Letters: On homeless encampments, Gov. Stitt's prayer

Police should not handle homeless encampments

I’m quite disappointed that a trio of OKC city councilmen seem to be of the opinion that the best way to deal with a homeless encampment is to amend trespassing laws that could lead OKC’s finest serving up the enforcement. Certainly not my area of expertise, but I would think in this day and age that sending the police after the homeless, and ripping up their meager belongings would not be Chief Wade Gourley’s vision of “film at 11.” And, since they’re already homeless, we’re now going to serve up a “financial” citation with little chance to ever collect?

Here’s a better idea: Why not use or amend our current zoning laws? I can’t help but believe that “homeless camps” would be not acceptable in any zoning area. Then get this in the hands of a “codes inspector,” not the police, to serve the notice. From this point forward, implement a process that remediation is handled by the (city-county) health department, not the police department. Certainly a group of professional public health officials working closely with people like Homeless Alliance Executive Director Dan Straughan and his team can develop a much better set of tactics to get the homeless off the streets.

As to our councilmen, your role should be guaranteeing the necessary set of people and financial resources to treat homelessness for what it is, not setting up the police department for more work that they’re not qualified to handle.

— Greg Jaeger, Oklahoma City

We should want to accommodate more traffic

“Progress has never been a bargain. You have to pay for it. You can have a telephone but you lose privacy and the charm of distance. Madam, you may vote but at a price. You lose the right to retreat behind the powder puff or your petticoat. You may conquer the air but the birds will lose their wonder and the clouds will smell of gasoline.” — From the movie "Inherit the Wind."

If progress is to stop, then why don’t we right the wrongs that have been done in the past? Many people had their land appropriated when Interstates 35 and 40 and all the existing toll roads were built. They were paid a good price for the loss of their land. Why don’t we let those people buy back their land for the price they were paid and then tear out both interstate highways and all toll roads? Some people have lost some land because a street was widened to accommodate more traffic. Give them back their land and narrow the streets back to two-lane traffic. Before long the country will be back to nothing but two-lane roads, and people will spend hours instead of minutes to get to their destinations.

I am for progress. It may someday affect me in some way, but I am willing to endure whatever comes because I want to move forward, not backward.

— Joe Payne, Choctaw

Health insurance should not be complex in the 'richest nation on Earth'

I have been buying insurance under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") since its inception. The last 10 years have been with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Oklahoma.

I recently turned 65, and spent 15 minutes online signing up for Social Security and Medicare. Done and done!

So, I spent a month researching Medigap policies. I called Blue Cross to change my ACA coverage to a Blue Cross Medigap policy. This should have taken five minutes. It took five hours, and I spoke with six representatives.

The money side of health care for "old people" in this, the richest nation on Earth, shouldn't be this complex.

— Kent A. Mauk, Oklahoma City

Gov. Stitt's prayer was rife with rhetoric

Gov. Kevin Stitt's post-election prayer is rife with Christian nationalist rhetoric. He "claimed" Oklahoma for God. He was elected governor, not a preacher, violating the doctrine of separation of church and state insisted upon by the founding fathers. Christian nationalism is neither Christian nor is it American in any sense. Christian nationalism is heresy. Jesus rejected both nationalism, as well as imperialism, and instead chose the path of service, particularly to the outcast and marginalized. Jesus told Pontius Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). The Apostle Paul emphasized, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28), which means that God's love and human dignity are universal and know no national, state or racial boundaries.

When Christian nationalists distort Christ's message of inclusive love into a false message of God's unique favor for a particular nation, state, racial group or political party, they discredit Christianity. It is an attack on Christianity itself. Jesus Christ took specific steps not to associate himself with nation or state formation or building. Jesus rejected Satan's temptation to make him ruler of all kingdoms, and when the people wanted to make him their King, he walked away (John 6:15). The mandate given to his disciples was to "make disciples of all 'ethne' or 'peoples'." The translation of nations does not mean nation states in the modern sense, but peoples — 'ethne' in Greek or 'goi' in Hebrew. Making a false God, an idol of the nation or state to cover a self-serving grab for pure power is the worst kind of idolatry and heresy. It tells us who our governor really is.

— John Karlin, Ph.D., Yukon

Our fight against AIDS should be far from over

Everyone around the world deserves to lead a life of dignity and opportunity. That’s why as we mark World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. I urge our Oklahoma congressional delegation to ensure the US can maintain its historic leadership in the global fight against AIDS by reauthorizing one of the most effective tools in our arsenal.

In 20 years, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has helped save more than 20 million lives — an incredible achievement. But our fight to end AIDS is far from over. Today, 38.4 million people live with HIV — almost 10x the population of Oklahoma — and the virus infects someone new every 30 seconds.

Earlier this year, the US showed strong support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Congress must keep the momentum going by reauthorizing PEPFAR in 2023 so it can continue its important work. I hope our Oklahoma lawmakers, new and incumbent, can enthusiastically continue America’s bipartisan commitment to fighting the global AIDS crisis.

— Wes Veitch, Oklahoma City

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Letters: On toll roads, Medigap coverage, Gov. Stitt's prayer