I get more and more confused by the amount of conservatism in this state. First Sally Kern is re-elected (not by a lot though), then a portion of the legislation finds it necessary to vote against the approval of a prayer given before the opening for the day. Because it was by a gay pastor.

Now? Now they have a resolution against the University of Oklahoma because the zoology department teaches evolution and not intelligent design and because as part of the celebration of Darwin's 200th birthday (and 150th anniversary of the theory of evolution) have invited Richard Dawkins to speak on campus tonight (among others throughout the year).

The resolution is as follows...

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

 

1st Session of the 52nd Legislature (2009)

 

HOUSE

RESOLUTION 1014 By: Thomsen

 

 

 

 

 

AS INTRODUCED

 

<StartFT>A Resolution expressing disapproval of the actions of the University of Oklahoma to indoctrinate students in the theory of evolution; opposing the invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak on campus; and directing distribution.<EndFT>

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma is a publicly funded institution which should be open to all ideas and should train students in all disciplines of study and research and to use independent thinking and free inquiry, not indoctrinate students in one-sided study and thinking; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma has, as evidenced on the departmental homepage, been framing the Darwinian theory of evolution as doctrinal dogmatism rather than a hypothetical construction within the disciplines of the sciences; and

WHEREAS, not only has the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma been engaged in one-sided indoctrination of an unproven and unpopular theory but has made an effort to brand all thinking in dissent of this theory as anti-intellectual and backward rather than nurturing such free thinking and allowing a free discussion of all ideas which is the primary purpose of a university; and

WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma has planned a year-long celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s controversial theory of evolution, called the “Darwin 2009 Project”, which includes a series of lectures, public speakers, and a course on the history of evolution; and

WHEREAS, the University of Oklahoma, as a part of the Darwin 2009 Project, has invited as a public speaker on campus, Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published opinions, as represented in his 2006 book “The God Delusion”, and public statements on the theory of evolution demonstrate an intolerance for cultural diversity and diversity of thinking and are views that are not shared and are not representative of the thinking of a majority of the citizens of Oklahoma; and

WHEREAS, the invitation for Richard Dawkins to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma on Friday, March 6, 2009, will only serve to further the indoctrination engaged in by the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma by presenting a biased philosophy on the theory of evolution to the exclusion of all other divergent considerations rather than teaching a scientific concept.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives hereby expresses its disapproval of the current indoctrination of the Darwinian theory of evolution at the University of Oklahoma and further requests that an open, dignified, and fair discussion of this idea and all other ideas be engaged in on campus which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma.

THAT a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Oklahoma, the Dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Oklahoma, and the Chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Oklahoma. 

 

52-1-7145 <KB> <03/02/09>

<edit: I tried to do a lj-cut, and it kept not working>

I think maybe we're getting different episodes or something down here... Because the three of us in this living room: We still love Heroes.

Why is this so funny?!?! This is spreading like wildfire around OU.

I had a very long dream last night where for some reason I was in San Francisco. Not really sure what I was doing there, but most of the dream consisted of trying different places to stay that all had something wrong with them. Buying a ticket for BART was more like buying a lotto ticket in a drug store. There was one street I drove down that all the trees were on fire, but no one acted as if anything were wrong, and then the same road had construction.

At one point in the dream, I thought of posting something on LJ so maybe someone on here would be of some help.  For some reason I thought of using my phone to do *that* instead of looking up a real hotel to stay in.

In other news:
Boomer Sooner! Beat mizzou! :-)

Fucking A this whole issue has my mind so fucking turned around backward I can't even put together a loose collection of my thoughts on prop 8 or any of the number of arguments/discussions/discourses/infighting that is going on around it from OUR SIDE.

• I want marriage. Civil marriage. Not a civil union.  You can keep your separate water fountains too.

• Quit calling it gay marriage. If we keep calling it that, they'll keep calling it that. Its not fucking "gay marriage". They aren't special rights. Marriage equality, equal rights. Stress it, repeat it, sing it if you have to.

• He is my boyfriend. One day, he will be my husband. If someone has a problem with what I call the person I love, they can deal with it. The more they hear it, the more they will get used to it.

• Sanctity of marriage is not at risk. We aren't breaking down your church doors, trust me. We'll have our own ceremonies if we want them, in churches that accept us, in beliefs that don't shun us, in manners that best fit us. Those of us who do happen to be Christian don't want anything to do with the Christ you project in the way you treat us anyway. And those of us who aren't Christian are tired of dealing with you legislating the bible into our lives; this is not a "christian nation", a large number of the founders were universalists and the idea for America came out of the Enlightenment period and the salons of Europe. How do you handle your euro-xenophobia now?

• Our movement is still relatively young. Stonewall was only 39 years ago. Before that we had a rising movement fighting for the future of gay men. For that we should be grateful for all that the ones who came before us did so that we could even be *having* such arguments as "Do we want to call it civil unions, marriage, or domestic partnership?"

• We need to stop hiding even if we don't think of it that way. Straight society has the benefit of "assumed heterosexuality". The minstrel show is over.

