Upcoming Memorial Day Holiday Honors Real Heroes

The nation pauses next Monday--Memorial Day--to remember the supreme sacrifices of America's fallen airmen, sailors, soldiers, Coast Guard, and Marines.

It's the men and women who are serving in America's military--many of whom have given their lives to secure our freedom--who are the real celebrities, heroes and heroines among us.

Memorial Day originated in 1865 in Waterloo, N.Y., where a local druggist, Henry Welles, wanted to honor the memory of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who had died in the Civil War. A customer, Union Army Brig. Gen. John Murray, learned of Welles' idea and helped him to organize the first citywide observance in Waterloo in 1866.

Soon thereafter, Maj. Gen. John Logan, pictured right, the founder of a prominent organization of Union veterans, would help to propel the day of recognition forward. Logan, who was Murray's friend and superior officer, picked May 30, 1868, as the day to honor the American soldiers who had died in the Civil War. Logan ordered local communities to join in Waterloo's celebration by scattering flower petals on the soldiers' graves. When President Ulysses S. Grant presided over a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery that same year, Decoration Day really gained public support.

After World War I, Decoration Day was expanded to include all fallen American soldiers. In 1954, the U.S. Congress renamed Decoration Day as Memorial Day. Memorial Day continued to be observed annually on May 30 until 1971, when Congress voted to designate Memorial Day an official federal holiday and, with President Richard Nixon's approval, moved its observance to the last Monday in May.

Father, thank you for the supreme sacrifices paid by all of America's fallen airmen, sailors, soldiers, Coast Guard, and Marines--lives which were freely given, but at great cost, to secure the blessings of Liberty for others. Through the death of the Saviour, your Son, Jesus, You know about such sacrifice. May the families of these American fallen know that their family members' lives were not taken in vain. May You be a true Father to all the fatherless and a caregiver for all the widows. And may their countrymen be truly grateful for their sacrifices. Amen.

Special Needs Scholarship Bill Heads to Gov. Henry

Yesterday, for the first time ever in Oklahoma, the state Senate approved HB 3393, a bill by Rep. Jason Nelson (R-Oklahoma City), which provides private-school scholarships for special needs students with disabilities. The vote in the Senate was 25-22.

The bill now goes to Gov. Brad Henry, and hopeful school choice proponents are anticipating that he will sign it into law.

For more information, click this link to a story on CapitolBeatOK.

Oklahoma House, Senate Override Another Gov. Henry Veto

Yesterday, the Oklahoma State Senate voted to override Gov. Brad Henry's veto of HB 3284, the Statistical Reporting of Abortions Act. The House had done the same thing late Monday.

So, unless the bill is challenged legally, it will take effect in 2012. The law requires that all women seeking an abortion must fill out a 37-question anonymous survey first prior to the abortion. The women's identity will remain confidential at all times. The law also requires abortionists to report to the state any medical complications from abortion which occur, thus shining the light of day on a deadly procedure, which in addition to needlessly taking an unborn child's life, also often harms young women in the process, sometimes causing sterility or even ending their life. What's the purpose behind the law?

This new law will give the state of Oklahoma and public health officials anonymous information about the reasons why women seek abortions. If abortion is truly to become a rare thing, as its supporters suggest it should be, then doesn't it make sense for government officials, policymakers, health officials, and citizens to better understand the demographic information and the various reasons why women seek abortion in the first place? Then, our state can seek to remedy some of those problems women face.

Of course, supporters of abortion rights claim Oklahoma is acting in a draconian way. They say the sky is falling, and women are being targeted unfairly by the ultrasound law and this Statistical Reporting of Abortions Act. The truth is -- Oklahoma is simply following the law as laid down in the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The Court affirmed a woman's right to abortion, but said the various states could, if they so chose, reasonably regulate access to abortion so long as the regulations did not pose an "undue burden" on women seeking abortion.

If a lawsuit against HB 3284 is filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York City, as they did recently against HB 2780, the ultrasound bill, then the litigation will likely center around whether or not what Oklahoma legislators are doing via these laws represents an "undue burden" to a woman's alleged constitutional right of access to abortion.

Oklahoma Voters to Vote on Obamacare

Lawmakers voted yesterday to give Oklahomans an opportunity to change the state constitution to opt out of a federal health care mandate requiring them to purchase expensive health care policies.


Senate Joint Resolution 59, by state Sen. Dan Newberry and state Rep. Mike Thompson, will appear on the Nov. 2 ballot and, if approved, would prohibit any penalty for failure to purchase insurance and allow doctors to continue to accept direct payment.

