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National spotlight

“There were some arm hairs standing straight up,” joked Baldwin, who lives with Bishop in Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa. April 17 is only the second time they will be present for a hearing in their 10-year case for marriage equality. The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver will hear oral arguments […]

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In session

Payback?Political payback is the primary reason state lawmakers have introduced bills that “attack the independence” of the Oklahoma judiciary, a state court administrator said. Proposed measures would eliminate approved raises for state judges and justices and change the way judicial officers are elected. Specifically, a proposal by Sen. Brian Crain (R-Tulsa) would require a judicial […]

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Monumental offense

By Mark Hancock According to House Bill 1330, the 2009 measure that allowed the monument’s installation, the Ten Commandments “are an important component of the foundation of the laws and legal system” of both the United States and Oklahoma and are frequently cited in court decisions. “The role played by the Ten Commandments in our […]

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Atheist

Rebecca Vitsmun Credit: Mark Hancock That latter fact might seem incongruous in a state often characterized as the buckle of the Bible Belt. But some experts suggest the large numbers of self-described atheists aren’t so surprising. “I am a native Oklahoman, and I have found that while Oklahoma is a conservative state with a strong […]

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Poor logic on Hobby Lobby decision

According to a majority of the 10th Circuit, the businesses owned by the Green family are religious “persons,” and, therefore, can have the benefit of RFRA. But the court’s reasoning is utterly divorced from RFRA’s history and the larger context of federal law generally. It is critical to understand that due to the doctrine of […]

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Praise the who?

Credit: Brad Gregg “I guess you’ve got to thank the Lord, right?” Blitzer asked. “Do you thank the Lord? For that split-second decision?” The woman hesitated briefly. “I … I’m actually an atheist,” she answered politely before both she and Blitzer broke into awkward, albeit wonderful, laughter. “But we are here,” the woman added, “and […]

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LETTERS

Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to pbacharach@okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette.com, but include a city of residence and contact number […]

Posted inNews

LETTERS

Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to pbacharach@okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette.com, but include a city of residence and contact number […]

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