Responding to Nathan Gunter's Commentary "Leaving Oklahoma," June 9, 2010, Oklahoma Gazette:

Agreed, Mr. Gunter. Critical thinkers and progressives should stay in Oklahoma because we need them. But the reality is that this state has gone nearly unchanged politically and socially ever since I can remember having the faculties to think about it. I've waited patiently to see if conservatives will ever release the stranglehold they have on how Oklahoma functions. I've actively engaged in speaking out, writing out, screaming out, but only succeeded in exhausting and depressing myself.

Church and state are having an illicit affair in Oklahoma. I've lived here most my life and have seen the hapless attempts at changing this. Mayoral candidate Steve Hunt has tried desperately to broaden the minds of people with videos and letters, but nothing ever seems to happen. State Sen. Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City, came back from New York and tried to do a few things, but no go there, either. I've spent innumerable hours hunched over a computer trying to forge a perfect, irrefutable sentence that would change the minds of thousands, but this simply is not going to happen.

Mr. Gunter, I love this state, and I want to stay, but I'm afraid moving to New York or some other distant abode is almost inevitable. The future of Oklahoma is a police state dominated by deeply rooted Christian agendas. No amount of music festivals, poetry readings, protests or positive thinking will change the minds of conservatives. They are simply too stubborn. Their children will largely inherent and perpetuate these perspectives. We can write, paint and sing about how things could be different, but if no one is listening, what's the point?

"Robert Cole
Norman

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