Celebrating Pride Month: Adam Graham, gay mayor, terrorized out of office

Adam Graham, the youngest and first gay mayor of The Village, Oklahoma, resigned after only two months in office because he become the target of threats that were getting more violent.  Graham, elected in May 2022, sent a letter to the city manager that he had been followed home from meetings, threatened while walking his dog, and his tires had been slashed.

He said it had been a "great privilege to break boundaries", but he no longer felt safe to serve as mayor.

Terrorism and hate win again.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: State of Oklahoma bans "Killers of the Flower Moon" from schools

 

Although Oklahoma's state measure HB 1775 doesn't specifically ban David Grann's award-winning novel Killers of the Flower Moon about how dozens of members of the Osage Nation were killed by white settlers who wanted in on the oil profits, its wording is so vague that teachers are afraid to include it in their school curricula.  The measure prohibits schools from 

"teaching the idea that “an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously” or that “any individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex.”"

Educators fear that assigning the book will result in them being punished or fired.  Oklahoma school districts are not longer to use terms including 'diversity' and 'white privilege' in classrooms.  To Kill a Mockingbird has been banned and teachers are to teach students that slavery was 'beneficial' to African Americans.  

Oklahoma, where the hate comes sweeping down the plain.

Arkansas Gov. Faubus sends Nat'l Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine from entering high school 1957

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of schools was unconstitutional, but integration did not come easily. 

In 1957, nine black students attempted to enroll at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.  On September 4, 1957, Governor Faubus mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the students from entering, preventing integration.  To "preserve the peace". 

The nine students were physically and mentally abused by the white students, but they persevered.  President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army, then later, federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to support the integration and protect the black students.

Oklahoma: Where the Hate Comes Sweeping Down the Plain (Part 2)

In small, obscure, insignificant Achille, Oklahoma, school officials have closed school the past two days after parents, i.e. grown-ups or adults, threatened a 12 year-old transgender student. 

Among the comments, parents have called her 'it' and 'thing'.  They've called for her to be
stabbed or beaten.  One even went as far as to say:

“If he wants to be a female make him a female. A good sharp knife will do the job really quick.”

A list of those parents who made these nasty comments can be found at this link.

For the Fox News version:

http://www.kxii.com/content/news/Mother-of-transgender-Achille-ISD-7th-grader-shares-struggles-following-threats-490766611.html

Twilight Zone episode "I am the night, color me black" airs 1964

Probably one of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone, not because of its creepiness, but because its message is still relevant today, over five decades later.  Have we learned anything since then?

I am intrigued by Rod Serling's choice of Ivan Dixon as the priest.  The only non-stereotypical role was given to a black man.  Certainly interesting given the premise of the episode.  Also, Serling's choice to cast George Lindsey, ever lovable Goober, as the hate-filled deputy.

This is one to watch over and over.  And take a lesson.

Talequah businesses not accepting gov-issued Cherokee Nation IDs

Once again, Oklahoma proves it is a breeding ground of hatred, bigotry and racism.  Businesses in Talequah, Oklahoma are posting signs in windows stating they no longer accept the Cherokee Nation's ID cards.  A sign appeared at EZ Mart, which stated "state-issued identification or driver's licenses".  According to the article on nativenewsonline.net, Buffalo Wild Wings and a local bar, Ned's, are also refusing the Cherokee Nation's ID card.

Cherokee Nation ID cards have been issued since 2012 and are government-issued.  This is nothing more than racism and hatred.

Way to go, Oklahoma.  We can't even go more than a day without becoming a global embarrassment.

http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/local-businesses-cherokee-nations-capital-city-refuse-accept-cherokee-nation-ids/
http://www.cherokee.org/News/Stories/33231

Oklahoma Republican escalates fear-mongering, hate and Islamaphobia

Oklahoma State Representative John Bennett sets the needle back to "Zero Days" since Oklahoma has become a national embarrassment.  This week he initiated a study titled: “Radical Islam, Shariah Law, the Muslim Brotherhood and the radicalization process.”

As the release points out, “Bennett said he’s been ridiculed for his beliefs, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect Oklahoma and U.S. citizens from the real and present danger of radical Islam and its subsidiary groups.”

The photo above is more frightening to me than Muslims.  I  still remember April 19, 1995 (apparently Bennett has conveniently forgotten), still considered one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism.  

Here is the response from Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK)  to the Islamophobic atmosphere at the so-called “study”:

Representative John Bennett is shamefully wasting taxpayer money to promote his own biased agenda, said CAIR-OK Executive Director Adam Soltani. This hearing was a new low for Representative Bennett, as his guests presented a biased narrative that achieves nothing more than demonizing and marginalizing the Oklahoma Muslim Community.

http://okiefunk.com/content/oklahoma-hate-study-makes-news
http://www.thelostogle.com/2016/10/26/state-rep-john-bennetts-islamophobia-is-reaching-new-terrfying-heights/
http://newsok.com/legislator-warns-of-threat-posed-by-islamic-radicalism/article/5524145
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/state-representative-brands-cair-ok-its-director-and-a-local/article_a8464102-f1a7-5389-afe1-12a9abd5c4c7.html

OK Republican Hate-monger calls for "final solution" to Muslims - WTF?

Moron!

OMG!  The hate never ends in Oklahoma!  Ardmore state representative Pat Ownbey has called for the "final solution" to Islam that sounds eerily like Hitler's "final solution" to the existence of Jews in Germany.

He promoted an article on Facebook which stated:

“Since the 95% of Muslims who are described as either ‘moderate’ or ‘un-radicalized’ appear unwilling to play an active role in keeping their radicalized brethren in check, we have no long term alternative but to quarantine them… prohibiting them from residing anywhere within the civilized nations of the Earth.”

Sheesh!

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/06/22/oklahoma-republican-calls-final-solution-muslims-islam-religion.html

Oklahoma: Where the hate comes sweeping down the plain

Oklahoma is a non-discriminatory state:  They hate everybody and don't care who knows it. First, blacks, then LGBT, educators, poor, women and now just businesses in general. 

KFOR published a story yesterday how Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce is concerned about the repeatedly negative legislation from the state legislature and federal representatives are hurting chances of Oklahoma garnering new businesses.  Elected officials in OKC and Washington are more concerned about where people can pee rather than addressing the crises facing education and the poor.

Who would want to set up business in an area that isn't welcoming?

On Sunday, the New York Times posted an editorial "Oklahoma Makes the Poor Poorer".  In it, they report Oklahoma Legislature voted a 5% increase in their budget before cutting tax breaks for the poor.

http://kfor.com/2016/05/31/negative-legislation-just-hurts-the-state-oklahoma-faces-pr-nightmare-after-legislature-repeatedly-makes-national-headlines/

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/opinion/sunday/oklahoma-makes-the-poor-poorer.html?_r=0

If that wasn't bad enough, Oklahoma 5th Congressional District Representative to the House of Representatives Republican Steve Russell introduced an amendment (which passed after some shady movements) which allows contractors to discriminate against LGTB people based on religious views. 

http://okiefunk.com/content/russell-unveils-anti-lgbt-agenda-Washington

U.S. Representative Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney tried to stop the amendment because it was all "about bigotry, plain and simple".  But Republicans sent him a message that bigotry, hate and inequality are just fine with them.