Contesting the Boundaries of Church and State: Adoption Rights in Oklahoma
My long awaited event is a week away, and I couldn't be more excited. For all of you that do not know, I have put together a bipartisan panel discussion on the controversial and discriminatory law known as Oklahoma Senate Bill 1140. The law allows private adoption agencies to deny children to potential adoptive parents for any reason that may "violate the agency's written religious or moral convictions or policies."
The event will take place at the University of Central Oklahoma on Thursday, September 6th, 2018 from 2:00-3:30 PM. I have managed to put together an amazingly diverse panel made up of the following people:
1. Senator AJ Griffin, a Republican that shockingly voted against the bill when nearly all others voted for it.
2. Senator Anastasia Pittman (currently running for Lt. Gov. of Oklahoma), a Democrat that surprised her constituents and the Democratic party by voting in favor of the bill.
3. Reverend Jeff Hamilton, a former State Representative, the current Associate Pastor at First Christian Church of Oklahoma City, and adoptive parent who believes this is an overstep of so-called "religious freedoms."
4. Mr. Patrick Raglow, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Oklahoma, the organization in charge of private adoption agencies that are run by the Catholic Church in our state, the same agencies that benefit from the new law.
5. Ms. Kris Williams, a lesbian adoptive parent who is ultimately affected by the new discriminatory law.
My hopes and dreams for this event...
1. I just want to start the conversation. I believe that the only way to initiate change is to talk about the problem. I want the students and community members that attend to ask the tough questions and decide for themselves what this law means to them. Too often, young people are not involved in the lawmaking process, and I want to change that.
2. I want to show Oklahoma that it is possible to have the tuff conversations in a peaceful and productive manner. I invited both sides of the aisle to speak with one another about the bill in a deeply personal conversation about beliefs and experiences.
3. And finally, I want to stir the pot. I want to shake things up. I want the people of Oklahoma to see the damage that this law is causing to not only potential adoptive families but the children who are waiting for love. If enough people can talk about this and get as angry as I am, then maybe, just maybe, we can repeal this legislation, and protect the innocent children that are awaiting adoption. There are already 23,000-30,000 children that "age out" of the system every year, and this law only increases that number by removing adoptive parents because of an institutions "religious or moral convictions or policies."
THIS IS NOT A CAKE, THESE ARE CHILDREN!
Be good, and be good to each other!
The event will take place at the University of Central Oklahoma on Thursday, September 6th, 2018 from 2:00-3:30 PM. I have managed to put together an amazingly diverse panel made up of the following people:
1. Senator AJ Griffin, a Republican that shockingly voted against the bill when nearly all others voted for it.
2. Senator Anastasia Pittman (currently running for Lt. Gov. of Oklahoma), a Democrat that surprised her constituents and the Democratic party by voting in favor of the bill.
3. Reverend Jeff Hamilton, a former State Representative, the current Associate Pastor at First Christian Church of Oklahoma City, and adoptive parent who believes this is an overstep of so-called "religious freedoms."
4. Mr. Patrick Raglow, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Oklahoma, the organization in charge of private adoption agencies that are run by the Catholic Church in our state, the same agencies that benefit from the new law.
5. Ms. Kris Williams, a lesbian adoptive parent who is ultimately affected by the new discriminatory law.
My hopes and dreams for this event...
1. I just want to start the conversation. I believe that the only way to initiate change is to talk about the problem. I want the students and community members that attend to ask the tough questions and decide for themselves what this law means to them. Too often, young people are not involved in the lawmaking process, and I want to change that.
2. I want to show Oklahoma that it is possible to have the tuff conversations in a peaceful and productive manner. I invited both sides of the aisle to speak with one another about the bill in a deeply personal conversation about beliefs and experiences.
3. And finally, I want to stir the pot. I want to shake things up. I want the people of Oklahoma to see the damage that this law is causing to not only potential adoptive families but the children who are waiting for love. If enough people can talk about this and get as angry as I am, then maybe, just maybe, we can repeal this legislation, and protect the innocent children that are awaiting adoption. There are already 23,000-30,000 children that "age out" of the system every year, and this law only increases that number by removing adoptive parents because of an institutions "religious or moral convictions or policies."
THIS IS NOT A CAKE, THESE ARE CHILDREN!
Be good, and be good to each other!
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