Remember: Kim David killed abortion ban — with a smirk

artwork by T. Russell Hunter

Current Corporation Commissioner and former State Senator Kim David is one of the 11 Republican candidates running for the 1st Congressional District. Her record on tax and fiscal policy is abysmal (bodes well for being in DC, right?).

There's one other thing to know about Kim David.

When push came to shove, when it actually mattered, when Oklahoma could have taken the lead in ending abortion in our state and protecting the preborn... instead, with an actual movie-villain smirk, Kim David KILLED the bill that would have abolished abortion in Oklahoma in 2020. 

Remember: when it actually mattered, Kim David killed abortion ban

Artwork by T. Russell Hunter

State Sen. Kim David is the Republican nominee for Corporation Commissioner. Her record on tax and fiscal policy is abysmal (bodes well for being a rubber-stamp to utility price hikes, right?)

There's one other thing to know about Kim David.

Baptist pastors release film on how Pro-Life movement is keeping abortion legal in OK

A Storm Comes Rolling Down the Plain: The Movement to Abolish Abortion Without Compromise in Oklahoma

Powerful New Documentary Reveals How the Pro-Life Movement Keeps Abortion Legal in Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, OK -- A Storm Comes Rolling Down the Plain tells the providential story of the church rising to bring the gospel into conflict with the horrors of abortion in Oklahoma. It presents the church of King Jesus as she proclaims the gospel as the ultimate antidote to modern day child sacrifice.

In contrast, it shows how the super-majority of Republican pro-life politicians have fought to kill bills that would abolish abortion immediately, without exception or compromise.  The storm in Oklahoma is building as the Church repents and rises up to work to end what the pro-life movement has only sought to regulate for the last 48 years.  

State Senate votes to kill SB13, only 4 vote to allow hearing on abortion abolition bill

Earlier today, the Oklahoma State Senate voted 38-4 to table a motion by Majority Floor Leader Kim David (R-Porter) that would have brought Senate Bill 13 (the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act) directly to the Senate floor for immediate consideration. In essence, this kills the bill for the remainder of the legislative session.

As I wrote yesterday, this was the most important vote of each senator's career to-date. 38 of them totally and completely failed the test. 38 state senators demonstrated their true stance on abortion: and that stance is that they would prefer it continue to be performed in Oklahoma.

Absolutely shameful.

Here's the roll call vote. 30 Republicans and 8 Democrats voted to kill SB13, while 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat missed the vote. All 4 votes against tabling were Republicans:

Given the opportunity to lock arms with those who want to end abortion in Oklahoma, 30 Republicans instead opted to defend the livelihood of abortionists whose fingers drip with the blood of 5,000 Oklahoma babies per year. God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7). One day they will realize how wrong they were.

The following four Senators voted against the tabling motion (and thus in support of allowing a floor hearing of SB13). These noble four deserve the thanks and gratitude of those who truly wish to see abortion ended in Oklahoma:

Top: Sen. Joseph Silk and Sen. Chris Kidd
Bottom: Sen. Nathan Dahm and Sen. Roland Pederson

I encourage you to email them. These good men stood up against the peer pressure and the frowns of leadership in order to take a bold stand for the lives of babies: Joseph.Silk@OKSenate.gov, Chris.Kidd@OKSenate.gov, Nathan.Dahm@OKSenate.gov, Roland.Pederson@OKSenate.gov

Remember this vote whenever any of the disgraced 38 are on the ballot in the future. This was their defining moment, and it is a tremendous stain (of their own choosing) on their character.

How will Oklahoma Senate Republicans vote tomorrow: to end abortion -- or save it?

Tomorrow, State Senator Joseph Silk (R-Broken Bow) will make a motion to bring Senate Bill 13 (the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act) directly to the floor of the Senate for immediate consideration. Republicans will be fully responsible for either voting to hear the bill, or voting to prematurely kill the bill like the 5,000 babies murdered in the womb every year in this state.

This happens tomorrow:

A motion is going to be made in the State Senate on Wednesday to bring SB13 directly to the floor for a hearing. A motion to table this motion will likely be made by an establishment Republican and that motion to table will get a vote immediately. So, on Wednesday, the Senate will vote on whether to hear SB13 or whether to table it for good.

On February 11, three thousand people showed up to the State Capitol for the Abolition Day rally to demand SB13. Thousands of abolitionists from across the state have been constantly emailing and calling their state Senators asking them to support SB13. The Oklahoma Baptists, Oklahoma Free Will Baptists, and Oklahoma Republican Party all passed resolutions demanding SB13. Yet because of Greg McCortney and Greg Treat hardening their hearts, the bill hasn’t even been heard. It was tabled in committee and the deadline for bills passing out of committee has passed.

A bill does not have to pass out of committee, however. It can be brought straight to the Senate floor if a motion to do so is filed and a majority of the Senate votes in favor of hearing the bill.

