Falling Off The Cliff In Oklahoma

Author Charles Pierce had some fun at the expense of Oklahoma's two crackpot senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe in his latest book, Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free. It was inevitable when he started to explain the direction the book was taking: "If this book seems to concentrate on the doings of the modern American right, that's because it was the modern American right that consciously adopted irrationality as a tactic, and succeeded very well."

Which brings us, for the moment, to the two U.S. Senators from the great state of Oklahoma, a pair of the most entertaining primates ever to sit in the world's greatest deliberative body. Once, they might have been beloved local cranks, amusing their neighbors, scandalizing their friends, and enlivening the meetings of the local town council with their explanations of how everything went to hell once the Illuminati took us off the gold standard. Now, though, they are members of the U.S. Senate. And, given the proud history of the great deliberative body, which includes everything from the fulminations of Theodore Bilbo to Everett Dirksen's campaign to make the marigold the national flower, the Oklahoma delegation is a measure of how far we have come.

Usually states will elect one boring senator and one entertaining one... However, Oklahoma has demonstrated almost unprecedented generosity in sharing with the nation its more eccentric political fauna.

Although I can't recommend Pierce's wonderful book highly enough, let's leave it for a moment and pick up yesterday's Tulsa World, that city's biggest newspaper, where we meet another specimen of the modern American right. Let me introduce non-Oklahomans to Anna Falling, an ambitious wingnut running for mayor, a job that usually leads to higher office. Tulsa certainly has the same problems all cities have, including "violent crime, budget woes and bumpy streets" but if Ms Falling is elected she's already got her #1 priority set: "putting a Christian creationism display in the Tulsa Zoo."

“It’s first,” she said to calls of “hallelujah” at a rally outside the zoo. “If we can’t come to the foundation of faith in this community, those other answers will never come. We need to first of all recognize the fact that God needs to be honored in this city.”

Falling, who has founded several Christian nonprofits and is a former city councilor, also said the next mayor needs to appoint people to city boards, authorities and commissions who will “honor God.”

“We will also look for people who want to characterize the origins of both man and animals in a way that honors Judeo-Christian science that proves God as the creator,” she said.

When asked whether she meant she would recruit Christians to serve the city, Falling said she was talking about “people committed to their churches,” and when asked whether she meant Christian churches, she said, “churches, yes.”

...Controversy over having a creationism display at the zoo dates back to 2005, when it was proposed by Dan Hicks, a Christian activist.

Hicks drew up plans for a 5-by-3-foot panel that would tell the Genesis creation story of God creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh.

It was initially approved by the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board, but the board later rescinded its decision in a second vote after a public outcry.

Hicks’ panel, now finished, was on display at Tuesday’s rally.

Ironically, Pierce began his book with a discussion of the Creation Museum in Hebron, Kentucky, also depicted on the front cover. The Museum is "dedicated to the proposition that the biblical story of the creation of the world is inerrant in every word. Which means, in this interpretation, and among other things, that the dinosaurs co-existed with humans (hence the saddles), that there were dinosaurs in Eden, and that Noah, who certainly had enough on his hands, had to load two brachiosaurs onto the Arc..." A couple of T-Rexs too and some raptors. The Museum creator, though, helpfully explained that they were all just baby dinos. Whew!

This morning's Tulsa World-- spoil sports-- jumped all over Falling with an unfriendly editorial asking her to decide if she wants to be a politician or a minister.

It seems to us that God is pretty well represented in Tulsa. Beautiful churches, synagogues and other houses of worship abound. Is Falling saying that all these places of worship and the thousands of dedicated followers in Tulsa have just not been pulling their weight? Have they all done something wrong that has offended God? Are there no believers serving the city now?

Such ideas are as absurd as putting a display promoting Falling's brand of creationism at the zoo. In fact, the subject was decided in 2005 when the Tulsa Park and Recreation Board denied such a proposal.

Zoos are for science. Church is for preaching. It's too bad that Falling doesn't seem to understand that.

We don't think that Falling should have to relinquish her faith to be a politician. We would prefer, however, a politician of faith who understands the needs of the city. Making the city the prime agent in debunking science via a public display is not our idea of good politics-- or good religion.

Zoos are for science? Says who? These editors might need a session with evangelical fanatic Sammy Rodriguez who is certainly looking for leaders like Ms Falling. "We have radical Muslims. Radical homosexuals. Radical abortionists. We need radical, born again, spirit filled Christians to arise ! Do you follow me ? We don't need any sissy Christians, Oprah Winfrey Christians. We need prophetic, devil stomping, demon rebuking, blood washed, Bible believing, free-from-sin Christians!" Blood washed!

Fortunately for the GOP, there are ten other Republicans pursing the mayoral nomination, although none others who claim that the city's myriad problems-- a doubling murder rate and declining high school graduation rate for example-- cannot be solved until God is more honored in Tulsa. She's undeterred-- and blogging:

Unless the churches of Tulsa are brought into City Hall to begin to address our community’s greatest ills-- the City of Tulsa will go bankrupt, spiritually, morally and financially. 

 Jesus has given us so much and yet we turn our back on Him daily in this city.

Today we are announcing that God will be glorified in this City.  He shall not be shunned.

Upon our election, we hereby commit to honoring Him in all ways that He has been dishonored.

...Our city must restore the foundation of faith necessary to rebuilding wholeness in Tulsa by choosing board members who will honor God, love His creation, and care about this community by  restoring focus on faith and family. Specifically, I will look for board members who will not only prosper this zoo tremendously in attendance and improve this zoo's condition and appearance, but we will also look for people who want to characterize the origins of both man and animals in a way that honors the Judeo-Christian science that proves God as creator. Unless we find ways to engage the church back into public policy decisions we will be lost as a city, state and nation.

If they're going to get lost, let's hope they take Coburn and Inhofe-- not to mention lunatics from both parties like Blue Dog Dan Boren and GOP sociopath Mary Fallin-- with them!