_________________________________

By Peter LaBarbera

Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern (R) won re-election in a landslide, 58-42 percent, last week – overcoming a national smear campaign against her by homosexual militants and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres who tried to paint her as an extremist – based on a secretly recorded speech in which she labeled “gay” activism a grave threat to America.

In another triumph over homosexual activism in red state Oklahoma, Kern’s close ally, Republican Dana Murphy, defeated open homosexual Jim Roth (D) for Corporate Commission – an important statewide office. Roth, the incumbent, heavily outspent Murphy, and was endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund (GLVF) – which launched the demonization campaign against Kern and which encouraged out-of-state “gay” campaign donations to Roth.

In this heavily-watched race, GLVF hoped that Roth – already the first admitted homosexual to hold statewide office — would become the first such candidate to be elected statewide in Oklahoma. Instead, GLVF itself became a campaign issue that helped bring Roth down.

Kern – who gained much sympathy in Oklahoma because her Christian demeanor did not match the vicious caricature of her by “gay” propagandists — was honorary chairman of Mothers Organized for a Moral Society (MOMS), a 527 group created to help Murphy. Oklahoma conservatives made an issue of Roth’s pro-homosexual activism and outside “gay” financial support.

“My race and Dana Murphy’s race show that Oklahoma is one of the most conservative states the nation – and we still believe strongly in the Judeo-Christian ethic,” Rep. Kern told Americans For Truth. “We will take a stand up for what we believe in – in spite of the attacks by liberal elites and the attempt by pro-homosexual special interest groups to use out-of-state money to influence the vote in our state.”

Kern told AFTAH that ironically, the massive web-fueled homosexual activist campaign targeting her actually elevated the homosexual agenda as an election issue in Oklahoma. MOMS sent out a mailer informing voters statewide of Roth’s endorsement by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and that out-of-state homosexual donors were helping to finance the incumbent Democrat’s campaign.

Dana Murphy ousted heavily favored “gay” activist incumbent Democrat Jim Roth for Corporation Commission.

Roth received the major establishment endorsements in Oklahoma and outspent Murphy by at least two to one, according to Kern. But he lost 52-48, garnering 674,695 votes to Murphy’s 738,397.

As for her own victory, Kern’s margin was down from four years ago, but she told AFTAH that this was due in part to a physical ailment that greatly hindered her ability to campaign. Kern did not go door-to-door and said she did not campaign nearly as energetically as she normally would.

It is hard to overstate the animosity and vitriol that Kern faced after the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund posted online selectively edited portions of a speech she gave to a conservative group in Oklahoma. Lesbian talk show host Ellen DeGeneres even phoned Kern on air in a stunt to paint her as extreme. Kern never backed down despite receiving tens of thousands of hostile e-mails from pro-homosexual activists and some very ugly attacks against her family (including her husband Steve, who pastors a church in Oklahoma City). St. Rep. Kern benefited from a huge “Rally for Sally” at the state capitol that dwarfed a previous, small homosexual event against her in the same building.

Kern’s opponent, Ron Marlett, attempted to exploit the national homosexual vilification campaign against her by accusing Kern of being “obsessed” with the homosexual issue. It didn’t work.

Watching Kern face the withering assault from “gay” critics and the media with the grace and humility of a seasoned Christian led some supporters to begin talking up Kern as a future gubernatorial candidate for the GOP.

Grove City College prof Warren Throckmorton and Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern: is Throckmorton violating the Golden Rule by joining homosexual activists in unfairly attacking Kern and her motives? See this great testimony regarding Kern’s character: “The Untold Story about Sally Kern.”

Folks, we expect homosexual activists like Jeremy “Good As You” Hooper to take cheap shots at pro-family leaders like Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern (R) — but we don’t expect the same from someone affiliated with a leading evangelical Christian College. Sadly, Grove City College psychology associate professor Warren Throckmorton is becoming a “gay”-affirming activist of sorts in his dubious quest for neutrality (as a Christian) on this divisive moral issue.