Up until now, Senate Bill 13 has languished in the Health and Human Services Committee. Under two different chairmen, during two legislative sessions, the measure has been denied a fair hearing. The twelve senators on the committee are the only members of the Oklahoma Senate that have had the opportunity to directly act on SB13. Up until this point, the rest of the 48-member Senate has been able to say that they had no ability to vote on the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act.

That ends tomorrow.

On Wednesday, each and every member of the Oklahoma Senate will cast literally the most important and life-impacting vote of their entire legislative career until this point. Nothing that they have done previously will have the most direct impact on life and death as this impending vote will carry.

Tomorrow's vote will truly determine the foundational ethic of each and every Senator. Their vote will demonstrate whether they really want to see abortion ended in Oklahoma, or whether they are a-okay with it continuing.

Every year, 5,000 babies are murdered in Oklahoma by the act of abortion. Each and every year, the death toll continues to pile up. Abortion is on an upward trajectory in Oklahoma over the past few years, despite everything that past pro-life legislatures have done.

• 2016 abortions in Oklahoma: 4,294
• 2017 abortions in Oklahoma: 4,723
• 2018 abortions in Oklahoma: 5,014 (source: Oklahoma State Department of Health)

We can end this. It can begin to end tomorrow, if and only if the Oklahoma Senate lines up on the side of God Almighty and the Sanctity of Human Life, and against the cult of Death and the legislative enabling of abortion.

Every senator will be on full record tomorrow. There will be no "I'm not on that committee" excuse. There will be nothing to hide behind, nobody to use as a shield. The searing light of truth will expose the character of every member, whether for better or for worse.

I will lose readers over this post. I am sure I will see unsubscribes when this article goes out on the MuskogeePolitico email newsletter. Quite frankly, I. Do. Not. Care. I don't write to be on everybody's good side. This is far more important than that. Right stands resolute in confrontation of Wrong. Truth must be spoken.

Most of the Oklahoma state senators profess to be Christians. Many of them are active in their churches. Some of them serve or have served as pastors, elders, or deacons. Bible-believing Christians recognize that all life is a gift from God (Ps. 139:13-16), that we are all made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and that God hates the shedding of innocent blood (Ex. 20:13, Gen. 9:6, Prov. 6:17). We are called to love our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40), to defend the fatherless and seek justice (Isa. 1:17, Mic. 6:8), and to deliver those that are drawn away to death (Prov. 24:10-12). The Bible declares that God hates unrighteous decrees (Isa. 10:1-2). We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

To quote my pastor, "Good men cannot be silent while the babies scream for life."

The following faces will be responsible for weighty action on Wednesday. This will be the ultimate test of their campaign rhetoric and pro-life espousals. Future lives will literally depend on the outcome.

Senator Allen campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Bergstrom campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Bice campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Boggs campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Bullard campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Coleman campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Dahm campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Daniels campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator David campaigns on being pro-life. Senator Dossett campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion.

Will they vote to end abortion, or will they vote to facilitate the continued abortion holocaust in Oklahoma? Who will take a bold stand, and who will not?

Senator Dugger campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Hall campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Haste campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Howard campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Jech campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Kidd campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Leewright campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion.

Will their vote match their professed belief? Which of these will go down in the record unafraid to slay the abortion dragon?

Senator McCortney campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Montgomery campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Murdock campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Newhouse campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Paxton campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Pederson campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Pemberton campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Pugh campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Quinn campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Rader campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Rosino campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Scott campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion.

Tomorrow, can the unborn count on these men to defend their right to life, or will the abortionists be able to pat them on the back and thank them for not terminating their business of death? It will be one or the other.

Senator Sharp campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Shaw campaigns on being pro-life. Senator Silk will be voting to abolish abortion -- will any of his colleagues join him? Senator Simpson campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Standridge campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Stanislawski campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Stanley campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Thompson campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Treat campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion. Senator Rader campaigns on being pro-life and against abortion.

Which of these will champion the right to life, and which of these will vote to keep the abortion mills fed? 

You will never know the faces of those babies in the womb who will be affected by this vote, whichever way it goes. But you will know the faces of those who will vote to affect the very lives of those babies.

Remember these faces. Remember how they vote on Wednesday. Remember the next time they are on the ballot whether they voted to protect the babies, or whether they voted to protect the abortion houses.

Let these Senators know which side they should be counted on. Let them know that this vote is the most important that they will ever cast. Let them know that you are watching and waiting for them to take the right stand.

