Hello, everyone, welcome to the nonprofits and a heated public meeting, the
vice mayor of the village, Sean Cummings, lashed out at Oklahoma's Republican Superintendent
of Public Instruction Ryan Waters and the state Board of Education, holding them accountable
for fostering and an environment of hostility toward LGBTQ plus individuals. Common Cummings directly
implicated Walters and the Board for legedly embolding bullies, linking their rhetoric to the
tragic death of sixteen year old Next Benedict, who was reportedly attacked and later
died. The incident, which occurred at Owasso High School, has sparked outrage
and renewed calls for action against discrimination and bullying in schools. A miss mounting
criticism, Cummings challenged state officials to take responsibility and address the root causes of
anti LGBTQ plus sentiment in educational settings. The story is from LGBTQ Nation by
John Russell, published on February twenty, twenty twenty four. Before I pass
this on to John, I would like to take a moment to nongeal life
that was taken next. Mendic was the victim of a hate crime inflamed by
hate speech rhetoric which led to the death, whether by related injuries or by
suicide. We need to do more to protect the most vulnerable, as in
this instance they were failed. Our hearts go out to Nex's family, friends,
and their larger community. I guess this is not just a tragedy,
but I hope the FED the FEDS get involved with this case and that it
opens the door for some accountability for the schools, all the way to the
school board itself and to other people who may be involved in stimulating this kind
of hatred. I hope they do get sued as soon as the data is
available on the death and the vice mayor is correct all of the Christian nationalist
ass hats are personally responsible for the bullying and nexus death. A sixteen year
old's death. Somebody robbed of everything from their future. I know the locals
will try and brush this off, that's a given. When the students walked
out of class, about forty of them to protest the lack of action of
the school board, the school and the school board, that kind of made
national news. The two SLGBTQ plus advocacy groups asked for a federal investigation.
This became really uncomfortable for the religious off field ofvel that run the schools there.
We will see if the DOJ will do anything, and I'm hoping they
will, but you know, there are rules and there has to be some
sort of law that is involved here. I think civil rights laws can be
invoked in this case, but I'm not a lawyer. It's just, uh,
it's sad and it's and it's an and it's personally to me, it's
very sad, and I predict that they will wait until the news cycle moves
on and try and drop it or handwag it as kids will be kids and
bully kids and et cetera. No bullying is not okay. There's a couple
of things that people should know. There is a nonprofit organization called the National
Association of People Against Bullying dot org. You can look that up. And
there's also a government website www. Of course stop Bullying dot gov. Both
have resources and so anyway, I have more to say about that and some
other further information on what kind of actions can be taken, but I'm going
to pass this to Cynthia and let her go into some detail. Well,
thank you, Jonathan and I just wanted to let the everyone know that as
of this recording, news outlets reported the death of Oklahoma student Next Benedict has
been ruled a suicide according to the Medical Examiner's report release on today, March
thirteenth, twenty twenty four. It's today for us guys now. The Medical
examiner report listed probable cause of death as combined toxicity from two drugs, one
which is available over the counter and the other by prescription. In a statement
posted on its Facebook account wins Today following the release of the Medical Examiner's report,
the OsO Police Department wrote, in part, from the beginning of this
investigation, the OASA Police observed many indications that this death was the result of
suicide. However, investigators did not wish to confirm that information without the final
results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office. So some of the things
that I would like to say is first right on to Vice Mayor Cummings for
calling out the right winging streamist, crystal fascist Ryan Walters and the members of
the Oklahoma State Board of Education for their hate campaign they call governance of the
State Education. Thank you, thank you. A form yes, yes,
all that big entry, all of it, all of it, does,
all of it. And as aforementioned, Sean Cummings accused them of embolding the
students who attacked Benedict in a bathroom at Aso High School in Osa Alcloholma.
