The Gospel According to Ryan: Play My Video, or Else

 We are in dangerous times for this country. Student's rights and freedoms regarding religious are continuously under assault. The newly created Department of  Religious Liberty and Patriotism will be working to thwart any attempts to disrupt our Oklahoma Student's fundamental freedoms.  

In one of the first steps of the newly created department, we are requiring all of Oklahoma schools to play the attached video to all kids who are enrolled. We are also requiring that school districts send this video to all parents as well. 

Ryan Walters' email attached to the video sent to every Oklahoma school district.

Ah yes, nothing says freedom quite like, "requiring," young people and their parents to watch what amounts to a political propaganda film. Of course, we should expect this sort of Orwellian logic from now on. Indeed, now that America has jumped gleefully headfirst into the post-democracy era political and pseudo-Christian edicts are going to become common place. 

It doesn't matter to Ryan Walters if his proclamation is legal, or not In fact, the Oklahoma Attorney General's office almost immediately sent out a email of their own saying it isn't. All that matters to Ryan Walters is that his guy won the Presidency and now he gets to do whatever the fuck he wants--besides it is just a matter of time and some legislative chicanery before it does become legal. That's what happens when you're on a roll.

Walters went on CNN Friday to agree with his Lord and Keeper, Donald Trump that the U.S. Department of Education should be abolished. According to the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, America was better off without it and in truth, we were better off with one room schools located in towns with no paved streets, running water, and electricity. You know, the good old days. 

The Walters' demand, for now anyway, has been met with some resistance. Eight of the state's largest school districts have flatly refused to force their students to watch Ryan's right-wing screed and moment of patriotic prayer which was titled, "A Prayer for the Nation.". (His lead in was: Students are encouraged, but not required to join me in this prayer.) The school districts of Bixby, Edmond, Moore, Mid-Del, Mustang, Norman, Tulsa, and Yukon all refused to show the video. The Oklahoma City Public School District put off their decision until early this coming week. 

All the districts rebelling probably didn't accomplish anything except prove to Walters he was right. In his pre-prayer address he warned students and parents alike about the threat from, "the radical left." Then he told the kiddies, mommies, and daddies, "Wave also seen patriotism mocked and a hatred for this country pushed by woke teachers unions."   

Oklahoma state Representative, Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman) was moved to say, "This is true indoctrination and ignores local control at every level." Moore republican Representative, Mark McBride was quoted as saying, "We've got such a deficiency in reading and mathematics. These are the things in public education I think we should be focusing on and not a culture war." 

Well, Ryan Walters has never concerned himself with actual academics. He is far too busy spending state education funds to PR agencies to promote himself than things like that. Hey, it's more fun making a splash in the news, both local and national, than it is to improve public education. Especially when your real aim is to turn the public school system into a network of Christian nationalist madrasas. 

That's right baby, we're going to make everyone a soldier of Christ whether they like it, or not. And we're not talking about any namby-pamby Christ either. We're talking about the Christ who wears a red MAGA hat and takes no prisoners. A real man's Christ.

And while we're at it true believers, just ignore Matthew 6: 5-6 which in part tells us, "And when you pray you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they be seen by others. Truly I say to you they have received their reward. But when you pray go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." 

It is not part of the current agenda.  

11-17-24