily
narrowed down and focused on the few precious minutes that make the
difference between life and death. With each new call received as we
ride in ambulances that careen down broken, silent roads, sirens and
lights blaring, there exists a battle of life over death. We have
learned the language of the war that the Israelis are waging on the
collective captive population of Gaza- to distinguish between the
sounds of the weaponry used, the timing between the first missile
strikes and the inevitable second- targeting those that rush to tend
to and evacuate the wounded, to recognize the signs of the different
chemical weapons being used in this onslaught, to overcome the initial
vulnerability of recognizing our own  mortality.

Though many of the calls received are to pick up bodies, not the
wounded, the necessity of affording the dead a dignified burial drives
the paramedics to face the deliberate targeting of their colleagues
and comrades- thirteen killed while evacuating the wounded, fourteen
ambulances destroyed- and to continue to search for the shattered
bodies of the dead to bring home to their families.

Last night, while sitting with paramedics in Jabaliya refugee camp,
drinking tea and listening to their stories, we received a call to
respond to the aftermath of a missile strike. When we arrived at the
outskirts of the camp where the attack had taken place the area was
filled with clouds of dust, torn electricity lines, slabs of concrete
and open water pipes gushing water into the street. Amongst the
carnage of severed limbs and blood we pulled out the body of a young
man, his chest and face lacerated by shrapnel wounds, but alive-
conscious and moaning.

As the ambulance sped him through the cold night we applied pressure
to his wounds, the warmth of his blood seeping through the bandages
reminder of the life still in him. He opened his eyes in answer to my
questions and closed them again as Muhammud, a volunteer paramedic,
murmured “ayeesh, nufuss”- live, breathe- over and over to him. He
lost consciousness as we arrived at the hospital, received into the
arms of friends who carried him into the emergency room. He, Majid,
lived and is recovering.

A few minutes later there was another missile strike, this time on a
residential house. As we arrived a crowd had rushed to the ruins of
the four story home in an attempt to drag survivors out from under the
rubble. The family the house belonged to had evacuated the area the
day before and the only person in it at the time of the strike was 17
year old Muhammud who had gone back to collect clothes for his family.
He was dragged out from under the rubble still breathing- his legs
twisted in unnatural directions and with a head wound, but alive.
There was no choice but to move him, with the imminence of a possible
second strike, and he lay in the ambulance moaning with pain and
calling for his mother. We thought he would live, he was conscious
though in intense pain and with the rest of the night consumed with
call after call to pick up the wounded, the and the dead, I forgot to
check on him.. This morning we were called to pick up a body from
Shifaa hospital in Gaza city to take back to Jabaliya. We carried a
body wrapped in a blood-soaked white shroud into the ambulance, and it
wasn’t until we were on the road that we realized that it was
Muhammud’s body. His brother rode with us, opening the shroud to
tenderly kiss Muhammud’s forehead.

This morning we received news that Al-Quds hospital in Gaza city was
under siege. We tried unsuccessfully for hours to gain access to the
hospital, trying to organize co-ordination to get the ambulances past
Israeli tanks and snipers to evacuate the wounded and dead. Hours of
unsuccessful attempts later we received a call from the Shujahiya
neighborhood, describing a house where there were both dead and
wounded patients to pick up. The area was deserted, many families
having fled as Israeli tanks and snipers took up position amongst
their homes, other silent in the dark, cold confines of their homes,
crawling from room to room to avoid sniper fire through their windows.

As we drove slowly around the area, we heard womens’ cries for help.
We approached their house on foot, followed by the ambulances and as
we came to the threshold of their home, they rushed towards us with
their children, shaking and crying with shock. At the door of the
house the ambulance lights exposed the bodies of four men, lacerated
by shrapnel wounds- the skull and brains of one exposed, others whose
limbs had been severed off. The four were the husbands and brothers of
the women, who had ventured out to search for bread and food for their
families. Their bodies were still warm as we struggled to carry them
on stretchers over the uneven ground, their blood staining the earth
and our clothes. As we prepared to leave the area our torches
illuminated the slumped figure of another man, his abdomen and chest
shredded by shrapnel. With no space in the other ambulances, and the
imminent possibility of sniper fire, we were forced to take his body
in a body bag in the back of the ambulance carrying the women and
children. One of the little girls stared at me before coming into my
arms and telling me her name- Fidaa’, which means to sacrifice. She
stared at the body bag, asking when he would wake up.

