Caucus Calls For Brogdon Scolding
Should the Arch-Conservative Legislator Be Taken
To Proverbial ‘Woodshed’ for ‘Fried Chicken Remark?’
By JOHN W. SIMMS
Special to the Chronicle
The Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus wants a state legislator seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination scolded for his infamous “fried chicken remark,” which they believe was a racist disparagement aimed at the president.
State Sen. Randy Brogdon (Rep., Owasso) is being criticized for a statement he made last week during a debate on a bill designed to thwart federal health care reform.
President Barack Obama signed the bill into law last week after a contentious, embittered partisan debate in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted, 219-212, to approve a health care reform bill previously adopted by the U.S. Senate.
That vote and subsequent votes amounted to an outmaneuvering by the president and Democratic congressional leaders of Republicans in their effort to kill the legislation.
It was during a debate last week in the State Senate on his measure to let voters decide whether the state should opt out of the newly-approved federal health care system that State Sen. Brogdon laid the infamous egg.
He asked how far the federal government would go in making requirements of citizens.
“Are we going to have to purchase fried chicken tomorrow for dinner?,” he asked.
When questioned about his choice of words, the Owasso Republican arch-conservative said he had had fried chicken for lunch, and that the no-doubt delectable dish was on his mind.
“Members of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus were both shocked and disappointed at State Sen. Brogdon’s comments….that asked whether President Barack Obama would consider forcing Oklahomans to eat fried chicken,” said a statement issued by State Rep. Jabar Shumate (Dem., Tulsa).
State Rep. Shumate is chairman of the caucus.
The caucus includes State Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre (Dem., Tulsa) and State Sen. Constance Johnson (Dem., Tulsa).
It also includes State Rep. Shumate, State Reps. Michael Shelton and Anastasia Pittman (Dem., Oklahoma City), and State Rep. T.W. Shannon (Rep., Lawton).
Fried chicken has been part of a cultural stereotype of Black Americans.
“We see from the removing of President Obama’s portrait in the State House chamber to State Sen. Brogdon’s comments in the State Senate chamber as a pattern of disrespectful and inflammatory actions and statements,” the caucus comments continued.
The group called on Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee (Rep., Oklahoma City) to admonish State Sen. Brogdon.
Some might refer to that call to a strong suggestion that the Owasso Republican be taken out to the proverbial “woodshed for a whipping.”
“I believe State Sen. Brogdon used a poor choice of words, and it was not racially intended,” State Sen. Coffee responded.
He added that he would not admonish the state senator.
State Sen. Brogdon disagreed with the State Senate leader that he used a poor choice of words.
He said his reference to fried chicken had nothing to do with President Obama, calling the complaint “beyond sophomoric.”
