March 25, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma ‘Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Opinion Page system that enabled us to Boomer remover or kept locking us up for try- theservicehighestis going mersed our kids in the idea form of public have affordable health care, “ElkCituNews By Kary Love creeds shown in those pho- around the ing to have a good time and world killing people who did getting a good buzz on. nothing to America. We old Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 Yes, some kids, believing tos and working together to Maybe the kids are not folks have shown the kids they are immune to CO- save and improve lives. And as stupid as old guys think? by example: see someone in State question VID-19, actually appear to these kids are on teams that Maybe they actually want camouflage fatigues? Stand be celebrating the spread may win the Nobel Prize for to live, to have a future, to and applaud their “service.” signature gathering contributing to saving lives! live as they wish so long as We old folks teach the kids, among the “Boomers” who will die at higher rates, out T sure would like them to get they don’t hurt anyone else? send in your taxes with- of the possible 2.2 million some of my tax dollars, too, Maybe they are right? out which the wars can’t be US deaths that could result but not even Boomers get By Rep. Todd Russ I think an argument can be fought, and be a good Amer- The House this week considered an important piece of given the botched US re- to have input on that. Not made for most of the above ican! Don’t question why legislation that would ask state voters whether to amend sponse. It is reported the too many Boomers in the positions. But I think the America, since 9-11-2001, the process by which signatures are gathered for initiative kids are calling COVID-19 audience, except a few pro- real reason many kids are has spent about $120 bil- “Boomer Remover.” Now fessors and me, but a lot of manifesting a disregard for lion on biological weapons, petitions or state referendum that would amend the state’s some people seem shocked student kids who are also the lives of others, is simple: according to expert Fran- Constitution. House Joint Resolution 1027 would ask voters to consid- by this. Me, not so much. pursuing science education that is what we old folks cis A. Boyle (in an email to er requiring signatures be gathered from each of the state’s Before I tell you all why, attend. Too, bad, cause the have educated them to be- me), but did not have the let me salute the pre-med lectures are free and open to five congressional districts instead of just a total number of lieve is right. money for a COVID-19 vac- student Jayde Powell who the public. When we exit at signatures from anywhere they wish to gather them. has come up with the idea of 5 pm, you do see many folks Even before 9-11 the old cine. Pay for the bombs, pay Right now, a percentage of signatures from legal voters lady, Madeleine Albright, for the wars! Forget about “Shopping Angels” to help scurrying to the Friday night have to be gathered for either the initiative petition process the locked-in old folks get football game, however. representing the “good” funding education, or health —which is gathered by the people themselves — or the ref- groceries. Gotta get a good seat! President Bill Clinton as his care! Come on kids! Get on erendum process, which can start with the people but must Secretary of State, said kill- board! Not all the kids are in- On the other hand, the come through the Legislature or it can be initiated by the ing 500,000 kids in Iraq us- Well, old folks, “Mission fected with “affluenza.” I Wall Street Journal notes Legislature to refer the vote to the people. To change the want my tax dollars to go that a “generational war” ing sanctions “was worth the Accomplished!” Maybe state Constitution, the Legislature has to use the referen- to Ms. Powell, extinguish is erupting in America pit- price.” now we old folks, because dum process always. Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanc- COVID-19 is teaching us any student debt she has ting the survival of the old The percentage of signatures needed currently is based and pay for the rest of her against selfish, thoughtless, tions against Iraq: We have the error of our ways, seek upon the total number of votes cast at the last general elec- heard that a half million desperately to return to the medical education. Sure, dangerous behavior of many tion for the office of governor, to pass. Initiative petitions, she may go to work for “Big of the young. children have died. I mean, ancient wisdom, like “hon- require 8% to propose any legislative measure and 15% Pharma” after graduation, Sure, being an old guy, it that’s more children than or your father and mother.” to propose amendments to the state Constitution. Refer- but I doubt it. She seems to is tempting for me to blame died in Hiroshima. And, you Maybe. Maybe we should endums may be ordered (except as to laws necessary for have something inherent, is this on the kids. But is that know, is the price worth it? have been training the kids the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or it okay for me to call it “val- fair? After all, it is the old Secretary of State Mad- in the ancient wisdom