Chain Letter to America: Elections Coming P. 2 Don’t Say Chick-fil-A Wasn’t Personal! P. 3 Peace Education Institute - News Updates P. 4 ALERTS & Announcements Page Five P. 5 Human Trafficking in Oklahoma! P. 7 History of Conscientious Objection, America P. 8 MEET OKLA’s CANDIDATES & VOTE SMART P. 11 Inside this issue: FORUM on State Question 759, Thurs- day, Sept. 20, 6 pm, in OKC — Page 5 International Day of Peace Celebration, Friday, Sept. 21, in OKC — Page 3 RALLY: Women’s Voices, Values, & Votes, Mon., Sept. 24, in OKC — Page 9 PEACE FESTIVAL 2012, Sunday, Nov. 11, in OKC, 11am to 5 pm, Civic Center Hall of Mirrors. Save the Date — Page 2 “Peace is not just the absence of violence, but the presence of justice.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. SEPT./OCT. 2012 THE PEACE HOUSE 2912 N. Robinson Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Address Service Requested Non-profit U.S. Postage Paid Okla. City, OK 73125 Permit No. 1096 Interfaith IFTAR Dinner for Understanding Among Faiths The Oklahoma State Capitol was the site for an Interfaith IFTAR dinner, August 1st. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are called to fast between sun-up and sun-down, breaking each day’s fast with a meal called Iftar. Some 150 guests attended the dinner, representing Christian, Jewish, and other faith traditions in addition to Islam. Welcoming comments were made by State Senators Tom Ivester and John Sparks, and Representative Emily Virgin. Father Sami Chaaya spoke on behalf of Catholic Archbishop Paul Coakley whose family had a medical emergency. Rabbi Abby Jacobson of Emanuel Synagogue shared remarks about fasting in the Jewish tradition. Keynote speaker was Dr. Robert Henry, President of Oklahoma City University, who warmly recalled the great similarities of the faiths represented. Final remarks were offered as a prayer before the meal by the Imam of the Is- lamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City Imad Enchassi. Then, bottles of water were handed out to everyone (fasting includes no water!). The meal and evening were a model of interfaith support and solidarity. The friendship and peace at the Capitol that night were palpable. ///// The State Capitol Rotunda was the site of the Interfaith IFTAR Dinner.
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Page 1, OPS , Sept-Oct 2012
Chain Letter to America: Elections Coming P. 2
Don’t Say Chick-fil-A Wasn’t Personal! P. 3
Peace Education Institute - News Updates P. 4
ALERTS & Announcements Page Five P. 5
Human Trafficking in Oklahoma! P. 7
History of Conscientious Objection, America P. 8
MEET OKLA’s CANDIDATES & VOTE SMART P. 11
Inside this issue:
FORUM on State Question 759, Thurs-
day, Sept. 20, 6 pm, in OKC — Page 5
International Day of Peace Celebration,
Friday, Sept. 21, in OKC — Page 3
RALLY: Women’s Voices, Values, &
Votes, Mon., Sept. 24, in OKC — Page 9
PEACE FESTIVAL 2012, Sunday, Nov.
11, in OKC, 11am to 5 pm, Civic Center
Hall of Mirrors. Save the Date — Page 2
“Peace i s not just the
absence of v io lence,
but the presence
of just ice .”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
SEPT. /OCT. 2012 THE PEACE HOUSE 2912 N. Robinson Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Address Service Requested
Non-profit
U.S. Postage Paid Okla. City, OK
73125 Permit No. 1096
Interfaith IFTAR Dinner for Understanding Among Faiths
The Oklahoma State Capitol was the site for an Interfaith
IFTAR dinner, August 1st. During the month of Ramadan,
Muslims are called to fast between sun-up and sun-down,
breaking each day’s fast with a meal called Iftar. Some 150
guests attended the dinner, representing Christian, Jewish,
and other faith traditions in addition to Islam.
Welcoming comments were made by State Senators Tom
Ivester and John Sparks, and Representative Emily Virgin.
Father Sami Chaaya spoke on behalf of Catholic
Archbishop Paul Coakley whose family had a medical
emergency. Rabbi Abby Jacobson of Emanuel Synagogue
shared remarks about fasting in the Jewish tradition.
Keynote speaker was Dr. Robert Henry, President of
Oklahoma City University, who warmly recalled the great
similarities of the faiths represented. Final remarks were
offered as a prayer before the meal by the Imam of the Is-
lamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City Imad Enchassi.
Then, bottles of water were handed out to everyone
(fasting includes no water!). The meal and evening were a
model of interfaith support and solidarity. The friendship
and peace at the Capitol that night were palpable. ///// The State Capitol Rotunda was the site of the Interfaith IFTAR Dinner.
