Keystone Pipeline Route Affects Eight Oklahoma Counties

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Keystone Pipeline Route Affects Eight Oklahoma Counties

TransCanada, a Canadian company, is planning to run their Keystone XL pipeline across eight of Oklahoma’s counties:

  • Atoka
  • Bryan
  • Coal
  • Creek
  • Hughes
  • Lincoln
  • Okfuskee
  • Seminole

Citizens of Oklahoma are gearing up to fight the pipeline, which is designed to carry tarsand oil containing benzine and arsenic. Tarsand oil is the dirtiest oil in the planet. The mogul wants to bring it through the USA because the people of Canada knew how poisonous it was and refused to let them ship it across Canada.

A representative of the Sierra Club has stated that, contrary to popular belief, the local cost of gas will actually increase because of this pipeline.

An archeological survey found 88 archeological sites and 34 historical structures in the path of the proposed pipeline. TransCanada agreed to go around a few of the sites, but plans to bulldoze through 71 of the archeological sites and 22 of the historical structures.

TransCanada is planning to sell the oil to Europe, China and South America.

Opponents are planning to drive and walk the route of the pipeline from Cushing to the Red River, visitng with the local folks about what they can expect from TransCanada. Mostly spills. Arsenic laces spills.

The Indigenous Environmental Network and several tribes including the Lakota tribe are leading the opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline.

To see the pipeline route, go here:

http://www.cardnoentrix.com/keystone/XL/er/Appendix%20C%20-%20Oklahoma.pdf

Note: I believe this is the old route, before TransCanada agreed to make adjustments to avoid 17 of the archeological sites and 12 of the historical structures.

For more information, contact Fannie Bates at fannie_bates@yahoo.com.

Compassionate Communication Workshops

Events, Relationships, Wellbeing No Comments

Compassionate Communication Oklahoma announces the following workshops:

1)   One-day workshop “The Transformative Power of Compassion”
Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
(All levels of experience are welcome)
Early Bird Registration Deadline is this Wednesday (2/22)

2)   Weekend Workshop:
GROWING AUTHENTIC INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS:
Intimacy, Sex, and Compassionate Communication
with Intuitive Coach and
Compassionate Communication Trainer
Emilah Dawn DeToro
Friday Evening, Saturday, Sunday, March 9-11, 2012
(We’re requesting that participants have some NVC experience).

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS THIS FRIDAY

3)   8-Week Intermediate Class Series “The Dance of Communication”
Begins on Tuesdays, March 27, 2012 in OKC

Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice Meets to Hear Representative Emily Virgin

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Emily VirginThe Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice will meet at St. Stephen’s Church Wednesday October 26 at 6 pm. Representative Emily Virgin (District 44) will give an update on legislative activity. The public is invited and refreshments will be served.

OCRJ is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization which seeks to educate and advocate on issues of reproductive justice as it relates to human rights. While the organization emerged because of legislation restricting women’s reproductive rights, it is also defines reproductive justice as concerning child and maternal health, access to contraception, access to sexual health education, environmental issues, poverty, gender justice, child abuse, and the foster care system among other issues.

OCRJ is a plaintiff in two lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of laws passed by the Oklahoma legislature. H.B. 2780 requires a medical ultrasound procedure, whether or not a doctor recommends it or a woman wants it when terminating a pregnancy and H.B. 1970 denies the use of the drugs recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for use in medical abortions. In both of these laws the government overrides the judgment of doctors in choosing the best medical treatment for their patients and seeks to put obstacles in the way of women’s exercise of their moral vision and constitutional rights.
For more information go to ocrj.org.

Oklahoma’s 25th Fall Peace Festival

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Saturday, Nov. 12th, 10 am to 4 pm Civic Center Music Hall – “Hall of Mirrors” Admission Free The 25th annual Peace Festival will be a holiday shopping bazaar, featuring tables of more than 50 social justice groups and local crafts vendors. It will take place on Saturday, Nov. 12th, from 10 am to 4 pm, in the Civic Center Hall of Mirrors, in downtown Oklahoma City (map). Admission is free. “Live entertainment by local musicians and colorful fair trade goods on sale make this a popular event for supporters of human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability, and peace,” said Conna Wilkinson, Director of the Peace Education Institute, cosponsor of the event. All groups provide informative materials, in addition to crafts and goods for sale. Food items at many tables and refreshments will also be available for visitors. A Children’s Activity Room will be supervised by adults during the event, Wilkinson said(Read more...)


This is an excerpt of an article originally published by The Peace House Oklahoma City.

Can Oklahoma’s citizens rouse themselves out of their obesity torpor?

Activism & awareness, Oklahoma Politics, Politics, Wellbeing , , No Comments

The Vermont House of Representatives recently passed a statewide health care plan by a vote of 92 to 49. The bill still needs passage by the Vermont Senate.

You can read about it here: http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12530

Vermont is 49th in population according to the latest Census figures.  Plus they have many more elected representatives relative to their population.

Using this wikilink for the statistics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population)

Vermont has a ratio of House representatives of 1 to 4,100 of population. That looks to me like a very small crowd for lobbyists to hide in and a chance for every voter to make personal contact with their elected representative and to be remembered by that representative.

On the other hand, Oklahoma is 28th in population, just below the middle in numbers and in the geographic middle as the native-born so like to point out.   And speaking of middle, Oklahoma has one of the highest obesity populations in America,  weighing in at 30% or more.  (http://www.hpj.com/archives/2009/aug09/aug17/0713OSUobesityinOKko.cfm)

The ratio of representative to district member is one for 38,265 citizens, lots of opportunity for lobbyists to get lost in the crowd as well as the individuality of the citizens.

Remember, these numbers represent the population, not just registered voters who are either informed about the need for health care or those just roused by Koch Brothers's paid propaganda.

Health care is a human right as this press release points out.  It is not something to be doled out by your employer as a threat to keeping you in line on the job. Nor should universal health care be used as a campaign threat made by candidates whose intent in bringing up health care is as a ploy to make voters think the bad wicked government is trying to take away your "right" to die in pain and poverty and earlier than you might otherwise die.

Wouldn't you think Oklahoma's citizens could rouse themselves out of their obesity torpor and demonstrate for health care?

Mrs. Fallin campaigned for governor as a mother.  Shouldn't a good X-tian values mother value the welfare of her state's population as well as her own genetic and second-marriage children's welfare?
 


This is an excerpt of an article originally published by Oklahoma Citizen.