Find your Senator at this link, then send them an email (listed below alphabetically by last name) right now asking them to vote to hear and approve Senate Bill 13, the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act:

Mark.Allen@oksenate.gov,
Micheal.Bergstrom@oksenate.gov,
Larry.Boggs@oksenate.gov,
Mary.Boren@oksenate.gov,
Stephanie.Bice@oksenate.gov,
Michael.Brooks@oksenate.gov,
David.Bullard@oksenate.gov,
Bill.Coleman@oksenate.gov,
Nathan.Dahm@oksenate.gov,
Julie.Daniels@oksenate.gov,
Kim.David@oksenate.gov,
J.J.Dossett@oksenate.gov,
Tom.Dugger@oksenate.gov,
Kay.Floyd@oksenate.gov,
Chuck.Hall@oksenate.gov,
John.Haste@oksenate.gov,
Carri.Hicks@oksenate.gov,
Brent.Howard@oksenate.gov,
Allison.Ikley-Freeman@oksenate.gov,
Darcy.Jech@oksenate.gov,
Chris.Kidd@oksenate.gov,
Julia.Kirt@oksenate.gov,
James.Leewright@oksenate.gov,
Kevin.Matthews@oksenate.gov,
Greg.McCortney@oksenate.gov,
JohnMichael.Montgomery@oksenate.gov,
Casey.Murdock@oksenate.gov,
Joe.Newhouse@oksenate.gov,
Lonnie.Paxton@oksenate.gov,
Roland.Pederson@oksenate.gov,
Dewayne.Pemberton@oksenate.gov,
Adam.Pugh@oksenate.gov,
Marty.Quinn@oksenate.gov,
Dave.Rader@oksenate.gov,
Paul.Rosino@oksenate.gov,
Paul.Scott@oksenate.gov,
Ron.Sharp@oksenate.gov,
Wayne.Shaw@oksenate.govJoseph.Silk@oksenate.gov,
Frank.Simpson@oksenate.gov,
Rob.Standridge@oksenate.gov,
Gary.Stanislawski@oksenate.gov,
Brenda.Stanley@oksenate.gov,
Roger.Thompson@oksenate.gov,
Greg.Treat@oksenate.gov,
Darrell.Weaver@oksenate.gov,
George.Young@oksenate.gov,

Edmond First Baptist Pastor: give SB13 a fair hearing

Pastor Blake Gideon of Edmond First Baptist Church released a public statement yesterday, calling on the Oklahoma Legislature to give a hearing to "all bills with the intent of ending abortion", including Senate Bill 13, the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act.

As pastor of EFBC It is my conviction that all bills with the intent of ending abortion should at least receive a hearing from Oklahoma Legislators this includes SB13.

— Blake Gideon (@Blake_Gideon) February 19, 2020

A month ago today, Pastor Gideon delivered a strong message on the sanctity of human life, including this statement: "I'm tired of incrementalism... I'm tired of kicking the ball down the field... it's time that we end the game! It's the fourth quarter, ten seconds left on the clock, we're in the redzone, we're down by one, it's time to punch the ball the ball across the goal line and end abortion in the state of Oklahoma!"


Gideon is the President of the Oklahoma Baptists (formerly called the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma), but is speaking personally and in his role as EFBC Pastor. A BGCO statement would be from Executive Director Dr. Hance Dilbeck.

WATCH: Silk deftly handles criticism of abortion abolition bill in TV interview

Last week, State Sen. Joseph Silk (R-Broken Bow) went on Oklahoma City's KOCO news for an interview about his Senate Bill 13, the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act. During the segment he answered viewer questions about the measure, handling the queries in a calm, compassionate and collected manner.

Watch below:


SB13 is still awaiting a hearing in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.

Muskogee Pastor's open letter to Senator in support of SB13 and abolishing abortion

From Muskogee pastor Brett Baggett:

This is my letter to Senator Greg McCortney concerning SB 13:

Beloved Senator McCortney,

Thank you for your service as one of our Oklahoma State Senators and as the chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee. And thank you for your time to read this email.

My name is Brett Baggett and I am an Oklahoma Baptist pastor of Ekklesia Muskogee. I have been an Oklahoma Baptist my entire life. My grandfather was an Oklahoma Baptist pastor for 50 years, my father was an Oklahoma Baptist pastor for 35 years, and I have been an Oklahoma Baptist minister/pastor for 13 years. I am grateful to know that you are an Oklahoma Baptist as well.

As a fellow Oklahoma Baptist, a citizen of Oklahoma, and a pastor whose purpose is to preach God’s word and shepherd a portion of His flock, I exhort you to obey God and not man. On behalf of the pre-born, let SB 13 go through the legislative process. Please bring it up for discussion in the committee and also, I implore you, vote yes. I am happy to provide any kind of testimony needed. I will have your back. This is a righteous bill that lines up with what God declares in Genesis 9, Psalm 82, and Romans 13, to name a few passages.

