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State Senator issues incoherent response to “that Lost Ogle stupid article.”

1:06 PM EDT on October 10, 2017

Yesterday afternoon, we reported that State Senator Paul Scott – a newbie legislator from the conservative evangelical utopia of southern Oklahoma – was threatening to file legislation that would take away Oklahoma City Thunder tax subsidies if players dared protest during the national anthem.

His reasoning was that he heard players say "they’re deciding whether or not to kneel." It was a claim I disputed:

Unless I missed it, I haven’t found one comment by a Thunder player saying “they’re deciding whether or not to kneel during the national anthem.” Now, I did find several statements players gave about the national anthem debate, but they were given in response to questions posed by the for-profit media. It’s not like Russell Westbrook said after practice that he’s considering taking a knee or anything. Unless Scott can show us a quote where a player made that specific statement, both he and the Duncan Banner should issue a retraction.

Well, I guess they now have working Internet in Duncan. After our article was published and made the rounds, Katherine Farrow, the editor of the Duncan Banner, called Senator Scott to get clarification on which Thunder player made the statement. The senator's response? Kevin Durant.

Via The Duncan Banner:

Senator Paul Scott addressed concerns raised by Oklahoma City blog The Lost Ogle in regards to his recent column, “I stand for the flag, I kneel at the cross” on Monday.

Scott clarified his remarks regarding the OKC Thunder and named the player whose remarks, Scott said, inspired the article...

“Well, Kevin Durant (Scott later corrected that he meant Westbrook) said it in a pre-season interview. I saw him say it,” Scott said. “— and it said that in the article, that Lost Ogle stupid article that — that they wrote, but anyway. He said, ‘Yeah, we’re [going to] go back to the team and we’re going to consider whether we’re [going to] take a knee or not.’ So, that’s where it came from — That they’re considering taking a knee, well, we’re [going to] consider some things as well.”

That's awesome. I'm not a copyright attorney who specializes in copyright law, but can we put a trademark on "That Lost Ogle Stupid Article That" and make it a new catchphrase?

"Where did you hear about the lawmaker who was caught in the gang bang with circus clowns at a swingers party at the Biltmore on South Meridian?

"That Lost Ogle stupid article that."

The Duncan Banner published Westbrook's full statement that inspired Scott's legislative threat:

The statement Scott is referring to was made by Westbrook during a press conference, where he addressed President Donald Trump’s tweets regarding national anthem protests by athletes across the U.S.

"Obviously, the things he's saying is outrageous. In my opinion, it's uncalled for, especially due to all the other things we have going on in the world, the people, the families, the people all across the world that's hurting, that need help, that need guidance from our house. I think it's unnecessary and uncalled for and I'm definitely not in agreement with anything he says, never will be,” said Westbrook, who then went on to say the team’s response to the issue would be up to all of the players. “As for me and our team here, if it's something that we will discuss, [we will] go back to the team and discuss how we want to approach that and the national anthem — We have a lot of respect for the flag, for the national anthem, and obviously, if our guys want to do something that represents togetherness, I'm all in for it."

How can anyone but a slow, dim-witted Oklahoma lawmaker with an axe to grind interpret that statement as "Russell Westbrook and the Thunder are considering taking a knee during the anthem?" The word knee wasn't even mentioned! Russ specifically said he "respects the flag," and if the team wants to do something, that it will "represent togetherness." Don't get it twisted! It was a cautious, middle-of-the-road response to a question about a divisive, controversial subject that was posed by a reporter looking for an easy story to write. If you heard controversy in that statement, you're just hearing what you want to hear.

In an effort to make himself look as unqualified as possible for his legislative seat, Scott chugged a couple five-hour energy drinks and then went on a long, incoherent, logic-destroying rant about the whole anthem protest debate, race and many other things:

“…It was a pre-season interview with Westbrook and I love Westbrook and I know he was in front of the news and, ‘What do I say?’ but instead of saying — ‘Well, if we plan on following the NBA rules and we plan on standing as a team, blah blah blah,’ instead he said, ‘Well, I’m [going to] go back to the team and see if we’re [going to] consider — kneeling or not.’ So that just didn’t sit well with me,” Scott said, before clarifying that there is no current legislation being worked on regarding the protests themselves. “It was just a statement. And the thing is, whether they do or not, you know. — [I own] a business and —we don’t get subsidies. We don’t get tax breaks, we don’t get bailed out if we get in trouble. So, we’re considering eliminating all subsidies. From all major companies unless they can prove that they’re providing quality high-paying jobs into society.”

I usually like to break up these things with sarcastic remarks that prove a point. For now, I think it's better to let Scott dig his own hole. It gets better:

Scott stated though he isn’t against freedom of speech, he believes the protests themselves are disrespectful and “dishonor the country,” and insisted there are certain lines that should never be crossed when it comes to raising a voice in protest.

