October 15, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 10

Page Text

Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Tuesday, October 15, 2019 David Perdue and his bipartisan bill Opinion Page lhCituNews -- it’s about school safety, not guns “E Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 By Jim Galloway, The At- senator now speaks kind- So let us be clear. This is extended background checks Sting of abuse hits lanta Journal-Constitution ly of Michelle Nunn, his Next year, U.S. Sen. Da- 2014 Democratic opponent. decent legislation that de- serves passage. But the mea- before November 2020. “We're not going away. The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City vid Perdue would like to “She’s got a good heart and sure also fills -- or attempts We're going to be persistent. Like their peers in so many parts of the country, Roman do what his GOP colleague a great mind, a great fam- to fill -- some very specific And we’re not going away,” Catholics in Oklahoma are e: xperiencing the heartbreak and Johnny Isakson did in 2016 ily. I revere her father, Sam political needs. she said. “It’s not enough to anger that come with learning of priests who abused chil- -- out-perform Donald Nunn. I mean, he’s an icon,” For Jones, the Alabama just say we're going to take dren and the Church’s mishandled of abuse allegations. Trump among Georgia vot- Perdue said. Democrat, it offers inocula- it up in an election. We're at The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma released a ers. But more important than tion, When his GOP chal- it every single day.” list last week of 11 priests and other individuals who had Isakson, whose congenial any of this is the School lengers denounce him as a There is yet another wrin- been credibly accused of sex abuse against a minor since approach has always made Safety Clearinghouse Act, a “socialist” next year, Jones kle to the Perdue/Jones bill. the diocese’s inception in 1973. One day later, the Archdio- his conservatism more di- bill that Perdue has co-spon- can now point to his Georgia Jones was elected in 2017 to cese of Oklahoma City said an investigation dating to 1960 gestible, won nearly 55% sored with U.S. Sen. Doug colleague as a fellow trav- fill the Senate seat of Ala- revealed 11 current or former priests were credibly accused of all ballots cast in his re- Jones, a Democrat from Ala- eler. bama’s Jeff Sessions, whom of sexually abusing minors. election bid. The more caus- bama who also faces voters For Perdue, the advantage Trump had appointed as In both dioceses, the reports were issued by outside, and tic Trump scored 51% of the next year. It was introduced is two-fold. If your 2020 U.S. attorney general. Jones’ highly regarded, law firms -- GableGotwals in Tulsa, and Georgia vote. in early September -- fol- target is the swing voter in chief political strategist was McAfee & Taft in Oklahom: a City. The firms had free rein With an uncertain elec- lowing an August riven by Georgia, then a display of and remains Joe Trippi, a to investigate every file -- a commendable and wise move. tion year looming, public at- a trio of gun massacres, two bipartisanship never hurts longtime Democratic vet- Any hint of interference or control by the diocese and arch- titude toward impeachment in Texas and one in Dayton, -- particularly among wom- eran. diocese would have clouded the findings. of the president shifting, and Ohio, that collectively took en, whom some researchers Trippi is also the strategic Those findings are distres: sing. For example, McAfee & the chances of an economic dozens of lives. have found to prefer more consultant for Teresa Tom- Taft cited a now-deceased priest who was accused of child downturn hovering at 50-50 Gun violence threatens to collaborative candidates. linson, one of several Dem- sexual abuse in 1989. Damni ing videotapes were recovered in Georgia, that hometown become a permanent barrier The School Safety Clear- ocratic candidates seeking from the priest’s home, but the law firm found no evidence margin is something well between Republicans and inghouse Act also allows a Perdue’s seat. I wondered the priest was reported to law enforcement or the Depart- worth preserving. suburban women -- particu- GOP-controlled Senate to if this would inhibit Tom- ment of Human Services, and eventually he was assigned To do that, to win re-elec- larly as it applies to schools. point to an accomplishment linson, the former mayor of to two parishes in other states. The report also found that tion in 2020, Perdue will Perdue is drilling down on in the way of gun violence Columbus, when it came to the archdiocese in 2002 paid the legal fees for a priest to need the help of suburban, a small piece of that issue -- without triggering a para- the topic of gun violence, file a defamation lawsuit against a man who had accused college-educated — women during the current recess. lyzing reaction from the Na- or the Perdue/Jones bill. It him of sexual abuse -- even though the priest had admit- -- particularly those