Vote Stupid, vote Sally Kern, Republican

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Sally Kern

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Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 84th district

Incumbent

Assumed office 
January 4, 2005

Preceded by

Bill Graves[1]

Constituency

Oklahoma State District 84

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Born

November 27, 1946 (age 64)
Jonesboro, Arkansas

Political party

Republican

Spouse(s)

Steve Kern

Profession

Politician, teacher

Religion

Independent Baptist”

“Statements on homosexuality

In March 2008, Kern made national headlines when she stated:

“

Studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it's the death knell of this country. I honestly think it's the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam — which I think is a big threat, okay? Cause what's happening now is they are going after, in schools, two-year olds...And this stuff is deadly, and it's spreading, and it will destroy our young people, it will destroy this nation.[6][7]

”

After receiving attention for the remarks, Kern said "I said nothing that was not true" and refused to apologize.[6][8][9] She received a standing ovation from fellow Republican legislators in a private meeting a few days later.[10] In response to Kern's comments, hundreds of gay and lesbian rights supporters protested at the Oklahoma State Capitol.[11] Over 1500 people later turned out at the Capitol to support her.[12]

Kern claimed to have received death threats that caused her to hire a bodyguard.[13][14] The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation officer who reviewed Kern's emails said, "I wouldn't characterize them as death threats."[15]

Kern authored an op-ed counterpoint piece in the June 24, 2009 issue of the Oklahoma Gazette in which she argued, "Granting marriage status to homosexuals who comprise little more than 3 percent of the population would be like granting all applicants admission to a prestigious college just because a few meet the qualifications. That school’s status would fall. Likewise, the status of marriage will fall if same-sex marriage is legalized."[16]

In late June 2009 Kern authored the "Oklahoma Citizens Proclamation for Morality" implicitly blaming gay marriage and President Barack Obama's official acknowledgment of Gay Pride month (among other things) for the economic crisis which was then ongoing. [17]

During her 2010 re-election campaign, she made the sexual orientation and gender of her opponent an open topic in a campaign flyer[1] mailed to residents of her district.

Statements on minorities and women

On April 27, 2011, while debating in favor of SJR 15, a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate Affirmative Action in Oklahoma, Kern said:

“

We have a high percentage of blacks in prison, and that’s tragic, but are they in prison just because they are black or because they don’t want to study as hard in school? I’ve taught school, and I saw a lot of people of color who didn’t study hard because they said the government would take care of them.”[18]

”

During the same debate, Kern also stated that

“

Women usually don't want to work as hard as a man... women tend to think a little bit more about their family, wanting to be at home more time, wanting to have a little more leisure time."[19]”