Tag Archives: Oklahoma

Gay History – July 11, 1966: Twenty-Six Oklahoma City Teachers Forced to Resign For Being Gay.

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On July 11, 1966, Oklahoma County Attorney Curtis Harris revealed that 26 teachers and school administrators in Oklahoma City had been forced to resign following a six-month investigation into “alleged homosexual activity.” Harris said that his office was being “pressured” by prominent citizens to cut back on his investigation, but said “It won’t work. The investigation will continue.” He did say though that his investigation of late had been hampered when his assistant, investigator Albert J. Hock, suffered a heart attack over the weekend.

Alex Higdon, Executive Assistant for Oklahoma City schools had a different set of figures, saying that as far as he knew only twelve had resigned, “but of course we may not have known about it when they resigned.” Higdon also said that the school board conducted its investigations rather than working in tandem with the County Attorney. “If evidence substantiates the charges, the person is asked to resign,” he said.

It would be almost 20 years later before the 10th Circuit court would strike down Oklahoma law designed to punish state teachers who participated in “public homosexual conduct,  The trial court had attempted to save the law by applying it only to cases in which such conduct created “a material and substantial disruption,” but the circuit court did not go along stating the even though the Board of Education “has interests in regulating the speech of teachers that differ from its interests in regulating the speech of the general citizenry,” these interests extended only to cases in which “the expression results in a material or substantial interference or disruption in the normal activities of the school.

A divided Supreme Court (Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. did not participate in the decision) affirmed the decision of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a one-sentence per curiam opinion.

[Source: UPI. “26 Resign in Teacher Deviate Quiz.” The Washington Post (July 12, 1966)

via Box Turtle Bulletin

OKLAHOMA Allows Corporal Punishment For Disabled Students

OKLAHOMA Allows Corporal Punishment For Disabled Students

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“Nothing human disgusts me . . . unless it’s cruel.” – Hannah Jelkes, – Night of the Iguana (Tennessee Williams)

Via The New Republic: “On Tuesday, the Oklahoma House, in which Republicans have a supermajority, voted against House Bill 1028, which would have outlawed school district personnel from “using corporal punishment on any student identified with a disability in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.” After lawmakers read Bible verses and talked about the need for physical discipline, the measure failed to proceed by a vote of 45-43. “The rod and reproof give wisdom. But a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame,” said Republican Representative Jim Olsen.”

Oklahoma a state where a drag queen reading a book to kids is unacceptable because it’s child abuse, but literal child abuse is fine.

ANYONE who advocates beating a child, any child let alone one with mental/physical disabilities is not a Christian.

Oklahoma GOP Introduces “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

Oklahoma GOP Introduces “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

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Via Oklahoma City’s NBC News:

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, has filed two floor bills to mirror Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law and to prevent minors from receiving gender dysphoria treatment. House Bill 1074 is modeled after Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The legislation would prohibit educators or other school personnel from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity for grades kindergarten through fifth.

If it passes the legislative branch then there is no doubt that Oklahoma’s christofascist Governor will sign it into law.

At least 20 states have introduced “Don’t Say Gay” laws this year, which have made waves around the country. But in a handful of states, versions of the legislation have existed for decades. According to the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), which tracks LGBTQ+ policy throughout the country, 19 percent of the country lives in a state with an LGBTQ+ curriculum ban. Most are in states with laws that predate Florida’s and Alabama’s. Still, most Americans are largely unaware of the fact that Florida is not the first state to pass such a law, advocates said.

At least 20 states have introduced “Don’t Say Gay” laws this year

But why are our LGBT rights organizations not fighting back? Has the curtain finally been drawn to show exactly how useless they have been and are?

Do not depend on HRC, GLAAD, or The Task Force. Their folly has been exposed.

We are all going to have to fight in this if we don’t want to lose what precious ground we have earned. Are you ready?

16 States Currently Pushing "Don't Say Gay" Laws

16 States Currently Pushing “Don’t Say Gay” Laws

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Conservative lawmakers in 16 mostly red states across America are considering new legislation that would bar teachers from “introducing concepts of sexual orientation or gender identity to young students”, imitating a new Florida law that opponents have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” Law.

Falling back on the Ron DeSantis’ and Anita Bryant’s “Save The Children Campaign” playbook of “gay panic” the following states all have anti-LGBT legislation in the works.: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Arizona, Iowa, New Jersey, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, South Carolina, Illinois, Rhode Island, Ohio, and South Dakota.

“Battles over sex education in schools have been a constant front in the culture wars that have raged between liberals and conservatives for decades” aid Aaron Ridings, chief of staff and deputy executive director for public policy and research at GLSEN. ““There’s a chilling effect from all of these bills on people who are LGBT”

Gay Couple Attacked At Church, Prayed Over To Be Made "Straight" - VIDEO

Gay Couple Attacked At Church, Prayed Over To Be Made “Straight” – VIDEO

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An Oklahoma gay couple said they were tricked into attending a church service where they were attacked by the congregation, with one being held down while being prayed for to be made “straight”.

