On April 2nd, an overflow crowd packed the Oklahoma State Capitol in support of state Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City). The gathering on the first floor Capitol Rotunda spilled over onto several additional floors overlooking the Rotunda and many were turned away by Capitol Security Guards who attempted to keep the hallways clear for safety. Still others failed to reach the rally, unable to find a place to park. The "Rally for Sally" dwarfed a rally the previous week which condemned her "hate speech" concerning the homosexual agenda.
Kern, the wife of Oklahoma City Southern Baptist pastor Steve Kern, become a target of the homosexual community for remarks she made in January at a Republican club meeting in Oklahoma County. Kern told the group that "the homosexual agenda is destroying this nation." She said of the push by militant homosexual activists, "I honestly think it's the biggest threat even, that our nation has, even more so than terrorism ..." A recording of Kern's remarks was posted on YouTube.com in March by the Washington, D.C.- based Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. The video clip has since received more than one million hits, and Kern has faced the wrath of national and state leaders of the militant homosexual movement and their allies.
Kern received phone calls and ten of thousands of emails from all over the world. Death threats included in some of those communications are being investigated by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Some find it ironic that the homosexual community, which supposedly desires tolerance for their lifestyle, have no tolerance for Rep. KernÍs religious perspective on this issue. State and national leaders of the homosexual lobby have used her comments to fuel promotion of their gay agenda.
Ivan Holmes, Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party joined with the homosexual lobby in their attack on Kern. "As an elected Representative to the Oklahoma State Legislature Rep. Kern is held to a higher standard in her public remarks," stated Dr. Holmes.
"Comparing homosexuality with cancer in your little toe and saying that if it spreads it is deadly is a dangerous slander and shows how little Rep. Kern understands sexual identity issues," Holmes said. "To say that the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) movement is the death knell for this country and that they are going after two year olds in schools also shows how uninformed Rep. Sally Kern really is," said Holmes. "I expect the Republican leadership of the House to condemn her remarks," Chairman Holmes added.
The Cimarron Alliance, an Oklahoma City-based LGBT group, sent letters to Gov. Brad Henry and House Speaker Chris Benge (R-Tulsa) demanding that Kern ñapologize or be censured by the House of Representatives.î Speaker Benge said he had no plans to have Kern censured.
Rep. Kern has steadfastly refused to apologize and stands by her statements. "In recent years homosexual activists have begun to aggressively promote their agenda through the political process, often providing substantial financing to candidates who agree with their views, including many running for state legislative races. National publications such as Time, The Atlantic and USA Today have noted that trend. That is their right, just as it is my right to voice opposition to their agenda, which I have been asked to do at several public forums in recent months. That's what democracy is all about. It appears some homosexual activists believe only one group is allowed a voice in this debate. I disagree, ñ said Kern.
Kern says her comments were edited and taken out of context, and notes that the three minutes of her speech distributed on YouTube, were only pieces of her 30 minute talk and were selectively put together for effect. She said calling her remarks ñhate speechî was a mis-characterization. "A vigorous debate on an issue is not 'hate speech' Ü it's free speech. I have made clear my opposition to the agenda of homosexual activists, but I have never endorsed or supported any hateful action targeting individuals on the other side of this debate and never will. The fact that many gay rights activists claim anyone opposing their agenda is engaging in 'hate speech' says more about them than me.î She also emphasized that she did not call homosexuals terrorists, but was only comparing the severity of the threat from the homosexual agenda to that posed by terrorism.
Homosexual activists, including the national Human Rights Campaign, the Cimarron Alliance, and the Oklahoma Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus, exploited the situation to fuel calls for passage of hate-crimes legislation in Oklahoma and elsewhere. Four hate-crimes bills were introduced in this session of the Oklahoma Legislature, but failed to receive a hearing in House and Senate committees. If passed, such legislation would lay the groundwork to make it a crime for citizens or Christian ministers to speak publicly on the issue, as has already happened in Canada.
Among those speaking at the rally was Peter LaBarbera, President of Americans For Truth. LaBarbera had flown in from Illinois to support Kern and spoke about the homosexual agenda being pushed throughout the country. Information concerning this ordeal, including some of the threatening letters sent to Kern, can be found on his website: www.americansfortruth.org
Also speaking was Steve Black, executive director of First Stone Ministries in Oklahoma City, who related how he was once gay. He said his organization helps men and women overcome their homosexuality.
Many believe that the attack on Kern was orchestrated in retribution for her actions to remove homosexual books from the childrenÍs sections of Oklahoma City area libraries, and her sponsorship of legislation that would remove state funding from libraries that refused to restrict access to the books. This year, Kern authored the Religious Viewpoints Anti-Discrimination Act which would require that schools treat students expressing religious viewpoints the same as students expressing secular views on the same subject.
Kern said she was humbled and honored by the show of support at the rally, and will continue to speak out on the dangers of the homosexual agenda.
