BY KENNY BELFORD
Without a radical shift in attitude, and soon, Oklahoma is going to become doomed. We’ve elevated loons to key positions all across our state and we’ve given them power to influence and direct policies impacting all of us, with the apparent consensus of the population.
Every week seems to bring more news of quality jobs departing Oklahoma, and nothing is on the horizon to offset that news. Wonder why?
Imagine you’re a CEO of a corporation looking to relocate, or expand operations, or a corporation attempting to make a decision on which locations to downsize or eliminate. As your staff performs the due diligence research they report back the following:
1. Both of Oklahoma’s U.S. senators belong to a secret religious cult that teaches them they’re above all normal societal constraints, because they’re among “the chosen.” Apparently their electorate doesn’t support the concept of “all men are created equal,” since both senators have exceptionally high approval ratings.
2. One of the senators is America’s leading science denier.
3. The other senator served the role as a pimp as he attempted to negotiate the fee for after the fact sex for one of his fellow cult members. He was first elected to the Senate campaigning on the perils of “rampant lesbianism in southeast Oklahoma public schools.”
4. Recently one member of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation stood on a Capitol balcony cheering on teabaggers as they spit on and yelled “n—–” at Black members of Congress attempting to enter the building. This member of congress is currently the leading Republican candidate for governor.
5. The state legislature is obsessed with guns. In recent months they’ve attempted to pass laws allowing college kids to bring guns with them to the classroom. They attempted to pass laws allowing citizens to strap on six-shooters [think of Gunsmoke] before heading out for a shopping excursion to Wal-Mart.
6. Government officials in Oklahoma are obsessed with gays. One state legislator has claimed “gays are more of a threat to America than terrorists.” Recently the state Legislature debated a proposed law that would make it a criminal offense for any member of Oklahoma law enforcement to cooperate with federal authorities investigating a hate crime. That piece of legislation was authored after gays were added, giving them protection under existing federal law.
7. Under Republican control in the House and Senate, funds have been slashed for education and social programs. Oklahoma currently ranks at or near the bottom on most lists of quality of life measurements.
8. Although the portion of the Constitution referencing separation of church and state is centuries old established law of the land, Oklahoma elected officials repeatedly squander taxpayer money in futile attempts to justify and defend lawsuits over the erection of Ten Commandment monuments on government property.
9. Currently Oklahoma legislators are supporting a move by fellow teabaggers to “create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.”
State Sen. Randy Brogdon, a Republican candidate for governor who has appealed for Tea Party support, said supporters of a state militia have talked to him, and that he believes the citizen unit would be authorized under the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
The founding fathers “were not referring to a turkey shoot or a quail hunt. They really weren’t even talking about us having the ability to protect ourselves against each other,” Brogdon said. “The Second Amendment deals directly with the right of an individual to keep and bear arms to protect themselves from an overreaching federal government.”
Another Republican lawmaker, state Rep. Charles Key, said he believes there’s a good chance of introducing legislation for a state-authorized militia next year.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100412/ap_on_re_us/us_tea_party_militia
Those are the priorities of Oklahoma that are frequently headlines in the news. If you were a CEO, does that sound like the kind of environment you’d be willing to stake tens of millions of dollars in investing in your company’s future? Would your executives even consider accepting a relocation to an area like that?
For those who remember the comic strip “Pogo,” a profound statement was once uttered that seems to sum it up: “We have met the enemy, and they is us.”
– Kenny Belford lives in Tulsa, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer
Mr. Belford nailed it. I have spent most of my life defending what many have referred to as “dumb Okies.” BUT, about 8 or 10 years ago, I became absolutely convinced that maybe those slamming us are right. Somewhere along the way this great State lost its way.
In the past Oklahomans sent Robert S Kerr and Carl Albert to Washington DC where they rose to positions of power, influence and respect. The very wise and insightful Will Rogers was born and raised in Oklahoma. There are many examples in the past. But no more. Sad. Sad.
Its time to campaign against legislators that support positions against America and Oklahoma. Vote them out and get Oklahoma back on track.the GOP/Tea Party/militia is scary. Remember Oklahoma City bombing? Vote Democratic.
In a recent campaign speech Randy Brogdan, the Republican Senator running for Governor, said… “I regurgitate what the Second Amendment is all about, that you and I have the right to keep and bear arms to protect ourselves from each other and even protect ourselves from the government if, in fact, it gets out of control,”
Apparently he doesn’t know the difference between vomiting and stating something again, as in “reiterate”.
While it wasn’t covered in the news report, I’d be willing to bet his supporters applauded that comment. Any takers?
would it help if we taught them to read? it doesn’t have to be a real American language, it can be English.
but that copy of the Constitution they carry around in their pockets says:
The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States . . .
so they want my beloved President to have more armed forces at his command, right here in my state? fine by me.
Mr. Belford did nail it! Oklahoma is in a state of denial with their heads stuck and hidden in the sand!
I know when my Dad was the State Chairman of the Democrats in the early 1960s there were differences of opinions amongst Democrats, Republicans and others, but there seemed to be some respect for others differences back then. I was only a teenager back then being born and raised in northwest Oklahoma!
Over the past few years since then it seems we have become spineless zombies marching to the drums of the fear mongers and Fox “Faux” News (if you can call it news).
BUT … How do you re-educate those brainwashed by the extremists? OR — Can you educate them if they don’t even want to take off their blinders?