Once back at the hospital we received word that the Israeli army had
shelled the Al Quds hospital, that the ensuing fire risked spreading
and that there had been a 20-minute time-frame negotiated to evacuate
patients, doctors and residents in the surrounding houses. By the time
we got up there in a convoy of ambulances, hundreds of people had
gathered. With the shelling of the UNRWA compound and the hospital
there was a deep awareness that no-where in Gaza was safe, or sacred.

We helped evacuate those assembled to near-by hospitals and schools
that have been opened to receive the displaced. The scenes were deeply
saddening- families, desperate and carrying their children, blankets
and bags of their possessions venturing out in the cold night to try
to find a corner of a school or hospital to shelter in. The paramedic
we were with referred to the displacement of the over 46,000 Gazan
Palestinians now on the move as a continuation of the ongoing Nakba of
dispossession and exile seen through generation after generation
enduring massacre after massacre.

Today’s death toll was over 75, one of the bloodiest days since the
start of this carnage. Over 1,110 Palestinians have been killed in the
past 21 days. 367 of those have been children. The humanitarian
infrastructure of Gaza is on it’s knees- already devastated by two
years of comprehensive siege. There has been a deliberate, systematic
destruction of all places of refuge. There are no safe places here,
for anyone.

And yet, in the face of so much desecration, this community has
remained intact. The level of social solidarity and support between
people is inspiring, and the steadfastness of Gazan Palestinians
continues to humble and inspire all those who witness it. The level of
sacrifice demands our collective response- and a recognition that
demonstrations are not enough. Gaza, Palestine and it’s people
continue to live, breathe, resist and remain intact and this refusal
to be broken is a call and challenge to us all.

———-
Caoimhe (pronounced “Cueeva”) Butterly is an Irish human rights
activist presently in Gaza working in Jabaliya and Gaza city as a
volunteer with ambulance services and as co-coordinator for the Free
Gaza Movement, She can be contacted on 00970-598273960 or at
sahara78@hotmail.co.uk.

—
Voices for Creative Nonviolence
1249 W Argyle Street #2, Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: (773) 878-3815
E-mail: info@vcnv.org
web: www.vcnv.org”

This will also be posted to my blog peacefulvet.net/blog

James M. Branum, Attorney at law posted on my Facebook:

Daniel Sandate will be pleading guilty to the charge of Desertion on Monday, November 17th at 1 p.m. at Ft. Carson, Colorado. I (along with an excellent attorney with the JAG?s trial defense services and local Colorado attorney Bill Durland) will be arguing to the court that Daniel Sandate should receive a lesser sentence due to his extreme mental health issues.

Daniel has asked me to share his story with the public. A longer version of this will be published at a later point, but this limited account is what Daniel has asked me to share at this time.

**The case of Daniel Sandate**

Daniel grew up with a horrific home life that is indescribable in nature, so understandably he grew up experiening severe trauma and mental health issues. His adolensence and young adulthood were brutal but he hoped that joining the Army would give him a sense of purpose and a reason to live.

Sandate was a good soldier. He performed reasonably well in training and did ok in the Army until he deployed in Iraq. Like many soldiers, he was forced to see and participate in things that no human should ever have to go through. He came home from Iraq shook to the core and with a strong case of PTSD.

Daniel tried to get help from the Army but he was blown off, time and time again. His situation was quickly spiraling in a negative direction (he was very suicidal at this point, which was scary because he had tried to kill himself before even joining the Army), so when he met new friend online who lived in Canada, he thought it would be nice to take a break from the Army and hang out up there for awhile. He always wanted to come back at some point, but just needed a break and some time to recover his sanity.

However, while in Canada, Daniel was threatened severely by his old unit (he was even told by an NCO that he could be executed for going AWOL) so he ended up staying in Canada for several years.

While in Canada, he became very isolated and saw few people other than his girlfriend. When they broke up, things got really bad and he tried to kill himself. He was stopped (the police came after his downstairs
neighbors reported blood dripping from their ceiling) and at frst hospitalized and then later incarcerated. He was later released from jail but due to his suicidality he reported back to the police and told them he wanted to be deported to the US.