living The Perdue/Jones _ bill tional Rifle Association. The didn’t. ted his actions to former Archbishop Eusebius Beltran and in north metro Atlanta. The would create a repository legislation doesn’t touch the “Anytime you're running former Vicar General Edward Weisenburger. same women who fled the for “best practices” aimed issue of high-velocity, high- for re-election as an incum- The law firm found that Beltran and Weisenburger didn’t Georgia GOP in the 2018 at reducing a school’s vul- capacity firearm prolifera- bent, you always look for tell what they knew to an arc! hdiocesan review board tasked mid-terms and today remain nerability to mass violence, tion in this country. ways to be cast as biparti- with determining whether the priest should be returned to hardcore skeptics of Presi- assembled and maintained “We know we've got to san,” Tomlinson said. “And the ministry. Beltran reinstated the priest in 2003 and in dent Trump. by the U.S. Department of do some things on guns, in doing so, lied in a news release about the thoroughness of Perdue’s task is complicat- Homeland Security. The terms of background checks no one in America is against the investigation and the priest’s suitability. ed by his close association clearinghouse would assem- and so forth, to keep guns safe schools. “But I don’t think it’s the As itis, the Oklahoma City report is incomplete. McAfee with the White House, par- ble recommendations from out of the hands of people end all, be all answer to & Taft says 37 boxes of records were taken from the arch- ticularly on the president’s engineers, architects, first that should not have them, diocese by its former chancellor and her husband, who trade war with China. But if responders, and building se- but this is a great first step,” the gun violence epidemic served as outside general counsel. The boxes were only you watch him closely, you curity experts -- but would Perdue told a reporter. we’ ve got here,” she said. turned over to the law firm the day before the report was will see that Perdue is reori- impose no mandates on local Senate Majority Leader Tomlinson emphasized issued. Thus, another shoe will drop at a later time. enting himself in some very school districts. Mitch McConnell, R-K} that she favors “red flag” Meantime, Church leaders in both dioceses vow that zero specific ways. Certainly, it would fit a has held up a House bi legislation that would allow tolerance is now the norm. It must be. The archdiocese has He has offered Gov. Brian need. One of the more un- passed in February, that police, family and friends of a hotline to report sexual abuse, and it promotes the state Kemp some advice on who derstated opening lines from would extend background gun owners to petition the DHS hotline. Archbishop Paul Coakley, installed in 2011, should be appointed to re- the text of the bill: “Accord- checks to more gun purchas- court to have weapons tem- notes that many improvements have been made to ensure place Isakson, who retires on ing to the American Institute es. porarily seized -- if the gun the safety of children, but that “we must do better.” He is Dec. 31. “Georgia is a grow- of Architects, most of the Perdue’s bill may help owner is a danger to himself right on both counts. Coakley also asked the faithful to pray ing state and the Republi- 132,853 public and private deflect some attention, but or others. Perdue has ex- for abuse victims, and for the many good priests and reli- can party needs to broaden elementary and secondary Democrats have already de- pressed qualms about such gious unfairly tarred by this profound ugliness. As they do, with it. And that’s been my schools in the United States clared gun violence a top a measure -- as well as oth- Catholics may want to recall the creed that is professed at mantra since the very be- are not designed to deter... 2020 issue. When House er restrictions proposed by Mass each week. It declares a belief in God, in Jesus Christ ginning,” Perdue said last violent acts.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi both Democrats and some and in the Holy Spirit. It makes no mention of mortal man. week. The remark could be In a recent op-ed for the showed up at the offices of Republicans. interpreted as favoring state Journal-Constitution, Perdue the AJC last week, she was Tomlinson would also House Speaker pro tem Jan pointed to the bombing of wearing a bracelet made, in support a ban on the sale of Failing to understand Jones of Milton, who has the Oklahoma City federal part, from a brass bullet cas- assault-style rifles and high- applied for the job -- along building in 1994, and how ing. An anti-gun violence capacity magazines. A query By Jonathan Small He also urged Guyger to with 500 others. it prompted changes to gov- activist in Florida had made to Perdue’s office for the Ask yourself, which is become a Christian, say- Then there’s the fact that ernment architecture across it for her. senator’s positions on those worse? Losing a brother to ing, “I think giving your life Georgia’s