• A little over a century ago, Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for the love that dare not speak its name. Tuesday night, I sat with my boyfriend as our new president gave his acceptance speech and included us not as tool of division and hatred, but as an equal part of this nation.

I have hope. We shall overcome one day.

Maybe now my mind will stop raging with thoughts of all of this.

This video was posted to facebook by a couple of my friends. What it shows truly frightens me about some people and what the world would be a little closer to if McCain and Palin were to take office.

**Warning: Video has language that is not exactly politically correct. May not be SFW.



Sadly, these types of people are far too similar to my extended family.

Can I seriously just have the show "Mission: Organized" come in and totally overhaul my side of the apartment? I mean cuz really??? I'm still very much not unpacked from moving in in JULY.

And it is just starting to drive me slightly crazy. I try to start unpacking (as a way of procrastinating doing readings/writing/research and I feel like I just end up moving the mess around and not accomplishing a damn thing.

#1 Task: Declutter.

After that, anyone have tips for keeping a home office area/bedroom organized? Remember I tend to think more like an artist.

Things I want right now:

Rain
Temperature highs in the 80s
A mini-vacation
Independent wealth.


Three out of four wouldn't be so bad.

So after (my dad) doing my taxes I've found out how much I'm getting back, and pretty happy over all! Though I'm not terribly offended by paying taxes and those taxes actually being used on, ya know, stuff that helps our country, I do *really* enjoy getting money back.

Though, Oklahoma has to be so weird on taxes. There is a large gap in how much I would get back if I didn't drive a hybrid and how much I am getting back by driving my Prius:

Non-hybrid car: $6 return
Hybrid car: $1036 return

WTF. In the good way.

TRUE COLORS TOUR IN OKC!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

(ps- thanks Sally Kern, you might JUST be the reason they are added us as a stop on the tour!)

It is so hard when all of my close friends are still in college and get their breaks. I want to be able to stay up and hang out and sleep in late and do stuff all day that isn't work, too! And what's worse is when someone remembers with that very confused and concerned look on their face that "Oh, that's right, you don't have a spring break any more do you..."

No. No, I don't.

I've spent the last few days trying to figure out exactly what to write about the whole Sally Kern ordeal. At first I was just kind of amazed that someone would say things like that and believe them. As I keep reading about it, including the fact that she has a gay son (more on my thoughts of using this as leverage against her later) and that the Republican controlled state House of Representatives gave her a standing ovation for *not* apologizing, I get more and more angry. Not an angry that would make me go out and do malicious things, but an angry that makes me want to fight for these close minded people to wake up. And also fight to make people who aren't from here and can't see past the Oklahoma stereotypes realize that Oklahoma is not some completely backward state.

Beyond anger, I feel pity for her. Crazy, I know. But I feel pity that she lives her life in such a hateful way while making a mask of Christianity. I feel pity for her son, Jesse. Not only has he been an outcast from his own family, but now we as gays and lesbians are using his life and, honestly, his mistakes in life as leverage against his mother. We shouldn't have to fight the wars of our fathers, let alone be used in the wars against our fathers without our own consent. Has he stepped forward to make a statement? Do we really have to go into such detail about his indiscretions at Oklahoma Baptist? I feel pity that he had to grow up in that household, and I don't hold it against him that he thought that was the only way he could act upon his desires he had been forced to repress.

I was somewhat surprised at the standing ovation by the state house. I know for a fact not every one of them would have supported her speech and her refusal to apologize. Al McAffrey, Oklahoma's first openly gay state legislator, probably acted in about the most Christian of ways to her upon seeing her on Monday morning. He walked up to her, hugged her and said she looked like she had had a tough weekend.

Sally Kern doesn't speak for Oklahoma. On some base level, I'm sure she probably speaks for some of the people in Oklahoma, true. But the things she said in her speech are hateful and without basis in fact. To call a group of people "a worse threat than terrorists or Islam" is not only hateful to the main group she is talking about, but also slides in a slander against another minority. She is promoting, whether she believes it or not, a continued hatred for gays and Muslims and gives credit and validation to people to hate and physically hurt those two groups. And sadly, there are people who agree with her. Just like there are people who think this country was founded by the pure ethereal essence of Christianity. But this thinking does not seep into every pore of every Oklahoman.

My friend Nathan possibly says it best:
"People are constantly asking me what I must be smoking that I, as a gay man, live in Oklahoma. Similarly, most of the gays I know endlessly bitch about how awful and repressive and stupid Oklahoma is, what with its megachurches and Hummers and lack of decent public transportation and endless suburban sprawl and with neighborhood after neighborhood of identical houses with GOP signs in their yards. Most of these people then move to Dallas, with its megachurches and Hummers and lack of decent public transportation and endless suburban sprawl with neighborhood after neighborhood of identical houses with GOP signs in their yards.
[...]
I think what makes me the most irritable about this is that it makes Oklahoma look like some backwater place where homos are hunted down and lynched, where creativity is stifled and we don’t want anyone in our midst who is even the slightest bit different than us. Oklahoma’s not like that at all - it’s not gay hell, it’s not bereft of artistic or creative people and it’s certainly nowhere near as boring as, say, Connecticut. But to the degree that it is unable to attract a higher caliber of creative and productive people, businesses and industries, it is because of people like Sally Kern, who are constantly going out of their way to make people feel as unwelcome, unwanted and unloved as she possibly can. You know. Just like Jesus wants."