Brother, you and I both know we stand before our holy God and both of us will stand before Him to give an account for everything we have and have not done. For the sake of God’s glory, your conscience, and for the sake of the 5,000 plus pre-born Oklahoma citizens being slaughtered every year in Oklahoma, let SB 13 get a hearing. Again I say, I will have your back, come what may. Oklahoma Baptist’s will have your back, come what may. Abortion must be abolished.

SB 13 is not a secession bill, it is constitutional, and many other states are bringing these kind of abolition bills forward.

Jesus does not say please (though I have and will). Jesus makes commands and we obey. He commands governing authorities to “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked” and condemns those who "show partiality to the wicked" (Psalm 82).

I beg you, serve God and care not for the opinions of man. Given what He says in His word, I am confident that He will smile upon your bringing SB 13 up for discussion and subsequently voting yes. This is right. Abortion must be abolished so that all human lives—people made in the image of God—are equally protected.

I praise God that He sent his Son to do the opposite of abortion for us. He did not kill us for his sake, He gave himself up to be killed for our sake. O how glorious the gospel is!

I am praying for you, I have your back, and I will honor you before others if you let SB 13 go forward. You can go down in history as a man who stood up for those being carried away to the slaughter and said, "No more murder of anyone created in the image of God." What an opportunity!

Please call, text, or email if I can serve you or pray for you in any specific way. I look forward to receiving your return email, call, or text.

Your brother in Christ,

Brett Baggett
Lead Pastor - Ekklesia Muskogee
www.EkklesiaMuskogee.church

Photos: Abolition Day rally drew large crowds to State Capitol calling to end abortion, pass SB13

On Tuesday, a large crowd (likely around 2,000 people) attended the Abolition Day rally at the State Capitol, urging the State Legislature to take up Senate Bill 13 -- the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act.

You can read a brief recap here by Kenny Bob Tapp, a conservative activist from Cimarron County who was in attendance. Below are a few photos of the event. You can watch the recorded livestream of the rally at this link.

Source: social media

Source: social media

Source: social media

Source: social media

Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Watch's Trevor Brown

Source: social media

Watch the Abolition Day livestream as thousands gather in support of SB13

Apologia Studies, a Christian apologetics and news/entertainment program out of the Phoenix area, has a livestream of the Abolition Day rally taking place right now in Oklahoma City at the State Capitol.

Abolition Day rally being held at State Capitol today, calling to abolish abortion in Oklahoma

Photos from 2019's indoor rally to support SB13

Today, thousands of Oklahomans (and some from as far away as Alaska) will be gathering at the State Capitol in a rally to support Senate Bill 13, the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act.

The rally will begin at 10am on the South steps of the Oklahoma State Capitol building in Oklahoma City.

Here are some relevant articles I've written about or shared about SB13 and the fight to abolish abortion here in Oklahoma:

• Stroud Pastor: stand and be counted on abolishing abortion
• Silk blasts critics of Abortion Abolition bill over new anonymous attack site
• House passes bill that revokes licenses of those performing abortions, yet still leaves abortion legal
• Oklahomans to rally for abolition of abortion on Feb. 11
•  Abolition group calls on Gov. Stitt to take stand on ending abortion
• Senate President Treat: no change in position following BGCO support of abolishing abortion
• Oklahoma's Southern Baptists call for abolition of abortion at annual meeting
• Missing In Action: the Oklahoma Legislature and the fight for Life
• Senate committee passes Roe v. Wade "trigger" appeasement bill
• SB13 should receive a fair hearing and vote in the legislative process

Thousands to rally at State Capitol in support of SB13 and abolishing abortion

Thousands to Rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol Demanding SB13, Abortion's Total and Immediate Abolition

[Christian Newswire] -- On Tuesday, Feb. 11th from 10-11:30 a.m., thousands of Oklahomans will gather in front of the steps on the South side of the Oklahoma State Capitol building to support Senate Bill 13, The Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act.

Speakers will include Oklahoma State Senator Joseph Silk, Randall University professor Spencer Ledbetter, Free the States lobbyist Russell Hunter, The Ekklesia of Oklahoma Director Daniel Navejas, Grassroots Leaders from the Oklahoma Republican Party and other abolitionist leaders and citizens from around the state.

Southern Baptist and Free Will Baptist pastors will also address the gathering as they present and explain the resolutions to support SB13 they passed at their respective state conventions last year, and exhort the gathering of thousands toward a Biblical position of no compromise with abortion.

"Since last year's ordeal when the pro-life Republican leaders prevented the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act from getting a hearing, the people of Oklahoma have awakened to the fact that our politicians want to compromise with abortion and be given roses rather than do what they're morally and Constitutionally obligated to do: uphold the inalienable rights to life and equal protection of the law by abolishing abortion," Hunter said. "The paradigm is shifting. From interactions with people all over the state, we know about that shift, and come the eleventh, everyone else is going to know about it too."