soon-to-be-senior the country. She wants a Senate vote on topics was unsuccessful. mindless violence, or los- to Christ would be the best Socialism isn’t the solution ing your brother to mindless thing that Botham would violence and then clinging want for you.” to bitterness and resentment For many who viewed for the rest of your life? that exchange, it was an in- Neither outcome is desir- credibly moving moment. By Stacy Washington Their plan would jeopar- aren’t available in developed Price controls make it able, but one is still worse But some activists deride President Trump promised dize Americans’ access to countries that impose price difficult for companies to “America will never be a so- state-of-the-art drugs. controls. Only two-thirds of than the other. And only in the moment as “cheap ab- recoup their upfront costs. the latter case is part of the solution” that gives whitesa cialist country” -- at least not The administration wants new drugs launched world- while he’s in office. to overhaul Medicare Part wide between 2011 and They kill the incentive to in- outcome under your own free pass for acts of racism. But some members of his B, which covers advanced 2018 are available in the vest in cures. If HHS adopts control. It seems some ac- In reality, forgiveness is tivists don’t understand that crucial to defeating racism. administration didn’t get the drugs administered in doc- United Kingdom. Roughly these price caps, drug devel- fact. And it was also the only memo. The Department of tors’ offices. These drugs half are available in France opment will grind to a halt -- In Dallas, Texas, for- path forward that would not Health and Human Services cost 80 percent more in and Canada. By contrast, 88 and patients will suffer. mer police officer Am- allow bitterness to consume still plans to impose social- America than in other de- percent of those new drugs ist, European-style price veloped countries. HHS’ are available in the United Fighting socialism with ber Guyger, who is white, Brandt Jean. entered the wrong apart- As Martin Luther King Jr. controls on advanced drugs plan would gradually ratchet States -- including nearly 95 socialism will only harm pa- ment by mistake, believing noted, “Forgiveness does administered through Medi- down Medicare reimburse- percent of new cancer medi- tients. Let’s hope President she was entering her own not mean ignoring what care. ment rates, so that the gov- cines. Trump nixes HHS’ plan. apartment. When she saw has been done or putting a The proposal would tie ernment would pay, at most, Price controls would also Medicare’s drug reimburse- 26 percent more than the subvert efforts to develop Stacy Washington is a the tenant, Botham Jean, a false label on an evil act. It black man, she reacted by means, rather, that the evil ment rates to the average average developed nation cures for deadly diseases. decorated Air Force Vet- shooting and killing him. act no longer remains as a prices paid by governments price. Medical research is risky. eran, an Emmy nominated The resulting outrage is barrier to the relationship. that impose price controls Copying socialist tactics It costs $2.6 billion to de- TV personality, and the host understandable, as is the de-Forgiveness is a catalyst on medicines. Officials hope will only make it harder for velop a new drug. Close to of the nationally syndicated sire for justice. Guyger was creating the atmosphere their scheme will reduce Americans to access new 90 percent of experimental recently convicted and sen- necessary for a fresh start pharmaceutical spending in therapies. treatments fail to gain FDA radio program “Stacy on the tenced to prison. But during and a new beginning.” America. Many of the newest drugs approval. Right.” victim impact statements, To his credit, Brandt Jean devastate your health and who spoke the truth, forgave no illusion about the realities compatible with a world in Jean’s younger brother chose a fresh start. And all mental well-being for de- and hugged his brother’s of racism. But, having been which people are enticed to Brandt surprised many by people who care about rac- offering Guyger forgive- ism must be willing to do cades. Consider the contrast killer. The former group’s on both sides of the equa- withhold forgiveness. ness. A professing Christian the same. Clinging to bitter- between Antifa activists, rage achieves nothing posi- tion, I also understand the Jonathan Small serves as like his late brother, Brandt ness does not punish those who hide behind masks and tive; the latter’s gentle action value of forgiveness. It ben- Jean said, “If you are truly who've done you wrong. “protest” via acts of physical moved millions of hearts efits not only the offender, president of the Oklahoma sorry, I know I can speak Instead, it becomes a form violence and property de- and minds. but the offended. Put simply, Council of Public Affairs for myself: I forgive you.” of self-punishment that can struction, and Brandt Jean, Asa black man Iam under a world without racism is in- (www.ocpathink.org).