Page 2, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
CO
MM
EN
TA
RY
Oklahoma Peace Strategy News is produced by The Peace House in Oklahoma City. It has been published since 1983. It is writ-ten, compiled, typeset, com-posed, labeled, and mailed by volunteers. Letters to the Editor and articles submitted for publication are welcome. They must be signed with a phone number and ad-dress for the author; however, requests for anonymous publica-tion will be considered. OPS News reserves the right to edit for space and to refuse publica-tion of statements that are libel-ous or unsubstantiated. Send to: The Peace House 2912 N. Robinson Okla. City, OK 73103
U.S. Representatives (OK) Dist 1: John Sullivan (Tul) DC Tel: (202) 225-2211
DC Fax: (202) 225-9187
Tulsa ofc: (918) 749-0014
Dist 2: Dan Boren (Musk) DC Tel: (202) 225-2701
DC Fax: (202) 225-3038
Muskogee: (918) 687-2533
Dist 3: Frank Lucas (W. OKC) DC Tel: (202) 225-5565
DC Fax: (202) 225-8698
OKC Ofc: (405) 373-1958
Dist 4: Tom Cole (Nrm & S.) DC Tel: (202) 225-6165
DC Fax: (202) 225-3512
Norman Ofc: (405) 329-6500
Dist 5: James Lankford (OKC) DC Tel: (202) 225-2132
DC Fax: (202) 226-1463
OKC Ofc: (405) 234-9900
Contact one or more of them
today!
Don't “Iraq” Iran: Tell Congress and the President: Don't Choose
War. Ten years ago, we were told that war with Iraq was imperative to protect the United
States from weapons of mass destruction. Our country supported devastating sanctions against
Iraq before we invaded that country, leading to a war that cost hundreds of billions of dollars,
the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and 4,000 US soldiers.
The pretext for war with Iran is again “weapons of mass destruction”. But U.S. and Israeli intelli-
gence officials agree that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, and the former Chief of Internal Security
for Israel warns: “Attacking Iran will encourage them to develop a bomb.”
Choosing to go to war racks up human and financial costs in the trillions and requires decades to repair
physical, psychological and political damage.
Contact Congress Members and the White House to demand non-military solutions to resolving issues with
Iran.
Climate Change / Global Warming: Urge your Rep. to support
H.Res. 672. Step One: Acknowledge the Crisis is Real. Congress has failed to address
one of the most serious problems facing the world: the profound changes to the Earth's climate
caused by human activities. Virtually all climatologists align with the science indicating that
the primary cause of global warming is the release of heat-trapping gases from human activi-
ties. Some members of Congress and candidates openly question whether climate change is even a threat, de-
spite the overwhelming consensus in the scientific community about the dangers that it poses.
Rep. Jim Moran (VA) has introduced legislation, H.Res. 672, acknowledging the basic premise that human
activity contributes to climate change, that its impacts will be harmful if those activities are unabated, and asks
Representatives to commit to discussing and considering solutions. We believe that this resolution will put
Congress on record vis a vis the reality of climate change and help make it an election year issue.
Contact your Rep and urge them to cosponsor H. Res. 672.
Stop the Pebble Mine. The proposed pebble mine (for gold, copper and molybdenum)
may be the greatest corporate assault on Americas natural heritage that no one's ever heard of.
The Natural Resources Defense Council calls it the worst project they've ever seen. It would
disrupt Alaska’s largest salmon spawning grounds and spew some 10 billion tons of mining
waste, laced with toxic chemicals, that must be held back forever by massive earthen dams up
to 50 stories tall-all in an active earthquake zone. Pebble Mine is an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
For more information and to sign the petition, please visit: www.stoppebble.org
A public FORUM in OKC on State Question 759 will alert women
and minorities about the consequences of passing a measure that will appear on all state ballots in the Novem-
ber elections. Organizers say that, if passed, SQ 759’s impact will be negative for women and minorities.
The Forum is scheduled for 6 pm to 7 pm, on Thursday, September 20, with Q & A to follow, at the
OKC Campus of Langston University, 4205 N. Lincoln Blvd. Doors open at 5:30.
“Oklahoma’s affirmative action policies encourage but do not mandate fair treatment of women and minori-
ties by state agencies,” said Garland Pruitt, President of the Oklahoma City Branch of the NAACP. Tamya
Cox, former Legislative Counsel for the ACLU of Oklahoma, urges Oklahomans to vote “No” on S.Q. 759.
MC for the evening will be Dr. Robyn Meyers of Mayflower Congregational UCC. Speakers include Dr. Martha
Skeeters, Associate Professor in the Women’s & Gender Studies Program at O.U.; Marilyn Luper Hildreth, lifetime civil
rights advocate and Oklahoma City “sit inner”; Bob Anderson, retired Equal Opportunity Officer for the Dept. of Envi-
ronmental Quality; Ruben Aragon, Executive Director of the Latino Community Development Agency; David Wilson,
Conference Superintendent of the OK Indian Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church; and Lawrence
Ware, Professor and Lecturer, Oklahoma State University.
Page 6, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE.
Recycling is one of the important things we can do to preserve our
planet. Each day, more than 100 million Americans participate in recycling
used and old materials in their household and offices.
Enlightened people know that recycling conserves resources, reduces
pollution, saves energy, and extends landfill life. Perhaps we can all en-
courage our neighbors to participate in municipal recycling programs. As
Sierra Club reminds us, “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.”
The National Recycling Coalition has put together a list the top ten
most important items to recycle.
