Part of my family lives in Oklahoma which makes it a special place for me. It's a long drive from here in New York to Oklahoma. When I've driven there it feels real good to see the sign welcoming you into Oklahoma. When I've driven back it also feels real good to see the sign that you're in New York. There's a big difference between the two states, and it's not just the geography. There is a difference in the ideology of the people. This can change, but right now I believe Oklahoma is one of the freest states, if not the freest, in these United States.
I believe it is the freest state because of one issue: the issue of education. Oklahoma has a government school system just like all the other states, but one noticeable difference is that homeschooling takes place in the state without fetters. Oklahoma is currently the only state to have homeschooling a protected right within the state constitution with no stipulations. Parental rights are upheld. Parents are acknowledged to be fully responsible for their children. Parents have always been responsible for their children, but here is a state that acknowledges it without reservation. I believe that the nature of the education of children is the reason that we have seen the nature of our nation change so quickly in the last few decades. If more states allowed greater freedom by giving parents their rightful place, we may see some marvelous things for the good.
There is a beauty in states that are different from others. In Pennsylvania the car inspections are strict when it comes to rust. Here in NY, rust is not an issue and you can find cars that are rusting to pieces. In Oklahoma, if you were to ask about their standards of car inspections they might say, "What's that?" because there are none there. I like that. Here in NY, you have to get an inspection every year if you want to drive without the threat of fines. You have to take it to someone else, even if you've inspected it yourself all year long; and it typically costs around 20 bucks. In Oklahoma, you might see some funny things driving down the road on occasion, though you're unlikely to see much rust because cars don't rust much there. By the way, while driving in OK, I never felt threatened by the non-inspected cars.
Here in NY, building inspections seem pretty important. Some counties are probably better or worst than others. And when I say worst, I mean more strict. When I say better, I mean more free. If you were to ask someone in OK about building inspections, he might say, "What's that?" Well, not exactly, but pretty close. It's not the big thing there that it is here. Some of the building code requirements in NY just go beyond the pail, and especially when they start making rules about the inside of your house. I know a man that got fines for buildings that were about an inch longer than permitted by a code. It's outrageous!
Here in NY there was a gun control bill recently passed. Many, many people are against it. It's another encroachment of freedom. I hope, like many others that it gets repealed. Laws like this don't even see the light of day in OK.
Another recent headline came from the state of Oklahoma saying that lawmakers from the state are looking at banning marriage. It was a twist on words, but what the lawmakers there are saying is that government should not be in the marriage business. People in Oklahoma do not want marriage to lose its meaning. There are legal challenges being brought against the state to acknowledge other definitions to marriage other than the established meaning that it is a covenant of the union of a man and woman. Oklahoma lawmakers are saying if you change the meaning of marriage in our state we will not sanction it with our approval. Instead, we will give our people more freedom by getting government out of this realm altogether. These courageous lawmakers are to be commended. Rah, rah for the Sooner state!
One of the largest encroachments to freedom in our lifetime is the recently enacted so-called "Affordable Care Act." It looks like more people are realising the mistake this law is. In Oklahoma there is legislation being introduced to nullify this law from being enforced in that state. Here's an example to the other states!
Many in Oklahoma recognise that their freedom comes from God. At the state capital, a monument was recently set up that prominently displays the Ten Commandments of God. There have been challenges to this. It seems these challenges come from people outside of OK.... people from NY. This group claims that they worship Satan and believe that their bizarre statue of Satan has as much right to be at the state capital as a monument that recognises where just law and freedom come from. Once again, the media has emphasized a false premise that all religions are equal. This is obviously not what the founders of America had in mind. You don't see in the Declaration of Independence any need to acknowledge Satan after it acknowledges God as the giver of unalienable rights. This is because absolute truth was still recognised.Oklahoma has become a lightning rod for a lot of these issues because of not following in the same rate the decadent flow that is taking place. It is not an accident, and I think I know the reason for this. Our family receives a publication from an electric company in OK. In one issue it gave information about the lawmakers in OK. It was an eye opener for me. Often the schools these lawmakers came from were Bible schools. Many of them have positions in their churches. It is as if it is recognised by the people that their representatives are more fit for public office if they serve their church. There are people there that are a God fearing people. When people fear God there is a natural respect for private property. This spells: FREEDOM.
What I've written here could look like a comparison of NY vs. OK. It's more than that. It's a picture of what we could be in NY for the better. I live in NY. I've tasted OK. I'd like everyone from every state to get a taste of what freedom is. I think if freedom could be tasted and seen more clearly that more people will seek to better the plot of ground they are on....or maybe pull up their stakes and head to a place like Oklahoma.
