Senator Sykes Pleased by Passage of State Questions 751 and 755

State Sen. Anthony Sykes (R - Dist 24 Moore/Duncan) said he was extremely pleased by the overwhelming support voters gave for a Constitutional amendment to make English the state’s official language and a second Constitutional amendment to ban Oklahoma courts from considering international or Sharia law when making decisions. 

Sykes, was the Senate author of legislation placing the two questions before voters.

“I’m extremely pleased that both questions were not only approved, but passed by overwhelming margins,” Sykes said. 

“Yesterday’s awesome support of these two state questions reflects the values and ideals so important to citizens in every part of Oklahoma.”

State Question 751 is a Constitutional amendment that requires all official state actions to be conducted in English, protecting Oklahoma from costly legal actions seeking to force the state to provide services in multiple languages. It received the highest percentage of approval of the nine state questions passed.

State Question 755 is a Constitutional amendment forbidding Oklahoma courts from using foreign or Sharia law as a basis for any legal decisions. Sharia is Islamic law based on the Quran and is used to govern such countries as Iran.

“Certainly each of these measures had critics, but the crushing margins by which these Constitutional amendments passed shows without a doubt that those critics are deeply out of touch with the values and views of Oklahomans, just as Washington D.C. is out of touch with America,” Sykes said.

Sykes serves as Majority Whip and represents Cleveland, Grady, McClain and Stephens Counties

Democrat Partisans Behind Quran Attack Ad?

Hat Tip to Mike @ http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2007/11/democrat-partisans-behind-quran-attack.html


The signers of a half-page ad attacking state lawmakers for declining copies of the Quran are largely partisan Democrats, State Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, said today.

"Virtually every person involved in this attack ad is a Democrat or Democratic campaign contributor," said Reynolds, who monitors political dollars with an intensity few can match.

Headed "A Letter to Oklahomans," the advertisement is signed by more than 100 individuals, including
Attorney General Drew Edmondson and his wife Linda,
and
Secretary of State Susan Savage, a former Tulsa mayor.

Others signing the letter include
former Treasurer Robert Butkin, now a University of Tulsa law professor;
Energy Secretary David Fleischaker;
former Senate President Pro Tem Cal Hobson;
Pulitzer Prize-winning author N. Scott Momaday;
Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal;
Secretary of Environment Miles Tolbert;
former Attorney General Mike Turpen; and
former Tulsa lawmaker Penny Williams.

A spokesman said those signing the letter belong to no formal organization, although many of them met through the Oklahoma Symposium, a three-day event held every year at Quartz Mountain State Park.

"It's clear this group is simply throwing up a smokescreen to divert attention from Governor Brad Henry's sponsorship of Muslim activists in state government."

The Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council, which consists of Muslim activists, recently received national attention for its efforts to provide "Centennial edition" copies of the Quran (the holy book of Islam) to Oklahoma state lawmakers. Several legislators did not accept copies of the book.

The council's official efforts have included "outreach" programs targeting Oklahoma school children and efforts to introduce Muslim content into school textbooks endorsed by state regulators, Reynolds said.

On Sunday, a half-page ad signed by 147 individuals ran in the state's two largest newspapers attacking lawmakers who did not cave in to the demands of council members, Reynolds said. Of the 147 signers, 123 are registered Democrats, seven are registered independents and seven are Republicans according to voter registration records, Reynolds said.

He said 10 individuals could not be found in state voter registration records. Records show that four of the 14 signers registered as Republicans or independents have contributed money exclusively to Democratic candidates, Reynolds said. Over half of those 14 individuals also share an address with one of the registered Democrat signatories.

"This ad is nothing more than a partisan attack funded by Democrats to benefit Governor Henry. If they don't have the backbone to criticize the militant strain of Islam that resulted in the murder of thousands of our fellow citizens on American soil, that's their right, but I think it's sad that they have allowed political considerations to cloud their judgment," Reynolds said.

He noted that campaign records indicate Ethnic American Advisory Council member Mohammad Farzaneh and members of his family have donated more than $100,000 to Oklahoma candidates, including Henry.

Reynolds renewed his call for Henry to disband or at least reform the council so its membership will include a "truly diverse group of people of Middle Eastern heritage who represent all faiths in that region, not just one."

http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_297002442.html

Published: October 24, 2007 12:24 am

Martin, other lawmakers refuse copies of Quran
By M. Scott Carter

Transcript Staff Writer


OKLAHOMA CITY — Saying he had no “spiritual or scholarly need” for it, Norman state Rep. Scott Martin confirmed Tuesday that he refused a copy of the Quran, the Muslim world’s holy book.

On Monday, a “Centennial” copy of the Quran was offered to all members of the Oklahoma Legislature from the Governor’s Ethnic American Advisory Council. And while many lawmakers accepted the book, at least eight legislators refused the gift, citing religious reasons.

Martin, a Republican, joined at least five other state representatives and two state senators — David Derby of Owasso, Guy Liebmann of Oklahoma City, Mark McCullough of Sapulpa, Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City, Susan Winchester of Chickasha, Rex Duncan of Sand Springs and Senators Randy Brogdon of Owasso and David Myers of Ponca City — who refused to accept copies of the Quran.

