I’m at the Tulsa McGirt forum with @cliftonhowze. My first question - who thought this was a good idea? They aporebtky didn’t speak to any tribes about being here and the majority of the speakers are white.
The vast majority of people in attendance are dissenters. After Tulsa DA Steve Kunzweiler finished speaking someone in the crowd yelled “next white person!” to cheers.
Every speaker is interrupted continually because, again, this is a forum comprised primarily of white people intended for white people. But the people in attendance are not white.
Also Paul Tay is in handcuffs.
The theme from the speakers seems to be “we need a dialogue and to work together.” Again, the panel is sheriffs, DAs, etc. No tribal leaders.
They’re chastising the natives in attendance by saying “we need to work together.” But what are the attendees supposed to do about it? I don’t know, this whole thing seems entirely unhelpful.
Anyone who criticizes my typo will be reported to the authorities.
Tulsa county DA Steve Kunzweiler: “you all ought to take a look at the state seal, it was designed by a Native American”
It did not go over well!
Kunzweiler is standing in front of a slide with a picture of the Indian statue on top of the capitol. The slide says “we are all Oklahomans.” Again, it did not go over well.
This whole thing seems so demeaning. The speakers are telling a predominantly native audience “you need to help us/your tribal leaders need to help us.” But the people here can’t do anything about it and they didn’t invite any tribal leaders.
Even best case scenario where the speakers are not interrupted and people here are not angry … nothing happening here is helping fix the cracks that McGirt exposed.
The speakers keep harping on how McGirt made their jobs as DAs/law enforcement more difficult. But what the McGirt decision argues is … who cares, you were breaking the law. Figure it out. This is not a receptive audience for the complaint that their jobs are complicated
The DAs keep repeating that there are some crimes that can’t be prosecuted tribally or federally because of statute of limitations etc. But that doesn’t seem to be an argument to overturn McGirt because … again, the decision said these entities have been acting illegally.
Overturn McGirt or work to fix the broken system?
It’s over already. Was supposed to run until 8. Stitt asked the panel a question (supposedly from a native attendee) about tribal sovereignty. No one answered. He said goodnight and left through a back door.
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