Defend the Indefensible: Oklahoma

I learned about the Tulsa race riot for the first time a few months ago.

The wiki is good, too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot
I guess this isn't really a defense of Oklahoma.

Greenwood would rise again, this time with Archer and Pine Streets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJcQmXnAD3E

God Abbott, that's super-depressing!

Like, I'm' glad to know, but it's definitely not helping OK's case.

You know how weird it is to outsiders that, say, Indians and Pakistanians hate each other? Or Irish and English?

I once played blackjack at a Mississippi Delta casino next to this ol' redneck guy. He was talking to everybody and I was just trying not to double-down on single-digits. I get a few hands and he congratulates me and I say thanks. You'd never befriend some of these people in the real world, but in a casino, this "us against the house" attitude tends to take over.

He starts telling me how he's from Oklahoma and drives seven or eight hours down to Mississippi once a month or so to play the tables. I say, don't you have casinos up there in Okie? He looks left and right, and as a white person, I get ready to hear something I don't want to hear. Kinda too used to the moment before someone goes all en sotto on you after that look.

He whispers to me, "Too. Many. Damn. INDIANS." and leans back. I just go okkkaaaaaayyyyy and start counting my chips.

How can you be racist to Native Americans? Yeah, there are the stereotypes, like there are for any group of people, but first, they're the one domestic group that's been hurt and punished more by the United States of America -- and we're talking about a country that once ENSLAVED another group of people. "Drunk Indians always wanting a handout…" WE TOOK THEIR LAND AND KILLED THEIR PEOPLE.

And secondly, some ol' redneck like that with his racist ideologies coming down to TUNICA, MISSISSIPPI, BIRTHPLACE OF THE BLUES, HALF AN HOUR FROM MEMPHIS? I've got racists in my family in Memphis who would probably drive over to Tahlequah for some bingo, just to get away for awhile.

<drudge siren> Racists Don't Follow Logic <drudge siren> More at 10.

I don't know anything about Oklahoma, but those first two pictures are quite cool.

Also, isn't OK where George Kuchar would go to film storms?

I lived in Stillwater OK for a year because of work and I really fell in love with the state. On the weekends I drove all over the state looking for records and OK is great for digging. Certain parts of the state are beautiful. I love the rolling fields and around Tulsa is especially nice. I love driving, and OK is a nice state for driving. The people are mostly nice. I ended up at lots of barn parties with bluegrass bands playing. They have weird liquor laws though and you have to stock up if you want to drink anything other than 3. beer. I didn't mind OKC, and thought it had nice parts. When the job was over and I was visiting friends in Austin and told them how much I liked OK, I got blank stares and laughs. I dunno I've liked every state I've lived in though.

Arkies and Okies have somewhat of a rivalry. (Arkies live in paradise while Okies are shoeless Tom Joads killing the Indians, etc.)

I was in a sandwich shop and the TV was blaring something about some horrible event in Texas. Guy behind the calendar says, "It's always Texas."

I say, "Ain't that the truth. You must be from around here."

He says, "Nope, I'm from Norman, Oklahoma."

We just stood there for a bit watching the news. "Welp," I said. "Guess we have some common ground."

Whoa, the Tulsa Race Riot, had NEVER heard of this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot

not even sure how I found it today, some internet wormhole I guess

the worst. still so sad to go to greenwood, cause nothing came ever back there.
cool local band Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey recently released an album about it, which is interesting
http://jfjo.com/projects/race-riot-suite/

The 'G' in The Gap Band stands for Greenwood.

(And 'a' for Archer and 'p' for Pine, all three streets in the band's old Tulsa neighborhood.)