“Everywhere around the world, there’ll be dancin’ — dancin’ in the street!”
Don’t pretend you don’t know all the words. Marvin Gaye’s Motown song that David Bowie and Mick Jagger made a classic hit hummed by generations might see a revival in Oklahoma soon, thanks to the fact that Sally Kern’s 12-year battle against the “homosexual agenda” as an Oklahoma legislator is almost over.
Kern borders on infamous to many in the state for her views against the LGBT community.
For example, Tulsa World reported that in 2008, she said the so-called “homosexual agenda” is more of a threat to America than terrorism.
In her retirement speech during the final days of this year’s legislative session, she repeated that belief.
LGBT advocacy group Freedom Oklahoma is using Kern’s exit from the Legislature to raise funds to “recruit political candidates who believe in equality, balancing the budget and funding education,” according to Tulsa World.
“We picked her for very obvious reasons,” said Troy Stevenson, Freedom Oklahoma executive director. “She said some pretty atrocious things about the LGBT community. I don’t know that any legislator in this country has said worse.”
Kern heard about the party and addressed it in her May 11 retirement speech.
“How many of you are having a farewell party and a fundraiser thrown in your honor just because you are leaving? You know when I first heard about this I was a little bit offended,” she said. “I mean just $35 for a ticket? I thought surely, if I’m their biggest opponent couldn’t I be worth at least $50.”
Tickets to the fundraiser, dubbed “Farewell, Sally,” are $35 — money well spent to find representatives who will actually focus on making Oklahoma a better place to live.
Print headline: Finally, freedom
This article appears in May 18-24, 2016.