Sean Cormie’s family had been asked repeatedly by his family to attend a service at their church in Blackwell, Oklahoma and bring along his boyfriend, Gary Gardner.

Cormie told News 4: “I wanted to go to church to make my mom proud and make her happy.”

But he did not expect what happened next.

The service was normal but at the end, something unexpected happened. Cormie said as 12 to 15 congregants circled around Gardner and himself, their prayer growing louder. Meanwhile, they said the pastor began making statements against homosexuality.

“‘It’s a sin, it’s an abomination, you need to realize, wake up, and see it for a sin,’” Cormie said.

The prayer got louder and louder until the two men felt so humiliated, they got up to leave. But Gardner was shuffled out of the building alone.

“They held me down, pinned me down, and I’m crying” Cormie also said he was punched in the face. “I was just crying ‘mercy, mercy.'”

When they finally let him up, he went to the Blackwell Police Department to file a report. The police chief confirmed the incident is being investigated but wouldn’t comment further.

Pastors Bill and Tami McKissick said in a statement, “On behalf of First Assembly we have been asked by the media to respond to the allegations that have been made. This began as a family matter that escalated. Our church would never condone restraint of any person unless they were engaged in violent activity. There is much more to this incident, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement to hopefully bring all of the facts to light as a rush to judgment is not in anyone’s best interest.”

Cormie has said that he wants the people involved to suffer the ramifications of their actions.

Both Kansas and Oklahoma Approve Laws Discriminating Against Adoption To Lesbian and Gays

Both Kansas and Oklahoma Approve Laws Discriminating Against Adoption To Lesbian and Gays

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State lawmakers in both Kansas and Oklahoma have approved legislation to grant legal protections to faith-based adoption agencies that cite their “religious beliefs” for not placing children in gay and lesbian homes.

The Kansas Senate approved a bill early Friday morning, 24-15, that would prevent faith-based agencies from being barred from providing foster care or adoption services for the state if they refuse to place children in homes violating their “sincerely held” religious beliefs. The House had approved it late Thursday, 63-58.

“There is no homosexual agenda — I was told that, when people were saying that there was one, and now we find out, there is an agenda,” said Kansas state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, a conservative Leavenworth Republican. 

Kansas Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer supported his state’s legislation, with his administration arguing with the “spin” that it would encourage faith-based groups to place more abused and neglected children in state custody.

The Oklahoma bill cleared the GOP-controlled Legislature over the boisterous objections of Democrats. At one point, the chamber’s presiding officer threatened to have a member forcibly removed and was sent to the desk of Gov. Mary Fallin, who has not said whether she would sign it.

TechNet, representing some of the biggest names in tech, including Apple and Google, sent a letter to lawmakers in both states opposing their measures. Critics in Kansas worried that it would make the state look backward and even suggested it could hurt the economy.

Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, Virginia and Michigan already have such laws in place. Michigan’s ACLU chapter took the state to court last year over its adoption law, and the case is still ongoing..

 

 

 

OKLAHOMA Allows Corporal Punishment For Disabled Students

OKLAHOMA: Religious Liberty Bill Scraped After Amendment To Post “We Discriminate” Signs Introduced.

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Oklahoma

 

Earlier this year, GOP Republican state Rep. Chuck Strohm introduced his ‘Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act’ (HB1371).

If passed, this would allow businesses to deny services to customers if they felt that such services were ‘against the person’s religious beliefs’.

The Bill looked all but set to pass, that is until one Democratic legislator fought back in the most billiant way possible.

Emily Virgin ( a Democratic member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. introduced an amendment to the bill that added a caveat stating that if you were planning on refusing to serve LGBT people on religious grounds, then you must display a public notice to this effect.

‘Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in subsection A of this section based on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites. The notice may refer to the person’s religious beliefs, but shall state specifically which couples the business does not serve by referring to a refusal based upon sexual orientation, gender identity or race.’

Yesterday, it was announced that the bill has stalled.  For it to return to the House, it would need to be added to another bill,

Virgin has indicated that if that happens, she would act again.

BRAVA REP. EMILY VIRGIN!  We need more Democrats like you.

OKLAHOMA Allows Corporal Punishment For Disabled Students

OK State Rep. Sally Kern Files 3 BillsTo Destroy LGBT Lives. Why Aren’t We Trying To Destroy Sally Kern?