The Canadian authorities did take Daniel back into custody but wouldn?t release him due to their concerns over his safety, so Daniel called the US embassy and asked for their assistance. Daniel was then deported to the US, where he was immediately taken into custody and transported to Colorado. He has been sitting in the county jail in Colorado Springs ever since, and has been on suicide watch pretty much the whole time.
Daniel is an intelligent, articulate man, but he is deeply troubled. Unfortunately the Army and the CJC (the county jail) have refused to give him the mental health care that he needs, so his mental health situation has
declined.

Also, I should add that Robin Long (the first US war resister from the Iraq war to be deported from Canada) met Daniel in jail. If it weren’t for Robin finding Daniel behind bars, Daniel likely would not have any civilian legal assistance or attention.

** How you can help Daniel **

For Daniel?s defense, I am raising funds to cover my expenses and those of Bill Durland?s (who has been invaluable to me as local counsel). At this point, we are short about $1000 of what is needed.

You can donate directly on my website (www.girightslawyer.com) or if you need the tax deduction you can send donations by check to the

Oklahoma Center for Conscience
504 NE 16th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73104.

(The fiscal sponsor of OCC is Joy Mennonite Church of Oklahoma City.)

Also, supporters in the Colorado Springs area are welcome to attend the trial. Please contact me for more information and directions.

–
James Matthew Branum
www.girightslawyer.com – My law Firm website
www.joymennonite.org – Our church website
www.jmbzine.com – My Blog

Office phone: 866-933-ARMY (2769)
Mailing address: 1306 NW Sheridan Rd., #296, Lawton, OK 73505, USA

****************************************

James is against war, against the military, against serving in the military, however he helps service members with any legal problems they may encounter often at cost.? You know what’s really strange.? People who support the war, believe in the military and believe others should serve in the military are willing to fly their flag and put a yellow ribbon on their bumper and that’s all the support they’ll give to the troops.? What does that mean, something to think about.? That’s like an Atheist man I know who is a member of a theological group and not only has he read the bible, but has actually studied it and concluded that there is a false Paul and a true Paul.? Two different Pauls causing a lot of confusion within the Christian Church.

Well anyways, donate if you can, especially if you claim to support the troops.

Thanks,

Roger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OKLAHOMA CITY ? Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Andrew Rice this afternoon called on Jim Inhofe to support immediate expulsion Alaska Senator Ted Stevens of his committee assignments in the U.S. Senate.? Stevens, the longest serving Republican Senator in United States history, was found guilty today on seven felony charges for making false statements on his financial disclosure forms.

“A U.S. Senator convicted of seven felonies should not be allowed to remain on committees that control and recommend the expenditure of taxpayer money,” Rice said. “Actions have consequences, and I call on Jim Inhofe to put Oklahoma taxpayers before his political party and urge Stevens be removed from those committees.”

Rice also called for Inhofe and Senators of both political parties to stand united in opposition to a pardon of Stevens by President Bush.

“Senator Stevens was found guilty by a jury of his peers, and a Bush pardon would send a signal that our elected officials in Washington are above the law,” Rice said.? “Enough is enough.? Oklahomans are tired of Washington being controlled by the special interests and greedy politicians who don’t know right from wrong.”

TULSA ? Despite what he said in tonight’s debate, Jim Inhofe has spent 22 years in Washington gutting health care services for Oklahoma seniors and the state’s most vulnerable citizens while voting in favor of privatization schemes that let big insurance companies decide who will have health care.

In tonight’s debate, the only solution Jim Inhofe offered to bring down health care costs and cover the 45 million Americans who are uninsured was to reign in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Sen. Andrew Rice said in tonight’s debate that his proudest accomplishment in the legislature was State Senate passage of Steffanie’s Law.? Steffanie’s Law would require insurance companies to cover routine medical costs for patients enrolled in clinical trials.? The bill is named after Steffanie Collings, a young woman from Noble who lost her battle to brain cancer this March.? After Steffanie enrolled in a clinical trial ? which offered her only chance to survive ? her family accumulated $400,000 in debt when the Collings’ insurance company refused to continue covering basic medical care unrelated to the clinical trial.