Learn more about the rally at the Facebook event link.

Stroud Pastor: stand and be counted on abolishing abortion

An op-ed by Pastor Tim Gillespie of First Free Will Baptist (Stroud, OK)

There’s a story about a German man who, while growing up, attended a church that sat alongside a railroad track used to transport Jews to the concentration camps.  To make a long story short, the people in the church decided that the best way to make sure they didn’t hear the screams and cries of the Jews being taken to slaughter was to sing when the train went by every week.  If they still heard the screams, they would simply sing a little louder.

As Christians in modern-day America, we have been singing through the silent screams of millions of innocent babies as they have been led to slaughter in America’s abortion mills.  When the topic comes up, we simply sing a little louder.  Our singing has been in the form of feel-good, piecemeal, incrementalism that has done nothing to curb abortion.  Pro-lifers contend that abortion numbers are going down.  Surgical abortions are decreasing.  However, chemical abortions are increasing.  Abortion is the murder of an innocent life regardless of method.  Are we to demand that a few be saved or that all be saved?  How it must sadden God’s heart that there could even be debate over this issue within the body of Christ.

It is time for the church in America to rise up and stop singing over the cries of the helpless.  God loves our worship.  But if we refuse to stand steadfastly against injustice and evil in society, it is hollow worship.

Last spring, the Oklahoma Association of Free Will Baptists adopted possibly the strongest abolitionist resolution of any denomination (the text of the resolution is below).  The resolution passed with no debate or questions and by a unanimous vote.  As a Free Will Baptist pastor, I am pleased to see our state body take such a strong stand.

I want to encourage and challenge other pastors from every denomination to preach abolition from the pulpit and to press your denominational leaders to stand and be counted.  I challenge you to put your worship into action.  We have an opportunity on February 11 at the State Capitol to make our will – God’s will – known to our elected leaders.  The Abolition Day Rally begins at 10 am on the south steps of the State Capitol.  Be there.  Bring others with you.  Call your legislators regularly to remind them you are watching what they do with this issue.

Will you stand and speak for those who can’t speak for themselves or will you just sing a little louder?

Abolition resolution passed by the Oklahoma Association of Free Will Baptists state meeting in May, 2019:

WHEREAS, God’s Word clearly declares that all human life is a sacred gift from our sovereign God and that His Law is supreme over mankind and man’s law, and therefore that all abortion is wrong and usurps God’s sovereignty; and,
WHEREAS, since Roe v. Wade, 60 million innocent unborn babies have been legally murdered in the United States and approximately 5,000 innocent unborn babies are legally murdered in Oklahoma every year; and,
WHEREAS, government is not instituted to grant rights but to protect our unalienable, God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as recognized in the Declaration of Independence and Article 2, Section 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution; and,
WHEREAS, traditional pro-life laws do nothing to abolish abortion and, in fact, merely establish regulatory guidelines for how to obtain a legal abortion and, in so doing, simply facilitate the murder of innocent unborn children; and,
WHEREAS, Roe v. Wade will never be overturned unless a state enacts a law abolishing human abortion; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Oklahoma Association of Free Will Baptists, call upon the Legislature, Governor, and Attorney General of Oklahoma to pass, sign, and enforce legislation abolishing the practice of human abortion at all gestational stages and for all reasons in Oklahoma.

Silk blasts critics of Abortion Abolition bill over new anonymous attack site

Sen. Joseph Silk issues statement regarding opposition to Senate Bill 13

In a statement released Thursday, Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, criticized unnamed pro-life leaders that he claims are spreading blatantly false information regarding Senate Bill 13, also known as the Abolition of Abortion Act. The statement came after a new website in opposition of SB 13 was launched. The origin and creator of the website are unknown.

"Oklahomans who value life are infuriated that someone claiming to be pro-life has spent time and money building and promoting a website that opposes equal protection for unborn Oklahomans,” Silk said. “The fact that this person or group is doing this while 14 innocent, unborn children are brutally murdered every day in our state shows the true evilness in their hypocrisy and deceitfulness. Additionally, the fact that the person who owns this domain has hidden his name raises huge questions about the true intent of the site. Even after the public outcry last year, it is apparent that some leaders among our churches and pro-life groups still don’t get the message that the people of Oklahoma want the political games to stop and abortion to end immediately.”

The measure, which seeks to bring an immediate end to the practice of abortion in Oklahoma and offers equal protection to all unborn children, was opposed by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Catholic Arch Diocese in Oklahoma City, Oklahomans for Life, and Pam Pollard, chairman of the State Republican Party, during the 2019 legislative session.

Within months of their opposition, grassroots efforts from the Oklahoma State Republican Party, pastors and members of both the Oklahoma Baptists and Freewill Baptists, all adopted resolutions at their conventions calling for the immediate end of abortion in Oklahoma or a vote on the measure.