Next as you all heard is only was only sixteen years old and used they
then pronounce and also he him pronounced. And according to the article, he'd
been bullied by three students because of his gender identity prior to the violent altercation
that was placed on February seventh, in which he was reportedly beaten until he
blacked out. And then the next day Benedict's life was taken. And I
say taken, uh explicitly? I agree with you. Yeah, I say
it taken explicitly. And even though that next was alive when the bullying incident,
for this violence happened to him, they these these these these girls who
attacked him in the bathroom and attacked him because he is trans, and he
acknowledged that he is trans, did be in part be in part of making
sure that his life ended. See, the thing is is that I get
very sick and tired of people saying that, oh kids bully That's what they
do if there is anything that is different about you than your subject to be
bullied and you just need to get over it. Horseshit, No, you
don't do that. And the problem in this specific case is that you have
a bigoted, racist superintendent in Oklahoma who recovered a few times on the nonprofits,
who has said some very dumb things that has given the okay for saying
that. Well, if this adult who is in charge says stupid things about
trans people, says stupid things about LGBTQIA plus people, says stupid things about
how we teach black history in schools, then it should be okay for me
to say my piece when I am not clear of under standing when it comes
to trans people. So instead of actually getting educated about transgenderism and trans people
who happen to be in school with me and are my fellow students and I'm
in fellow colleagues in class, I'm just going to balk. I'm just going
to lash out, and I'm going to cause violence. That's not how we
should do things. That's not what environment that school superintendents and the school board
and teachers and principles are supposed to be fostering. This should not be the
case. And if we, as adults who happen to be in educational settings,
create an environment of inclusivity, create an environment of tolerance, create an
environment of justice, things like this would not happen, and next would still
be alive today. And I do have more other things to say, well
other things and more would be the same thing, But I do have those
things to say regardless of ELI. Yeah, so and and you said something
that really struggle with me, and I'll get there. But so Ryan Walters,
like you said, we the first story I did on nonprofits was about
Ryan Walters and the f fr f's uh class action. There's a suit against
him where the're they're pursuing him legally in some way before violation of church state
separation in Oklahoma. So he like, that's definitely a thing that he's he
you know, he has under his belt and he is absolutely pushing his you
know what he calls his Christian values. He he wants a theocratic state government
in Oklahoma. And and you know, his religious beliefs taught in schools and
so Oklahoma obviously being a red state, that comes with this outcasting of these
others. And you know that that is coming from Chia Rychick, coming from
Ryan Walters, and that that those others includes trans kids like next Benedict,
and they're going up with no support, no help, no protection, no
safety there, not getting the medical care they need or the psychological care that
they need. Like living in a body that doesn't belong to you is bound
to require some sort of help. Right, You're going like an experience I
don't have, of course, but like I don't imagine it's something that is
just like being you know, It's just it's not like being cis. It's
completely different. So you know, I went to high school in rural Missouri.
If this Oklahoma school is anything like my school was, I weep for
these kids in these marginalized groups, whether they be trans or you know,
LGBTQ, or ethnic minorities or religious minorities, whatever it is. Whether these
bullies know it or not, the state government is on their side. And
it's because and this is sort of kind of touching on like what you said,
Cynthia, when these people in authorities, people in power, these people
that you see as like the sort of arbiters of how life is, they're
not making it uncomfortable for people to be bigoted. They're making it more comfortable.
They're making it easier and more tolerable and just more acceptable for people to
hold these anti trans views, these anti you know, homosexuality views, anti
black, you know, whatever it may be. And that like when when
that's just the environment that they're in, they're not seeing that, hey,
no, like this is actually wrong. These kids aren't learning that. I
completely agree with Sean Cummings, like Ryan Walters and Chaia Reischik and whoever else
is in there posse, they're responsible for this, for this death. This
is at best a negligent uh manslaughter, I think, And I I,
as has been said, I'd love to see is this come back to them?
I want I want their you know, their come up. And it's
it's I don't know what else to say about it, honestly, it's it's
it's tragic. I think the thing that really really concerns me is the lack
of empathy and care to people's constituents, people that get positions of power.
