I have to wonder how many times the FFRF has to go upside Walters' head before he gets the message. Students at Oklahoma schools can express their religious beliefs all they want. What is out of bounds is the practice of teacher or other faculty leading or insisting on bible readings, prayers, or any other such practice in a public school setting.
And yeah, I know that Walters doesn't WANT to get it. What he may wind up getting is a civil suit aimed at his sorry ass because of his obsession.
Trust me, the Heritage Foundation would find him another job where he can do more harm. Walters is the perfect Christo-nationalist puppet. No brains, no sense, no insubordination, just lie baby lie.
He'd probably pull an L-Ron, establish his own church, and rake in the dough. I would far rather see him on the business end of a civil suit, alleging (and proving) his attempts to subvert the civil rights of Oklahoma school students ... and TAKE HIM FOR EVERY CENT HE HAS.
That SO needs to change. Allowing the state to insulate a misbehaving employee from financial liability in a case like this is an invitation to repeated bad behavior.
And of course, legislators won't propose to change that. THEY MIGHT BE NEXT!
Does it matter that it was a frivolous, trumped up case?
It will have achieved it’s objective by getting all o those radical Christians hot under the collar, and their response to the absolute put down by the courts will be ‘It’s a disgrace! They’re getting away with it!’ or ‘Nothing to see here, we’ll come back tomorrow with some more bollocks which might work because Trump.’
Ryan Walters is a dangerous fanatic. There is simply nothing he cannot justify in the name of his religion. People like Walters are very quick to claim they're being persecuted any time they are barred from forcing their religion on others. They are also the first people who would persecute others if given the chance. If you want to see what genuine persecution looks like, . . . hand power to the preachers.
We used to be able to count on the Court to protect the Constitution and people's rights. No more. This current iteration of the Court is all about grinding religious axes, regardless of what the people want.
“Oklahoma will never be bullied by radical, out-of-state atheists who use intimidation and harassment against kids.”
Oklahoma reserves that right for itself. To use intimidation and harassment and bullying against LGBTQ kids until they’re murdered in the school bathrooms. We celebrate intimidation and harassment when it’s bullying people we don’t like. Then we go on national media and cheer for the death of our children for not conforming to our strict gender expectations.
It may be time to pull an "Inglorious Bastards" on Walters and tattoo "NEX BENEDICT" on his forehead. He should NEVER be able to forget that name or what he did.
And yet in my former county of residence in Florida, out-of-state anti-trans activists were allowed to bully the school board into stopping the protections of trans kids. so yet again they are accusing others of doing the things that they themselves are doing.
I think it's fair to say the primary motivation here is publicity. There are a lot of bad lawyers out there, but it doesn't take any law experience to see that there was no merit to this lawsuit, so I'm sure Walters' lawyer told him the case wasn't going to go anywhere. What he wanted to do was score culture war points and make a name for himself because I imagine he's considering a run for political office in the future. It's easy to pull political stunts when you aren't on the hook financially for them.
Behavior like this ought to be considered fraud and disqualify a person from holding office. It's wasting taxpayer money - no different than using public funds for private gain.
Walters probably wants to get Trump to notice him, maybe kick Linda McMahon out as Education Secretary and install Walters as Secretary of Juvenile Indoctrination.
Oh, they won't actually CALL it that ... but that's what it'll be.
That is soooooooo sad, just like having herpes! So what is everyone reading right now? I am reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. I am just on the fourth chapter, so I will read a chapter every chance I get!
I have some time to read now that I didn’t get a role in the current plays, so I think I will read Victory City by Salman Rushdie. I’ve had it for a little bit, but haven’t picked it up just yet.
Harry Flashman was the bully in “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” by Thomas Hughes. He is expelled from Rugby at 17 for being drunk, a liar, and an all around jerk. Not a Rugby Man. Fraser picks up on Flashman’s life from there. He continues to be a cad, a bully, and an asshole. He also becomes a hero of Great Britain. Fraser wrote 12 novels about Flashman and they are said to be hilariously funny. A friend gave me the first 2 as a retirement gift.
If it hasn't hit them directly and demonstrably in their wallets, I doubt the average Oklahoman would ever so much as blink. Their level of awareness doesn't rise that high.
