Oklahoma Independent Media Center

Brenda Golden, one of the event organizers, at OK State Capitol

Indians Protest on Oklahoma Centennial

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chanting "no justice, no peace," American Indians and their supporters marked the state's centennial Friday with a march on the state Capitol to denounce the events that led to Oklahoma's statehood.

Descendants of famous Oklahomans donned period costumes to lead the celebration in Guthrie, the state's first capital, while in Oklahoma City, about 500 tribal members recalled the experience of ancestors who were forced from their traditional lands and marched to what became Oklahoma.

"We were here before statehood. We were here first," said Brenda Golden, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) tribe and one of the march's organizers.

"We're not going to do-si-do with the white man today," said Dwain Camp, a member of the Ponca tribe. "We're going to do this as long as they celebrate taking our land."

Fathers of two slain soldiers speak out during Capitol anti-war protest

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two Oklahoma fathers of soldiers slain in Iraq say it’s past time to end the United States’ participation in the war.

Warren Henthron of Choctaw and John Scripsick of Wayne joined others in a Veterans Day protest of the war at the state Capitol on Monday.

Scripsick’s 22-year-old son, Bryan Scripsick, was a Marine corporal who died in September while engaged in combat in Anbar Province in Iraq.

Henthorn’s son, 25-year-old Jeffrey Henthorn, was an Army specialist killed during his second tour of Iraq in 2005.

Scripsick and Henthron praised veterans for their service, but said the Iraq war should never have happened and it is time to bring troops home.

(Associated Press story as published in Tulsa World)

POST EVENT RELEASE:
Step It Up 2 - Who’s A Leader? event
November 3, 2007
http://stepitup2007.org/

STEP IT UP 2 - WHO’S A LEADER - GLOBAL WARMING EVENT IN OKC
Elected officials and community leaders step up to climate change challenge.

Step It Up held a second global warming event in Oklahoma City on Saturday, November 3, to call for leadership on climate change with around 100 in attendance. There were also similar events in Norman, Muskogee and Stillwater with hundreds occurring nationwide.

“Invitations were sent to all federally elected officials of Oklahoma to give them a chance to state how they would lead on the issue of global warming,” said organizer Darla Shelden.