#1: Aluminum. Aluminum cans are 100 percent recyclable and can
also be recycled over and over again. Even better, recycling aluminum
saves 95% of the energy required to make brand new aluminum products.
#2: PET Plastic Bottles. Americans will buy about 25 billion single-
serving bottles of water this year, according to the Container Recycling
Institute. Worse, nearly 80% of those bottles go to a landfill. Let’s put a
stop to that. Making plastic out of recycled resources uses about two-thirds
less energy than making new plastic. Better yet, don’t use plastic “throw-
always”. Tap water is reliable and personal water bottles are everywhere.
#3: Newspaper. According to the Environmental Protection Agency,
paper makes up about one-third of the the municipal waste stream in the
U.S. That’s a lot of paper, and since we know that recycling all that paper
conserves resources, saves energy, and doesn’t clog up the landfills, there’s
every reason to do it.
#4: Corrugated Cardboard. Old corrugated cardboard (OCC) repre-
sents a significant percentage of the commercial solid waste stream. In
1996, the U.S. generated 29 million tons of OCC, or 13.8% of our munici-
pal waste stream. Approximately 90% of that comes from the commercial
or non-residential sector, the places where we work. So next time UPS de-
livers a big box to your office, be sure to break it down and recycle it.
(OKC’s “blue boxes” do not take cardboard. Industries do recycle card-
board. Individuals must be creative.)
#5: Steel cans. Like aluminum, steel products can be recycled over
again without compromising the quality of the steel. We’re talking about
steel cans, but maybe you have some steel auto parts or appliances ready
for recycling too? More than 80 million tons of steel are recycled each year
in North America, and recycling steel saves the equivalent energy to power
18 million households a year. Learn more about steel recycling by visiting
the Steel Recycling Institute website.
#6: HDPE plastic bottles (HDPE stands for high-density polyethyl-
ene, a common and more dense plastic, which is used for detergents,
bleach, shampoo, milk jugs.) HDPE plastics are identified by the logo on
the bottom of the container. (Three arrows in the shape of a triangle.)
Check the number inside that logo: numbers 1 and 2 are recyclable almost
everywhere, but 3 through 7 are only recyclable in limited areas. Don’t
forget to rinse your HDPE containers; remaining dirt or food particles can
contaminate the recycling process.
#7: Glass containers. Recycling glass saves 50% of the energy to pro-
duce virgin glass, and recycling just one glass container saves enough en-
ergy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours. Recycled glass generates 20%
less air pollution and 50% less water pollution, and one ton of glass made
from 50% recycled materials saves 250 pounds of mining waste. Wow!
The Respect Diversity Art & Poetry Contest is a statewide project of the
Respect Diversity Foundation. Students from across Oklahoma study the
value of diversity in their lives and create works of art. These works will
be displayed in the spring of 2013. Visit www.respectdiversity.org for
more information and to sign up for this free event. Everyone is welcome.
Top 10 Most Important Items To Recycle
by Judy Molland
LEAPS & BOUNDS
Friday, November 16
Church of the Open Arms
3131 N. Penn, Oklahoma City
The Affording Hope Project presents Leaps and Bounds, a one woman
show which explores the intersection of faith, ecology, and the global
economy. Developed and performed by Tevyn East, The Affording Hope
Project accesses the transformative power of art to inspire faith communi-
ties to be a prophetic witness to alternative economic systems of
sufficiency and solidarity.
#8: Magazines and #9: Mixed paper. Recycling paper saves 60%
of the energy used to produce virgin paper, and also generates 95% less
air pollution. Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons
of water.
#10: Computers. Computers can be recycled in a couple of ways, de-
pending on the state of the machine. Giving old, working computers to
friends and family members or donating them to nonprofit organizations
not only keeps the computer entirely out of the waste stream, but presents
computer access to someone who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
Remember, if you Reduce and Reuse, you will have less to Recycle!
Page 7, OPS , Sept-Oct 2012
The world of human trafficking is a world unknown to most people.
Living in Oklahoma, it’s very easy to overlook problems that don’t affect
us personally. It’s also hard to care about problems that we don’t see on
the news or hear about all the time. Unfortunately for the victims of sex
trafficking, that is exactly the problem. Most people just aren’t aware.
Oklahoma may seem like a place where this wouldn’t happen, but un-
fortunately, the incidence of trafficking here is very high. In 2003, Okla-
homa was listed as one of the states with the highest number of trafficking
survivors receiving federal aid. In 2009, the FBI brought down the largest
sex trafficking ring in the Southwest, which included Oklahoma.
Human trafficking can mean many different things. By definition it is
a “modern form of slavery where people profit from the control and exploi-
tation of others.” In terms of sex trafficking, the average age of entry into
the sex industry is 12-14 years old. In 2010 it was reported that there were
over 100 child sex trafficking cases in Oklahoma but that the state lacked
the financial means to deal with them all. People are not willing to pay for
things that they know nothing about, and until we can open our eyes to the
things going on in our own state, those cases may remain unsolved.