Ryan Walters is a great example fucking bigot who needs to be held accountable regards
to how their message is heard by others. And apparently with Walters is one
of hate, and I'm sorry for when politicians are only playing to their base
and then the roosters and then the cows come home. I was gonna I
forget the roosters come home, roosters come home to rooster or I don't care
our chickens. Chickens come home Missouri where cows roost I can make up my
own, thank you very much. Anyway, Like it's it's ridiculous because in
a democracy, the people that we elect and depower represent everybody, whether it's
at the county levels, city levels, state level, and to the country
as a whole. And you know, well, the one thing about you
on a politician is dissertion. Like maybe, as you were saying, Eli,
you don't know what it's like to be trans, but you do notice
like to you know, be bullied, to have that feeling of uncomfortableness,
to know what it's like to be even a hint of others, you know,
because if you've felt any sort of pain by somebody else not liking something
else about you, you have to have that empathy kick in. And for
some reason, these mofos don't have, you know, these bigoted mofos don't
have their empathy centers working properly, and and there's a part of me that
you know, it's like that, you know, her people hurt people,
and I and fine, I get that, but at a certain point,
my my understanding for that end when it leads to people being attacked. And
as I said, you know, whether you know the injuries would have caused
next to die or they got bullied so much that they committed suicide. And
this happened to one of my friends when I was in high school. It's
a phenomenon that we're still talking about and I find it disgusting. And as
a you know, a parent of a trans kid, I know I bring
this up a lot, but it's a real fear because even though they're an
adult, it's not like biggests are no for discernment and you know, thinking
about things, you know, they're just like, oh, queer person grows.
And I want to emphasize this again. And if by some chance,
as a conservative listening to this, you know, I don't know what's going
out there and entered Lineland, show this with your crazy you know conservative uncle.
Everybody like you got one. Everybody's got that crazy conservative relative. Oh
and make sure you like and subscribe as will as yourself and subscribe to you
please. Everything belts all this. So I'm going to ask you all you
the conservative voice is listening to me right now. If you think that in
twenty twenty five, when we have a conservative branch, that things go your
way, you will not be immune from the laws and prejudices that are affecting
groups that you don't like right now, because guess what, you don't online
with oppressors because they will eventually come to you, come for you. You
know. Remember the whole thing that happened in Germany in the forties. Remember
that that will happen. And I'm sorry that talking about a tragedy is bringing
this up, because this is a trend and unless we do something and get
your head out of your fucking ass, is going to keep going. All
right, I did my first rant. I might go to a second.
We don't know, but I'm going to pass the John. Okay, Well,
my other follow queer person on the panel, let him rant. Let's
ranch, John. Yeah, we can do that. We'll use our words.
There has been bullying ever since schools have been around. Most try to
handwave it away as well. Kids will be kids, but that's not appropriate.
These things affect the rest of the lives of the victims. Here,
I was bullied and it wasn't fun, and there's a there's a whole culture
behind that. We're not going to get into that. There is a movement
that is out there. As I gave the website before, it's w W
W N A p A B dot org. I suggest anybody who is suffering
from bullies victims of bullies, that that's some resources for you. The federal
website I gave also is I'll say it again www dot s T O P
B U L L Y I n G Stop Bullying dot gov g o V
also has some really good things. I'm going to quote one thing from it,
and I know we're getting short of time. But although no federal law,
this is from the website. Although no federal law directly addresses bullying,
in some cases, bullying overlaps with discriminatory harassment when it is based on race,
national origin, color, sex, including sexual orientation and gender idea,
identity, age, disability, or religion. Federally funded schools, including colleges
and universities, have an obligation to resolve harassment on these bases. The situation
has not adequately resolved, consider filing a formal grievance with the school district,
contacting the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights and the US Department of
Justices Civil Rights Division. If you're getting nowhere trying to get your bullying case
taken care of, there's some resources. Go to the website I mentioned.
You'll find this in there, and you'll find links to these in there,
and you can file a report with them as well. If there is physical
violence that is against the law in any situation, so you can go ahead
and call the police. As in Oklahoma, they probably just laugh it off
and wouldn't even write much of a report. However, having that report does
give you some ammunition for later on, and so think about it. You
know, I'm not a lawyer, folks, I'm just reading what's on the
government website. So anyway, I'm going to pass that to back to Cynthia.
