The Peace House - Oklahoma City

THE PEACE HOUSE

Oklahoma City

a center for education and non-violent action on issues relating to human rights, economic justice, environmental sustainability, and nonviolence

RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Religious Literalists Hurting OK

N. Natchelder

Voting Matters

N. Batchelder

Computer Voting Must Be Abolished

N. Batchelder

Hate Crimes Legislation Valuable

Nathaniel Batchelder

Maps for Millionaires

Marcus Evans

NJ Ends Capital Punishment

N.J. Law Journal

The Great Iraq Swindle

Rolling Stone Magazine

Benchmark Boogie: Privatizing Iraq's Oil

By Antonia Juhasz

How it's Really Like Vietnam, Mr. President

Donna Compton

Peace Can't Wait

Nathaniel Batchelder

Oklahoma Citizens Said No To Bush's War

Intelligence Squelched

Sidney Blumenthal

Take A Stand

Nathaniel Batchelder

The War As We Saw It

by a group of veterans

Internatinal Day of Peace

Bill Bryant

Remarks at Hearing on Coal Burning Plant

Peace Muscle

Nathaniel Batchelder

Interfaith Day of Prayer

Jonalu Johnson

Dr. Mark Davies

Kathy McCallie

Save the Seven Seas

National Batchelder

Dr. Robin Meyers remarks at 4th Anniversary Rally

Go to Archives for more

This page was last updated: May 3, 2008

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Vigils to End the War

click here!!

Check this out!!

Last week, the New York Times exposed a shady Pentagon program to embed up to 75 "propaganda pundits" on every major news network. These so-called experts went on the air to cover up bad news about Iraq with White House spin. Many of these pundits work for private military contractors as consultants, board members and lobbyists.

Senator Inhofe sits on an influential committee that could hold hearings and investigate whether this “selling of the war” violates federal law. It is crucial that your senator hears from you now.

Learn more from Freepress.net

Religious Literalists Hurting Oklahoma

By NATHANIEL BATCHELDER

Through US history and in the present day, the vast majority identifying as Christians have interpreted scriptures as the writings of prophetic and inspired human beings, but not as the literal word of God. The minority calling the Bible the literal word of God threatens civility in society, peace in the world, even our state economy, for several reasons.

Literalists pick and choose from scriptures a few passages that appear to support their prejudices, then call their judgments “the will of God.” The now infamous statement by Rep. Sally Kern that “the homosexual agenda is a greater threat to America than terrorism” would be laughable if it were not emotionally damaging to young lesbians and gays, and the adults who love them. It is shocking that more leaders of Oklahoma's business, political, and religious communities have not publicly censured such speech.

Literalists believe they worship “the one true God” and that all other religions, even other denominations, are “false religions.” When Sally Kern said, “Not all religions are equal,” which religions was she dismissing as “not equal?” She said the homosexual agenda was a greater threat than terrorists or Islam “both of which are threats.” This insults gays, lesbians, Moslems, and the majority of Americans who celebrate the diversity that religious literalists despise. Her remarks are an embarrassment that will cost Oklahoma business ventures locating somewhere else.

Published in the Muskogee Phoenix, Saturday, April 26, 2008

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Who is Father Michael Pfleger?

Visit the website of his church, http://www.saintsabina.org/

WANT A CHANCE TO DO YOUR OWN THINKING?

A lot has been made of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's theology & comments lately in an effort to damage the campaign of Barak Obama. This negative media attention has created a great controversy over the status of race in America and the function of liberation theology, not to mention equating criticism of U.S. policy with anti-patriotism and hate-mongering. Take about 30 minutes out of your day and listen to Rev. Wright's most recent speech yourself. This is not a religious issue, not a freedom-of-expression issue, but an issue about our freedom as American Citizens to think for ourselves. That's a freedom no one can take from us, but a sound-bite culture is enticing us to quietly give it away.

Speak Peace & Change Your World

Utilizing the tools of Compassionate Communication

Compassionate Communications Oklahoma

(Based on the work of Marshall Rosenberg, PhD.)

8 Two-hour Weekly Classes Beginning

Monday, June 2, 2008: 6:50-9:00 PM

Click here for details

Dear Friends,

Every election offers hard choices between candidates: one is better ... one is worse.

The cynical strategy in Oklahoma to put on the BALLOT a "Referendum" on "English Only" is a transparent effort (like the "Gay Marriage Referendum") to inflame fearful traditionalists to carpool to the polls to vote in support of Arch-Conservatives. IT WORKED SO WELL WITH GAY MARRIAGE, THEY ARE RUNNING IT PAST US AGAIN WITH "ENGLISH ONLY."

There are CLEAR CHOICES coming on ALL Oklahoma ballots and I believe the US Constitution is at stake in these elections.

I believe that "We The People" must be active: as never before supporting the "better" candidates, and defeating the "worse" candidates - - - across the board - - - or America may slide off into irretrievable global-corporatist-fascistic hell.

Keep hope alive. Support the good, and resist the bad. Let us not be derailed by "the media" into believing that hope is naive, and that we cannot take back America.

The conversations that you and I have between now and ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, Nov. 4 will set the course for

America for the next 50 years. Let's get after it.

-Nathaniel Batchelder, Director, The Peace House of Oklahoma City