Tulsa World: Governor won't disband ethnic advisory council

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Governor won't disband ethnic advisory council

QURAN FUSS

Reynolds: He says the ethnic council should be overhauled or disbanded.

By ANGEL RIGGS World Capitol Bureau
Published: 10/30/2007 1:20 AM
Last Modified: 10/30/2007 1:20 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Gov. Brad Henry does not plan to disband his Ethnic American Advisory Council despite a lawmaker's call for him to either abolish or overhaul the group.

"The council should either be reformed to reflect its apparent mission or preferably disbanded," said Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, in a prepared statement.

Reynolds and several other law makers refused last week to accept a special copy of the Quran, Islam's holy book, which was offered by the Governor's Ethnic Advisory Council as part of the state's centennial celebration.

Reynolds said that linking the gift to Oklahoma's Centennial is inappropriate since "the United States and Oklahoma were founded on Judeo-Christian values and traditions."

He said the group consists of "Muslim activists" and is not representative of the state's diversity.

"Islam simply has not played a role in our state's or country's history," he said.

Paul Sund, a spokesman for Henry, said the governor does not plan to disband the council, which "plays an important role for the large community of Middle Eastern immigrants living in Oklahoma."

"Other boards created for Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native Americans and other groups are equally important because they provide a forum for discussion of issues that are often unique to a particular ethnic community," Sund said.

Marjaneh Seirafi-Pour, the Ethnic Advisory Council's chairwoman, said the group and other councils provide an important means of communication between minority groups and the government.

Reynolds criticized Seirafi-Pour in his statement, saying that she "rushed to the media and acted outraged" when lawmakers turned down the books.

However, Seirafi-Pour said that she didn't comment on the matter until she was called by a Tulsa World reporter last week.

"Muslims have been in Oklahoma from the very, very early years," she said, adding that Oklahoma's Muslim community includes business owners, engineers, doctors, professors, and lawyers. "They're a very hardworking group, just like the rest of Oklahomans."

She said that the Muslim community has a huge impact on the state's economy.

"We've been here for a long time, and now the population is growing," she said. "Our kids are Okies, our grandkids are Okies."

The Ethnic American Advisory Council was created in 2004 and includes Oklahoma representatives from the Middle East and Near East communities.

