YOUR VIEWS
The first step
California just took the “next step” by enacting a law giving people the right to buy recreational marijuana.
State Question 788 in Oklahoma, to approve medical marijuana, is just the first step in the same direction here. That’s the main reason we have so many people who don’t work — they can’t pass a drug test.
Robert Williams, Oklahoma City
Where does it end?
I was grateful to read “Support shown for Humphreys at meeting” (News, Jan. 8). I add my accolades for Kirk Humphreys’ courage.
He refused to subordinate his conscience to the great collective of the University of Oklahoma’s Board of Regents.
Yet I regret when Christians are “made” to retreat from the public square. I do not recall Humphreys advocating a change in admission or graduation requirements or mandatory Christian chapel attendance. I celebrate that he has deeply held convictions that influence his public life.
The real issue, however, is where does the suppression of the Christian worldview end?
Have we served notice that Christian faculty and staff had better pretend to support group think or they will lose their jobs?
Do we conduct a thorough curriculum review so that, for example, the study of Bach, who was a Christian, is expunged from the College of Music?
Several decades ago, I attended a performance, on campus, of Handel’s Messiah. Horrors!
Any educational institution that suppresses thought and inquiry is in a bad way. We are poorer for this.
Philip G. Bowersox, Oklahoma City
Worrisome
Evidence of contacts between
Trump campaign-and-Cabinet members and Russian entities is quite bizarre and extremely worrisome.
The contacts are not normal.
Russia isn’t our friend, though my trips there in 1982 and 2012 revealed a likable people.
Paul Manafort associated with Dmitri Firtish and Oleg Derpinski, Putin associates, and was adviser to Viktor Yankovich, Ukrainian puppet of Russia.
Carter Page met managers of Rosneft and Gazpin, Russian oil and gas giants. LTG Flynn visited GRU, Russia’s military intelligence, discussing sanctions
with Ambassdor Kislyak. Jeff Sessions met twice with Kislyak, yet denied any contact.
Papadopoulos tried repeatedly to arrange Putin/Trump meetings. Adviser Gordon met with Kislyak.
Campaign co-chair Clovis encouraged Papadopoulos to meet Russian officials.
Donald Jr. met with Alexander Torshin, Russian Central Bank.
Rex Tillerson did business with Igor Sechin, Rosneft and Gazpin.
Don Jr. and Jared Kushner met with Russians in June 2016 to discuss dirty tricks on Clinton, denials aside.
The numerous contacts with this enemy of America should really alarm us all. If you are not alarmed, I suggest you need to examine whether your political party allegiance is greater than your patriotism.
Kenneth F. Wainner, Edmond
Service taxes would be best
I still think our governor had it right last year when she said the best source of revenue is a tax on services. The tax is easy to collect and won’t hurt in the competition for new business or keeping old.
It is fair. The more you spend, the more you pay but everyone pays some. Those providing the service don’t pay a penny. Just pass it through.
Additional amounts can come from the energy industry by raising the production tax on all production up to the percent needed.
Under the new code, they can deduct their entire expenses in the year they are spent saving future income taxes on those funds.
The sales tax revenue should be stable and grow as our state grows.
Please forget the additional penalty tax on cigarettes. If they haven’t quit smoking by now, another $1.50 won’t make them quit. They will either start paper rolling or smoking a pipe. $75 for a carton of cigarettes is absurd. They would buy at the Indian smoke shops for less and no sales tax and Oklahoma won’t get a penny of it.
Let’s use some common sense to provide the necessary revenue.
Lee McKinney, Piedmont