Sen. Tom Woods' 'filth' comments expose Oklahoma's real moral crisis - LGBTQ+ kids are dying: EDITORIAL
Oklahoma’s national embarrassment continues as another state Republican lawmaker’s bigoted comments have, again, put our state in an unflattering position.
Lawmakers represent constituents in their districts, but some seem to have forgotten their comments and actions also are a reflection of the people of this state ― even though many do not share the same views.
On Friday, while responding to a woman’s question about why the Legislature has an obsession with LGBTQ+ citizens, what people do within their personal lives and how they raise children, Westville Sen. Tom Woods demeaned multiple communities in his response.
"We are a Republican state ― supermajority ― in the House and Senate. I represent a constituency that doesn't want that filth in Oklahoma," Woods said, according to the Tahlequah Daily Press. He added: "We are a religious state and we are going to fight it to keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we are a Christian state ― we are a moral state."
When elected leaders speak with such blatantly offensive language about human beings, it emboldens others to do the same. Bullying becomes normalized. Sometimes people die.
Woods’ comments, no doubt shared by many other legislators, also seem to imply the rest of Oklahoma’s faith communities lack moral standards.
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GOP lawmakers are clear in their apathy for LGBTQ+ community
Republican lawmakers are clear in their apathy for the LGBTQ+ community. The rush to pass legislation last year banning gender-affirming care was surpassed by the more than 50 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the current legislative session. The message is clear: If you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, we do not care whether you live or die.
It somehow escapes lawmakers like Woods that LGBTQ+ people are in our churches, our families, in jobs that provide services we need and use. They are only about 7.2% of the population, but they are part of communities everywhere. They are adults and they are children.
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The notion that LGBTQ+ can’t be Christian is laughable. Chances are many came from Christian homes. If one of the aims of Christianity is to bring people to Christ, Woods is making an exception to this community that’s not in line with the actions of Jesus who forgave a prostitute and rebuked exclusion of those others deemed unworthy. Jesus’ words to ”love thy neighbor as thyself” is only a convenient proposition for Christians like Woods.
The state’s poor standing in everything from education to health care is well documented. Yet our leaders are focused on divisive culture issues that disenfranchise even more Oklahomans. Where are the 50 bills to address poverty, or better access to health care? Where are the dozens of bills to reduce incarceration, or gun violence deaths? Where are the scores of bills to help more kids graduate from high school and college to fill more than 100,000 available jobs in the state?
Lawmakers appear content to legislate their way back into the 1950s — reversing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and practices, punishing women and their doctors for electing abortion care, and ripping the education system apart for imagined indoctrination boogeymen.
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The hostile language state leaders use has gone far enough. All Oklahomans, including all Jesus-loving people, should reject a posture of exclusion. To do otherwise is to continue to subject the state to further ridicule and, worse, disdain from any major company that embraces inclusion and may be considering moving its workforce here.
Oklahoma is in crisis. A moral crisis where state leaders are comfortable canceling some of its residents. This is entirely inappropriate and unacceptable.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Sen. Tom Woods' 'filth' comments expose Oklahoma's real moral crisis