Warren has done some good work, e.g., debunking various “born gay” claims, but we’re taken aback by his hostile postings against Christian conservatives like Sally who are more principled and outspoken than he in their opposition to homosexual activism. Later we’ll examine a far more serious question: Throckmorton’s “neutral” counseling approach toward homosexuals, which also has raised eyebrows at NARTH and among Christian pro-family observers.

Below is my response to Throckmorton’s latest blog post about Sally Kern; also see THIS LINK for another Throckmorton blog post targeting Kern questioning her Christian love. –Peter LaBarbera

I wrote today:

Warren, I must say from your various blog posts on Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern that it looks like you’re going out of your way to (publicly) pick on this fine woman (and fellow Christian) — who has been targeted for vilification by radical homosexual activists. Your comments are petty and mimic those of gay activists, who only wish her the worst. I ask you on behalf of [various pro-family advocates]: why?
— Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.org; here’s a wonderful testimony from ex-gay Chris Morrison that testifies to Sally’s loving heart for people caught up in homosexuality: “The Untold Story about Sally Kern.”

PS. I just spoke with Sally. What happened is that as she was coming to a meeting at the Capitol, she accidentally forgot to leave her concealed-carry pistol in the car as she entered the building. The alarm went off and she explained the mistake and then quickly put the gun back in her car. (Other Oklahoma lawmakers have made this same mistake.) Even though only two Capitol police actually saw this incident, somebody leaked it to the press to embarrass Sally. (But in Oklahoma it may only make her more popular — she could probably run for governor [and win] after the way over-the-top “gay” campaign against her.) This is a non-story that has been used by liberals to bash her. Note this AP story cited by Warren T. with its curious and skewed lead paragraph (see red part):

Kern stopped from bringing gun to Capitol
Associated Press – July 23, 2008 6:55 PM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper prevents a state representative known for an anti-gay rant from entering the Capitol today after a loaded hangun was found in her purse.

——————————————————————————–

Warren Throckmorton’s latest blog post:

Kern packs a hot lunch

Posted: 23 Jul 2008 05:39 PM CDT

Why would you need a gun in your legislative office? [AP story]

Oh, now I get it… [Tulsa World story]

OKLAHOMA CITY – Outspoken state Rep. Sally Kern was turned back by security Wednesday morning when she arrived at the Capitol carrying a pistol in her purse.

Kern, R-Oklahoma City, was nearly as surprised as security when a camera spotted the small handgun when her purse rolled through the camera-equipped conveyer.

The lawmaker, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, said she routinely removes it before entering the Capitol, but just forgot this time.

Kern said she asked security if she “could put the gun up.” She returned to her vehicle, left the weapon there, and returned to the Capitol for a meeting.

The lawmaker was not arrested.

Department of Public Safety spokesman Chris West said, “We tell security to use their heads,” and assess this kind of situation before taking action.

The following are YouTube videos of last week’s “Rally for Sally” Kern held April 2 at the Oklahoma State Capitol, including my talk representing Americans For Truth. A huge and enthusiastic crowd of 1,500 (Daily Oklahoman estimate) or more citizens came out to support State Rep. Kern, who had been deluged with hate mail and hate phone calls after a homosexual activist group, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, created an anti-Kern YouTube using selectively edited portions of a public speech she had given.

The quality of these videos is not that great, but it is more than made up for by the moral clarity of the speakers. Below is part one of Sally’s moving speech:

Compare this “Rally for Sally” crowd to an earlier “anti-Sally” homosexual protest rally in the same Capitol Rotunda, which drew less than 100 activists. (The Daily Oklahoman later misreported the homosexualist rally attendance at 500 people; Paul Blair of Reclaim Oklahoma observed the rally and said there were 60 people there.)