"My hope is that we can all move forward together to end the ongoing holocaust of 5,000 Oklahoma children that are murdered every year,” Silk said. “Apparently, even after almost 50 years of pro-life failures, some among us continue to fight against equal protection for unborn children. I encourage anyone interested in these new developments to contact my office for more information."

Rose Day postponed due to winter storm

Rose Day, the annual pro-life rally held at the Oklahoma State Capitol, has been postponed indefinitely due to the impending winter storm that is set to drop anywhere from 4" to 8" of snow on the Oklahoma City metro.

Here's the announcement from Oklahomans for Life:

For those who planned to go to Rose Day and are interested in taking action on behalf of the preborn, more Oklahomans will be gathering next Tuesday (February 11th) in a rally calling on the Legislature and Governor Stitt to abolish abortion by passing Senate Bill 13 and signing into law.

An overwhelming majority of the Legislature claims to be pro-life, yet at the same time they refuse to take any sort of significant action when it comes to ending the abortion holocaust in Oklahoma. The Abolition Day rally aims to mark a new direction in the fight against abortion -- attacking it headlong rather than trimming around the edges.

Sen. Smalley, chairman who obstructed abortion abolition bill, resigns to take private-sector job

The favorite pastime of the Oklahoma Legislator in recent years continues to go on. Another month, another legislative resignation for a job outside elected office. Last month, it was Democrat State Rep. Shane Stone; this month, it's Republican Sen. Jason Smalley.

In the past three and a half years, something like a dozen legislators (only two of which were Democrats) have resigned either in disgrace or to take another job.

Hat tip to NonDoc.com for reporting the news, and uploading Smalley's resignation letter, shown below:

Smalley would have been up for reelection this year, having been elected to the State House in 2012 and then moving to the Senate by winning his seat in the 2014 election.

More from NonDoc:

Smalley said he will not be a registered lobbyist for Motorola in Oklahoma but that he will supervise the duties of a registered lobbyist. In his official resignation letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt (embedded below), Smalley said he will “be in charge of [Motorola’s] Oklahoma operations.”

Last session, Senator Smalley received national attention for refusing to give the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act a fair hearing in the Senate's Health & Human Services Committee, which he chaired. Smalley stood in the way of a measure that sought the same consistent goal that he has repeatedly espoused over the years -- the end of abortion in Oklahoma.

While some of those who advocated for the bill could have followed more advisable methods of urging him to allow the bill to be heard, the fact remains that abortions are being performed today because Senator Jason Smalley took the side of Planned Parenthood and quashed the idea of trying a new strategy to bring abortion to a swift end.

Good riddance.

UPDATE -- Sen. Smalley issued the following press release:

Sen. Jason Smalley announces resignation from District 28 seat

State Senator Jason Smalley announced Tuesday he would resign office effective January 31.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of Lincoln, Pottawatomie, and Seminole counties, and I will always treasure the trust that the citizens of Oklahoma have placed in me,” said Smalley, R-Stroud. “After serving my country in the U.S. Marines for six years and eight years in an elective office, I believe it is the right time and opportunity to enter back into the business world.

Smalley said he would be named Senior Account Manager for the Motorola Solutions Corp., in charge of its Oklahoma operation.

“Motorola Solutions provides critical-mission technologies utilized by our first-responders, ensuring public safety across Oklahoma and the country,” Smalley said. “My experience in public office and as a Marine makes it a great fit and opportunity to continue to improve the communities in Oklahoma.”

Smalley passed the most significant teacher pay raise in state history and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Higher Education three times, most notably for his work on reforming the Oklahoma Promise scholarship. Smalley was the first member to raise the income cap in over fifteen years. He also laid the framework to allow ridesharing networks like Uber to operate in Oklahoma.

Smalley was raised in Stroud, graduating from Stroud High School, where he earned a music scholarship to the University of Central Oklahoma. While attending college, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served multiple tours. Following an honorable discharge in 2006, he received his degree in Social Science from the University of Oklahoma. He was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representative in 2012, and two years later, to the Oklahoma State Senate. Smalley currently serves as the Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, Education, General Government, and Rules.

He and C’Anne have been married since 2003 and have three boys, Gideon, August, and Lincoln.

Smalley said he would send his resignation letter, to be effective January 31, 2020, to State Senate Pro-Tempore Greg Treat later today.

