I live in Oklahoma. My state was born on November 16th, 1907. So when I see my friends and former classmates talking about given up their heritage and citing the Civil War, I work hard not to laugh. The Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865. Yes, some of the Native Oklahoma tribes did take part in some battles, but much like those in every other southern state, they fought under their own flag to protect their own perceived interest. That is why my state flag has a blue background today, tribute.
In the interest of full disclosure, let me tell my own "confederate flag" story here. When I was a young man, living in Oklahoma City, I thought I was a cowboy. I loved cowboy boots and hats. Because my grandparents lived in the "country", I learned to love cows, pigs, dirt roads, pond fishing, and all things "country". For me, "country" meant cobblers and canned fruit in Mason jars. It meant hot July days on dirt road chasing lizards and frogs. It meant time away from my city life, mostly around holidays and special occasions. I learned to love what I thought I was, what I thought my history was. Not surprisingly, I also loved western themed television shows like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger. I have no idea if it was my television creating my fascination with western heritage or the fact that I lived in what I perceived to be the west, influencing my television choices. Anyway, when the television show "The Dukes of Hazard" came along, it was instantly one of my favorites. It had everything a good show needed: Bo & Luke (Good Guys), Boss Hogg & Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane (Bad Guys), and Daisy Duke (enough said). She was so popular that cut-off denim jeans were referred to as "daisy dukes" for years after, long after the height of the shows popularity. Those of you familiar with "The Dukes of Hazard" television show will remember that their car, The General Lee, had a confederate flag on top of it. Well, as a brown kid, living in Oklahoma City, this show was my introduction to that flag. Completely oblivious to the history or symbolism of the flag, with the exception of it's use by Bo and Luke Duke on television, I told my mother that I planned to buy a flag to hang in my room. Without any explanation, she told me that I could not buy THAT flag. It was only later that I learned from aunts and uncles, some of the things loosely associated with THAT flag. How could I have come to love a flag that I knew nothing about? Well, mostly because the flag was an integral part of a show I, and my siblings, watched weekly. Interestingly, even after that time period, I did not immediately abandon my affinity for the confederate flag. In fact, over the coming years, I would see it on everything from handkerchiefs to bandanas to album covers. Truth be told, for me, THAT flag came to represent rebellion, which I was not opposed to in my youth.
Today it still does not bother me if people want to fly the confederate flag. However, there is a major difference between individuals flying the flag and state governments flying the flag. If my neighbor decides to fly the "ISIS" flag, that would be his/her choice. They probably won't be invited over for the 4th of July, but their flag is their choice. Like it or not, that is protected behavior under our constitution. If the state of Oklahoma tried to fly the "ISIS" flag, my attitude would be completely different. For me, it will always be a symbol of beheadings and terrorist attacks across the globe. Although I feel certain that someone, somewhere would and could explain to me, with the utmost sincerity, that the "ISIS" flag means something completely different to them. By the same token, ignoring the history of the "southern reconstruction" and the "Jim Crow" laws that followed does not erase that history. More importantly, standing silently by while "hate groups" have usurped and used the "Confederate flag", for almost 100 years, only serves to weaken any argument that the image is about "heritage" and not "hate". Again, I am not opposed to an individual flying the confederate flag. Just like, for Bo and Luke Duke, the flag may represent something completely different to some individual. I understand that very well. After all, red has been my favorite color as long as I can remember. In the 1980's, the color red was usurped by gangs calling themselves "bloods". The "bloods" had rivals who called themselves "crips" and preferred the color blue. While red never stopped being my favorite color, I was always aware of the fact that wearing it, especially in certain settings, might send a message to certain people that I did not intend to send. I wore it anyway!
However, Oklahoma is not short on history and heritage just waiting to be embraced. On any given Saturday in Oklahoma, there will be 150,000 people watching football in stadiums (and hundreds of thousands more watching on televisions) all around the state. Whether at Oklahoma University, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, or any of the smaller schools, those games represent a heritage that has been around almost as long as the state. That is OUR heritage. Any number of young men from those colleges have played in the NFL, NBA, or internationally and represented their colleges (some at all-star, all-pro, or all-world levels). Many great leaders have come through our state colleges, from Oklahoma University and Oklahoma State University to Tulsa and Oklahoma City University. Even the smaller schools like East Central University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Langston, and Oklahoma Christian can boast alumni who have gone on to great accomplishments in business, politics, and the arts. That is OUR heritage. Maybe some Oklahomans are not aware that Oral Roberts University has placed ministers all over this country and missionaries all over the world. That single school has influenced our national religious and political landscape in major ways. What a great Oklahoma heritage to study and know. Maybe some here have forgotten that years before a Barrack Obama stepped onto the national political stage with a great speech, it was a former OU quarterback named JC Watts who thrilled a Republican National convention and was the talk of Washington D.C. In fact, listing great people from Oklahoma would be a difficult task for a book writer, because the list would be so long and varied. Who would know where to start? This state has left a mark on all professional sports, in both the coaching and the player ranks. Olympians abound from our state. Great writers, poets, musicians, historians, inventors, business people, professors, attorneys, and judges. Even families with legacies of generosity and philanthropy, spanning multiple generations, hail from Oklahoma. Given all those things to embrace and seek to understand, it seems almost foreign to choose instead a flag that symbolizes a time of confusion and pain for so many of our fellow statesmen.
Even knowing all that, I am not bothered by anyone who chooses to fly the confederate flag. As I look forward to all the things that are happening in Oklahoma City today, not to mention the entire state of Oklahoma, I am literally overwhelmed with expectation that something GREAT could happen at any moment. Our professional basketball team has two players (Durant and Westbrook) who are not only great players, but both are setting national trends in their own ways. Whether they know it or not, they are continuing a very long legacy of professional standouts, but now Oklahoma City is importing rather than exporting talent. Tracing that heritage is an exercise worth undertaking if, like me, you have sons. If you have daughters, Oklahoma has no shortage of women, past and present, ripe for admiration. Names like McEntire, Underwood, and Chenoweth are just the tip of the iceberg. What a great heritage to know and embrace.
At the end of the day our heritage is what we choose to embrace. I have found that I love the sandy beaches and deep blue ocean views. I like the Atlantic coast of Florida and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. I love the views along the West Coast of Washington State as well as Colorado's Estes Park, Pikes Peak, and Red Rocks amphitheater. In fact, every state I have seen offers it's own unique beauty, but for me it's the red dirt of Oklahoma that characterizes who I am. This is my HOME and HERITAGE. Whether pulling catfish out of a murky pond on a windy day, watching a lake go from seemingly clear to that chocolate brown, or just reminiscing about shucking corn and picking peaches on my grandparent's farm. This is my HERITAGE. No matter how different we may be, I know that my heritage is one I share with the likes of Wayman Tisdale, Toby Keith, and Garth Brooks. Given a choice between the things that unify my state (of which there are plenty) and the things that divide us (of which there are plenty), I will choose UNITY, every time. I won't be bothered a bit, by those who choose to put their hearts and souls into a symbol from 150 years ago and believe that it is that symbol which separates us. Please forgive me for knowing the red dirt here not only penetrates our clothes, but our hearts and souls, giving us a common bond we cannot escape.