It was my privilege to join these great Oklahoma speakers and passionate men and women of God to defend Sally Kern, whose humility, goodness and Christian commitment shine through in her speech, and give lie to the false “queer” caricature of her as a “hate-monger” and “homophobe.” Let’s commit ourselves to stop apologizing for agreeing with God about homosexuality! Thanks to Paul Blair and Reclaim Oklahoma for posting these videos. — Peter LaBarbera, www.americansfortruth.org:

Part 1A: Introduction by Steve Kern, Sally’s husband and pastor of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Oklahoma City; and first part of Sally Kern’s speech (same as above YouTube video; click HERE for transcript of Sally’s speech):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwIpxrzung4

Part 1B: second part of Sally Kern’s speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22SXvy1-mQE&feature=related

Part 2A: speech supporting Sally by ex-”gay” Stephen Black of First Stone Ministries, which helps men and women leave the homosexual lifestyle (click HERE for a transcript of Black’s speech):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrsjFY2Mzmw&feature=related

Part 2B: second part of Stephen Black’s speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccUoNdMiI40&feature=related

Part 3: speech by Peter LaBarbera of Americans For Truth about Homosexuality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cSL–sHpiw&feature=related

Part 4: Speech by Paul Blair, founder of Reclaim Oklahoma:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOple37sJhE&feature=related

More arrogance from the liberal media below — in this case, on online voiced editorial by Daily Oklahoman Editor Ed Kelley. Of course, Kelley is free to leave journalism and become a political activist — which does not seem like much of a transition after reading this. Perhaps he could even run for office on the “real issues” he talks about below. That would take a lot of work, especially if he’s as out of touch with Oklahoma’s voters as it appears.

Nope, it’s much easier for Kelley to whine about the people whom his newspaper is supposed to serve and respect. On the day that the “Rally for Sally” drew 1,500 or more people to the capital — to defend a decent, Christian woman who was the target of a national homosexual campaign — Kelley’s paper ran a condescending (and inaccurate) editorial that ended, “Perhaps constituents ought to hold a rally of their own, urging this one-trick pony to put her tiresome personal agenda aside and work to do something constructive.”

We think it would be very “constructive” for Kelley and fellow Fourth-Estaters to embark on a serious study of the Sally Kern “controversy” and their own reporting practices — so they could learn how they got the story so wrong. I’ll give them lesson number one: don’t take your editorial cues from left-wing activists — especially if you’re in a red state. That’s a good way to lose subscribers. — Peter LaBarbera

_________________________

Transcript of Ed Kelley’ Online Editorial

[You can listen to the voiced editorial by clicking HERE]
April 4, 2008

Hi, I’m Ed Kelley, editor of the [Daily] Oklahoman.

So, more than a thousand people showed up at the State Capitol for the so-called “Sally Rally,” to support Representative Sally Kern and her rantings against gays in America. By all accounts, it was a boisterous bunch that lined up way outside the Capitol so they could come in and praise old Sally.

But what if? What if instead of a thousand people gathered to praise her, a thousand people, smart law-abiding people who really cared about Oklahoma and it’s future, came instead to insist that our State can and must send legislators to the Capitol, who will focus on real issues that affect Oklahoma?

In other words, a thousand voices that said, “We’ve had a hundred years of people like Sally Kern and a hundred years of that is enough.”

What if, a thousand people came to the Capitol and proclaimed Kern’s running mate, Representative Randy Terrill, to be the biggest political liability on our state early in the Twenty-First Century for his ramming the toughest anti-immigration law in the country down the throats of his fellow Oklahomans?

In other words, a thousand voices that said they were going to stand up to this man, for moral reasons if nothing else, even when the leadership in the Capitol is too cowardly to do so.

What if, a thousand people came to the Capitol and expressed outrage over the precious time wasted in the legislative session on bills that don’t make a hill of beans, like English as the official language, or designating a state rock ‘n roll song, or creating some more car tags as if we don’t have a jillion of them already.

In other words, a thousand voices that said Oklahoma’s future as a state of importance and creativity is in jeopardy unless our elected representatives take on an air of urgency before it’s too late.

What if all these scenarios happened? They could. They could happen. And if they did, how different our image would be. Not just to the world outside our borders, but to the thousands of young Oklahomans growing up in our state — who deserve a serious discussion of a better Oklahoma than what they’re getting now at 23rd and Lincoln.