like, safety) either by a petition signed by 5% of legal voters or ues” (not politically correct eleine Albright: I think this “don’t kill,” or “love your who send the kids off to wars by the Legislature as other bills are enacted. these days, apologies), that based on lies. Wars that have is a very hard choice, but the enemy.” But, what do I The problem with the way signatures currently are gath- guide her judgment. I will no objective except to act, as price-we think the price is know? I am just a stupid ered is that those behind a petition effort can easily get all follow her career and hope Gen. Smedley Butler found worth it. Boomer. of the signatures needed from only people who live in one to get the chance to vote for after his long Marine Corps —60 Minutes (5/12/96) Maybe we should ask the of the state’s two largest cities - Tulsa or Oklahoma City. her one day as she takes her career, as “a bagman for None of the old folks in kids, who taught you to be That means rural voices are not heard on questions such as values into office seeking to Wall Street.” You can read America seemed to care. so callous about the lives of whether we should consider certain changes to the Con- do good, save lives and I ex- Gen. Butler’s book, War Is A Lesson taught to the kids your fellow human beings? stitution. This would include such things as drug crimes, pect, oppose war. Racket for free online—just of America: “It’s OK to kill Maybe they will just tell us property theft, whether recreational marijuana should be This Boomer also attends Google it. kids, kids,” just like when I to look in the mirror. legalized throughout the state, or any number of other lectures weekly at a local Or, as an old guy, who is was a kid and I was taught Atleast in this time of pan- changes that might be proposed to amend our Constitution. accused of contributing to by the old folks of my day demic we are talking about college in physics, biology This measure would still allow the people of this state the and chemistry—where ev- Climate Change which many when they wanted me to go compassion, something we opportunity to change laws through the initiative petition ery week the senior scientist of the kids think deprives kill in Vietnam: “We had to routinely ignore otherwise. or referendum process, it would simply require that voters from a leading university them of a future. Some destroy the town in order to Some say it will blossom from all parts of the state be included in the decision. around the world, upon fin- kids appear to think, you save it.” How did that ever more under this duress. I Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you ishing their talk on the latest old folks polluted the world make sense? want to believe. at the Capitol. God bless you and God bless Oklahoma! If research they are doing, put and leave us one with no Since 9-11 the old folks Kary Love, syndicated by I can every help you in any way, please contact me at Todd. up a photo of their “team” way out. What goes around have taught the kids: “it is PeaceVoice, is a Michigan Russ@okhouse gov<mailto:Todd [email protected]> or of supporting researchers— comes around? OK to invade other coun- attorney who has defended (405) 557-7312.Kary Love, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is the people they say do the Or, as an old guy you tries, It is OK to invade nuclear resisters, including a Michigan attorney who has defended nuclear resisters, real work. I swear it looks didn’t do enough to help us other countries. I’m sure we some desperado nuns, in including some desperado nuns, in court for decades and like a bunch of 14-year-old kids get an education with- will kill a lot of folks, but it court for decades and will will on occasion use blunt force satire or actual legal argu- kids to me! Black, white, out being burdened by out- is worth the price.” For 20 on occasion use blunt force ments to make a point. brown, yellow, all races and rageous debt; or support a years we old folks have im- satire or actual legal argu- Stop tightening the thumb screws: A humanitarian message By Kathy Kelly In the past two weeks red carbon paper over our force and presume a right to sanctions against Germany supposed to stay at home if US. sanctions against alone, more than 50,000 Af- stationery. When Iraqi au- preserve global inequities? imposed by Allied forces your work pays by the hour Tran, cruelly strengthened in ghans returned from Iran, in- thorities realized we man- Such arrogance doesn’t even after World War I. They ob- and requires you to show March of 2018, continue a creasing the likelihood that aged to type our document, ensure security for the Unit- served “critical shortages of up? How are you supposed collective punishment of ex- cases of coronavirus will they asked if we would type ed States military. If the U.S. food, soap and medical sup- to stop crossing borders if tremely vulnerable people. surge in Afghanistan. De- their letter to the Secretary further isolates and batters plies” and wrote indignantly you are fleeing from war? Presently, the U.S. “maxi- cades of war, including U.S. General of the UN. (Iraq was Tran, conditions will worsen about how children were be- How are you supposed to get in Afghanistan and United mum pressure” policy se- invasion and occupation, so beleaguered