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From left Justin Lindstrom and Bill Tabbernee at St. Paul’s Cathedral
Farm harm?
An April 14 interfaith community event examines many sides of Oklahoma’s “right to farm” debate. By Ben Luschen | Photo Garett Fisbeck
In the April 14 edition of the Evenings of affect safety, agricultural pollution regulaListening series, panelists will discuss tion and animal health standards. He said whether State Question 777, promoted by SQ 777 also could potentially tie the hands Visit NotOurDestiny.com some lawmakers as the Oklahoma Right of legislators hoping to help local farmers for recipes, stories and more. to Farm, actually promotes a right to harm. because they would be prohibited from Funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — SNAP. passing “good legislation that would Panelists representing different sides USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. of the issue gather to discuss SQ 777 6:30 support farming.” “It seems as if the impetus [of SQ 777] p.m. April 14 at St. Paul’s Cathedral episcopal church, 127 NW Seventh St. is behind the Big Agro farms and not the UNI_16-CNGF-2_Diabetes_Is_Not_Our_Destiny_OK_Gazette.indd 1 Evenings of Listening community small farmer,” he added. forums are held about every two months and are co-hosted by the Oklahoma Chance to listen Conference of Churches (OCC). The Lindstrom said the Evenings of Listening events are an interfaith effort to underseries concept came to him nearly two years ago as riots broke out in Ferguson, Missouri, stand and address some of the biggest issues of the day, such as race relations in response to the police-related fatal and the death penalty. shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. As Lindstrom sat in his office, he conRight to farm discussion panelists templated what his church and commufeature Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Tom Buchanan, former state Attorney nity needed to do locally to respond to and General Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma proactively act on some of the bigger issues Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice of our time. President Michael Kelsey, Oklahoma City “I spent some time in prayer, and it came University law professor Arthur LeFrancois out: listen, listen, listen,” he said. and former state Sen. Paul Muegge. Louisa The first event, held in January, disMcCune, Kirkpatrick Foundation execucussed the Black Lives Matter movement. The group has since held more than half a tive director, will moderate. dozen community events. SQ 777 will be on the ballot for a Nov. 8 public vote. If enacted, it would change the Tabbernee said the goal is to enable Oklahoma Constitution to guarantee people to understand both sides of an ranchers and farmers the right “to engage issue. Each question is posed from a reliin farming and ranching practices” and gious standpoint but is not limited to prohibit the Legislature from enacting any Christian faith. law “which abridges Lindstrom said he the right of farmers hopes the evenings and ranchers to give a voice to those Evenings of employ agricultural without one and puts Listening: Is those in a position of technology and livethe Right to Farm stock production and power into the lisa Right to Harm? ranching practices tener’s chair. without a compelling E ven i n g s of 6:30 p.m. April 14 state interest.” Listening continues Dean Willey Hall Bill Tabbernee, May 12 and addresses St. Paul’s Cathedral OCC executive direccriminal justice 127 NW Seventh St. tor, said he is worried reform. okchurches.org about how the proVisit okchurches. 405-235-3436 posed change could org.
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