In 2009, the State Department named the US as the number one desti-
nation for child sex trafficking in the world. How does Oklahoma fit into
this? In 2010, the top cities for child sex trafficking were Houston, Las
Vegas, and Atlanta, in first second and third place respectively. Looking at
a map of the US, Oklahoma falls on a very important intersection of traf-
ficking lines. I-35, I-40 and I-44 are the routes in and out of this state to
the south, east and west. Highways have always been vital in the transpor-
tation of goods, and in this instance, the goods are human beings.
There are several organizations committed to fighting trafficking
in the United States. Oklahoma-based groups that you can look into for
answers to questions, to voice concerns, or to make donations include
OATH. OATH, or Oklahomans Against Human Trafficking, was founded
in 2008 by a concerned group of individuals wishing to spread awareness.
Since then, OATH has grown into a statewide community of people de-
voted to ending human trafficking. In April of this year, the first Okla-
homa Proclamation dedicated to protecting human rights and fighting hu-
man trafficking was signed by Governor Fallin.
Another group is No Boundaries, a ministry group based in Edmond.
No Boundaries has been featured on the news as members interact with
prostitutes in Oklahoma, praying with them and letting them know that
there are other options available for their lives. For more information
about these groups, go to www.OathCoalition.com and www.nbint.org.
In October, two students at UCO will be showcasing a performance
piece entitled VOICED: The Real Story of Prostituted Women, a harsh
look at the realities and struggles victims of sex trafficking must face. The
play provides a chance to view a world that has been hidden from them,
even though it’s happening right on our own streets. Throughout the play,
victims finally have a chance to speak on their own behalf, instead of the
media’s sometimes one dimensional portrayals of them. The audience will
be challenged to see the victims as people, and not as a news headline.
Claudia Fain, a Musical Theater Major at the University of Central
Oklahoma decided to make a statement that she hopes will impact the
Oklahoma community. When asked about her reason for creating the piece
she said, "When I found out
about the horrifying truth of sex
trafficking in Oklahoma, I HAD
to do something about it. There
was no question; I became ob-
sessed with wanting to make a
difference. I hope this reaches a
wide range of of people, and
makes them want to help and
stop this nightmare."
Claudia reached out to her
friend Summer Nolan, a Theater
Performance Major at UCO to
help bring the play to life. Summer was more than willing to help. “It’s an
opportunity to use the art I love to give back to the Oklahoma community,
and to raise awareness about a subject that’s so important. Claudia and I
wanted to be able to give a voice to prostituted women who aren’t able to
share their stories themselves. That’s what VOICED is about.” Premiering
October 19th for two nights only, VOICED will be a powerful event that is
sure to open the eyes of those who watch it. A teaser is provided below.
Come out to witness this performance which will be the first of its kind on
this subject matter for Oklahoma. Come out and support this step forward
in the fight against human trafficking.
VOICED: The Real Story of Prostituted Women,
by Claudia Fain and Summer Nolan
October 19-20, Pegasus Theatre,
UCO Liberal Arts Bldg., Free, 7:30 pm
VOICED is a student-written and directed show in-tended to raise awareness about prostituted women in the United States and Oklahoma specifically. Telling the graphic story of violence and danger involved in the sex trade it is a truly heart-wrenching story, but with these
haunting truths comes a ray of hope.
VOICED hopes to educate its audience and provide them with the opportunity to solve the problems of forced prostitution within the Oklahoma community, as well as
internationally.
Together we can end this form of modern slavery. Do-nations will be accepted on behalf of OATH and No
Boundaries. Intended for mature audiences.
Human Trafficking: A Voice for the Voiceless
by Nicholas Toscani
Page 8, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
The History of Conscientious Objection in America
by Moses Mast
The refusal to fight
in war as an act of con-
science has a long and
varied history in our
country. The first known
individuals on this conti-
nent who were what
could be called
“conscientious objec-
tors” were from certain
Native American tribes.
The Cheyenne are a peo-
ple who have a long tra-
dition of designating
certain of their chiefs to
be “peace chiefs,” a tra-
dition that continues to
this day. These chiefs
are practitioners and
teachers of peace and
are not to engage in
violence of any kind.
During the early
colonial period, some
of our ancestors -- led
by conscience -- could not participate in war and came to America in
order to avoid being drafted into the military. In the early wars in Amer-
ica, one could pay a fee instead of serving in the military. There was
also a time when one could hire another person to serve in your place.
These practices meant that the sons of the well-off did not usually fight,
while the poor were disproportionately affected, a precursor to today’s
“economic draft” where the same situation exists.
During World War I, our government made no provision for consci-
entious objectors. Regardless of their faith or position about war, they
were ordered to appear at their assigned base for service. The military
believed that with firm -- and many times harsh -- treatment, resisters
would consent to serve. It is likely some did give in to the pressure, but
many did not, and these young men were incarcerated and treated very
brutally, some so badly that they suffered serious trauma or died from
their wounds.
After this experience, Quakers and Mennonites, the historic peace
churches whose members were pacifists, negotiated with the govern-
ment for an alternative service, and it was at this time that the term
“conscientious objectors“ was coined.