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Oklahoma

 

Republican Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern, the who in 2008 said that the “homosexual agenda” posed a greater threat to the nation than terrorism, filed three anti-gay measures with the state legislature this week that would literally destroy the rights of LGBT Oklahoman s

“No employee of this state and no employee of any local governmental entity shall officially recognize, grant or enforce a same-sex marriage license and continue to receive a salary, pension or other employee benefit at the expense of taxpayers of this state,” reads House Bill 1599 titled the “Preservation and Sovereignty of Marriage Act.”

Kern’s second anti-LGBT bill, titled the “Freedom to Obtain Conversion Therapy Act,” allows parents to pursue discredited reparative or conversion therapy to attempt to change a gay child’s sexual orientation without interference from the state.

“The people of this state have the right to seek and obtain counseling or conversion therapy from a mental health provider in order to control or end any unwanted sexual attraction, and no state agency shall infringe upon that right,” reads House Bill 1598. “Parents may obtain such counseling or therapy for their children under eighteen (18) years of age without interference by the state.”

The third bill would allow business to refuse service to anyone lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender on religious grounds. It is similar to the bill vetoed in Arizona by former Governor Jan Brewer.

.“”Studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it’s the death knell of this country. I honestly think it’s the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam – which I think is a big threat, okay? ‘Cause what’s happening now is they are going after, in schools, two-year olds…And this stuff is deadly, and it’s spreading, and it will destroy our young people, it will destroy this nation” – Sally Kern – 2008

The question is why do we let this continue.  Surely with all the money in the LGBT community something could be dug up on Kerns.  There is no way that such an evil despicable person does not have some serious dirt hiding somewhere that can be used against her.

Why do we allow this to happen? Has playing noce really helped us? Obviously that old “let them keep talking they’ll hang themselves” tactic we’ve been using for decades just  isn’t working.

Maybe it is time to get our hands dirty,

Because truthfully if anything will “destroy the nation” it will be right wing extremist fascist like Sally Kern.

 

 

 

Whiner Round-up: After Gay Marriage Ban in OK Ruled Unconstitutional The Hateful Crying Begins

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Crying baby

Now that U.S. District Judge Terence Kern has ruled that Oklahoma’s ban on marriage equality is unconstitutional.  And even though the ruling has been stayed pending appeal, meaning marriages will not occur immediately in the Sooner State. Thats not stopping the usual hateful suspects from whining and gnashing their conservative, so-called “christian” teeth over it.

Tony Perkins – Family Research Council Hate Group President and noted white supremicist:

“This activist judge is overrunning both the constitution and the rule of law in a drive to fundamentally alter America’s moral, political and cultural landscape. He is substituting his own ideology for the three quarters of Oklahomans who voted to preserve marriage in their constitution as it has always been defined. As the American people are given time to experience the actual consequences of redefining marriage, we are seeing the public debate and opposition to the redefinition of natural marriage intensify. In recent months, we have witnessed serious consequences of redefining marriage. For example, a Colorado baker is risking jail if he refuses to obey a court order to bake a cake for same-sex ‘weddings’ in contradiction to his Christian faith. [B2S – That is a LIE!]  We have also seen same-sex marriage cited in a decision striking down Utah’s law against polygamy. [B2S – That is a LIE!] These consequences continue to draw more Americans’ attention to the serious threat to free speech and religious liberty posed by the redefinition of marriage. Rather than live-and-let-live, this court by redefining marriage will force people to violate the basic teachings of their faith, or lose their jobs.”

“Porno Pete” Peter LaBarbera – Americans for Truth About Homosexuality 

AAAAA

 

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (BFF  of Michele Bachmann):

“In 2004, the people of Oklahoma voted to amend the state’s constitution to define marriage as ‘the union of one man and one woman.’ That amendment passed with 75 percent support. The people of Oklahoma have spoken on this issue. I support the right of Oklahoma’s voters to govern themselves on this and other policy matters. I am disappointed in the judge’s ruling and troubled that the will of the people has once again been ignored by the federal government.” 

And last and certainly least is America’s own anti-gay Tokyo Rose…….

Bryan FISTer Fischer of the American Family Association hate group:

AAAAAB

 

 

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin Orders National Guard To STOP Awarding Same Sex Couples Benefits

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Mary Fallin

Republican Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (seen above with Rick Santorum) has ordered the Oklahoma National Guard to stop processing military benefits for same-sex couples joining Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana in refusing to obey orders from the Pentagon  to grant same sex married soldiers spousal benefits.

AP reports:

Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the governor was following the wish of Oklahoma voters, who approved a constitutional amendment that prohibits giving benefits of marriage to gay couples.

Because of that prohibition, Weintz said the governor’s legal staff advised the Oklahoma National Guard not to process requests for benefits from gay couples

Another state militia in open rebellion against lawful orders from the military.  Some would call this treason.  Also while the GOP and Tea Party calls this a matter of “States Rights” they are wrong.  Bush federalized the National Guard after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and federal control has not been relinquished.