Burnt Orange Report

SE OK to Coburn: No Rampant Lesbianism Here

By Byron LaMasters

Haha. The Oklahoma Democratic Party released this today:

Oklahoma City – A group of legislators from across Southeast Oklahoma today spoke out to denounce Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Coburn’s statement about the school children of Southeast Oklahoma. Yesterday’s news reports show that during a town hall meeting in Hugo, OK on August 31st, 2004 Tom Coburn commented that Southeast Oklahoma schools are “rampant” with “lesbianism.”

“Tom Coburn apparently doesn’t know anything about families in southeastern Oklahoma or the values we hold dear,” said State Senator Jay Paul Gumm, Durant. “If he knew us or shared our values, he would never have said our female high school students are afflicted with ‘rampant lesbianism.’ Our children deserve better than to have repulsive allegations made against them by a politician.”

Gumm said the only reason Coburn would make such a sickening charge is to avoid talking about real issues like creating jobs, improving public schools and highways, and boosting agriculture. “Given his dismal record on those issues, we shouldn’t be surprised he would try to misdirect Oklahomans with yet another shameful and unsubstantiated claim,” Gumm said.

“To repeat an outrageous claim without some sort of proof or fact is reckless and irresponsible, and regrettably could have consequences,” said State Senator Jeff Rabon of Hugo.

“It’s one thing to believe this kind of crazy nonsense and even say it publicly, but another thing entirely to use school children as props to make your point,” State Senator Richard Lerblance of Hartshorne said. “Making such a baseless attack on our children represents a new low in the discourse of Tom Coburn.”

Tom Coburn’s suggestion that lesbianism is rampant in our schools is perverse. It really is a desperate and sad assault on our children,” State Representative John Carey of Durant said. “We need someone to represent us who believes in all of Oklahoma, and will build us up, not tear us down with such disgusting attacks. Tom Coburn is showing us that he’s just another degrade Southeast and rural Oklahoma Republican.”

At a recent town hall meeting in Hugo, OK, Tom Coburn said:

• “You know, Josh Brecheen is our rep down here in the southeast area. He lives in Colgate and travels out of Atoka. He was telling me lesbianism is so rampant in some of the schools in southeast Oklahoma that they’ll only let one girl go to the bathroom. Now think about it. Think about that issue. How is it that that’s happened to us?” [Tom Coburn, Hugo, 8/31/04]

Recently, a number of newspapers have editorialized on the numerous offensive remarks that Tom Coburn has made over the past two months. He has been consistently rebuked by newspapers statewide, some of which have called him unfit to serve the people of Oklahoma, and asked him to quit the Senate race. Excerpts from two such newspaper Editorials are below.

• Coburn has managed to alienate many, even in his own party, with his far, right wing views which are turning off voters in droves. From farmers, to Native Americans to people in Oklahoma City he has referred to as "crapheads," Coburn is losing support by the day and should not be considered by any Oklahoman who cares about their community and their children. [Sulphur Times-Democrat, 9/30/04]


• Coburn, in marked contrast, has painted himself as being on the side of "good" while those who disagree with his politics are "evil." He referred to the state's leadership in Oklahoma City as "crapheads." He dismissed many tribal members as non-Indians. Coburn, who speaks so dismissively, so disdainfully, of so many of his fellow citizens, is not the candidate who will represent all Oklahomans. [Tulsa World, 9/26/04]

“Tom Coburn has publicly made offensive comments about Native Americans, the people of Oklahoma City, and our hard-working farmers, just to name a few,” State Representative Paul Roan of Tishomingo said. “But now to make such ridiculous and offensive comments about our children and the schools they attend in Southeast Oklahoma goes way too far.”