State
Investigates Kern's Threatening E-mails

The Oklahoma State Board of Investigation is examining the 7,000 e-mails and voice-mail messages that Rep. Sally Kern received after a recording was released of a speech she made that called homosexuality worse than terrorism. The audio, by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, has had 827,000 hits on YouTube as of Thursday afternoon.

While it was initially reported that some correspondence she has received has contained death threats, investigators are finding that the actual messages have been embellished, according to the Tulsa World newspaper.

OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said that a fellow lawmaker suggested they go through the e-mails because of their threatening nature. She said that she wouldn't characterize the messages as death threats as they say, "You ought to die," rather than "I am going to kill you."

Three OSBI agents are analyzing the messages and interviewing some of the senders to assess their intent. Some may be referred to the district attorney for prosecution, according to the report.

Kern said in her speech that same-sex relationships are the "death knell of this country" and that the government wants to indoctrinate children as young as 2 to believe that homosexuality is acceptable. She also warned that city governments across the country are being taken over by gays.

Victory Fund president Chuck Wolfe wrote an open letter to Kern, explaining that her words have heavy implications.

"What you said is not OK, but that's not because most sensible people disagree with it," he wrote. "It's because your words give aid and comfort to those who would hurt, maim, and even kill people who are different from you. Comparing gays and lesbians to cancer and terrorism and saying they are the 'biggest threat to America' gives license to others to treat us that way, especially given the leadership position you hold in your community."

He also wrote that the Victory Fund made her speech public to point out to people that "even elected leaders like you are saying some nasty and potentially dangerous things about your fellow citizens." Wolfe mentioned the murders of Matthew Shepard, Lawrence King, and 62-year-old Steve Domer, who was killed in Oklahoma in the fall. (The Advocate)