How is telling the district not to force folks to pray interfering in an individual’s religious practice? Explain it to me like I’m five.
I know that there might be some kids, staff, or teachers that used those prayers sincerely, however not broadcasting them over the PA system doesn’t stop those folks from praying at that time.
Having a chaplain waste practice time on sermons has nothing to do with football, and those kids can go to church in their free time, no one is stopping them from being Christian. All of it doesn’t stop folks from being Christian, only stopping the tyrants in power from forcing the folks to be Christian. The FFRF is only interfering in your plans of domination, not anyone else’s ability to worship.
I hope the judge slapped sanctions on Walters and his mouthpiece.
This reminds me of how neo-Nazis, every year, nominate Adolf for a Nobel Peace Prize. They know he won't get it -- you have to be alive to win the hardware, for one thing -- but they know that doing so generates ink, and ink generates recruits.
This lawsuit was just that -- an attempt to gain supporters.
The duties of a board member include working with other board members to craft policies, approve a budget, and hire/supervise the superintendent who serves as CEO.
The six members are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate.
"Different tiers of atheists." Yeah, back when I still attempted to socialize with rightwing Christians, way before MAGA, I was shocked at how they project their own worldview on others. "Atheists put themselves in God's place! You worship yourselves!" Huh? No, idiot, the whole point is that we don't worship. Anything. Period. They can't conceive of not having an object to worship. I mean, nowadays we all know that everything they do is projection. It's similar to how the Right now likes to rail against "cultural Marxism." Is this their way of acknowledging that the Marxism of the USSR was "religious Marxism" meant to reinforce the cults of personality around Lenin and Stalin? Or did they just throw "cultural" in there to evoke their made-up "culture wars?" How I'd love to be a spy on the inside. "Radical atheists" to me seems like another attempt at deflection. Walters is inadvertently admitting that he practices "radical Christianity," although "reactionary" would be a better adjective. And I highly doubt he came up with any of this himself. Organizations like the Heritage Foundation have armies of propagandists who send marching orders to their minions. States like Oklahoma (and Florida and Texas) are their testing grounds. They see the reaction, analyze it, and spin the same ideas with different framing. Keep an eye on Oklahoma, because they were also testing out the idea of putting mental health and substance abuse programs under the Dept of Corrections--so that CoreCivic and GeoGroup investors can profit off of private prisons. The Trump Admin is criminalizing homelessness, mental health conditions, and substance abuse [trauma] issues--Oklahoma's defeated law was just a test case.
How dare the police keep poking their nose in my bank robbery attempts!! They’re interfering in my rights to other people’s money. If they would just stop showing up as I am looting the vault that would be great. Mmmmkay.
I'm still flabbergasted that Oklahoma is only 48th in Education. Why haven't they pushed New Mexico out of dead last? Or even given Alaska a run for its money for the 49th spot?
Those two (2) letters in seven (7) years did cost the plaintif valuable time and resources that could better have been spent at watching "movies" on his office television sets.
I have to wonder how many times the FFRF has to go upside Walters' head before he gets the message. Students at Oklahoma schools can express their religious beliefs all they want. What is out of bounds is the practice of teacher or other faculty leading or insisting on bible readings, prayers, or any other such practice in a public school setting.
And yeah, I know that Walters doesn't WANT to get it. What he may wind up getting is a civil suit aimed at his sorry ass because of his obsession.
I'd like to see him unemployed and completely dependent on his religious beliefs for hs survival. Let's see him get by on prayer alone.
Trust me, the Heritage Foundation would find him another job where he can do more harm. Walters is the perfect Christo-nationalist puppet. No brains, no sense, no insubordination, just lie baby lie.
Wally Walters is definitely F I T H, as are so many theists. The poor buggers.
Is that term 'F I T H' used in common USA language ?
It is F something IN THE HEAD.
Not like us normal people.
You can say "fucked" here.
The lack of censorship is SUCH a sweet relief.
Replace Hegseth as Sec. of Defense?
"Let's see him get by on prayer alone."
Yeah, don't even give him a wing!
And he damned sure doesn't get blue cheese and celery.