SJR 59 is based on American Legislative Exchange Council’s model Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act. The measure has already been enacted in statute form by the Virginia, Idaho, and Arizona legislatures, and constitutional amendments will appear on the Arizona and Florida ballots. Statutory measures have also passed one chamber in Missouri and Tennessee, and active citizen initiatives are underway in Colorado, Michigan, and Mississippi.

WSJ's Stephen Moore to Speak in OKC on Saturday

Stephen Moore, best-selling author, Fox News contributor, and editor at The Wall Street Journal, will be the keynote speaker this Saturday, May 22, at a fundraising dinner in Oklahoma City to benefit the Oklahoma chapter of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation.

AFP Oklahoma's director, Col. Stuart Jolly, tells us a private reception with Mr. Moore begins at 6 p.m. and the dinner follows at 6:30 inside the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, 1700 N.E. 63rd Street, Oklahoma City.

Table sponsorships are still available and individual tickets are $50 per person. An additional donation is required to attend the private reception.

For more information, and to register, visit http://www.soonerdinner.com/

Seating is limited.

Update on HJR 1054

The Oklahoma House of Representatives just overrode Gov. Henry's veto on HJR 1054. Now, the Senate will try to do the same.

Will Oklahomans Escape Obamacare?

Now that Gov. Brad Henry has vetoed HJR 1054, by Rep. Charles Key, and barring a veto override in the state House and state Senate, the only remaining legislative option available to Oklahoma's citizens is for the state House of Representatives to pass SJR 59 by Sen. Dan Newberry within the next 10 days.

SJR 59 is a constitutional amendment, which would allow Oklahomans to vote on whether or not they wish to opt out of the new federal health care system advocated by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats. If approved by the state House, SJR 59 would bypass the Oklahoma Governor's office and go directly to the ballot.

Building Successful Stepfamily Conference is May 14-15

Reduced Price Stepfamily Conference Registration Ends in 3 Days!

Only 3 days left to register at the reduced price for the Building a Successful Stepfamily Conference!


Together, let’s change the breakdown* of the family in Oklahoma!

Marriage Network Oklahoma along with several** other organizations and churches is bringing Stepfamily expert Ron Deal to OKC to present a seminar to guide stepfamilies into stronger marriages and families.

Building a Successful Stepfamily Conference

Dates: May 14, 6:30-9:30, May 15, 8-12:30

Cost: $65/person through Friday, May 7; $15 for spouse or fiancé

$30 discount for military, 1st responders, and students (family counseling and/or ministry students)

$85/person May 8-14, $15 for spouse/fiancé

For more details and to register go to www.marriagenetworkok.net


*Oklahoma and Arkansas have the highest rates of men and women who have been married three times or more, twice the national average.

** Also sponsoring: Oklahoma Family Policy Council, Focus on the Family, Mardel, Hobby Lobby, Burbridge Foundation, Oklahoma Christian University, Living Well, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Bott Radio, Portland Avenue Baptist Church, Emmaus Baptist Church, North Church, and many others.

What others are saying:

"Listen to this guy. He knows what he's talking about." Dr. Kevin Leman

“Successful Stepfamilies is the most highly practical program I know for helping couples who are dealing with the common struggles of stepparenting." Dr. Gary D. Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages

"Ron Deal has developed a highly insightful and practical seminar that has impacted the lives of thousands...This is a must series and I'm delighted to recommend it." Dr. H. Norman Wright, Director, Christian Marriage Enrichment, author of over 60 books on the Christian family

"Ron Deal is a true minister to stepfamilies. His professional expertise, love for the Lord, and his compassionate heart make for a perfect platform from which to teach remarried couples how they can successfully combine their families in healthy ways. It is no secret that these families face countless complications and with the help of Ron Deal, they will be better equipped to face them head on and be stronger because of it." Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

"This seminar may have just saved our marriage. We weren't able to discuss our problems without extreme conflict. We talked calmly for two hours last night. Thank you for doing this seminar." Seminar Participant

For more details and to register go to www.marriagenetworkok.net

Injunction to be Issued by Judge Today on Oklahoma's New Ultrasound Law

Oklahoma County District Judge Noma Gurich has told attorneys she will issue an injunction later this afternoon to stall implementation of Oklahoma's new ultrasound law. The law was approved by a three-fourths vote of the Oklahoma Legislature last week, not withstanding the prior veto of Gov. Brad Henry.

Oklahoma's three abortion clinics had reportedly been complying with the law, which required ultrasounds and descriptions to women of the gestational development of their unborn children prior to any abortion, but their compliance will no longer be required once the injunction takes effect later today.

Judge Gurich's injunction will remain in place pending the outcome of litigation by pro-life and pro-abortion forces regarding the constitutionality of HB 2780, to begin later this year.