Sen. Andrew Rice also successfully crafted legislation in Oklahoma to expand eligibility for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, allowing 38,000 more Oklahoma children to be covered, while Jim Inhofe was voting against federal funding for the children’s health insurance program (SCHIP) three times. [H.R. 976, 8/2/07 & 9/27/07]

Inhofe also voted three times in July to cut Medicare payments to doctors by 10 percent, which would have made it impossible for many doctors across Oklahoma to accept Medicare patients for lack of reimbursement.? And Inhofe voted to raise the Medicare eligibility age by two years, which would leave tens of thousands of Oklahoma seniors without the healthcare they depend on.? [H.R. 6331, 7/9/08 & 7/15/08]

Karina Henderson
Rice for US Senate
www.andrewforoklahoma.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inhofe sells out to Wall Street, Oklahoma pays the price

Now that the bailout bill will become law, it’s important to
remember how we got here. Ironically, Jim Inhofe says, ‘Follow the money trail.’

OKLAHOMA CITY ? With today’s vote in the U.S. House, the Wall Street bailout bill will now be sent to President Bush for his signature.? It is important that we learn from this sad moment in our nation’s history, and remember how we ended up in this position.?

How did we get here?

In an interview on KTOK radio on Sept. 24, Jim Inhofe said the following: “[Y]ou could sort out the ones that are responsible, which is not hard to do if you follow the money trail?”

The money trail leads directly to Jim Inhofe.

During his 22 years in Washington, Jim Inhofe has taken more than $1.3 million from Wall Street, and in turn, has given Wall Street executives free reign to do whatever they like.?

“Jim Inhofe has taken $1.3 million from the financial industry that he believes doesn’t need oversight,” said Geri Prado, campaign manager to Rice for U.S. Senate. “He has taken no responsibility for this economic crisis, even though it happened on his watch and as a result of his governing philosophy.? Now, he offers no solutions.”

Legislation supported by Jim Inhofe, and championed by Inhofe’s mentor, former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, gutted oversight of financial institutions and turned a blind eye to Wall Street abuses.

Giving the very wealthy and the big corporate interests whatever they want has real consequences for the whole country.? Whether it’s billions in tax breaks for Big Oil, looting Medicare for insurance and pharmaceutical companies, or eliminating oversight and rules in the mortgage and financial sectors, Jim Inhofe’s economic philosophies have put Oklahoma families in a real bind.?

• Inhofe Received More than $1.3 million from Wall Street.? As of July 9, 2008, the date of Inhofe’s most recent campaign finance filing, Jim Inhofe reported accepting $1,349,052 in contributions from the financial services industry.? [www.opensecrets.org]

?

• Financial Modernization Act Paved the Way for Wall Street Crash. ?Last month, the Washington Post reported that by eroding government oversight of Wall Street, the Financial Modernization Act of 1999 “helped pave the way for companies such as AIG and Lehman Brothers to become behemoths laden with bad loans and investments.” [WaPo, 9/17/08]

?

• Inhofe Voted in Favor of the Financial Modernization Act.? Jim Inhofe has fought government oversight of Wall Street for 22 years in Washington, including voting in favor of the FMA. [Senate Vote #354, 11/4/99]

?

• Inhofe called Phil Gramm “an institution,” “the ideas man,” and said, when Gramm’s on the floor, “he takes notes.”? Inhofe also had Phil Gramm campaign for him in his 1994 race for U.S. Senate.? [Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6/15/1998; National Journal's Congress Daily, 9/7/2001; The Oklahoman, 9/8/1994]

If it smells like sh*t; If it looks like sh*t: If it feels like sh*t; If it tastes like sh*t, well then, it must be sh*t.

What I’m trying to say is, Mary Fallin, Jim Inhofe and Andrew Rice all agree, It’s sh*t. Because when Andrew Rice agrees with Inhofe, it must be a fact one cannot deny.

What I’m talking about is the bail out plan, now being called the rescue plan. Just who are we rescuing? THE RICH from taking a loss, actually giving back the money they took from us charging us interest on money they never had to begin with.

Inhofe voted no and this is what Andrew Rice has to say:

http://andrewforoklahoma.com/newsroom_details.asp?id=1233

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rice: ‘Bill not strong enough’
Rice says “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008″ does not go far enough in limiting executive compensation for corporations receiving a taxpayer bailout, and does nothing to fix the broken system that led to the crisis in the first place.