even cabinet States troops stationed there ing punished with starvation tested for #COVID19 if the verely undermines Iranian have decimated Afghani- level officials lacked type- for “the sins of statesmen.” health system is. privatized writer ribbons.) The letter to will ultimately be at risk. The Starvation continued even and you can’t afford it? How efforts to cope with the rav- stan’s health care and food simple observation, “We are Javier Perez de Cuellar im- after the blockade was final- are those with pre-existing ages of COVID-19, causing distribution systems. plored the UN to prevent the all part of one another,” be- ly lifted, that summer, with health conditions supposed hardship and tragedy while Jawad Zarif asks the UN US. from bombing a road comes acutely evident. the signing of the Treaty of to take extra precautions contributing to the global to prevent the use of hunger between Iraq and Jordan, the It’s helpful to think of Versailles. Hamilton and when they already can’t spread of the pandemic. On and disease as a weapon of only way out for refugees guidance from past leaders Addams reported how the even access the treatment March 12, 2020, Iran’s For- war. His letter demonstrates and the only way in for hu- who faced wars and pan- flu epidemic, exacerbated in they need? eign Minister Jawad Zarif the wreckage caused by manitarian relief. Devastat- demics. The Spanish flu pan- its spread by starvation and I expect many people urged member states of the many decades of United ed by bombing and already demic in 1918-19, coupled post-war devastation, in turn worldwide, during the UN to end the United States’ States imperialism and sug- bereft of supplies, Iraq was, with the atrocities of World disrupted the food supply. spread of COVID - 19, are gests revolutionary steps to- in 1991, only one year into a unconscionable and lethal War I, killed 50 million The two women argued a thinking hard about the glar- economic warfare. deadly sanctions regime that ward dismantling the United lasted for 13 years before worldwide, 675,000 in the policy of sensible food dis- ing, deadly inequalities in Addressing UN Secretary States war machine. U.S. Thousands of female tribution was necessary for our societies, wonder how the U.S. began its full-scale General Antonio Guterres, During the United States’ nurseswere on the “front both humanitarian and stra- best to extend proverbial invasion and occupation in Zarif detailed how U.S. eco- 1991 “Desert Storm” war 2003. Now, in 2020, Iraqis lines,” delivering health tegic reasons. “What was to hands of friendship to peo- nomic sanctions prevent Ira- against Iraq, I was part of the still suffering from impov- care. Among them were be gained by starving more ple in need while urged to nians from importing neces- Gulf Peace Team, - at first, erishment, displacement and black nurses who not only children?” bewildered Ger- accept isolation and social sary medicine and medical living at in a “peace camp” war earnestly want the U.S. risked their lives to practice man parents asked them. distancing. One way to help equipment. set up near the Iraq-Saudi to practice self-distancing the works of mercy but also Jonathan Whitall directs others survive is to insist the For over two years, while border and later, following and leave their country. fought discrimination and Humanitarian Analysis for United States lift sanctions the U.S. bullied other coun- our removal by Iraqi troops, Are we now living ina wa- racism in their determina- Médecins Sans Frontiéres against Iran and instead sup- tries to refrain from purchas- in a Baghdad hotel which tershed time? An unstoppa- tion to serve. These brave / Doctors without Borders. port acts of practical care. ing Iranian oil, Iranians have formerly housed many jour- ble, deadly virus ignores any women arduously paved a His most recent analysis Jointly confront the corona- coped with crippling eco- nalists. Finding an aban- borders the U.S. tries to rein- way for the first 18 black poses agonizing questions: virus while constructing a nomic decline. doned typewriter, we melted force or redraw. The United nurses to serve in the Army How are you supposed to humane future for the world States _military-industrial The devastated economy a candle onto its rim, (the complex, with its massive Nurse Corps and they pro- wash your hands regularly if without wasting time or re- and worsening coronavirus U.S. had destroyed Iraq’s arsenals and cruel capac- vided “a small turning point you have no running water sources on the continuation outbreak now drive migrants electrical stations, and most ity for siege, isn’t relevant in the continuing movement or soap? How are you sup- of brutal wars. and refugees, who number of the hotel rooms were to “security” needs. Why for health equity.” posed to implement ‘social Kathy Kelly, syndicated by in the millions, back to Af- pitch black). We compensat- should the U.S., at this cru- In the spring of 1919, Jane distancing’ if you live in a PeaceVoice, co-coordinates ghanistan at dramatically in- ed for an absent typewriter cial juncture, approach other Addams and Alice Hamil- slum or a refugee or contain- Voices for Creative Nonvio- creased rates. ribbon by placing a sheet of countries with threat and ton witnessed the effects of ment camp? How are vou lence.