OSBI reading Kern e-mails

BY MICK HINTON and ANGEL RIGGS World Capitol Bureau
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
3/14/08 at 2:46 PM

Video: Listen to Sally Kern's controversial speech.

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They reportedly fall short of making actual death threats against the anti-gay lawmaker.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is sorting through nearly 7,000 e-mails that were sent to a state lawmaker after she said homosexuality is a bigger threat to the United States than terrorism.

Comments by Rep. Sally Kern, recorded several weeks ago but placed on the Internet site YouTube only late last week, have caused a national outcry, resulting in more than 500,000 hits on the Web site.

A fellow lawmaker contacted the OSBI on Monday and suggested that agents go through the e-mails, some of which might be threatening, OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said.

Kern said Monday that she had not received death threats. On Tuesday, she said, "It's changed," but she did not elaborate.

Brown said Tuesday, "There are a lot of e-mails to the representative that say, 'You ought to die,' rather than, 'I am going to kill you.'

"I wouldn't characterize them as death threats," she said.

But Brown said OSBI computer analysts are working to find the senders and that some might be interviewed to assess their intent. She said it's possible that the OSBI will refer some to district attorneys for prosecution.

Three OSBI agents are reviewing the e-mails and listening to telephone calls received by Kern, whose husband is a Baptist minister.

Kern said she has spoken to Republican groups about four times in recent weeks about what she calls the threat of homosexuality to the nation.

In the audio, Kern noted, "The very fact that I am talking to you like this here today puts me into jeopardy."

Kern said no society that has embraced homosexuality has lasted more than a few decades, "so it is the death knell of this country," she said.

She asserted the government wants to indoctrinate children as young as 2 into thinking that homosexuality is OK. She also contends that several city councils across the country have been taken over by gay people.

Kern said someone must have secretly taped her comments and then given them to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which bills itself as the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender political action committee.

An audio presentation of her comments, which she said were greatly condensed, showed up on the organization's Web site before being placed on YouTube.

Chuck Wolfe, president of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, made public on Tuesday an open letter he sent to Kern.

"What you said was not okay, but that's not because most sensible people disagree with it," Wolfe wrote. "It's because your words give aid and comfort to those who would hurt, maim and even kill people who are different from you . . . ."

"Just this past fall, Steven Domer, a 62-year-old gay man was brutally murdered right in your home state of Oklahoma," he wrote.

Authorities believe that Domer was strangled Oct. 26 by two members of a white-supremacist group who targeted Domer because he was gay.

"The point of the Victory Fund's releasing your speech was to draw attention to the fact that even elected leaders like you are saying some nasty and potentially dangerous things about your fellow citizens," Wolfe wrote. "Our mission is to elect people to counter your hate and bigotry with honesty and courage."

Gov. Brad Henry said Tuesday that he doesn't think Kern's remarks represent Oklahoma, "and I would just urge all public officials in Oklahoma to cool the rhetoric."

"Think before you speak, and be respectful of all people," Henry said.

Mick Hinton (405) 528-2465
mick.hinton@tulsaworld.com

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

Associated Images:

FUELING THE FIRE

Rep. Sally Kern: The leader of a gay-rights organization wrote to Kern that her vitriolic remarks “give aid and comfort to those who would hurt, maim and even kill people who are different from you.”