OKLAHOMA CITY ? State Sen. Andrew Rice, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, said today that Congress should continue working to strengthen the financial bailout plan to ensure that Wall Street faces consequences for reckless investments and taxpayers reap rewards for bailing them out.

Rice said that, as U.S. Senator, he would only support a plan that includes: Meaningful oversight; a Stake for Taxpayers; and Hard Limits on Executive Compensation. Unfortunately, the final version of the bill that was released to the public Sunday does little to limit executive compensation for firms accepting a taxpayer bailout. In fact, the primary effect may be merely to decrease the amount such companies can deduct from their taxes for executive pay from $1 million to $500,000. Furthermore, the bill does nothing to fix the broken system that allowed abusive and reckless loans, an explosion of risky investments and poorly understood financial instruments, and other excesses.

“This bill gives too much away to the people who created these problems without guaranteeing that it won’t happen again,” Rice said. “Any bill would need to require much tougher consequences for Wall Street in order to earn my support.”

Rice believes that if the Bush Administration and Congress are going to ask American taxpayers to foot a $700 billion bill to bail out financial institutions and the privileged few, the least our leaders in Washington can do is ensure executives are not rewarded for their failures.

“Taxpayer dollars should not be used to line the pockets of the corporate executives who helped create these problems,” Rice said. “A message must be sent to Wall Street that reckless speculation and greed will no longer be rewarded.”

According to Bloomberg News, the top five firms on Wall Street paid out more than $3 billion to top executives in the past five years. All of those executives worked at firms that were involved in selling the mortgage-backed securities at the heart of the current crisis.

Much of this economic crisis is the result of policies supported by Jim Inhofe during his 22 years in Washington. Inhofe repeatedly blocked legislation and measures that would have provided oversight of our financial markets and stopped predatory lenders and institutions from recklessly gambling Oklahoma’s economic future.

An example of one such policy that has been particularly devastating was a 1999 bill, which Jim Inhofe supported, called the Financial Modernization Act. The act repealed the New Deal era law that kept commercial and investment banks separate.

And Mary Fallin:

September 30, 2008

Dear Mr. Harkness:

Thank you for contacting me about ongoing efforts to confront the crisis in our financial system. I share your deep concerns over this crisis. First, rest assured that Congress and the administration are continuing to work to develop legislation that will be both effective and prudent – and I am working with my colleagues in the House to that end. Our goal is to craft a bill that addresses both the immediate crisis and assures stability and responsibility in the out years. It is also absolutely vital that this legislation protects the taxpayers.

After much deliberation, I voted against the initial bill presented to the House on Monday, September 29. I felt – as did 227 other representatives from both parties – that the bill contained serious flaws and that it failed to shield taxpayers from being placed in a position of underwriting a massive bailout of organizations that had acted unwisely and irresponsibly. Our goal should not be a bailout; it needs to focus on a productive workout, plus reforms that will prevent such a crisis from happening again. As your representative, I cannot in good conscience sign a blank check without appropriate safeguards and assurances that those funds will return to the treasury once the crisis has passed.

In the end I agreed with the overwhelming majority of Fifth District residents who contacted me to express their views. They believe that government has a duty to act, but not at the expense of basic principles like common-sense financial discipline and individual responsibility. Our work is not yet done here in Washington, but I am confident we will be able to craft a bill that protects taxpayer interests and preserves the fiscal integrity and continued freedom of our financial markets.

Sincerely,

Mary Fallin
Member of Congress

I’m very disappointed that Obama voted for this bill and I don’t know now if I can now with a good conscience vote for him for president, it is VERY DISAPPOINTING.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rice: Unlike Inhofe, Coburn pushing for bipartisan solutions to financial crisis

Rice challenges Inhofe to support three guiding principles to protect Oklahomans

OKLAHOMA CITY ? With Jim Inhofe still watching from the sidelines as Congress debates a proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout, moments ago Oklahoma’s junior senator, Tom Coburn, said in a speech on the Senate floor, “We’ve got to do what’s right ? and we should not leave here until this is solved.” Coburn even contacted Sen. Barack Obama Wednesday to suggest Obama and Sen. John McCain issue a joint statement that might break the partisan gridlock surrounding an economic recovery plan.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Rice on Wednesday said, “Two days ago I called a press conference on this crisis and recognized Senator Coburn for saying, ‘Congress has known about these problems for years, but did nothing because [they] were so obsessed with short-term politics … to do the hard work of oversight and reform that was necessary to avert this mess.’”

