YOUR VIEWS
Coburn is missed
Regarding “Coburn, anti-tax group oppose revenue package” (News, March 29): Tom Coburn expressing concerns about government waste and fraud in state government was very interesting. I wasn’t aware of local waste and fraud at the state level. However, I am very familiar with U.S. federal government agency waste, fraud, abuse and criminal corruption. Like Coburn, I am frustrated and deeply concerned that our Oklahoma congressional members have all embraced the concept that wasteful practices by federal agencies are completely acceptable including compromising of national security and aviation safety. Oklahoma and this country significantly miss Coburn in the U.S. Senate.
Jack A. Milavic, Edmond
A welcome gesture
Vietnam veterans were honored March 29 at the Oklahoma History Museum with a “Welcome Home” 50 years after returning from America’s most unpopular war. Proclamations of Presidents Obama and Trump were honored by Gov. Fallin and many others who brought veterans together to thank us for our service. It was healing to hear speakers who understand the hostility greeting us when we came back from Vietnam.
I sometimes wear a black military baseball cap. Across the top is written, “Vietnam Veteran.” People say, “Thank you for your service,” and I remember my cap. That greeting still feels good to a forever aching heart. The ache over losing the war is bad enough, but the ache for our 58,000 comrades killed in action never feels good and will never go away. It helps to walk the halls of the VA and realize this is my forever family. Not race, religion, politics, gender, age, or any other thing matters.
We get it, that America has moved on from Vietnam. We get it that America 50 years later is doing all it can to let us know we are appreciated. Thank you for that. Vietnam Veteran’s Day in Oklahoma has done more good for more vets than anyone will know.
C. Dale German, Bethany
They had their chance
Regarding “Execution plan a stain on state” (Point of View, April 1): Would the author fight so faithfully against killing our babies, the ones who truly deserve to live? Those on death row had their chance. Their victims did not. Killing our babies, not the death penalty, diminishes us all. Digest that, then decide who really has the right to live.
Gaylene Davis, Edmond
Reject SB 1140
I urge Oklahomans to oppose Senate Bill 1140, which pertains to the right of private adoption agencies to discriminate on the basis of religious doctrine. First, this bill violates separation of church and state and fails to protect the right of the people to practice the religion of their choice, or lack thereof. A private agency may practice discretion, but not one that receives state or federal funding. Second, this bill states that no agency shall be required to place children where that placement will “violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.” From the context of this bill and the debate surrounding it, we know this mainly references the placement of children with same-gendered couples by private agencies associated with the Christian faith.
According to the written Christian
religious doctrine, sexual relations between same-gendered couples is forbidden by God as a sin. Likewise, lying, adultery, envy and failure to honor the sabbath are equally sins. If religious agencies wish to discriminate against some sinners, they should be required to do so against all sinners. That same doctrine does not instruct its followers to discriminate against such sinners, but instead it explicitly tells them to accept them. That is the official “policy.” It certainly makes no mention of such couples’ ability to raise children.
Annie Taylor, Oklahoma City
Impressed with Oklahoma
My wife and I have recently made two trips to Oklahoma and Oklahoma City. We must say that the powers to be in Oklahoma need to do a better job of promoting your state and city to the rest of the country. We live in Florida with so many millions of other retired persons. Many of us travel a great deal. We had never heard anything about visiting Oklahoma or Oklahoma City in our trip planning. You have a lovely state, and Oklahoma City is a wonderful city with great people, architecture, gardens, museums and entertainment. It’s time for the people of Oklahoma to let the rest of the states — especially those that have many retired persons who travel a great deal — know about all of the wonderful things to see and do in your great state!
Dan Bernier, The Villages, Fla.
Part of the solution
Oklahoma nurse practitioners submitted a bill last session, House Bill 1013, for full practice authority and level 2 prescriptive authority. Those opposed screamed the opioid epidemic would become worse. What they didn’t tell you is there is already a group of highly trained advanced practice registered nurses who have level 2 prescriptive authority in Oklahoma. They’ve had it for more than 20 years. Those APRNs are certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), who are the only APRNs currently with level 2 prescriptive authority in Oklahoma.
Nearly half of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. CRNAs are pain management experts who are uniquely qualified to help solve this problem in Oklahoma. The main issue is persistent opioid use after surgery. More than 2 million people nationwide may transition to persistent opioid use following elective ambulatory surgery. A strategy called enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is something Oklahomans must know about. ERAS is a patientcentered, evidenced-based, pain management strategy employed by CRNAs to reduce the need for opioids, improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. CRNAs use regional anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks, non-pharmacologic approaches and non-opioid medications. CRNAs can help patients by decreasing the risk for acute pain transitioning to chronic pain and the development of opioid dependency and abuse. CRNAs want to bring this information to the public and break the cycle of abuse and death in Oklahoma.
Jennifer Schmitt, Mustang Schmitt is president-elect of the Oklahoma Association of Nurse Anesthetists.