We’d like to wish a belated happy Columbus Day to Ronnie Kaye, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, and all others who celebrate!
As in years past, I honored the man who sailed the ocean blue in 1492 by driving to a small Oklahoma town I never knew existed, claiming it as my own, and then proceeding to viciously wipe out and enslave all who live there. It was nice knowing you, Calumet.
I’m not sure what Oklahoma State School Superintendent Ryan Walters did with his wife and three children – Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria – on the big day, but I’m sure it was a lot of fun.
As a former right-wing history teacher who thinks schools should promote historical, patriotic propaganda that ignores truth and harsh realities, Ryan’s apparently a huge Columbus Day fan.
In fact, he loves the holiday so much that he ordered his OSDE communication minions to promote the holiday on official social media channels and share glowing tributes of the tyrant explorer in an attempt to pander to his fellow Christian nationalist, and troll the woke trans teacher union left.
Ah, yes, let’s all raise a glass to Columbus—history’s greatest GPS fail, because nothing says “finding freedom” and "a new, hopeful life" quite like “discovering” a land that’s already inhabited by 100 million people, claiming it for your Queen, and then kicking off a centuries-long genocide.
Naturally, the OSDE Columbus Day social media message generated outrage from all the sane people who think we should probably be honoring America’s indigenous peoples and their ancestors, and not a man who made an accidental discovery and was even branded a cruel, incompetent and evil tyrant by his 15th-century contemporaries.
Instead of doubling down on that outrage and sharing pro-Columbus memes, Ryan did something unexpected.
He slightly bent the knee and decided to placate the intolerant left by pissing off the radical right:
Yep, that’s right. Apparently Ryan’s not just content generating outrage from the left, but now he’s pissing off people on the right by celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day! His Right Wing Christian Nationalist God’s misfit supporters can’t be happy with that.
In fact, here’s a reaction from Ronnie Kaye when he saw the tweet:
Seriously guys, what’s going on here? I know the OSDE didn’t include a cool photo or warm hashtags like it did with the Columbus Day tweet. In fact, it’s almost like they went out of their way to not straight up say “Happy Indigenous Peoples Day," but it still makes me wonder...
Is Ryan in the process of trying to brand himself as an equal opportunity outrage offender? Like, is this the next stage in his quest to literally get everyone to hate him?
Or, are the Native American tribes in this state now so rich and powerful that even right-wing trolls like Ryan Walters are forced to give them a little nod and wink?
Maybe it’s a mix of both?
Anyway, whether it’s Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, or simply a Monday, I hope our federal government employees enjoyed the day off.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