“I’m an American. Hey, I am a red-blooded, true to the core, American born-and-bred guy. And I’ve had great uncles, family, that have fought in military (sic) that have been in wars and I just honor this country and respect this country. I mean, just, to the ultimate. And I, personally, like the flag, yes it’s a piece of material, okay? But that flag represents our country and the men who have fought and died, and all of our freedoms, yes,” said Scott. “

That's funny. I'm also a red-blooded, true to the core, American born-and-bred guy. I guess that's why I respect and support the rights and liberties of citizens to use whatever law-abiding tactic they want to peacefully protest and bring attention to what they feel are society's discriminatory injustices.

But, I mean, you can’t go out and paint a mustache on Abraham Lincoln. You know, or the Washington Monument? You can’t go paint, ‘Go Mexico,’ on the Washington Monument and get away with it. So, I’m the same way with my flag. That’s a symbol of freedom. Go over to Iraq and burn their flag and see what happens to [you.] Just like my article stated, I’m not against freedom of speech, all of these things, but whenever you go to basically that level of dishonoring your country and I mean, I just do not believe in it. I just totally do not believe in it.”

Really? He's equating taking a knee during the national anthem to painting a mustache on Abraham Lincoln, or vandalizing the Washington Monument? First of all, Abraham Lincoln already had a beard and mustache, so why waste your time. Second, vandalism is a crime. Whether you're protesting, praying or giving a blow job, taking a knee is not. Trying to compare and connect the two is about as dumb and illogical as saying you support free speech as long as it doesn't dishonor the country.

According to Scott, he was advised to let the issue go by his peers, but felt that the issue was too important to let go.

“ — That’s what we’ve lost as a country. We just think we can do and say and act however we want and it’s okay and it’s not,” Scott stated. “So, it turned me on (sic) as a personal note and then some of the other guys were like, ‘That’s a bunch of bull, you know?’ and then some folks, they’re like, ‘No, you shouldn’t do anything, you’ll just stir things up,’ well, I didn’t go up there to be a passive (sic) and to — just join the club up at the capitol. Or in politics. That’s what’s wrong with politics, I feel, as well.”

Word of advice to Mr. Scott – Listen to your peers! Otherwise, you'll start talking about race and look like an out-of-touch, naïve, racism enabling buffoon:

“I know that they feel — I mean, I’m not a black man so I cannot sit here and say, ‘I know how you feel, brother,’ because I don’t. I grew up as a white man,” Scott said. “— I agree that if they feel there’s police brutality or whatever toward a black man — well there’s statistics out there that far more white guys get shot and killed than the black person. Far more. And the thing is — but nobody hollers about that, you know what I’m saying? Nobody — is yelling about, ‘Oh, they shot my nephew— he got out of the truck and didn’t have a gun and was running and turned around and held his hands up and they shot him!’ — You don’t hear those stories, you know? But, if it’s a black, young man — it’s just like the story’s on steroids or something.”

I think what Scott – who grew up a white man – is trying to say is that the American law enforcement  industry doesn't have any deeply rooted inherent biases. Police enforce laws justly for all races and social classes. You just hear about the police violence on unarmed young black men because people like to make a big deal about it. It's not a problem that goes back, oh, a few hundred years or so.

I guess the final question asked by the Duncan Banner was whether or not Scott is mad at us for bringing more attention to his imbecilic thoughts and musings. This was his response:

Scott said he isn’t worried about the extra media attention he has received since The Lost Ogle ran their piece on his column, and is actually grateful for the piece.

“I think what’s funny about it, it’s like telling kids they can’t buy Madonna CDs back in the 80s. What’d they do? They went and bought Madonna CDs. So, that, this, here’s the Lost Ogle, see, nobody even knew about my article except Duncan people and maybe Newcastle, I think, put it in there or Purcell. They all thought it was great, thought it was a good article and everything and I got lots of ‘thank yous’, all that,” said Scott.

Dude! You weren't allowed to buy Madonna CDs back in the 1980s? Don’t you mean cassette tapes? Either way, that explains a lot.

“Well, now that the Ogle’s picked it up, now see, you’re calling me back, now probably Channel 4 is [going to] get a copy of it. E Capitol wants to write a story on it now from the capitol, they didn’t even know about it, so. So, see what I mean? Now it’s getting all of the attention, when before it didn’t really get attention. — Thank you for bringing my point to light — I mean, why be mad at them? They have their opinion — Thank you for bringing to light Senator Scott’s concerns and blasting it throughout the nation now. We appreciate the free press. You know what I mean? I’m not against free press. I get free press all of the time because of silly stuff.”

You're very welcome! We're happy to bring your point to light and show the word how dark your brain is.

Actually, I agree with Scott on this point. Unless you're caught in a southside motel room with a teenage prostitute, or sexual assault your Uber driver on a Monday night, or have HOT WIFE CHLOE NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED on an expense report, I think any publicity is good publicity for an Oklahoma politician. I'm sure the dumb people in Southern Oklahoma who voted for the numbskull are very pleased to learn that he shares their hypocritical, irrational, logic-defying thoughts. Until he's forced to resign in scandal, he has a bright political career ahead of him.

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