I get angry most of all that she is trying to play herself off as the victim in all of this. I'm sure all of the attention, positive and negative, is taking a toll on her. But I can only hope that even in some fleeting moment she will maybe think to herself, "My God, is this what it feels like to be the subject of even part of the persecution some of these people feel?" I highly doubt she will, but I can hope.

I am a proud Oklahoman. My family made the land run and settled here before statehood. I'm proud of the progress some of us are trying to make, even in the face of people like Ms. Kern. But Sally Kern does not speak for me.

******************

There is an anti-hate speech political rally being held in OKC tonight (Friday March 14) at Memorial Park (NW 36th & Classen, where the Pride Festival is held), from 5:30-6:30, and you are only asked to bring yourself and signs if you feel comfortable holding them.

It is sponsored by The Oklahoma Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus among others.

******************

Okay, I know I have dog people on my friends list. So I ask:

How hard is it to have a "larger" dog (ie golden retriever) in an apartement/condo with no fenced yard? Sadly there is only one dog park in Norman but there is plenty of other places to go and run around like campus, but on a leash.

Is it fair to the dog? Part of me wants a smaller dog and another part of me (and all of James) wants a bigger dog like a retriever or lab.

Had a dream last night that included guest appearances by (at least) ruffstuff and gearjock. Gearjock was bullriding at the fair. I don't know.

Every second weekend in October brings the best rivalry in all of college football: Oklahoma v. texas. Sorry to all who disagree, but you're just going to have to learn you are wrong.

This year, texass' starting QB (Colt McCoy) is out of the game for a head injury. Both teams are coming in off of an unexpected loss. And the winner of this game will most likely lead the Big XII South by the end of the season.

The game is so great the teams have to meet on neutral ground equal distances from both colleges. (Let's face it, North Texas could be considered Baja Oklahoma as many okies live down there.)

Boomer Sooner! Beat the hell out of texas!

Okay, so I'm pretty sure I mentioned back in June how I was generally disappointed with the OKC Pride events. It didn't help that I had actually attended a couple of the OKC Pride Inc. board meetings. Talk about a cluster fuck. They literally refuse to accept new ideas. But I guess it didn't take going to one of their "meetings" for people in OKC to start waking up and wanting change:

An editorial article on OKC's online gay rag this week:
http://www.hnokc.net/specialpage.php?articleid=0680121450731902550320755&appendfile=opinioninstructs.php

OKC Pride Inc.'s website (btw, the organization [not the event] logo just happens to look VERRRRRY similar to a draft of one I'd offered them)
http://www.okcpride.com/
http://www.okcpride.com/parade.html

The myspace page that the creator was told to take down b/c the board (or rather one militantly angry lesbian) didn't want to be associated with gay predators on myspace.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=196264251

Is it so much to ask for a decent event in a city that has the resources to put one on?? Why do we have to have a shitty event year after year getting shittier and shittier. Drives me crazy.

I know some of you guys are watching NBC shows on iTunes. Well, hurry and buy the rest of some of those seasons b/c NBC and iTunes are not renewing their contract and this season's shows will not be available on iTunes. NBC wanted a price increase that would have made each episode cost approx. $4.99.

So get them while you can!

Is anyone on here able to still see gonesurfin's posts? If so, can you at least let thos of us who can't read his blog anymore know he's still doing okay? I'm very mother hen, I worry.

Although I've been out of college for over a year, this is my first real year of having the chance to miss it from the beginning. Last year at this time, I was getting ready to start my current job and didn't really have the full chance to miss all of it.

I drive past campus or get food on Campus Corner and I can feel the energy of school getting ready to start back up. I sit at work and realize that drumline auditions start today, then the full band will move in and start up tomorrow. And it will be a long week in the heat, but worth it. I miss that same marching audition song and routine, and I'm kind of sad they actually changed it this year.

I miss seeing new people, seeing old people. I miss the first days of class when you still have all those goals of going to stay on top of work this semester and do everything great and get a perfect 4.0 (before that subsides to real life in college and plenty of distractions).

I'm sure i'm just being overly nostalgic about the whole thing. And its only made worse when I sit at work and feel the way I usually feel about sitting at work.

I have lots of things in my head and not all of them can come out at once. I just have to figure out which ones are going to come out when, and how I'll pay for some of them.

Probably not.

If I added you as a friend, I probably liked a post you had, you're a friend of another friend on lj, or I have seen your name enough times on here and various other places I want to know more about you.

Honestly, out of the friends I have on lj, my boyfriend is the only one I've met in person.

Take that as you will and return the add or not. Have a good day! :-)