South by North-South Lewis

Dear UTW:

Fab Lab Tulsa ("Tulsa's 'Fab' Gets Recognized", April 12-18, Vol. 21, No. 42) is not on North Lewis. It's on South Lewis, in the heart of the Kendall-Whittier neighborhood. I hope the author of the story isn't one of those Southies who believe that anything north of 31st is "north" Tulsa.

--D.S. Jeffries

No Middle Ground

Dear UTW:

What really concerns me most about this article ("Modern Spirituality," April 12-18, Vol. 21, No. 42) is how many of those being interviewed are so self-indulgent and attempting to instruct God. Either that or they want to form God in their own image by making themselves just like God. It's more like they are saying, "If I can just pick and choose what parts of God I want to believe, and what parts I don't, then I don't have to take personal responsibility for my sin and can be excused for my sins because the god I have created doesn't say (or at least I don't personally believe) that I have actually sinned." John, the only eye witness to the ministry of Jesus to write one of the four gospels, quotes Jesus as saying, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. NO ONE comes to the Father but by me." He didn't say He was A way, He said He was THE way, and I am willing to bet my eternal soul on that fact. Either He is who He says He is and was telling the truth, or He was the most evil of deceivers by instituting the greatest lie upon mankind. There is no middle ground. Trying to say He is only ONE OF MANY ways is disingenuous at best, and total self-deception at its worst. I find it very interesting that all but one of Christ's apostles died horrifying and excruciating deaths rather than deny their faith in Him as the Son of God. The only one to die a natural death was John, who died of old age as an exile on the island of Patmos. How many reading this would actually allow themselves to be put through such incredibly painful torture and die such a horrible death for a lie. It is by the truth of Christ that I live, and it is for the truth of Christ that I would die.

--Richard Jones

Loud, Angry Woman

Dear UTW:

There has been much talk about the "war on women" waged by the GOP recently and rightly so. In Oklahoma, 11 anti-choice bills were passed in the last two years. The assault on women's healthcare choices continues this year with at least six pieces of legislation, all aiming to dismantle a woman's access to the legal rights she is afforded by the Constitution. "It's time for women to stop being politely angry," said Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee last month. Women and men alike need to get actively angry if we want things to change.

These bills have innumerable negative consequences for all the state's citizens and reflect a complete lack of respect for women as rational moral agents. In particular, the personhood bill (SB 1433) would have far-reaching effects. The bill makes it illegal for a woman to end her pregnancy, for any reason and would also outlaw some contraceptives. Miscarriages could be deemed suspicious. Couples attempting to create families through in vitro fertility treatments would be unable to do so. This law lays the groundwork for making Oklahoma even more extraordinarily oppressive for women and families, under the guise of a "culture of life."

Oklahoma is unquestionably a conservative, pro-life state and this stance is purported to be the reason behind the anti-women legislation throughout the state and country. These bills use the sanctity of life as their reasoning, while ignoring a woman's basic right to liberty over her body and decisions.

So where are the loud, angry women?

We are assembling. Men and women around the country are organizing a nationwide protest in response to these egregious attacks on our rights. The march, entitled "Unite against the War on Women," will take place at the state capitol in Oklahoma City on April 28 while similar rallies will occur that day at state capitols across the country. The specific location and time will be announced closer to the day of the march but anyone willing to participate should get involved as soon as possible. If you would like to find out more information, please visit wearewomenmarch.net or search Facebook for "We Are Women March -- Oklahoma."

When you sacrifice the freedoms of one group to accommodate another, everyone's freedoms are at risk. As a population, we can no longer be silent.

--Rachael Vinyard

Turkeys and Blue Jeans

Dear UTW:

I've had it up to my turkey neck with my Republican Congressman, John Sullivan of Tulsa. My latest communiqué comes with a picture of "Sully" patting one of us old ladies on the back and with his "Seniors Survey" -- all paid for at taxpayer expense.

Here are the congressman's dumb questions:

"Do you think Medicare and Social Security will still be viable for your children and grandchildren? Yes, No, Unsure." I'm not a fortune teller.

"What is the best way to reduce the federal debt? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) Cut domestic spending, reform entitlement programs, pass a balanced budget amendment, raise taxes, other." Where are the cuts in defense or the "War Machine," "Sully" and eliminating the cap of $106,800 on earnings subject to the Social Security tax? You and Mitt, keep your mitts of my Medicare, and Social Security.

"Is Congress doing enough to combat high gas prices? Yes, No, Unsure?" No, my dear "Sully" and when are you going to stop sending our sons and daughters to die in the bloody shambles of the Middle East?

Poor "Sully," he never follows the rule of the late, great U.S. Speaker of the House Carl Albert from Bug Tussle, Okla. Albert said, "The worst thing a politician can do is to fear his own constituency?" After ten years in Congress, "Sully" is still running scared.

Love always,

--Virginia Blue Jeans Jenner