politics as usual...

with all the other shit going on, I never said anything about Oklahoma state rep Sally Kern's now notorious homophobic tirade. I first came across said tirade by way of my friend Adrienne, who lives in OK and was rightfully shocked and disgusted at the level of hate spewed in this speech.

over the last year, I've become all too familiar with how appalling and terrifying the treatment of gay youth is in the public school system, so her attack on GSAs is particularly enraging to me. Kern's tirade left me with a heart pounding with outrage at her ignorance and her total disconnection from reality.

copy/pasted with thanks to angryasiangrrl:

you may have seen this or at least heard about it. below is a response from a high school student whose mother was killed in the oklahoma bombing.

A letter to Sally Kern from a senior in high school in Oklahoma
Today my nephew attempted to deliver a letter to Sally Kern but was stopped
by a highway patrol man. With his permission I am distributing the letter to
all news stations and thought I would include it here.

Maybe we can all stand to learn a listen from this smart, loving, young man.
He more than most has reason to hate. He lost his mother, my sister, in the
Murrah Building bombing.

Elizabeth

Rep Kern:
On April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City a terrorist detonated a bomb that killed
my mother and 167 others. 19 children died that day. Had I not had the
chicken pox that day, the body count would've likely have included one more.
Over 800 other Oklahomans were injured that day and many of those still
suffer through their permanent wounds.

That terrorist was neither a homosexual or was he involved in Islam. He was
an extremist Christian forcing his views through a body count. He held his
beliefs and made those who didn't live up to them pay with their lives.

As you were not a resident of Oklahoma on that day, it could be explained
why you so carelessly chose words saying that the homosexual agenda is worst
than terrorism. I can most certainly tell you through my own experience that
is not true. I am sure there are many people in your voting district that
laid a loved one to death after the terrorist attack on Oklahoma City. I
kind of doubt you'll find one of them that will agree with you.

I was five years old when my mother died. I remember what a beautiful, wise,
and remarkable woman she was. I miss her. Your harsh words and misguided
beliefs brought me to tears, because you told me that my mother's killer was
a better person than a group of people that are seeking safety and tolerance
for themselves.

As someone left motherless and victimized by terrorists, I say to you very
clearly you are absolutely wrong.

You represent a district in Oklahoma City and you very coldly express a lack
of love, sympathy or understanding for what they've been through. Can I ask
if you might have chosen wiser words were you a real Oklahoman that was here
to share the suffering with Oklahoma City? Might your heart be a bit less
cold had you been around to see the small bodies of children being pulled
out of rubble and carried away by weeping firemen?

I've spent 12 years in Oklahoma public schools and never once have I had
anyone try to force a gay agenda on me. I have seen, however, many gay
students beat up and there's never a day in school that has went by when I
haven't heard the word **** slung at someone. I've been called gay slurs
many times and they hurt and I am not even gay so I can just imagine how a
real gay person feels. You were a school teacher and you have seen those
things too. How could you care so little about the suffering of some of your
students?

Let me tell you the result of your words in my school. Every openly gay and
suspected gay in the school were having to walk together Monday for
protection. They looked scared. They've already experienced enough hate and
now your words gave other students even more motivation to sneer at them and
call them names. Afterall, you are a teacher and a lawmaker, many young
people have taken your words to heart. That happens when you assume a role
of responsibility in your community. I seriously think before this week ends
that some kids here will be going home bruised and bloody because of what
you said.

I wish you could've met my mom. Maybe she could've guided you in how a real
Christian should be acting and speaking.

I have not had a mother for nearly 13 years now and wonder if there were
fewer people like you around, people with more love and tolerance in their
hearts instead of strife, if my mom would be here to watch me graduate from
high school this spring. Now she won't be there. So I'll be packing my
things and leaving Oklahoma to go to college elsewhere and one day be a
writer and I have no intentions to ever return here. I have no doubt that
people like you will incite crazy people to build more bombs and kill more
people again. I don't want to be here for that. I just can't go through that
again.

You may just see me as a kid, but let me try to teach you something. The old
saying is sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt
you. Well, your words hurt me. Your words disrespected the memory of my mom.
Your words can cause others to pick up sticks and stones and hurt others.

Sincerely
Tucker