Some fret over how Oklahoma is perceived across the nation and world

[Harold Schiffman]

Some fret over how Oklahoma is perceived across the nation and world



— Staff and wire reports

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma lawmakers, no strangers to making headlines,
have been in the news a lot in recent months with legislation
targeting illegal immigrants, making English the state's official
language and authorizing some college students to carry concealed
weapons in classrooms. Their policy debates and comments have made
news so frequently some in government and business are starting to
worry about the state's national and global image, especially after
the worldwide negative reaction to Rep. Sally Kern's anti-gay remarks
in which she said the gay agenda was a bigger threat to the U.S. than
terrorism. "You're sending someone a message. That may have
consequences that you don't intend," said Cynthia Reid, vice president
of marketing and communications for the Great-er Oklahoma City
Chamber.

"Where it makes a difference is in a company's perception of a state,"
said Gary Yates of the Staubach Company, founded by former Dallas
Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach and a worldwide provider of real
estate services to office, retail and industrial tenants.
Last week, a legislative panel gave preliminary approval to
legislation that would make English the official language of the
state. Secretary of State Susan Savage said she is concerned about the
legislation's impact on Oklahoma's role in the global economy as well
as its diplomatic and cultural relationships. "As government
officials, we have to be concerned about perception," Savage said. She
said divisive and polarizing public policies and comments have the
potential of marginalizing the state in the eyes of the rest of the
world.

"Do we sometimes communicate the perception that: 'Don't come here
until you learn to speak English because we won't welcome you'?"
Savage said. "We have to be very careful in a global world." "It's an
extremely chilling situation," said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief
Chad Smith, who attended the committee meeting where the "official
English" bill was approved but was denied permission to express his
opposition. Smith said afterward he is alarmed about the measure's
goal of forcing immigrants to assimilate into Oklahoma society by
learning to speak English. In the past, American Indians were herded
into boarding schools and forced to speak English instead of their
native language. "What this does is send a message that we want to
turn people away because they speak another language," Smith said. He
described the bill as "a badge and a brand of intolerance,
mean-spiritedness, close-mindedness, cold-heartedness."

State Rep. Mike Jackson, R-Enid, said one of the things legislators
must ensure they do is put forth the best image they can for the
state. "Whether in tax policy, health care or the best education
system we can have in the state ... that's our focus in the House and
we will continue to focus on doing that," he said. He indicated people
may be focusing on controversial issues and overlooking some of the
positive measures that have been done. "Overall the state budget in
the past four years continues to grow, and we've seen increases in
aerospace jobs in the state and also in the overall average yearly
salary," he said. Enid Republican John Enns agreed, saying people can
often overlook positive issues when they become caught up in
controversial ones.

The widely publicized issues have made it harder for officials to
promote Oklahoma as a good place to live and work, said Dave Lopez,
president of American Fidelity Foundation, the philanthropic arm of
Oklahoma City-based insurer American Fidelity.
"I have been touting that Oklahoma is such a welcoming place. It's
been that way for me," Lopez said. "These headlines of divisiveness
detract from that."
Reid said some chamber clients have complained the anti-illegal
immigrant measure adopted by the Legislature last year, House Bill
1804, "sends a negative message." Among other things, the measure bars
illegal immigrants from tax-supported services and punishes employers
who hire illegal immigrants.

"There are companies that will not put Oklahoma on the list for
consideration because of that. It does send a message," she said. The
Oklahoma City Chamber is one of several business groups in the state
that have joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a federal lawsuit
that challenges the constitutionality of the state's anti-illegal
immigrant law. People on both sides of the issue have formed opinions
about the state and its people, Reid said. "We have to recognize that
we are alienating some and putting a welcome mat out for others," Reid
said. "The challenge is how can we have conversations about these
issues and find a place where we can all meet."
Lopez, who is of Hispanic descent, said he began getting negative
feedback about the state from residents of other states last summer
following passage of House Bill 1804, which was touted at the time as
the toughest state law against illegal immigrants in the nation.

Since then, more than 30 other states have proposed similar
immigration measures.
"It was confusing to them," Lopez said. "I have been a cheerleader for
Oklahoma for a number of years. It was inconsistent with the Oklahoma
I had described." Lopez said political wedge issues like the
immigration bill do not necessarily reflect the true character of
Oklahomans, which he said was best demonstrated in the public
outpouring of assistance and grief following the 1995 Oklahoma City
bombing. "To see how Oklahoma responded to that was such a positive
message to the world," Lopez said. "I don't think anyone at that
moment was asking what language was spoken and what sexual preference
they had. It was a matter of everybody responding in a great
way."Lopez said it is the responsibility of Oklahoma's political
leaders to assert themselves by steering the state toward positive
policies that do not pit Oklahomans against each other. "Despite some
of the debates at the moment, I still believe that's what Oklahoma's
about — bringing people together," Lopez said.

Staff writer Robert Barron contributed to this Associated Press story.

Copyright (c) 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.

http://www.enidnews.com/localnews/local_story_097235347.html

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