Good call

Regarding “Appeals court overturns ‘black mass’ protester’s convictions” (News, Aug. 22): The court’s ruling brings satisfactory closure to an incident that occurred during a peaceful demonstration against a black mass held at the Civic Center Music Hall. Joan Bell, a sexagenarian from New Jersey, spent a couple of hours demonstrating on a landing at the top of the north steps of the building, in front of an exit door. Strangely enough, it wasn’t until she knelt and started praying the rosary that the police asked her to leave. She ignored this arbitrary command, refused to stand and went “limp” as the police removed and arrested her. She was charged with two municipal offenses: trespassing on private property, and interference with official process. Both counts were later amended to disorderly conduct and interfering or obstructing by disobeying a lawful command. She was found guilty in municipal court and fined $500 for each count.

Upon appeal, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals reversed both convictions due to insufficient evidence. The justices pointed out that there was no disorderly conduct, since there was no obstruction of the entrance to a public building, and there was no trespassing since this was not private property.

It is troubling that municipal authorities show more concern for a tenant using our facilities for questionable activities than for a citizen exercising her constitutional rights.

MORE PLANNING NEEDED

Building an east Oklahoma County turnpike will help with the amount of traffic exiting the Turner Turnpike and traveling south into the Interstate 35/I40 junction. The new turnpike will take that traffic and put it onto a four-lane I-40, which carries a lot of traffic any time and is bumper to bumper during rush hour. One problem is helped and another created, unless other lanes are added to I-40 and to I-240. This would be very costly, as none of the north-south roads crossing over I-40 can have their overpasses expanded. So that would require new construction. If the I-240/I-35 interchange isn’t completed before the turnpike, you have another problem point. The turnpike authority and Oklahoma Department of Transportation need to do more planning.

AGAINST TURNPIKE

Regarding “Turnpike Authority delays its plans to increase tolls” (News, Aug. 23): The Turnpike Authority says the connection between Interstate 40 and the Turner Turnpike is needed to reduce growing traffic on I-35. If they think building that new turnpike on the eastern edge of Oklahoma County will reduce traffic on I-35, I want some of whatever it is they’re smoking. Building it there will not alleviate heavy traffic coming out of Norman and Moore toward the downtown Oklahoma City area. I haven’t seen any problem with traffic on I-35 north of I-40, but I sure see problems with traffic south of I-40 on I-35. If they need to build a turnpike, then put it where people can use it to get around the downtown traffic heading into downtown Oklahoma City, not out in the boonies.

WORDS OF WISDOM

The following quotation is usually credited as “Author Unknown.” Some, however, believe it was written by the Scottish-born British lawyer and writer Alexander F. Tytler (1747-1813). Regardless, it contains wisdom for November’s presidential election:

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the Public Treasury with a result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”

Likewise, we should heed these words of 19th-century New York minister, evangelist and author, Charles G. Finney: “The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them. … God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God.”

NOT FOR SALE

My soul, Donald Trump, my soul: That is the only thing this African-American has left if I let you define me. And I refuse to sell it so cheaply.

HIGH STAKES

I too am not in love with Donald Trump. If he hadn’t been so sophomoric in the beginning of the campaign, he would probably be winning this election. But to all who, like me, are not enamored with Trump, I want to remind us all of the elections of 1964.

That was an election similar to this one. Barry Goldwater could have taken America into a greater life without the needless blunders, needless deaths of the Vietnam War. Instead he was demonized by the media and an image created of Goldwater as a nuclear ogre. Lyndon Johnson was elected, bringing us the “The Great Society,” one of the biggest farces until the “climate change” hoax of today. The destruction to American society is a festering disorder, which has caused our society to degenerate. To all who oppose Trump, this is a moment bigger than Trump, the man. It is the loss of the American culture, our Constitution and our Bill of Rights that is at stake. Our Founders gave us such an absolutely beautiful road map to freedom of, by and for the individual. We cannot lose it! That is the difference between Trump and Clinton. He is a believer in America as it was intended to be. We will lose America if the Democratic Party oligarchy is allowed to win.