He'd probably pull an L-Ron, establish his own church, and rake in the dough. I would far rather see him on the business end of a civil suit, alleging (and proving) his attempts to subvert the civil rights of Oklahoma school students ... and TAKE HIM FOR EVERY CENT HE HAS.
Won't happen, because Oklahoma, mostly 😝
Unfortunately, he wouldn't have to pay. It would be the taxpayers of Oklahoma. If such a suit proceeds the way it should.
That SO needs to change. Allowing the state to insulate a misbehaving employee from financial liability in a case like this is an invitation to repeated bad behavior.
And of course, legislators won't propose to change that. THEY MIGHT BE NEXT!
I have a theory in 2000 years we’ll all be saying L Ron Hubbard instead of Jebus H Christ.
Just glad I won't be around to see THAT. 🤢🤮
A 2x4 upside the head just won’t be enough. Maybe a 4x8? 6x12? Maybe a sequoia tree?
D-handled scoop shovel...that's my go-to. 😁
How about a Clue-By-Four?
They will have to do it until Walters is knocked out of office by Oklahoma's electorate. So, for quite a long time yet to come.
Does it matter that it was a frivolous, trumped up case?
It will have achieved it’s objective by getting all o those radical Christians hot under the collar, and their response to the absolute put down by the courts will be ‘It’s a disgrace! They’re getting away with it!’ or ‘Nothing to see here, we’ll come back tomorrow with some more bollocks which might work because Trump.’
Ryan Walters is a dangerous fanatic. There is simply nothing he cannot justify in the name of his religion. People like Walters are very quick to claim they're being persecuted any time they are barred from forcing their religion on others. They are also the first people who would persecute others if given the chance. If you want to see what genuine persecution looks like, . . . hand power to the preachers.
His marching orders are from the Heritage Foundation, I bet. Test cases to see what they can get away with.
How long until the Corrupt Supreme 6 get involved?
We used to be able to count on the Court to protect the Constitution and people's rights. No more. This current iteration of the Court is all about grinding religious axes, regardless of what the people want.
“Oklahoma will never be bullied by radical, out-of-state atheists who use intimidation and harassment against kids.”
Oklahoma reserves that right for itself. To use intimidation and harassment and bullying against LGBTQ kids until they’re murdered in the school bathrooms. We celebrate intimidation and harassment when it’s bullying people we don’t like. Then we go on national media and cheer for the death of our children for not conforming to our strict gender expectations.
It may be time to pull an "Inglorious Bastards" on Walters and tattoo "NEX BENEDICT" on his forehead. He should NEVER be able to forget that name or what he did.
And yet in my former county of residence in Florida, out-of-state anti-trans activists were allowed to bully the school board into stopping the protections of trans kids. so yet again they are accusing others of doing the things that they themselves are doing.
Every accusation is an admission when it comes to these people.
If there has ever been anything good to come out of Oklahoma - besides Reba McIntyre - I’m unaware.
Seth Andrews.
I stand corrected.
Ron Howard.
Ruprecht.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GPpvoaid6uw
Oklahoma City Thunder. 2025 NBA champions.
I think it's fair to say the primary motivation here is publicity. There are a lot of bad lawyers out there, but it doesn't take any law experience to see that there was no merit to this lawsuit, so I'm sure Walters' lawyer told him the case wasn't going to go anywhere. What he wanted to do was score culture war points and make a name for himself because I imagine he's considering a run for political office in the future. It's easy to pull political stunts when you aren't on the hook financially for them.
Behavior like this ought to be considered fraud and disqualify a person from holding office. It's wasting taxpayer money - no different than using public funds for private gain.
Walters probably wants to get Trump to notice him, maybe kick Linda McMahon out as Education Secretary and install Walters as Secretary of Juvenile Indoctrination.
Oh, they won't actually CALL it that ... but that's what it'll be.
Which make having his lawsuit dismissed by a drumpster appointee a delicious irony.
He wants a place in Trump's administration, and failing that, become governor of Oklahoma.
But the old saying that "Even bad publicity is good" doesn't work here, even Republicans are tired of his attention seeking BS.
That lawyer should have been sanctioned for knowingly filing a frivolous lawsuit and wasting the court's time.
He already occupies an elected office.
