Nonbinary Oklahoma lawmaker censured after protest arrest

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: Associated Press

Oklahoma Republicans formally censured their nonbinary Democratic colleague Tuesday after state troopers said the lawmaker blocked them from questioning a transgender rights activist accused of assaulting a police officer during a protest over anti-trans legislation.

The party-line vote means Rep. Mauree Turner, who uses they/them pronouns, will be removed from all committee assignments unless the second-term lawmaker issues a formal apology, including to the Highway Patrol, which provides security at the Capitol complex.

Turner, the first openly nonbinary and Muslim person elected to the Legislature in Oklahoma, said Tuesday that won’t happen, as Republicans continue to work to strip away the rights of trans people.

“I think an apology for loving the people of Oklahoma is something that I cannot do,” said Turner, D-Oklahoma City, flanked by several Democratic colleagues. “It’s something that I actively refuse to do.”



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/nonbinary-lawmaker-oklahoma-censure-transgender-protest-7b7d035d70d3216ea1a8403ab68d7d59

[NullTuples]

1. They (Rep Turner) is doing the right thing, but there's no winning.

Oklahoma has a Republican trifecta and a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and both chambers of the state legislature.

The best Democratic lawmakers can do in such a moment is stand up for what's right and make sure to get the media's attention.

But it matters that they do. It matters to kids in Oklahoma to know that someone is willing to risk *something* to stand up for them and their basic human right to exist.

[wolfie001]

2. Every arrest in a turd world redneck state....

....should be met with suspicion. Never visit one, never vacation in one, never move to one.