“I couldn’t agree with Senator Coburn more, and I commend him for his leadership in working to find a bipartisan solution to this crisis.”

“My office has received many calls and emails from outraged Oklahomans upset that they are being asked to pay for the abuses and failures of Wall Street, this Administration, and those in Congress who turned a blind eye,” Rice said. “Count me among the angriest of Oklahomans.”

Rice said that if Jim Inhofe is unable to provide leadership for Oklahoma, he will, adding that if he were in the U.S. Senate, he would only support a bailout plan that included the following three provisions to protect Oklahomans:

1. Meaningful oversight. “We must have responsible regulators who will hold investment bankers accountable and not look the other way while the fox invades the hen house.”

2. Taxpayers get a stake. “If every Oklahoma family is paying $10,798 for this bailout, they deserve to share in the benefits when and if these financial institutions get back on their feet.”

3. Limits on executive compensation. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used as golden parachutes that line the pockets of the corporate executives who created these problems.

Oklahoma City University Distinguished Speakers Series
Wangari Maathai (of Kenya), Recipient of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize
SPEAKING:
7:30 p.m: Wednesday, October 1, 2008
NW 27th Street and Florida Avenue
(Freede Wellness and Activity Center)

“Environment, Democracy and Peace: A Critical Link”

Wangari Muta Maathai, recipient of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, is recognized worldwide for her work for democracy, human rights, and the environment. The daughter of farmers from Mount Kenya, Maathai is the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctoral degree. She has taught at universities throughout the world and founded Kenya?s Green Belt Movement, through which women?s groups have helped to conserve the environment and improve quality of life by planting more than 30 million trees. At least half a dozen African countries have started similar programs.

Maathai has chaired the National Council of Women of Kenya, served on the U.N. Commission for Global Governance and the Commission on the Future, was elected to Kenya?s Parliament, and was appointed as Assistant Minister for the Environment. She has been named a Top 100 Eco-Hero, one of the 100 Heroines of the World, and one of the 100 people who made an environmental difference. Time magazine named her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and Forbes named her one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. In 2006, she received the Legion d?Honneur, France?s highest honor. She has received honorary degrees from many institutions, including Yale University and Williams College.

She has written two books: her autobiography, Unbowed, 2006), and The Greenbelt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience (2002).

Prepare yourself for Maathai?s lecture. Don?t miss the screening of Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai, the 2008 documentary film by Lisa Merton and Alan Dater. The film will be shown in Kerr- McGee Auditorium at the Meinders School of Business, NW 27th and McKinley, 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30.

Act Quickly!

Roger, your poem Men Are Only Good When They Die From War is currently ranked as a finalist and you only need 20 votes to be eligible to win! We are proud to show your work on our website and you should be proud to share your talent with everyone you know. Have your loved ones show their support by voting for your poem and helping you achieve your goal of being recognized in the poetry industry. Get all your friends and family to vote for Men Are Only Good When They Die From War and you could win the next $25 VISA gift card from Poetry.com. We’ve already awarded over $20,000 in prizes and hope that your poem will earn you the next prize. Time is running out before the next winner is announced! Make sure you forward this link to all your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to get the 20 votes it takes to win! Some poems entered in this contest have even been selected for further publication in hardbound anthologies or the quarterly poetry magazine, Poetry Today. Just imagine . . . not only could your poem win a prize in this contest, but you may get the chance to see your work in print.

I wrote this a couple years ago:

Men Are Only Good When They Die From War
by: Roger Harkness

Men have hands
But cannot touch
Arms
But cannot hold
Hearts
But cannot feel
For this
They are bad
Men are only good
When they die
From War
For this reason
No boy will ever strive to be a passionate man
Rather
Boys
Play war

Inhofe refutes global warming. He references the farmers almanac:

So all you scientists who believe we are facing global warming – TAKE THAT.

But I think we should ask, is the the farmers almanac always right? Are most of the scientist always wrong? Should we keep Inhofe in office? I ask that you pray on it. Because you know, if global warming is real and we are ignoring it, we are killing our potential grand children.