Angel Riggs (405) 528-2465
angel.riggs@tulsaworld.com

By ANGEL RIGGS World Capitol Bureau

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	Report Comment Ron T. Howell, Bixby (10/30/2007 3:28:12 AM) I cant believe this is happening in Oklahoma. This sounds like something that would happen in California of Boulder Colorado. What is up with our Governor? I encourage everyone who is outraged with this issue to call your local representative and call the Governors office and condem his actions and insist that the ethnic council should be overhauled or disbanded. Please also call Rep Reynolds and give him your support. This is a disgrace to all Oklahomans.
	Report Comment Jim M, Tulsa (10/30/2007 6:04:48 AM) These muslim groups will obtain more credibility when they begin denouncing publicly the attrocities perpetrated by the fascist radicals in their midst. Their silence is deafening!
	Report Comment a, tulsa (10/30/2007 7:02:10 AM) I can't believe this happening in Oklahoma either-this sounds like something that would happen in....oh, wait, there aren't any more backward states than Oklahoma. 'Muslims haven't had any role in the development of our state or our country'. Are you kidding me?? I want my country back.
	Report Comment Kathy, Tulsa (10/30/2007 7:44:20 AM) Sounds like the Gov was bought off.
	Report Comment Rex Lindsay, Bixby (10/30/2007 8:09:12 AM) The whore of babylon mentioned in Revelation has ensnarled Henry. He is drunk with her succulent wines. She is quite real and has a warm home in the governor's office. But the whore is a fickle lady. She will devour him and pass him like a dead rat on the front lawn of the state capitol.
	Report Comment DwightD, Tulsa (10/30/2007 8:44:24 AM) This whole Quran thing is making me vomit. I am sure that the Muslim group would have welcomed a Bible with open arms or better yet, I am sure they would have taken a Buddha for their Mosque. Get real - they would have slammed any religious book not part of Islam. It sickens me when there are articles written like this that condemn a public official for having some backbone in a period when few even open their mouths against anything. I know there are Muslims in Oklahoma, but their numbers are very small. Their economic impact on our local economy is nothing more than a speed bump. They do contribute, but on a limited scale unlike the scale the media would like us to believe. Why all of a sudden is it ok to accept anything from a religion other than Christianity - the very principles that this country was founded on? I for one am proud of the heritage of our country and it was build by men of courage, principle and the Christian faith, not the Muslim, Buddha, Hindu, Aethist, Wiccan, or Scientology faiths.
	Report Comment Rex The Farmer, (10/30/2007 8:45:46 AM) The ethnics advisery council is nothing more than another tool used by the terrorist anchor religion Islam to infiltrate our government and gain more of a foothold in America for the coming Jihad the muslims are praying for. Poor Governor Brad, selling his soul for a few democrat votes.
	Report Comment jw, Canadian (10/30/2007 8:49:52 AM) I too, can't believe this is happening in Oklahoma. Let's see how white we can get. Hold those truck with all the Mexicans, we got some Arabs to load up, oh hell, load up all the Negroes while your add it.
	Report Comment b, tulsa (10/30/2007 8:57:31 AM) #3 is right. Oklahoma manages to become more backward everyday. It's not the lack of river development, it's the epidemic of ignorance. This is the USA, people. We still have the freedom of religion, for now. All you red-blooded Americans seem ready to give up your freedoms just so the "others" can't have them.
	Report Comment Tyler, Tulsa (10/30/2007 9:01:31 AM) How about anyone who isn't like us should be destroyed? How christian of you to close your doors on anyone. I would suspect none of you, or even the legislators, have done thier homework. this counicl was gov. appointed, so he picked the people to be on the board. One of the missions the gov has set for them is to "Secure appropiate recognition of ethnic American accomplishments and contributions to the state of oklahoma". furthermore, all memeber must be of the middle east community or near east community. do your research.
	Report Comment DwightD, Tulsa (10/30/2007 9:01:42 AM) To # JW. You certainly missed the whole point, but that does not surprise me because almost all liberal never get the point. Let's do what feels good and not what is right. Wake up JW because Mexicans and Negroes have nothing to do with the acceptance of the Quran. I also fail to see when it became wrong to be proud of your color be it white, black, brown, yellow, or red?
	Report Comment E T, tulsa (10/30/2007 9:06:59 AM) henry has done nothing for this state. all heas has to show for his efforts is a lottery that isn't producing anything near what he clained it would, indian gaming, and now has sold out to a bunch if muslim activists. he is trying to turn our state into a perversion as mexifornia is.
	Report Comment DwightD, Tulsa (10/30/2007 9:10:36 AM) To #10 Tyler. The more I hear from people like you, the more I dislike people like you. The Christians aren't closing the door on anyone or advocating destroying anyone. How did you come by that conclusion? The council appoint by Gov. Henry is a joke, it is just another "push the political correct crap down our throats". Anyone in this country LEGALLY - majority or minority have the same rights and the same opportunities. It is how they choose to exercise those opportunities that defines them, not the playing of the race card because they don't get their way.
	Report Comment jw, Canadian (10/30/2007 9:22:25 AM) You're right DwightD, it's not about race, it's about prejudice and being a bigot and thanks for making that point for me.
	Report Comment Frank, Rogers, Arkansas (10/30/2007 9:36:49 AM) You Okies make Arkansas look very cultured!
	Report Comment Sandra , (10/30/2007 9:37:11 AM) Our founding fathers actually might surprise some of you with their response to other religions. After the fighting on the Barbary Coast, George Washington stated that it was wonderful that the United States of America had established such freedom of religion as to have to problem with the "Mohammudan" (as he called the Muslims). Boy, oh boy, do we need to revisit our history! Our Deist founders welcomed people of other faiths. And Oklahoma did, as well--from its very beginnings!
	Report Comment carltonplace, Tulsa (10/30/2007 10:02:38 AM) These exclusionist supremist attitudes are why I stopped going to Christian church. I wonder how an organization that is based on the love of God for all creatures creates such hateful zealots. Shame on you.
	Report Comment B. Oxford, Fayetteville (10/30/2007 10:25:48 AM) The intolerance and xenophobia contained in some of the above posts is absolutely appalling. This whole issue is based completely on shameful racism and biggotry. Make no mistake, if you support Reynolds in this crusade you are a biggot. Plain and simple. Some of you may not want to hear that, but maybe you should examine your views.
	Report Comment Tyler, Tulsa (10/30/2007 10:37:30 AM) I am considering running for state office based on a platform of ignorance. I would love to get some emails addresses from the commentators here as possible supporters. Who's with me! We will cleanse the capitol of tolerance and learning in 2008!
	Report Comment DwightD, Tulsa (10/30/2007 10:40:23 AM) To #18 B.Oxford. If you have a book I don't care to read, does that make me a bigot? Maybe you should read the Quran and look especially close at the parts that talk about converting non-believers even if that means conversion through force. What about the tax that is levied on anyone who is Non-Muslim living in a Muslim country. Boy, would all other religions cry foul if the Christian based USA started taxing the other religions for being non-believers. Oh, and to #16 Sandra - get your facts strait - George Washington never fought on the Barbary Coast. Can you site the source of that information for me?
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (10/30/2007 10:51:29 AM) #15....nah....Arkansas still has us beat for having no culture, after all Clinton came from Arkansas. lol
	Report Comment Mel, (10/30/2007 11:03:07 AM) Can you imagine what would have happened if a state sponsored group sent the legislators copies of the Bible embossed with the state seal? The ACLU would be in court in a second claiming separation of church and state. Henry just isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.
	Report Comment Sandra , (10/30/2007 11:25:29 AM) I didn't say Washington fought on the Barbary Coast. Look it up! That's how people learn--by reading broadly.
	Report Comment CG, Tulsa (10/30/2007 11:28:40 AM) The fact that this is even a debate is a tribute to how backwards Oklahomans are.
	Report Comment B. Oxford, Fayetteville (10/30/2007 12:19:42 PM) It's irrelevant that middle eastern nations may do the same or worse. Some of us hold ourselves to a higher standard. You, Dwight, are a racist. This whole charade is disrespectful to muslim oklahomans. The idea that non-christians played no role in our nation's history is so ignorant that I don't know where to begin.

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