In World War II, our government formed what they called civilian
public service. Conscientious objectors could serve in projects that were
considered for the public good, sometimes in very risky professions like
“smoke jumpers” who, when a forest fire was detected, would parachute
into the area and extinguish the
fire before it spread.
Others worked in national
parks. Others worked in build-
ing dams for flood control and
water conservation. Conscien-
tious objectors worked without
pay, with family or churches
contributing toward their living
expenses.
In the later years of this pe-
riod, conscientious objectors
were assigned to work in mental
hospitals. Mental hospitals were
seriously under-staffed and the
treatment of patients was appall-
ing. The young men that worked
there were disturbed by what
they saw and after the war be-
came involved in building new
facilities to care for mental pa-
tients and advocated for better
understanding and treatment of
the patients there.
After the war, the civilian public service work camps were discontin-
ued, and the Selective Service department designated alternative work
places for COs, such as public hospitals, that were providing for the com-
mon good. There, one could work just like any other employee, receiving a
paycheck and benefits. Churches also established community services like
day-care centers in neglected areas, home repair for the elderly, etc. In
these places one would serve as a volunteer. Many of our young men
chose to work in these places as volunteers instead of at paid jobs.
It is interesting that after the draft was discontinued, many of our
young men wanted to do “alternative service” as those before them had
and so volunteered at the same kind of work, even though it was no
longer necessary for CO status. Also of note is that many girls who were
never required to serve in the military also wanted to do public service
and volunteered to work in these areas of human need.
////////
Speakers are available from the Oklahoma Center
for Conscience and Peace Research (see box)
Education/Outreach on Conscience and Military
Legal Services for Conscientious Objectors
Counter recruitment/peace education tools
War Resisters League affiliate
504 NE 15th St., OKC 73104 Phone 405.598.7362
centerforconscience.org
Vision and Action for Ending War
Moses Mast is on the Steering Committee of
the Oklahoma City Center for Conscience &
Peace Research. Pictured with his wife, Sadie,
who is also an intrepid worker in the Conscience
Objector movement.
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Page 9, OPS , Sept-Oct 2012
Gentler World; Women's Voices, Women's Values, Women's Vote is
an opportunity for Oklahoma citizens to come together in celebration of
the pioneering suffragettes whose dedication to the cause of women's
voting rights serves as an inspired example for all American women to-
day.
On the foundations which these courageous women laid, women in
the United States have empowered, educated and moved themselves into
strategic positions of leadership in business and politics. This elevation
and equalization of women's strengths is a necessary step in the natural
evolution of a healthier society.
On the eve of one of the most crucial presidential elections in our na-
tion's history, women's votes are needed more than ever. Somehow as a
nation we find ourselves teetering on the brink of a backwards slide in
progress, particularly in the area of women’s rights and empowerment.
How did we get to the point as a civilized nation that we are even dis-
cussing the revocation of a women's right to sovereignty over her own
reproductive functions? There seems to be an ever widening chasm be-
tween those who wish to foster a collective de-evolvement of society's
progress, and those who are choosing to champion a gentler and more co-
operative vision of our country.
Particularly in the Red states, including Oklahoma, there is a wide-
spread trend towards clinging to a patriarchal system of governance, in
which competitive, ego driven personalities are elected to key positions of
leadership, and somehow are being allowed to insert their "religious" be-
liefs into their political positions.
Studies have shown that men are biologically engineered to think and
lead in terms of competition rather than cooperation. The male neurobiol-
ogy may pre-condition men to use dominant and aggressive leadership
styles that do not enhance or support harmonious group efforts.
Conversely, women are naturally inclined to lead others toward mutu-
ality of goals, creating a sense of community, empowering subordinates
and listening effectively. Due to many factors, including cultural and re-
ligious conditioning and lower ego needs, many women remain quite un-
aware of the inner resources and gifts which they can uniquely offer to
leadership positions in society.
Key to the strength of a woman's character is her ability to empathize.
Empathy, the ability to relate to the emotional journey of another, is a
hallmark of a mature human being. We need more maturity, more empa-
thy, more listening, if we are to turn the corner as a society toward a hap-
pier, more cooperative existence.
Join us at the Gentler World Rally as we celebrate the strengths and
courage of women, those who have come before and those who lead us in
these difficult times.
In the words of his Holiness the Dalai Lama "The world will be
saved by the Western woman".
Women, stand up and make your voice heard for a Gentler World.
Eileen Hetherington, Project Coordinator, Gentler World
Gentler World Organizers
Eileen Hetherington organized the Million Mom March Rally at Lake
Hefner in Oklahoma City in 2000 with participation by the Peace House.
In coordination with MMM groups from Tulsa, she worked to lobby for
improved gun safety measures at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Her desire
to return to activism was re-ignited in January of 2012, when her beloved
daughter-in-law was killed by her husband in an act of gun violence in
the family home. Eileen is a Holistic Health Educator and Master Herb-
alist. In 2010, she founded Every Path, a networking and socializing sup-
port group for alternative health care practitioners. She has lectured at
OCU and other venues on the topic of Alternative Therapies in the Treat-
ment of Depression, and many other wellness topics.
