OKLAHOMA CITY – Eagle Forum of Oklahoma’s annual awards banquet touted the theme, “America: An Exceptional Nation.” Held at Oklahoma Christian University on the northside of the city, the event drew around 200 people for an evening of patriotic songs and themes, conservative policy ideas and honors to state and national leaders.

Keynote speaker for the evening was Stephen McDowell, president of the Providence Foundation’s Biblical Worldview University, a widely published author who addressed the “exceptionalism” theme in American history.

The annual Eagle Award went to state Rep. Dan Fisher, R-Yukon, honoring his advocacy of conservative policies at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City.

The crowd gave an enthusiastic response to the presence of Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly of Illinois, who attended the event to fete state Eagle leader Bunny Chambers.

Chambers was warmly praised by a variety of speakers for her long involvement in civic life, including this writer, former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys, County Assessor Leonard Sullivan, former RNC Committeeman Lynn Windell and members of her family, including three children and husband “Beef” Chambers.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, sent a glowing written tribute to Chambers, and Chambers received a certificate of commendation from Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin.

Rev. Steve Kern of Olivet Baptist Church in Oklahoma City provided the evening’s vocation, with entertainment coming from the acclaimed husband and wife team of Jill Justice and Joel McClung. Thomas Lewis II, an Eagle Collegian member, led the pledge of allegiance.

Sara Jo Odom acted as M.C. for the evening.

Schlafly was praised repeatedly for a lifetime of conservative leadership and activism, from her base in the Land of Lincoln.

The author of several books, her best-seller remains “A Choice Not An Echo,” her advocacy of the 1964 presidential campaign of Republican U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona. Schlafly came to national prominence with that book and for her subsequent organizational acumen in leading the fight against ratification of the federal Equal Rights Amendment.

Ladies Home Journal designated her one of the 100 most important and influential American women in the Twentieth Century.

Chambers and Odom, Oklahoma Eagle Forum leaders, joined board members Sandra Leaver, Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, and others to present Schlafly with a blanket adorned with Oklahoma icons, and a history of the state.

In an interview with Oklahoma Watchdog, Schlafly looked ahead to the 2016 presidential campaign. An intense political foe of President Barack Obama, she said, “On the Republican side, we’re looking for a non-establishment candidate. We had three losers in Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney. These men were predictable in their loss.”

Unwilling to name a personal favorite at this early date, she specified that due to his advocacy of the common core educational standards, “It can’t be (former Florida Gov.) Jeb Bush.”

She said, “It’s time for the grass roots to rise up. Some people say we’re wanting to do the impossible, but that’s ridiculous. We beat the Equal Rights Amendment, and that was ‘impossible.’”

She concluded, “It is possible to beat all of the main objectives of the liberals and the establishment.”

Invited to look back at her long career, including a delegate’s spot at every Republican National Convention since 1952, she said she found most gratifying, “the nominations of (Barry) Goldwater in 1964, and Ronald Reagan’s nominations and elections.

“I’ve been to every convention since 1952 and seen it all, I suppose. The victory over ERA, where it seemed we fought against everybody.”

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