I'm actually going to uh because, like i wanted to just put in
my final comment, but I'm not going to do that right now. I
want to give the floor to Eli and then to Helen to get in their
final thoughts and then we yeah from there, yeah, I can be somewhat
brief. I almost didn't talk about it, but I want to talk about
Sean Cummings' speech too, because I did watch the video and if any of
you guys watched it, and I think I find there's it's problematic in ways,
and I think that it kind of it's not directly, it's not bullying
like next Benedict experienced in the bathroom or at school. But you know Shawn
Cummings, you know, he he disregarded the victim's gender identity, referred to
lgbt Q plus people as the alphabet community, and he said, you know,
didn't try a write chick target and alphabet friendly teacher. You know,
he mentioned at one point there's a pattern occurring that Forrest Gump could recognize,
so some problematic language they are not that. I don't commend him for calling
out, calling out the board, calling out those people that he called out,
because I agree with him on those points. But I it's important as
well to make sure we're using the right language, because that is that that
is going to go towards using that improper language without regard for it is it
is definitely going to add towards that feeling of being othered, and it's that
feeling that caused Nex's death. It's not this one bullying incident. It's not
the one you know mixture toxicity of of those medications. It is this this,
you know, uh history of bullying and this this this I cannot find
the word that I'm looking for, But that being said, it for anybody
who is feeling the urge to harm themselves, feeling that they just don't want
to be around anymore, nine to eight eight is the number for the suicide
hotline. It's much simpler now, it's not a long number, and at
least in the United States, nine eight eight, just give him a call,
talk with somebody. There's professionals that are there to help you whenever you
need twenty four to seven Helen. So I have to remind myself that even
and I agree with you like Cummings did, I think he is willfully on
educated in how those words sound and why. You know, those of us
in the queer community are very adamant of people using proper language when describing our
community, because it's very important how you use words. But I do commend
him, and I want to point out there are plenty of people that are
doing what Cummings did and away I'm reminded of a school board teacher in Dierriesota
that that's a Bridgid sailor. That was wonderful. I recommend you watch that
as well, because the more that you call out people that are in charge
of education of our children, and you call them out for being bigots,
for being hypocrites, for you know, not putting their intentions into educating our
kids properly, and also not just in academics, but teach them to be
part of a wider community, be part you know, that's what school was
designed to do. Part of the things that you learn to do is that
you're going to be around, surrounded, right, people that aren't like you.
You've got to learn to live in that society and learn kindness and empathy.
And that is as much a part of growing up as you're you know,
reading, writing and arithmetics. So I'm very grateful for this, and
that gives me hope, as I say, maybe a fool's hope, but
I hope that what is happening, that you know, the things that we're
seeing, that people grow up and realize that you know, just because you're
uncomfortable doesn't give you the right to be an asshole. That's it. And
again my heart goes down to Mix's family and their friends, and I hope
you find healing and solace. I really do wise words at the end of
the day, do not be an asshole. And and you, guys,
I I thank you Eli for bringing that up about comings. He did use
some problematic language, you know, alphabet community, and and and and things
of that nature that was not helpful. But you know, I'm about to
date myself, and I think that maybe, like two others on this panel
may know when I say this, you guys remember Archie Bunker, right m
m okay, so it Cummings kind of reminds me of Archie Bunker. If
you guys are if I know that, you know, some of our audience
members may not remember all in the family, but I sure do. Don't
let them misclearal fool you. And and one of the things that Archie Bunker
was a bigot, but when he got placed into certain situations, he showed
up for people who were not in his community. And that's what I think
of when I think of Vice Maryage Sean Cumming, is that you know,
there's obviously a disconnect as far as like language is concerned and things of that
nature. But at least he showed up when he should have showed up for
other people who were not in his community. And I just want to reiterate
to everyone who was watching the resources that were mentioned by Jonathan, that were
mentioned by Eli, especially when it comes to wanting to take a lot take
your life, you know, nine eight h is you can style it on
your cell phone dial on the landline. I don't even know who uses landline
phones anymore, but please whatever you whatever you do, Okay, yes,
yes, yes, got year old. I mean I have a landline too,
So what can I say? But I but I implore everyone when things
like this happen to please use the resources you know. And and my heart
also goes out to Next and his family, and my heart goes out to
anyone who is suffering in silence because of bully. Bullying is not okay.
And I really also hope that the girls who actually committed violence against Next gets
uh uh yes they are well, they have justice comes and they also get
the proper education necessary so they won't do this again,