BY WANDA JO STAPLETON
Surely no one would be against protecting women from domestic violence.
Nevertheless, four U.S. Congressmen from Oklahoma voted “NO” this week when asked to pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 – an Act which has been in effect about 20 years. This Act empowers law enforcement agencies to help combat domestic violence.
Voting “NO” were Oklahoma U.S. Reps. Jim Bridenstine, R-Tulsa; Markwayne Mullin, R-Muskogee; Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne; and James Lankford, R-Edmond.
They must either be ignorant of the problem or unconcerned about it.
However, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Moore voted “YES.” Maybe Cole, also a Republican, understands that everyone should be protected from violence and abuse because being safe is a basic human right and has nothing to do with politics or party.
What did these four have to gain by voting against an Act which readily passed in 1994 with bipartisan support and which was reauthorized in 2005 with a vote in the House of 415-to-4 and a vote of “unanimous consent” in the Senate?
Explanations are in order from the “Oklahoma Four,” who joined 134 other Republicans in the House to oppose the protection of women.
Strange that only Republicans [138 of them] voted “NO” on this popular Act, which, by the way, became law without their votes.
– Wanda Jo Stapleton, a former Democratic state representative, lives in Oklahoma City and is a frequent contributor to The Oklahoma Observer
I felt a rush of anger through my veins reading this article. It is absurd that the Four Oklahoma Reps would vote “NO” against an Act. Its a life threatening issues that should be handle and taken seriously. As a government, being the voice of the citizen, we should all unite and put a stop in violence of all kind. No one, has the right to beat anyone or even yet, make another human being suffer. Look at how the world has turn out thus far, because we have some governments ignoring the voice of the citizens who are suffering from all these violence, it has taken such a huge toll in society as of today. We have people walking the streets thinking it’s okay to beat another person because they can not hold their anger. We have some people growing up thinking its okay to beat women because they see others do it. It could happen to anyone. It could be your mother, sister, wife, daughter, or friend. Don’t ignore it! Help put a stop to it because anything can happen to anyone at anytime.
I believe the Act is a great thing to try and get put out there. I also think that the violence between men and women can be prevented. When you start to see some violent changes in your significant other, either leave or sit down and talk to each other. Yes, it would be nice to have the help of the government. They choose to do everything else about stupid stuff, why not violence against women?