Jesslynn Stull is the owner of Quantum Wellness, Inc. She is a licensed
medical massage therapist and is deeply invested in the health of Okla-
homa citizens, particularly women who are seeking answers as to alter-
native health options for preventive care. She currently serves on the or-
ganizational board of the Children's Miracle Network Hospital at
OUMED, and the Asian Chamber of Commerce for Oklahoma. In her
capacity as board member for these two organizations Jesslynn helps to
organize fundraisers, national telethons, newsletter columns and social
media promotions. As a local business owner for over thirteen years, she
has hosted client appreciation golf tournaments and organized the cater-
ing of banquets. She is a member of the Banyan Networking Group,
through which she coordinates speed networking luncheons and operat-
ing the referral program.
Belinda Ruffel has served on the Board of Lyric Theatre for ten years.
She is an active member of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition In addition,
she serves as a board member at Unity Spiritual Life Center in Oklahoma
City. In the early 1990's, she organized several education seminars for
spiritual and alternative health leaders such as Ram Dass, Deepak Cho-
pra and Dr. Andrew Weil on Martha's Vineyard. ////////
“A Gentler World” Rally
Women's Voices, Women's Values, Women's Vote
Monday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m., OKC Farmers’ Public Market, 311 S. Klein. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Page 10, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
Women in the Boardroom
are Good for Business
by Samantha F. Ravich
According to recent research, companies with women on their boards
perform better in volatile markets than those with all-male boards. Saman-
tha F. Ravich, co-chair of the National Commission for the Review of
R&D Programs in the Intelligence Community, explains why tech compa-
nies should take notice.
A new study reported by the Credit Suisse Research Institute analyzed
2,360 companies and found that firms with at least one woman on the board outperformed stocks with no women on the board by 26 per-cent. In the aftermath of the market crash of 2008, companies with women on their boards did even better comparatively. According to
the study, these companies delivered, “higher average ROEs through the
cycle, exhibit[ed] less volatility in earnings and typically [had] lower gear-
ing ratios [measurement of financial leverage].”
As Yilmaz Arguden explains in his Harvard Business Review blog
post, there are a number of explanations for these statistics: women help
ensure better corporate governance; women expand the knowledge base of
the market; and, opening the pool of board candidates to include women
ensures a wider pool of applicants from which to select the best. There is
probably truth to all of these reasons, but one need look no farther than
Solomon and Markowitz — diversification minimizes risk.
When all the opinions given around a boardroom are highly correlated,
potential risks and opportunities might be missed. It is no longer controver-
sial (if it really ever was) to suggest that women and men often see the
world differently — or at least they focus on and prioritize different as-
pects of the same event. Consequently, whether it is how to differentiate
one’s product in an oversaturated technology market, how best to allocate a
limited pool of research and development funds for potential future product
lines, or how to create a public engagement strategy around a particular
corporate action, adding the views of women to the board can produce a
larger possible solution set.
Just as no rational investor would purposely include the stock of a
failed company in their portfolio simply to diversify their holdings, board
selections must be made on merit. Unfortunately, the corporate pipeline
has not typically been filled with women. In the technology world, the
shortage is even more acute. According to a survey by the tech recruitment
group Harvey Nash, only 9 percent of chief information officers in the U.S.
are women. This is bad enough, but it’s even worse when one considers
that this number has gone down from 11 percent in 2011 and 12 percent in
2010. Perhaps that is one reason why more than 50 percent of IT compa-
nies do not have any women on their boards (see Credit Suisse Research
Institute report cited above), making technology companies among the
worst in board diversification.
Tech companies consider themselves ground breaking, innovative and
disruptive. Good attributes to be sure, but most board members and all
stock holders want those characteristics to yield higher sales, higher return
on invested capital and higher return on equity.
Technology companies would be wise to apply their nontraditional
mindsets to looking for potential female board members. They should look
beyond the traditional venues, such as colleagues of existing board mem-
bers, other similar boards and the traditional executive search firms. Do the
extra legwork — reach out to non-traditional networks, including the
growing number of professional associations for women who work in sci-
ence, technology, engineering and mathematics, and get in contact with
corporate directors associations for women. Firms should also consider of-
ten overlooked but potentially valuable disciplines that have a higher per-
centage of women, including business and strategy (to understand chal-
lenges from evolving markets) and behavioral sciences (to understand hu-
man behavior).
After all, what successful company willfully overlooks the opportu-
nity to outperform its competitors by 26 percent?
Samantha F. Ravich served as deputy national security advisor to former Vice President
Dick Cheney. She currently is the co-chair of the National Commission for the Review of
R&D Programs in the Intelligence Community and a senior advisor to The Chertoff
Group. The opinions expressed here are entirely her own.
How Gay Men Could
Donate Blood Safely
by Michael Hernandez
According to the American Red Cross (ARC), "Summer is one of the
most difficult times to recruit enough blood donors to meet the need.” A
solution is presented in a current petition, found at <tinyurl.com/6uofzju>
which proposes that men who have slept with men (MSM) are an untapped
source of willing blood donors.
