Last Updated on May 14, 2021, 9:17 PM | Published: May 14, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — State Representative Mauree Turner, Democrat from HD-88 in Oklahoma City, issued a press release Friday criticizing the House super-majority Republicans for a resolution in support of the modern state of Israel.
This comes as both Israel and neighboring Palestinians in the Israel-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip come closer to all-out war with each day this week.
Not only is there fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in the occupied territories but there are also street fights within Israel between Jews and Arabs which is causing concern about a possible civil war.
Turner criticized the House majority for taking time to pass a resolution on an international matter when there was so much need in Oklahoma that has yet to be addressed in the current legislative session.
Oklahoma House resolution
House Resolution 1037 was authored by Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore; House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa; and Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City.
The House of Representatives press release from the majority had this justification for the resolution.
“As a Christian, I simply must stand on the biblical foundation that Israel is the apple of God’s eye – His chosen people,” McBride said. “Under the Abrahamic covenant, those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse her will bring a curse upon themselves. This resolution states that Israel has a right to exist, and the Jewish people themselves have a right to exist, and it condemns terrorism.”
The resolution said, “We must stand united with Israel in this latest attack against their sovereignty and their right to exist as a nation and for the Jewish people to exist. Israel is one of the United States’ staunchest allies.”
Turner’s response
While several Democratic Party House members took to social media to express their opposition to what they considered to be a waste of time on an international matter, Turner wrote a full statement in a press release that we include below:
“As the representative of House District 88, my job is to advocate for constituents and to create a better quality of life for all Oklahomans. It is the job of every elected official in this building to do the same. Additionally, in order to not repeat our mistakes, we must do so with our history in mind.”
“We had months to dig deep and protect families in Oklahoma from evictions, lack of access to healthcare, to boost affordable housing, aid in uplifting our public education system, all of which is felt deeply in rural OK – but we didn’t. Instead, we decided to raise fees in pawnshops, create new crimes, attack the First Amendment rights of community members fighting to be heard, and strip away access to healthcare.”
“We heard the supporters of this bill believe in peace, but this resolution proves otherwise.”
“We can promote peace without aiding in the suffering of the Palestinian people, the murder of the Palestinian people.”
“I really hoped that we would be able to see the direct connection between what’s happening in Jerusalem to the Palestinian people and what European settlers, armed with scripture and their interpretation of the Christian faith, did to the indigenous people here in America.”
“This House Resolution is not a statement of peace but support for large acts of violence against Palestinian people. Effectively, by singling out support for only one side of this conflict, this resolution encourages state-sanctioned violence against its own people.”
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