Oklahomans to rally for abolition of abortion on Feb. 11

Oklahomans Will Rally For Abortion’s Total and Immediate Abolition on Feb. 11

by James Silberman (TheResurgent.com)

The Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act (SB13) has been introduced by Oklahoma State Senator Joseph Silk (R-Broken Bow) each of the last four legislative sessions. It’s important to note that it isn’t simply an anti-abortion bill among many. When passed and enforced, SB13 will completely abolish abortion in the state and strip from the courts the authority to unconstitutionally force Oklahoma to allow the murder of preborn human beings. The bill reads:

“It is the intent of the Legislature to provide to unborn children the equal protection of the laws of this state; to establish that a living human child, from the moment of fertilization upon the fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum, is entitled to the same rights, powers, privileges, justice and protections as are secured or granted by the laws of this state to any other human person; and to treat as void and of no effect any and all federal statutes, regulations, executive orders and court rulings, which would deprive an unborn child of the right to life.“

On Tuesday, February 11 at 10 a.m. Oklahomans are going to gather at the State Capitol to demand SB13’s passage. Each year, the bill has gained more traction than the year prior, with roughly 1,000 people at the Capitol to support abortion’s abolition last year.

Momentum is building behind SB13 in other ways as well. Two Christian denominations in the state have passed resolutions supportive of the bill in the past eight months. Last May, the Oklahoma Free Will Baptists passed the following resolution:

WHEREAS, God’s Word clearly declares that all human life is a sacred gift from our sovereign God and that His Law is supreme over mankind and man’s law, and therefore that all abortion is wrong and usurps God’s sovereignty; and,

WHEREAS, since Roe v. Wade, 60 million innocent unborn babies have been legally murdered in the United States and approximately 5,000 innocent unborn babies are legally murdered in Oklahoma every year; and,

WHEREAS, government is not instituted to grant rights but to protect our unalienable, God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as recognized in the Declaration of Independence and Article 2, Section 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution; and,

WHEREAS, traditional pro-life laws do nothing to abolish abortion and, in fact, merely establish regulatory guidelines for how to obtain a legal abortion and, in so doing, simply facilitate the murder of innocent unborn children; and,

WHEREAS, Roe v. Wade will never be overturned unless a state enacts a law abolishing human abortion; therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Oklahoma Association of Free Will Baptists, call upon the Legislature, Governor, and Attorney General of Oklahoma to pass, sign, and enforce legislation abolishing the practice of human abortion at all gestational stages and for all reasons in Oklahoma.

The resolution was authored by Tim Gillespie, pastor of Stroud Free Will Baptist Church, and the vote in favor was unanimous according to Oklahoma Free Will Baptists Executive Director Mike Wade.

Oklahoma Baptists (the Oklahoma affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention) passed a resolution at their annual convention on Nov. 12, 2019 adding language to the convention’s platform on abortion calling for the immediate end of abortion in the state.

“Finally, we call upon the Oklahoma State Legislature to enact legislation that calls for the immediate end of abortion without exception or compromise.”

The resolution, introduced by pastor Bill Ascol of Bethel Baptist Church in Owasso, OK and passed by a majority of representatives of the various Southern Baptist churches in Oklahoma, was a direct rebuke from member churches to the leaders of Oklahoma Baptists who publicly opposed the Abolition of Abortion in Oklahoma Act during the 2019 legislative session.

Read the rest of Silberman's column at this link.

Abolition group calls on Gov. Stitt to take stand on ending abortion

Graphic source: FreeTheStates.org

Free The States, an organization that grew out of Abolish Human Abortion and Dan Fisher's 2018 gubernatorial run, has launched a campaign entitled Stand With Stitt aimed at encouraging the Oklahoma Governor to follow up his pro-life rhetoric by supporting abortion abolition legislation.

Specifically, Free The States has set up an online petition for supporters to sign:

The petition reads as follows:

An Open Letter to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt:
Dear Governor Stitt,

There is a chasm in our culture. It is not between pro-lifers and pro-choicers. It is between those who possess moral opinions about abortion and those who take moral action to stop abortion. It is time to move beyond the profession of a pro-life position and the promise to “protect life.” The only way to truly protect all human beings in the womb is by abolishing abortion. The only way to abolish abortion is by defying the unconstitutional ruling in Roe v. Wade and criminalizing abortion as murder.

Please do more than promise to “sign any pro-life bill “ that makes it to your desk. Dozens of pro-life bills have been signed by pro-life governors in pro-life Oklahoma, and yet thousands of children are still being murdered every year in our state. It is time to move beyond the pro-life strategy of merely regulating abortion. It is time for Oklahoma to become the first Abortion-Free State.

We don’t need another status-quo, pro-life politician for Governor. We need an Abolitionist Governor who will take a stand and use their lawful authority to create a true culture of life in our state by establishing equal justice for all human beings immediately. The murder of innocent children by abortion already violates the highest laws of our land and your executive leadership and action is the key to bringing about the abolition of abortion. There is no need to wait for the courts to change their mind or for the legislature to pass a measure. Your responsibility is to act today.