“They (the Governor’s task force) sent us an e-mail, asking if we wanted a copy,” Martin said. “And since it wasn’t something that I needed, I kindly declined the offer.”

Martin said he turned down the book for religious reasons.

“I’m a Christian,” he said. “And there’s lots of other religious documents that I don’t have a copy of. But I appreciated them giving us more of a choice.”

State Rep. Rex Duncan, who announced his refusal publicly, said he turned down a copy of the Quran because it advocated killing women and children.

“Most Oklahomans do not endorse the idea of killing innocent women and children in the name of ideology,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press. Duncan said he objected “to the use of the state Centennial Seal and the state Seal all in an effort to further their (Muslims’) religion.”

However, one religious scholar said the action could be viewed as an insult to the Muslim community.

University of Oklahoma religious studies professor David Vishanoff, who specializes in Islamic studies, said lawmakers were making a “quick judgment” about the Islamic faith and probably haven’t read the book.

“I think they are making the mistake of identifying what they perceive as some Muslims’ belief as what’s in the Quran,” he said. “I don’t think they can find it advocating ‘killing innocent women and children.’”

The Quran, Vishanoff said, condemns infanticide, has a system of rules about the taking of life and urges restraint and forgiveness. And while some parts of the Quran are “hair raising,” Vishanoff said they are subject to interpretation. “It’s a Seventh Century Arabian book. You can say the same thing about the Bible … it’s all in there.”

By refusing the offer, Vishanoff said lawmakers were sending a negative message to the Muslim community.

“If I were in their shoes, I think I would get the message that we don’t really want Islam in our community,” Vishanoff said. “And that’s what they are trying to overcome.”

Oklahoma Muslims have “been making a real effort” to have a visible relationship with Oklahoma’s business and community leaders, he said. “They are an integral and respected part of the Oklahoma community. They are voters and supporters. And they matter.”

But while a few lawmakers passed on their copy of the Quran, at least one Cleveland County lawmaker said he accepted his copy.

Norman Democrat Bill Nations said he, too, was offered a copy of the Quran and he accepted it.

“I did receive a copy,” Nations said. “I fact I already had one.”

Nations said he wasn’t offended by the book, adding that he owned a copy of the Book of Mormon and “about 20” Bibles.

“It’s a matter of an intellectual exercise,” he said. “And understanding what’s going on the world. All Muslims are not our enemies, just some radical ones, which are the problems.”

While he said he had not received the e-mail about the Quran, state Rep. Wallace Collins, D-Norman, said he would accept a copy if offered. “I didn’t see an e-mail about it, but I would accept one if offered,” Collins said. “I have several friends who are Muslim.”

The controversy comes on the heels of a recent Ramadan dinner hosted by Gov. Brad Henry at the governor’s mansion.

Henry’s spokesman, Paul Sund, said the governor had hosted the dinner for several years. “Like President Bush, he’s hosted a Ramandan dinner for many years.”

At this year’s dinner Henry was presented with a copy of the Quran, Sund said. “No, he didn’t refuse it,” he said. “He accepted it warmly.”

M. Scott Carter366-3545scarter@normantranscript.com

Total Of Legislators Who Refuse Quran Now At 15

The number of Oklahoma legislators refusing to accept copies of the Quran from the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council has grown to 15.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=071023_1__OKLAH11081


More legislators turn down copies of the Quran

By World Capitol Bureau
10/23/2007 12:23 PM
Last Modified: 10/23/2007 1:08 PM

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Six lawmakers in the 101-member House of Representatives have joined Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, in refusing a copy of the Quran.

The holy book of the Muslim religion was offered as a centennial gift by the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council.

Duncan refused a copy saying that "Most Oklahomans do not endorse the idea of killing innocent women and children in the name of ideology.

Allison Moore of Tulsa, who converted to the Muslim faith more than a decade ago, said Tuesday that the lawmaker is taking out of context what the Quran says.

"We do not condone suicide bombers any more than the Christians."

According to the governor's council, other Republican representatives declining a copy of the Quran are David Derby of Owasso, Guy Liebmann of Oklahoma City, Scott Martin of Norman, Mark McCullough of Sapulpa, Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City, and Susan Winchester of Chickasha.

Rep. Duncan Objects to 'Centennial' Copy Of Quran


State Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs, has written other legislators in objecting to being sent a "Centennial" copy of the Quran, compliments of the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council.

Duncan wrote his fellow legislators Monday that he is refusing a copy of the Quran because, ''Most Oklahomans do not endorse the idea of killing innocent women and children in the name of ideology.''

Marjaneh Seirafi-Pour, a Muslim, chairwoman of the governor's council, said she received a call from Duncan wondering whether state money was used to buy the books.

''Members of the Oklahoma Muslim community paid for copies of the Quran,'' she said. ''We are not trying to force anything on anyone. This is a peaceful, thoughtful project to introduce ourselves to leaders.''