Trump-loving xtian bigot who kills LGBTQ kids slapped down hard. Good!
I would say, slap him harder, but it looks like he would enjoy it too much.
😂🤣😂
OT: Bigot dead, power struggle likely.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/08/21/james-dobson-focus-on-the-family-founder-dies/85756238007/
To borrow an old trope, it's not nice to speak ill of the dead, so: James Dobson is dead.
GOOD!
Let's all remember James Dobson
americanloons.blogspot.com/2010/11/107-james-dobson.html
https://lippard.blogspot.com/2010/09/james-dobsons-dog-beating-story.html
this should be on there as well
That sonofabitch! A genuine shame there isn't a hell for him to rot in.
I wish one could be created just for him and his ilk.
All of those people should have died in the cradle, sparing humanity and several poor, unfortunate animals from needless suffering.
Let's not.
Okay. 🖕🖕🖕
That is soooooooo sad, just like having herpes! So what is everyone reading right now? I am reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea. I am just on the fourth chapter, so I will read a chapter every chance I get!
I have some time to read now that I didn’t get a role in the current plays, so I think I will read Victory City by Salman Rushdie. I’ve had it for a little bit, but haven’t picked it up just yet.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩 by Steinbeck. As relevant and subversive today as it was in 1939.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.
Great choice.
I first read it at 8, an illustrated edition, gift from DM :)
Fiction : Stranger in the mirror (SF Korean novel).
Non Fiction : The other ancient civilizations, Raven Todd DaSilva (YouTube channel Dig it with Raven).
Manga?
Nani ?
I found a manga 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟.
Do you mean a manhwa ? Is it in a futuristic China ?
Ray Bradbury, Steinbeck and Stephen King, T. S Eliot.
Rotating depending upon how the day goes.
Flashman by George MacDonal Fraser.
Harry Flashman was the bully in “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” by Thomas Hughes. He is expelled from Rugby at 17 for being drunk, a liar, and an all around jerk. Not a Rugby Man. Fraser picks up on Flashman’s life from there. He continues to be a cad, a bully, and an asshole. He also becomes a hero of Great Britain. Fraser wrote 12 novels about Flashman and they are said to be hilariously funny. A friend gave me the first 2 as a retirement gift.
Algis Budrys short stories.
that a shame, what is everyone having for lunch/dinner?
5 spices tofu with vegetables and a garden salad.
Too bad the Dobson wasn't the guy holding the leash...
https://youtu.be/-ubQxtEukvw?si=-_-i7v6eTOXsEE9N
Performance bullshit at the taxpayers' expense. When will taxpayers learn how much--and not just money--it costs to support bozos like Ryan Walters?
If it hasn't hit them directly and demonstrably in their wallets, I doubt the average Oklahoman would ever so much as blink. Their level of awareness doesn't rise that high.
Even when it hits them in the wallets, will they connect the dots?
Only if they can up their awareness quotient, and that's up there with the Second Coming in likelihood. 😝
Not when cognitive dissonance reigns supreme
It'll still be the demon-crats' fault somehow.
Nor intelligence it seems to me as well!
How is telling the district not to force folks to pray interfering in an individual’s religious practice? Explain it to me like I’m five.
I know that there might be some kids, staff, or teachers that used those prayers sincerely, however not broadcasting them over the PA system doesn’t stop those folks from praying at that time.
Having a chaplain waste practice time on sermons has nothing to do with football, and those kids can go to church in their free time, no one is stopping them from being Christian. All of it doesn’t stop folks from being Christian, only stopping the tyrants in power from forcing the folks to be Christian. The FFRF is only interfering in your plans of domination, not anyone else’s ability to worship.
Christians feel they have an obligation to force their religion on other people.
That's THE OBLIGATION, all caps. The Great Commission, their sole raison d'etre.
It seems so simple and logical. The fact that they don't get it says something about their intellect.
I hope the judge slapped sanctions on Walters and his mouthpiece.
This reminds me of how neo-Nazis, every year, nominate Adolf for a Nobel Peace Prize. They know he won't get it -- you have to be alive to win the hardware, for one thing -- but they know that doing so generates ink, and ink generates recruits.
This lawsuit was just that -- an attempt to gain supporters.
