Victory! OK State Rep. Sally Kern Apologizes for Racist & Sexist Remarks

by Shelby Knox · 2011-05-03 13:45:00 UTC
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"I’m a woman and I never felt discriminated against. I saw a lot of black people who didn’t want to work as hard. Women don’t want to work as hard as men." -- Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern, during an April 27th debate on affirmative action.

These were fighting words to Sally’s List, an Oklahoma-based group dedicated to electing pro-equality women to state and local positions. (And, no, Sally's List is definitely not named for the offensive Sally in question.) The group started a petition on Change.org to tell Kern she does not speak for all Oklahoma women and to demand an apology for her racist, sexist rhetoric.

Almost 500 Change.org members signed Sally’s List’s petition and on Monday, Kern issued an apology to the full Oklahoma House of Representatives. “I said some words that were not real thought out and that offended many African-Americans and many women,” Kern said. “That was not my intent. ... I take full responsibility for it and I am truly sorry.”

The Oklahoma House of Representatives also voted on Monday to officially reprimand the legislator for her comments.

Cassi Peters, Political Director of Sally’s List, says they couldn’t sit by and allow Kern's rhetoric to go without protest. “Through this petition, Sally’s List has demonstrated that if a few passionate progressives band together, a difference can be made. Without pressure from Sally’s List and other groups, Kern’s abhorrent statements would most likely have been ignored by the media, the state Republican Party, and the electorate.”

Shelby Knox is the Director of Organizing, Women's Rights, for Change.org who writes about, speaks on, and plans to lead the next generation of feminism.

RELATED PETITION

Tell Sally Kern she DOES NOT Speak for Oklahoma Women
VICTORY!
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