Some OK Legislative Proposals Get National Attention… From Comedians
Some Oklahoma bill proposals create fodder for comedians’ jokes
By Adam Kemp
When Oklahoma state Sen. Don Barrington, R-Lawton, earlier this month proposed limiting the wearing of concealing clothing in public — quickly labeled the “hoodie ban” — it was just the latest example of an Oklahoma lawmaker proposing legislation that caused some eyeballs to roll and became a punchline for late-night comedians.
From labeling homosexuality a bigger threat than terrorism to calling for the castration of rapists, Oklahoma’s elected officials at the state Capitol through the years have offered no shortage of what some consider outlandish ideas.
“Some of these proposals run the fool scale from silly and harmless to posing very significant threats to the civil liberties of Oklahomans,” says Ryan Kiesel of the ACLU. “There’s a real chance that it goes beyond a punchline and becomes something that actually hurts Oklahomans.”
Barrington’s proposal would prevent people from wearing clothing or masks in public to hide their identity by amending a section of law originally directed at the Ku Klux Klan.
“The proposal is intended to protect law abiding citizens, not limit their rights,” Barrington said last week. “This is simply an attempt to combat crime and make businesses and public spaces safer for everyone.”