In 1983 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented
its policy to ban MSM from giving blood. Many countries have enacted
policies more progressive than the FDA’s including Argentina, Australia,
Japan, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. (Cont’d, Page 14)
Americans Must Vote in November, 2012 Vote in Record Numbers.
Do what you can. The next President may appoint one, two,
or three Supreme Court Justices.
WE THE PEOPLE must protect:
The EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
The Clean Air Act
Women’s reproductive freedoms and choices
Worker’s rights to collective bargaining /unions
Personal sovereignty against government abuses
VOTER REGISTRATION can be done at any tag agency or County Election Board. -Help others get registered — Deadline October 12th - If you moved, you must re-register - If you haven't voted in a while, you may need to re-register. - To vote, you will need to have your Voter Registration Card or a photo I.D.
Page 11, OPS , Sept-Oct 2012
Meet The Candidates & Vote Smart — by Darla Shelden
Oklahoma Congressional House Candidates District 1 (Tulsa and surrounds: 3 choices.) District 1 - John Olson (D)
http://OlsonForOklahoma.com/home/
Healthcare: Affordable and accessible health care for all Americans
is a fundamental right. Although the current health care system is far
from perfect, we should undertake a bipartisan effort to reach the goal
of affordable health care. Elimination of waste and redundancies in cost are necessary to
make affordable care a reality.
Energy: Energy exploration and production in Oklahoma is essential to our economic
health. Natural gas is an important transition fuel as we move toward clean energy. En-
ergy independence is important for both economic vitality and national security. A critical
component to energy independence is the development of solar, wind, hydro and geother-
mal energies. Our use of oil is having a significant impact on the environment. Environ-
mental health and conservation is directly linked to our own health. It is our moral respon-
sibility to leave our children and grandchildren a clean and habitable world. Climate
change is not a myth nor is human contribution to that change. Common-sense initiatives
that reduce pollution should be pursued to improve the health of our land, water, air and
atmosphere. To further that effort, major pollutants must be monitored and regulated for
our health and safety.
Economy: The future of our economy requires that we do not overburden the nation with
debt. Economic heath requires fiscal discipline. I will push to balance the budget using an
approach that rebuilds a strong middle class. We must eliminate wasteful spending where
we find it. We should increase investments in the higher education and training in the high
-tech manufacturing industry. We must create economic incentives for companies to rein-
vest more than a trillion dollars of corporate money in the US manufacturing industry. We
must also push for significant tax reform in this country. We cannot balance the books of
this country on the backs of the middle class alone. We must simplify the tax code and
eliminate loopholes that allow giant corporations to pay a smaller share of the tax burden
than the average college student.
District 1 - Jim Bridenstine (R)
http://jimbridenstine.com/
Healthcare: I would vote to repeal and replace ObamaCare with a
more competitive and cost reducing system.
Energy: Energy reform should reduce our dependence on foreign oil
while increasing access to various forms of clean energy. To quickly
reduce our dependence on foreign oil, Congress should lift restrictions on clean drilling in
our own territory. Natural gas, wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal energy are viable al-
ternatives to crude oil, and the free market has the capacity to advance these technologies.
Cap and Trade legislation will tax fossil fuels, raise energy prices, and force consumers
into alternative fuels prematurely. Controlling markets in this fashion is not an appropriate
role of government and cripples the economy. While the environment should be protected
and global warming studied, global warming should not drive national energy policy with-
out clearer evidence.
Economy: Free markets, economic mobility, and equal opportunity are the drivers of
innovation, entrepreneurship, and capital formation. Every piece of legislation should
consider the impact on these drivers. Our national debt is at a record high of $14.6 trillion
and Congress continues to spend out-of-control. American Treasury Securities have lost
their AAA rating, which would normally place upward pressure on interest rates and exac-
erbate our national deficit. Instead, the Federal Reserve continues to print money and
purchase Treasury Securities to artificially bring their value up and corresponding interest
rates down. This increase weakens the value of the U.S. Dollar, making the United States
an unattractive place to invest money, start a business or grow a corporation. Joblessness
is the result. This cycle will only stop when the U.S Congress stops spending.
Education: I support local control of the educational process.
District 1- Craig Allen (I)
http://www.craigallenforcongress.com/
Allen’s Agenda: Moratorium on foreign aid, expose and eliminate
Fraud and waste of all tax dollars, health care reform, bring all troops
home from all foreign soil, stop the ongoing deterioration of the
working class and others. See website.
District 2 (Muskogee and NE OK. 3 choices) District 2 - Rob Wallace (D)
http://www.robwallace2012.com/
Jobs: Government doesn't create jobs, but it has a strong role to play in
Helping businesses create jobs. That starts by leveling the playing field
for small businesses so that our economic and tax system stops favoring
Wall Street over Main Street. Instead of bailing out banks and big
insurance companies that caused our economic stress, we need to help the people who
create 90% of the new jobs in this country - small businesses.
Economy: Our long-term economic stability depends on having a stable infrastructure -
with good roads and bridges, a sound electric grid, and 21st Century schools. By investing
in infrastructure we can also create good American jobs right now.