Will you be that Governor? Will you be our generation’s Wilberforce? Or will you be content to regulate abortion, thereby signing your name in history as the Governor who did nothing to free the state of Oklahoma from its participation in the American Abortion Holocaust? Now is the time to Abolish Abortion in Oklahoma. You can lead the nation in repentance and change the course of human history. Becoming a “top-ten state” will not matter one bit if you choose not to lead in this area.

Be strong and courageous. If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place and bring shame upon you. But perhaps you were appointed for such a time as this! If you stand up, we will support you! We will rally to you! If you seek justice and lead the fight against the lawless and bloody tyranny of the Supreme Court, we will follow you.

You can view or sign the petition here, as well as read additional arguments for the campaign.

Senate President Treat: no change in position following BGCO support of abolishing abortion

Last week, "messengers" (basically delegates) to the 2019 Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, the annual denominational meeting for Southern Baptist churches in the Sooner State, overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on the Oklahoma Legislature to "enact legislation for the immediate end of abortion without exception or compromise." 

This was big news on the abortion front, as BGCO staff had publicly opposed a 2019 bill (SB13) by Sen. Joseph Silk (R-Broken Bow) that aimed to abolish abortion entirely.

Other than the BGCO, three men were primarily responsible for Silk's bill being scuttled: Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat (R-OKC), Senate Health and Human Services chairman Jason Smalley (R-Stroud), and Oklahomans For Life president Tony Lauinger.

I emailed each of them for their reaction to the BGCO resolution. So far, I have received a response from only Senator Treat's office. Aaron Cooper, Director of Communications for President Pro Tempore Treat, responded to my inquiry on Senator Treat's behalf.

Q1: Do you have any comment on the BGCO resolution?
Cooper: Senator Treat was not surprised that Oklahoma Baptists took steps to maintain their longstanding commitment to protecting the life of the unborn.

Q2: Do you have anything to add to your previous position on bills like Silk's?
Cooper: Senator Treat has nothing new to add.

Q3: Silk's bill aside, do you intend to push for some other pro-life measure in the 2020 legislative session that would restrict or eliminate abortion in Oklahoma?
Cooper: Like he has nearly every year he’s served in the Legislature, Senator Treat plans to pursue legislation in 2020 to advance protection of the sanctity of life.

Notice that no detail is given, even though Senator Treat authored a bill last session that made no movement after passing the Senate. Originally, it was supposed to be a replacement for Silk's abolition bill -- a trigger that would revert Oklahoma to pre-Roe laws (i.e. abortion being illegal) should the Supreme Court or Congress reverse course -- but then was watered down even further into a state constitutional amendment to "clarif[y that] no provision of the [Oklahoma] Constitution secures or protects a right to perform or receive an abortion." I doubt any effort has been put into coming up with new changes since that time -- "out of sight, out of mind".

Oklahoma's legislature continues to be missing in action on the fight to end abortion. What measures will be allowed to get a vote in 2020? Senator Silk's abolition bill is still eligible for a hearing. Most likely, though, Senate leadership will push some afterthought bill that does nothing except attempt to placate pro-lifers ("we did something") and check a box on the get-elected to-do list.

Oklahoma's Southern Baptists call for abolition of abortion at annual meeting

Hallelujah.

The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma held its annual state meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Oklahoma City. The state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention authorized a re-branding to simply Oklahoma Baptists, elected new officers, and passed several resolutions, the most prominent of which called on the Oklahoma Legislature to "enact legislation for the immediate end of abortion without exception or compromise."

During the 2019 legislative session, leadership of the BGCO publicly opposed an Abolition bill by State Sen. Joseph Silk (R-Broken Bow), sparking uproar among many Oklahoma Baptists and ultimately led to this resolution by convention delegates (or "messengers" from churches).

To my knowledge, this is the first Southern Baptist state affiliate to move beyond a generic pro-life stance and adopt a pro-abolition position.

Here is the text of the resolution, posted in the image above:

We, the messengers to the 2019 Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, meeting at Quail Springs Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, November 11-12, 2019, believe in the sanctity of human life, that every person—born and unborn—is created in God’s image and deserves life. We are thus deeply grieved that the barbaric practice of abortion continues in Oklahoma. We are horrified to know the abortion rate is increasing in Oklahoma, recognizing the loss of each one of these unborn children is a tragedy. We are calling on Oklahoma Baptists to unite toward positive and effective efforts that build a culture of life and that work to end abortion. Through fervent prayer, preaching, legislative efforts, education, volunteering and more, we pledge to renew our efforts to promote life and protect the unborn. With God’s help, we will work to see a day in which every unborn child in Oklahoma and America is protected. Finally, we call upon the Oklahoma State Legislature to enact legislation that calls for the immediate end of abortion without exception or compromise.

Will the BGCO leadership adhere to the voice of Oklahoma Baptists and support an abolition bill this coming legislative session? Time will tell.

As of 2017 there were 1,785 BGCO-affiliated congregations with 579,476 members across the state.