The Oklahoma State Capital

During his Sunday visit to the Macedonia Church in Guthrie, State Representative Opio Toure showed few signs of his multi-day fast to protest Oklahoma's death penalty. Toure was in Guthrie to take part in the Martin Luther King celebration.

Toure said people who believe in violence should not be part of Dr. King's program and that Gov. Frank Keating ought not be allowed to speak at the event. Toure also used the occasion to endorse Mayor Evelyn Nephew's effort to spearhead a campaign against racism in Guthrie.

Toure's criticisms of Keating and the death penalty were met with cheers, applause and amens from a group of about one hundred thirty people who crowded the church. Attendees included Ward II Councilor Walter Chambers and Mayor Nephew.

Chambers and Nephew both spoke at the ceremony. Nephew used the occasion to announce she will seek re-election as Mayor of Guthrie. She talked about her campaign to undo racism in Guthrie, saying she and the NAACP were responsible for the Martin Luther King Celebration in town. Nephew indicated that before she arrived on council, there was no official proclamation of the day in Guthrie. The crowd applauded Nephew's announcements and she went on to assure them that city staff would undergo training on how to undo racism locally.

Chambers addressed the gathering briefly, stating that to him, Martin Luther King day meant voting. This seemed to be the theme of the meeting as Toure urged the crowd to register to vote. He asked those in attendance to immediately sign up for NAACP membership.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself if you are not a member of the NAACP," Toure said, before announcing that he wanted to print in the newspaper the names of the people who did not join the organization. The crowd responded with enthusiastic applause. Toure told his listeners, "We are victorious because God is on our side.

We should not just reflect on how good it is. We should reflect on things that should be changed today." Toure said that he was happy to hear Mayor Nephew was spearheading the campaign against racism. He encouraged the audience to be ready to report next year on what was achieved in 2001 to undo racism.

Logan Co. NAACP Chairman Hersey Hammons also addressed the audience and endorsed Mayor Nephew's bid for re-election.

At one point Hammons issued a call for a leadership march, but it was later revealed this was to be a march to the collection plate. An offering was taken to offset the cost of the Martin Luther King parade. Several ministers in attendance were instructed to give $100 each to assist in the matter.

A parade was held at 10:00 a.m. Monday as a conclusion to Guthrie's Martin Luther King Day celebration.