Education: I believe that Oklahoma workers can beat out any competition if given a fair
chance to succeed. To do that, we need to make sure that we are making smart invest-
ments in our workforce, to train and retrain Oklahoma workers for the jobs of the future.
District 2 - Markwayne Mullin – (R) http://www.mullinforcongress.com/
Energy
Domestic energy production is a matter of national security, and our state
plays a key role in establishing energy independence.
Healthcare
ObamaCare must be repealed. Ensuring access to quality, affordable
health care is one of America’s greatest challenges today. The free market will meet the
challenge if the government will get out of the way. We must cautiously seek comprehen-
sive reform that protects the solvency of Medicare and Medicaid.
Education
Parents should have final decision-making authority in the education of their children.
They know better than Washington, D.C., bureaucrats how to best educate their children.
Immigration
We must protect America’s borders to stop illegal immigration. Amnesty proposals should
be rejected. Penalties should be strengthened against illegal immigration and law enforce-
ment given the resources for enforcement
District 2 - Michael G. Fulks (I)
http://vote4ok.com/
Housing: As I write today (Nov 2011) the bottom of the falling prices has
not been found. Until loan originators can confidently assess the current
value of property loans will be hard to get and the market will continue to
stagnate. The only thing that will help is for more people to have sustainable jobs that pay
well enough for them to invest in homes. As demand increases, we will see a return to
stability – but not until then.
Financial Reforms: Why was Glass-Steagall repealed? It protected us from wild financial
gambles and prevented what happened in 2008. The Republicans and Democrats worked
together to create the very problems we now face. They were warned at the time that
banks would become “too big to fail” and result in a bailout.
Corporate Attack on our Rights: We are under a concerted attack designed to reduce us
to voiceless, powerless drones. The Republican Party is pushing to remove all rights to
organize our labor, to be heard in peaceful protest, and to raise our children in our choice
of faith. Our own Governor took away the right to collectively bargain if you happen to
work for a city. Democrats collude with these actions by ignoring them and following
their own agenda.
District 3 (Western Oklahoma. Two choices) District 3 - Timothy Ray Murray (D)
https://timmurrayforcongress.org/
Education: I believe Public and Higher Education must have the
resources for Our Students, the current shifting the burden to States
and Individuals will not work for our Nation’s future.
Jobs: I will lead in creating incentives for Businesses to improve solid new Job Growth
in All Tiers of the Job Market, not just the Service Job Market. I will put forth legislation
that will give Businesses incentives to create and fill new jobs that require (Cont’d pg.14)
Page 12, OPS, Sept-Oct 2012
VICTORY! NRC Supports NIRS (Nuclear Information and Resource
Service) — Denies License for Calvert Cliffs-3 Reactor
August 30, 2012. NIRS Headquarters: Great news! The NRC Atomic
Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) hearing the Calvert Cliffs-3 licensing
proceeding agreed with NIRS and DENIED a construction/operating li-
cense for that reactor. This is the culmination of a five-year battle that
started in 2007 when Calvert Cliffs-3 became the first new reactor applica-
tion in some 30 years--the flagship of the "nuclear renaissance."
Since then, NIRS has fought this project--which is on our doorstep--at
every possible venue. We intervened before the Maryland Public Service
Commission--twice. We helped form a grassroots alliance to oppose the
reactor--the Chesapeake Safe Energy Coalition, which lives on through
Baltimore's Crabshell Alliance. And with our partners at Public Citizen,
Beyond Nuclear, and Southern Maryland CARES, we intervened in the
NRC licensing process.
NIRS was the lead intervener in this case; the contention--that the Cal-
vert Cliffs-3 project violates the Atomic Energy Act's prohibition against
"foreign ownership, control or domination" of a U.S. reactor was written
by NIRS and litigated by NIRS. And we did it pro se--we couldn't afford a
lawyer so we did it ourselves. Hundreds and hundreds of hours of legal
work and research and writing briefs and appearances before the Board.
And, we won! We beat one of the nation's biggest nuclear law firms,
Winston and Strawn. We beat Electricite de France (EDF), Areva, and the
French government--the real power behind the Calvert Cliffs-3 project. We
beat the entire Maryland political establishment, which in 2007 was lined
up solidly behind this project (though many have been backing off their
support in recent times).
The ASLB not only denied the license application, it said that EDF is
not even eligible to apply for a license.
You can find much more information on this on the front page of our
website, including the ASLB decisions, our press statement, a timeline and
more.
We want to thank attorney Diane Curran for her invaluable advice, our
fellow interveners for their support and encouragement, and everyone who
has supported NIRS in any and every way. We raised no money whatso-
ever for the legal portion of this case. A lot of organizations would have
dropped the case for that reason alone. But we were confident we could
win--no way were we going to stop. We used your money--the money you
donate online or by mail--to pay our costs. So this is your victory too. We
couldn't have done it without your support.
We hope this encourages you to dig deep and give more now. This is
what we can accomplish. This is what your donations pay for: Victory.
With your support, we CAN build a nuclear-free, carbon-free future.
Thank you so much for all you do,
Michael Mariotte, Executive Director, Nuclear Information and Re-