Meanwhile, our own neo-Nazi, Shitler, nominates himself. This is life in the Upside Down.
No, this is life in Oceania.
Does Walters ever get graded on his performance? He should get an F, not just for miserably Failing, but for Fuckwit.
I was wondering that as well. Does this idiot has a supervisor of any sort?
Ha!
The duties of a board member include working with other board members to craft policies, approve a budget, and hire/supervise the superintendent who serves as CEO.
The six members are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate.
https://oklahoma.gov/education/state-board-of-education.html
"Different tiers of atheists." Yeah, back when I still attempted to socialize with rightwing Christians, way before MAGA, I was shocked at how they project their own worldview on others. "Atheists put themselves in God's place! You worship yourselves!" Huh? No, idiot, the whole point is that we don't worship. Anything. Period. They can't conceive of not having an object to worship. I mean, nowadays we all know that everything they do is projection. It's similar to how the Right now likes to rail against "cultural Marxism." Is this their way of acknowledging that the Marxism of the USSR was "religious Marxism" meant to reinforce the cults of personality around Lenin and Stalin? Or did they just throw "cultural" in there to evoke their made-up "culture wars?" How I'd love to be a spy on the inside. "Radical atheists" to me seems like another attempt at deflection. Walters is inadvertently admitting that he practices "radical Christianity," although "reactionary" would be a better adjective. And I highly doubt he came up with any of this himself. Organizations like the Heritage Foundation have armies of propagandists who send marching orders to their minions. States like Oklahoma (and Florida and Texas) are their testing grounds. They see the reaction, analyze it, and spin the same ideas with different framing. Keep an eye on Oklahoma, because they were also testing out the idea of putting mental health and substance abuse programs under the Dept of Corrections--so that CoreCivic and GeoGroup investors can profit off of private prisons. The Trump Admin is criminalizing homelessness, mental health conditions, and substance abuse [trauma] issues--Oklahoma's defeated law was just a test case.
I think of as the Asshole Trump regime!
Gawd that is fucking DEPRESSING.
𝐹𝐹𝑅𝐹’𝑠 “𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒-𝑎𝑛𝑑-𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑂𝑘𝑙𝑎ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑎 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑠.”
How dare the police keep poking their nose in my bank robbery attempts!! They’re interfering in my rights to other people’s money. If they would just stop showing up as I am looting the vault that would be great. Mmmmkay.
I think Mr. Garrison is smarter than Ryan Walters, mkay?
I was going with the Office Space manager.
Are you up to date on your TPS reports?
The bar is low.
I'm still flabbergasted that Oklahoma is only 48th in Education. Why haven't they pushed New Mexico out of dead last? Or even given Alaska a run for its money for the 49th spot?
You've got a lot of deep red states competing to cootchie-coo Donnie Dumb-Ass to demonstrate JUST HOW STUPID THEY ARE.
So of course, the race to the bottom is going to be rough.
Dictatorforadayshow.com
OK needs Sarah Palin. The Queen of Stupid.
And her frenemy majorly traitor greed, the queen of gaspacho police.
"I can see Texas from my house".
And her runners-up, mtg and boobert.
Semi copieur 😋
Beetleboobs.
Walters is working on it! New Mexico, the Sooners are coming for you.
OT: As mom used to say, don't speak ill of the dead, just say something good.
In that spirit, I'll just say: James Dobson is dead...good!
https://www.cpr.org/2025/08/21/james-dobson-founder-of-focus-on-the-family-dies/
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!
[Chortling in my joy here ... among the borogoves...]
You're sounding a bit mimsy. I wouldn't recommend any galumphing for a day or two.
Nah, the borogoves are pretty mimsy. Just a bit outgrabe here.
Getting closer.
Another one bites the dust -- Yay!
Doncha love how clueless radical xtians label atheists as "radicals?"
Another example of a Christian nationalist that doesn’t know the meaning of a word!
He knows the meaning. He just sticks to the Nazi playbook.
Every accusation is an admission with them. Just like when they claim drag queens are molesting kids.
"𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑡’𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠? 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠. 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑟𝑦."
Those two (2) letters in seven (7) years did cost the plaintif valuable time and resources that could better have been spent at watching "movies" on his office television sets.