Greetings!
So many subject matters to discuss this week. I had a hard time figuring out which ones to address in Doyle’s Half Dozen. One happened on Thursday to increase already the long list.
After weeding through all of them, here are my six timely topics. Enjoy!
- Judging Antonin
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was a masterful interpreter of the U.S. Constitution and a great legal mind who held strong to Judeo-Christian ethics as the foundational value system of our country. I was stunned to hear of his death last Saturday.
I enjoyed hearing stories this week from those who knew him well, even from those who serve on the bench with him and are known to be Scalia’s counter-opposite when it comes to rulings. All told of the kindness, the respectful manner, the humility and the friendship Scalia offered.
There is no argument Scalia’s death causes a major blow to the conservative philosophy in America. Issues of which I hold strongly that our country is facing are greatly threatened, including abortion and religious liberty.
I have no doubt President Obama will appoint a candidate for the Supreme Court, and I believe it is a shaky argument to rebut the president from doing so, even though the candidate is expected to have liberal leanings. It’s just hard to provide such a defense without political preferences.
However, I will be curious to see how the U.S. Senate handles the president’s appointment. Just as Obama has the right to appoint, the Senate has the right to refute. This was demonstrated when the Senate rejected Robert Bork’s nomination in 1987 by President Reagan, which, by the way, is the reason why Judge Anthony Kennedy’s confirmation happened during an election year, 1988. I find it fascinating nobody brings up Bork in the current SCOTUS appointment debate though they quickly point out the timing of Kennedy’s confirmation.
So the political chess match continues. To my conservative Christian friends, pray for God to intervene.
- Coach Monty’s Moving Message
By now, everybody in Oklahoma who has social media access has heard about the sudden passing of Ingrid Williams, the wife of Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Monty Williams, as a result of a car accident. The report on the accident is troubling, as the driver who caused the accident was going approximately 90 mph in a 40 mph speed zone.
With this report in mind, on Thursday, Coach Williams offered one of the most powerful, inspiring messages given at a memorial service. Darnell Mayberry with the Oklahoman tweeted this from Williams’ speech, “We cannot serve the Lord if we don’t have a heart of forgiveness.”
Monty Williams’ faith was demonstrated while he presented the Gospel. If you have not watched Williams speaking during his wife’s memorial service, you should consider this opportunity to see the Christian faith on display in an environment of grief.
http://newsok.com/multimedia/video/4763499030001
- Ben Boasts on My Borough
Political commentator and comedic actor Ben Stein visited Oklahoma City for a speaking engagement. He gave a raving review of his visit and spoke highly of my city and state. You can read the piece he wrote for American Spectator here.
I have been a fan of Stein for a while. I enjoy his commentary and his dry demeanor which became famous in his appearance in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I even liked his briefly-ran show “Win Ben Stein’s Money” on Comedy Central.
Thank you, Mr. Stein, for your exceptionally kind words about Oklahoma. I hope we can meet some day, and I can thank you in person.
- Gold Stars for CNN
I got to watch some of the political town halls CNN has been featuring of the presidential candidates, and the popular news network did a great job, especially moderator Anderson Cooper. The town hall settings allow ample time for each GOP candidate to answer questions from the audience. There were no “gotcha” questions or interruptions. It was Cooper meeting with each candidate in a town hall setting, offering ample time for the candidates to speak plainly about their views and platform.
To me, this is the best way for voters to decide for themselves what they think about the candidates without the sensational drama of heated debates and partial moderators. I don’t know for certain if all the town hall meetings can be viewed online, but if you are an “undecided” voter, these broadcasts would be worth your while to watch.
- Sneak Peek on Upcoming Messenger Article
I had the privilege of writing the cover story for the Feb. 25 edition of the Baptist Messenger. It was about the new Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) building at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) in Miami.
I interviewed Kimily Waldron, the BCM director at NEO, and enjoyed hearing her talk about the extreme makeover of this building, which used to be a bar. It’s a great story that offers a perfect example of how something that represents ill repute can be changed to be used of God and represent His amazing grace.
Be looking for it!
- Thunder Update
The Oklahoma City Thunder begin their “second half” of the season tonight, and this will be a tough stretch. The Thunder have 11 home games and 17 away games left on their schedule. Twice they will face Golden State, and twice they will face San Antonio – the top two teams of the NBA, and both are having phenomenal seasons.
Though it will be difficult, I am predicting the Thunder will win at least 20 of these final 28 games. It might even be possible they surpass San Antonio to be the No. 2 seed in the West. I also expect a great playoff series against Golden State in the Western Conference championship. I can’t bring myself to predict the Thunder upsetting the Warriors, but I do believe it will be a historic battle.
Buckle up, Thunder fans! It’s going to be a fun ride the rest of the way!