Absolutely beautiful letter, thoughtful and well written, from an Oklahoma high school senior who lost his mother in the Oklahoma City bombing terrorist attack (to OK Rep. Sally Kearn who said gay people are worse than terrorists) March 13, 2008
Posted by dhconcerts in About Life, Health, Peace, Justice and Equality, Quoting Others, Sally Kearn, Sally Kern, Sally Kern / Sally Kearn.trackback
[UPDATE: March 19, 2008 -
This morning I read a post by Chris at Citizen Crane talking about the urban legend that has sprung up around Sally Kern. One of the aspects of the legend is the Tucker letter (below).
To date, this young man has not been identified in person. So, the actual source of this letter is in question.
The unanswered question about who authored this letter takes nothing away from the fact that this is an excellent letter and makes some very important points. I do hope that if Tucker is the child of a woman who died in the OKC bombing, he will come forth publicly and claim ownership of this excellent letter.]
You can read Tucker’s letter at PHB (with comments by others who’ve read it), or read it below:
Rep Kern:
On April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City a terrorist detonated a bomb that killed my mother and 167 others. 19 children died that day. Had I not had the chicken pox that day, the body count would’ve likely have included one more. Over 800 other Oklahomans were injured that day and many of those still suffer through their permanent wounds.
That terrorist was neither a homosexual or was he involved in Islam. He was an extremist Christian forcing his views through a body count. He held his beliefs and made those who didn’t live up to them pay with their lives.
As you were not a resident of Oklahoma on that day, it could be explained why you so carelessly chose words saying that the homosexual agenda is worst than terrorism. I can most certainly tell you through my own experience that is not true. I am sure there are many people in your voting district that laid a loved one to death after the terrorist attack on Oklahoma City. I kind of doubt you’ll find one of them that will agree with you.
I was five years old when my mother died. I remember what a beautiful, wise, and remarkable woman she was. I miss her. Your harsh words and misguided beliefs brought me to tears, because you told me that my mother’s killer was a better person than a group of people that are seeking safety and tolerance for themselves.
As someone left motherless and victimized by terrorists, I say to you very clearly you are absolutely wrong.
You represent a district in Oklahoma City and you very coldly express a lack of love, sympathy or understanding for what they’ve been through. Can I ask if you might have chosen wiser words were you a real Oklahoman that was here to share the suffering with Oklahoma City? Might your heart be a bit less cold had you been around to see the small bodies of children being pulled out of rubble and carried away by weeping firemen?
I’ve spent 12 years in Oklahoma public schools and never once have I had anyone try to force a gay agenda on me. I have seen, however, many gay students beat up and there’s never a day in school that has went by when I haven’t heard the word **** slung at someone. I’ve been called gay slurs many times and they hurt and I am not even gay so I can just imagine how a real gay person feels. You were a school teacher and you have seen those things too. How could you care so little about the suffering of some of your students?
Let me tell you the result of your words in my school. Every openly gay and suspected gay in the school were having to walk together Monday for protection. They looked scared. They’ve already experienced enough hate and now your words gave other students even more motivation to sneer at them and call them names. Afterall, you are a teacher and a lawmaker, many young people have taken your words to heart. That happens when you assume a role of responsibility in your community. I seriously think before this week ends that some kids here will be going home bruised and bloody because of what you said.
I wish you could’ve met my mom. Maybe she could’ve guided you in how a real Christian should be acting and speaking.
I have not had a mother for nearly 13 years now and wonder if there were fewer people like you around, people with more love and tolerance in their hearts instead of strife, if my mom would be here to watch me graduate from high school this spring. Now she won’t be there. So I’ll be packing my things and leaving Oklahoma to go to college elsewhere and one day be a writer and I have no intentions to ever return here. I have no doubt that people like you will incite crazy people to build more bombs and kill more people again. I don’t want to be here for that. I just can’t go through that again.
You may just see me as a kid, but let me try to teach you something. The old saying is sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Well, your words hurt me. Your words disrespected the memory of my mom. Your words can cause others to pick up sticks and stones and hurt others.
Sincerely
Tucker
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More about Sally Kern on Deb’s House Concerts: I’m Listening March 8, 2008 Good As You responds to Sally Kearn’s response to the public’s response to her … March 10, 2008 Oklahomans for Equality Denounce Rep. Sally Kearn’s Anti-Gay Speech March 11, 2008 KOCO Oklahoma City News 5 talks to Sally Kearn, Chuck Wolfe of the Victory Fund, Oklahoma Muslims March 12, 2008 Good As You posts video of Ellen Degeneres calling Oklahoma Representative Sally Kearn March 12, 2008 Absolutely beautiful letter, thoughtful and well written, from an Oklahoma high school senior who lost his mother in the Oklahoma City bombing terrorist attack (to OK Rep. Sally Kearn who said gay people are worse than terrorists) March 13, 2008 My Apology to Sally Kern (formerly referred to as Sally Kearn) March 13, 2008 Advocacy Alert: Oklahomans for Equality hosts press conference regarding Rep. Sally Kern March 13, 2008 Sally, Sally, Sally. You said it’s your right to say anti-gay things. What happened to, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? March 16, 2008 Calling People Terrorists March 17, 2008 Oklahoma Families to Rally at State Capitol and Call for Meeting with Representative Sally Kern * Solidarity Vigil in Tulsa March 18, 2008 Sally Kern, by your definition, you are not a thinker. March 20, 2008 What Sally Has Wrought March 20, 2008…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
A lovely letter. I truly hope it opens the eyes of our misguided legilators that demonizing our own people is no way to lead.
