Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 2:53 AM | Published: July 19, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — During Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council of Oklahoma City, the Council narrowly voted to approve an ordinance to re-establish the erstwhile Human Rights Commission of Oklahoma City.
Many residents, especially representing suburban wards 4 and 8, were present to express their opposition to a Human Rights Commission in Oklahoma City.
Still other residents, some of whom participated in the Human Rights Task Force over the last two years, were present in support of the ordinance.
The Council voted 5-4 in favor of resurrecting the Commission for our City. (See a City-produced highlights document of the ordinance below and the video recording of the entire meeting.)
Marty Peercy reports Local government
Opposition
Voices opposed to the Human Rights Commission seemed organized and armed with prepared talking points. In fact, many who spoke against the ordinance brought prepared statements.
Reasons for opposing the establishment of a city commission to address human rights violations were varied.
Most speakers echoed a concern for bloated government “taking away rights.”
Some said that the price tag was irresponsible, and cited deliberate misinformation about the cost of the establishment of the Commission costing $2 million. The referenced money was used to establish three separate task forces over the past few years including the task force on homelessness, the policing task force, and the task force on Human Rights.
Far-right-wing political and social activists Robert and Carol Hefner each spoke at Tuesday’s meeting to encourage their Councilman, Mark Stonecipher of Ward 8, and the rest of the Council to vote no.
Carol Hefner said that her family was made up of multiple races and religions, but all agree that City resources can be better used to address problems that affect all residents.
Hefner also claimed to have talked with local police on her way to City Hall that day. She said that the police officers talked to her on their way to an active shooter scene. Hefner did not, however, explain why their chat was a priority for the officers over addressing the public safety emergency.
Other commenters made claims about witch hunts, and suggested this commission could target people for their thoughts and personally held beliefs.
A semi-retired doctor said that it would force him to ignore the evidence of his eyes and require him to call people what they wish to be called.
Other members of the opposition addressed Councilman James Cooper, Oklahoma City’s first-ever openly gay city council member, by saying that their religious beliefs exclude him from holiness but that it doesn’t keep them from loving him or other gay people.
In all, only one Black person spoke resolutely against the Commission’s re-establishment, basing her comments on homosexuality and the possibility of “deliverance” from that “condition.”
Support
Voices of support for the ordinance were outnumbered by some distance at Tuesday’s meeting, but the voices present were resolute.
Several of the speakers rushed to City Hall to speak after hearing some comments while watching the live-stream that they dubbed hateful and disturbing among those opposed to the ordinance.
Hannah Royce, local activist, said she left her desk to come to City Hall to comment. Royce described growing up queer in the rural community of Wilburton, OK where she heard lots of voices like those aimed at the Human Rights Commission.
Rev. T. Sheri Dickerson came to say she was heartbroken to hear the comments made by people opposing a Human Rights Commission.
Businessman Sandino Thompson attended the meeting for reasons unrelated to the HRC, but felt compelled to speak on the issue, as he had brought his child to witness the operation of the civic process.
Senator George Young also spoke, and declared his heartbreak as a child of history to see the resistance to including voices in public discourse.
“I’ve been Black my whole life,” Young said, “you don’t have to tell me.”
Young went on to say that he can identify himself as George Young, State Senator for District 48, “but I still get stopped.”
Votes
Before the vote, Councilman James Cooper read aloud from the article in the Oklahoman describing the disestablishment of the previous HRC. The reasons stated very plainly by Councilors of the time were to dissolve the Commission rather than guarantee gay rights.
Councilors Nikki Nice (Ward 7), James Cooper (Ward 2), and JoBeth Hamon* (Ward 6) were obvious supporters of the ordinance, having voiced hearty endorsements over the previous two meetings that included discussion of the ordinance.
They along with Mark Stonecipher of Ward 8 and Todd Stone of Ward 4 each served on the Task Force that created this measure.
While Stonecipher hedged his bets with a presentation from the Municipal Counselor’s office explaining that there are means for lodging a complaint with both the City and the State, Stone took a different tone.
“I’ve always tried to do my best,” an uncharacteristically emotional Stone told those assembled. “I’m sorry if I disappoint anyone, but I have to vote with my heart. WWJD.”
The Council voted 5-4 in favor of the ordinance to re-establish the Human Rights Commission.
Voting against were Bradley Carter (Ward 1), Barbara Young (Ward 3), David Greenwell (Ward 5), and Mark Stonecipher (Ward 8).
Mayor Holt joined Councilman Stone in voting alongside Cooper, Hamon, and Nice.
The Council will meet again on August 2 at 8:30 a.m.
Ordinance-HighlightsRecording of live-stream
Here is the entire meeting from Tuesday, July 19 provided by the City of Oklahoma City:
*Disclosure: Reporter Marty Peercy is the husband of Oklahoma City Council member JoBeth Hamon.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
