What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is Friday, September 12, and it’s been a tough week in America.

But there was a bright spot Thursday involving an Oklahoman. Sen. Markwayne Mullin was joined by his friend, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey), on CNN during a segment with Dana Bash. They talked about the collective need to bring down the political temperature in the United States, a day after activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

Mullin and Gottheimer have been friends for sometime, gym buddies to be exact. Their children are writing a book together about getting along.

A Republican and Democrat. In 2025. Who would have thunk it possible?

I thought it was a great segment and was really heartened by both senators.

Mullin told Dana Bash that he would like to suggest to President Trump next time he sees him that maybe he should tone it down, too.

We’ll see if that happens.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, State Superintendent Ryan Walters is beyond furious about a Sand Springs teacher who posted “dangerous rhetoric” online about the Kirk tragedy.

I saw the post, and it was indeed incredibly offensive and inappropriate.

In a statement released by the Oklahoma Department of Education, Walters wrote:
Let me be clear: any teacher or employee who attempts to glorify this disgusting act of violence will have their teaching license taken from them and will never step foot in an Oklahoma school again.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond called for unity, noting that “political disagreements” are never worth violence.

However, we are reminded that part of Charlie Kirk’s regular schtick was to (for example) wonder if the person flying his airplane was Black because, if they were, he wondered if they were really capable of flying… or just a DEI hire.

From The Guardian, quoting Kirk’s own podcast:
If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, boy, I hope he’s qualified.
– The Charlie Kirk Show, 23 January 2024

That’s not nearly the only time or example. That’s not a “political disagreement” or “political difference.” That’s just incredibly offensive by any standard. As offensive as Kirk was regularly toward Black men, he was even more so towards Black women.

From The Guardian, quoting Kirk’s own podcast:
If we would have said that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative action picks, we would have been called racists. Now they’re coming out and they’re saying it for us … You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.
– The Charlie Kirk Show, 13 July 2023

I wouldn’t ‘call’ that racist. That IS racist.

Still yet, Kirk and his wife and his two kiddos did not deserve what was done to him. Not remotely. Awful. I genuinely feel terrible for him and them.

We should learn from Sen. Mullin’s example today and model some togetherness in our own spheres of influence. For what it’s worth, I believe Mullin’s friendship with Gottheimer is genuine. They were even giving each other crap over who could lift more. It was a total bromance.

I know what you’re thinking. Maybe let’s not be so cynical when we see something nice.

Being kind to each other is contagious.

And it’s the revival we need most in this country.

You can message me anytime at [email protected].

Weather Update ☀️

Can the HOA open up the pool for a few more days? Pleeeeeease??

🌡️ Friday's high in OKC 92°
🌡️ Friday’s high in Tulsa 91°

OHP says it’s clearing homeless encampments for pedestrian safety

By Elizabeth Caldwell, Public Radio Tulsa
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The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says it’s displacing long-standing homeless camps in Tulsa so that the people who live in them don’t get hit by cars.

In an update conducted on the side of Highway 75 and North Peoria Avenue, OHP Lt. Mark Southall told press “Operation Swift Action for Families Everywhere” is on day seven and troopers have cleared 64 homeless camps.

“The intent of this operation was to move these people away from dangerous highways and interstate systems,” Southall said.

No one has gone to jail, Southall said, and only one person has “accepted services.” Southall acknowledged to Public Radio Tulsa that uprooting homeless camps without clear direction as to where people might go could create a different public safety issue.

“We cannot solve the problem of homelessness by ourselves.”

When pressed that OHP is not making the situation any better, Southall said his worry is pedestrian safety.

“Let me tell you what is going on here: so homelessness is a bigger issue. The more important issue is these people getting hit by cars.”

When asked for an example of someone getting hit by a car, Southall said a woman wandering in traffic was killed in Oklahoma City after being struck by a motorcycle. When pushed to give a Tulsa example, Southall said “almost all auto pedestrian crashes that we worked here in Oklahoma, on these interstates in Tulsa specifically, involved a homeless person.”

Southall said OHP has not coordinated with the city because OHP is operating under a state law enacted in 2024 barring unauthorized camping on public land.

20-25 troopers per day are involved in Operation SAFE, which was begun by Gov. Kevin Stitt last week when he announced he was empowering OHP to clear Tulsa’s camps.

Stitt has criticized Tulsa’s response to homelessness, which has grown to record levels across the country due to housing shortages, immigration, and wages not keeping up with rent. Most recently, Tulsa Police Chief Dennis Larsen questioned Stitt's claim of poor planning from the city.

Click here to finish the story.

Stitt appoints three new officials to fill roles in his administration

By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday appointed three officials to his administration, all of whom he has previously named to other positions in Oklahoma state government. 

Stitt appointed Donelle Harder as Oklahoma Secretary of State, David Ostrowe as chief operating officer and Dustin Hilliary as his senior advisor. 

“We successfully launched this administration by bringing a fresh set of eyes from Oklahoma’s business community, and we will finish the same way,” Stitt said in a statement. “These three outstanding Oklahomans bring diverse strengths: Dustin’s trusted leadership and negotiation prowess, David’s operational acumen, and Donelle’s strategic vision.”

The appointments follow the resignations of Josh Cockroft, who serves as secretary of state and Stitt’s chief policy advisor, and Rick Rose, the head of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and Oklahoma’s chief operating officer. Cockcroft’s resignation is effective Oct. 2 while Rose plans to depart Sept. 26.

Click here to finish the story.

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The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• Colbert Public Schools closed for shooting threat (KXII)

• Oklahoma City Police Officer convicted of child abuse (News 9)

• Muskogee issues precautionary boil order; VA hospital on divert amid water outage (Tulsa World)

• With OKCPD investigating, Myles Davidson relinquishes chairmanship, rebuffs calls to resign (NonDoc)

• AG says Swadley's defense filing may have used AI, cites fake ruling (The Oklahoman)

• Oklahoma troopers clear 64 homeless encampments; aim to finish by Tuesday (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Lack of affordable housing prices out Oklahoma renters (Oklahoma Watch)

• Available numbers don't bear out Stitt's claim that 45% of Tulsa homeless are from out of state (Tulsa World)

• Oklahoma considers a pitch from a private company to monitor parolees with artificial intelligence (The Frontier)

• Doctor sentenced to serve 10 years for sex crime convictions (The Lawton Constitution)

• ‘I’m scared’: Oklahoma woman denied COVID-19 vaccine coverage by insurance (KFOR)

• Downtown Tulsa Partnership launches coalition to improve community safety (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• River Parks Authority continues to create new safety measures at Turkey Mountain (Fox 23)

• Stillwater residents speak out against new townhomes (The O’Colly)

• ‘Care, compassionate, kindness’: Woodward County EMS remembers paramedic killed in wreck (KOCO)

• A southeast Oklahoma community remembers how one senior class persevered to secure a piece of 9/11 history (KOSU)

• 'No known threats' targeting Langston University in Oklahoma amid wave of HBCU lockdowns (The Oklahoman)

• Ethics Commission to weigh in on requiring candidates to change bank accounts every election (Oklahoma Voice)

• How is OU football moving past Michigan win, 'staying hungry' to avoid letdown vs Temple? (The Oklahoman)

• 'Stay with us': Mike Gundy confident OSU football can bounce back from blowout loss (The O’Colly)

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