Wonderful. Absolutely brilliant.
Tucker: marvelous words. You are a true human being and will be a brilliant writer. Your mom would be so proud of you.
See this page
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/kwtv/TSG5B8P35IEIR7IMS/p135
for a comment by a reader who says she is Elizabeth in Oklahoma City. Scroll down to item # 2833 to see her comment (posted below)
Elizabeth
Oklahoma City, OK
comment/post #2833
Elizabeth begins by quoting an earlier comment:
Alex wrote:
” Hi Elizabeth, I hoping that you follow this forum and will check on this. I’m trying to contact you (and Tucker) in the hopes of getting permission to print his letter in other forums. If you do read this, would you please get in touch with the following site, http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do... .
Thanks.”
Elizabeth’s reply is here:
“I don’t check here often but was told of the interest Tucker’s letter has caused. I want to say first that I did not make that post saying Tucker was reading the letter on the Ellen Degeneris show. I don’t know who did that.
Tucker is not seeking national acclaim, he simply wants Sally Kern to know that she is very insensitive to real victims of terrorism and how her words have resulted in the abuse of gay students.
I did gain Tucker’s permission to print his letter and sent copies of it to various media outlets and everyone may do so.
The sole purpose though is for Kern to see the letter and I am quite sure that has happened by now. But she has not responded to Tucker’s emails or made any comment about it at all.
Tucker called McVeigh a Christian extremist in the letter. McVeigh may’ve or may’ve not beein into God, it depended on who asked him whenever. There are times he claims to be with the Christian identity movement and there are other times he claimed to be agnostic. The point in this is calling Islam dangerous is wrong. Most Muslims are peaceful. Most Christians are peaceful. I hear all the time that Muslims hate Jews…well so do the KKK, Aryans, and lots of other Christians too.
Sally Kern insensitively made remarks about gays being worse than terrorists in a city that next month will remember the 13th anniversary of a terrorist bombing in OKC. Kern came to Oklahoma a year after that bombing. The ones of us who were affected by that terror event are offended by her remarks.
Kern is a cold, cold woman. That stone hard heart certainly won’t get her anywhere close to Heaven.”
I think that narrow-minded persons like Kern foster hattred and bolster other narrow-minded persons to react, with violence. These persons are the terriorists that are born and bred right here in the USA . I have been here in OKC all of my like and do not think that she is the type of person I want to represent any part of Oklahoma City government.
Ms Kerns has the democratic right to say what she wants, But not if she is representing Oklahoma government This bigoted woman needs to shut up and let God short it out. Even Homosexual persons have a right to live and exsist in this world, and to also to find love.
Before you make the letter an absolute fact, you should first check the facts. Rep. Kearn mentioned that homosexuality is wrong and not attacking any specific persons. Do you even know who she is? Don’t get rapped up with all the hype before you check the facts yourself.
Why does the letter have to point out that McVeigh is a Christian extremist? Does that mean you don’t necessary trust Christians? I don’t condone any violence especially what McVeigh did. What has been said my some on this blog site as well as others is no different than what you have accused Ms. Kearn.
If a person murder someone and claimed they are a homosexual, does that mean you attack all homosexuals or a Muslim blows up your family then you attack all Muslims? If you promote peace, then why are you attacking Ms. Kearn. Does she have a history of attacking homosexuals. I couldn’t find any.
Hi AJ,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I’d like to respond to a few things you said. I have not presented this letter as fact. I’ve noted that the author of this letter has not been publicly identified. I’d like to see the author step up and take credit for the letter.
Also, your criticism of the line about McVeigh being a Christian extremist is one I’ve read elsewhere, too. Others have suggested that the author remove this line from his letter, because McVeigh’s actual religious beliefs are unknown. I never thought McVeigh killed people because of his religious beliefs, but rather because of his political beliefs. So, we actually agree on that point.
As for Mrs. Kern, she has the right to say what she wants to as protected speech. If she believes homosexuality is wrong, she has the right to say so. What I disagree with, and what I believe many people disagree with, is that she is using her position as an elected official in a political office as a stage for promoting her own personal religious beliefs.
There are many Christians who do not agree with Mrs. Kern’s views of homosexuality. But, that’s not even the issue. The issue is that she seems to have forgotten that she is supposed to represent ALL of her constituents, not just those she believes are the good people.
I really do not want to attack Sally Kern. I have tried very hard to be even-handed in my comments. I have said I want to believe that she is a good person who just happens to be misinformed. I’ve said that I want to believe that if she KNEW better, she would DO better. Even though her words may very well encourage others to act on their own negative attitudes towards people who don’t fit Mrs. Kern’s idea of acceptable, I still believe she is a person who loves her family and friends and is loved by them.
All I want from Sally Kern is for her to find a place in her heart where she can imagine life in someone else’s shoes. I’d like for her to recognize and realize how hurtful her words are, and how potentially destructive they are. I don’t wish her ill. I only wish for her to open her heart and mind to the people she so carelessly attacks over and over again.
wow this is unbeleivable i love it