Oklahoma State House Sinks Flaming Lips Over T-Shirt

[estranged4life]

Oklahoma State House Sinks Flaming Lips Over T-Shirt

April 23 was supposed to be a great day for The Flaming Lips, as their home state of Oklahoma was set to designate the group’s “Do You Realize??” as the official state song. That is, until one of the House members noticed band member Michael Ivins’ T-shirt.

Naming the Lips’ song as the state’s official tune seemed like a done deal. Oklahoma’s senate passed a resolution supporting the choice in March, and the state’s governor was firmly behind the choice.

What happened? A state representative took offense because Ivins wore a t-shirt emblazoned with a hammer and sickle – the longtime symbol for communist Russia when it headed up the now defunct Soviet Union – during the band's visit to the state capitol.

Republican state representative Corey Holland said he was bothered by the emblem,” reports The Oklahoman.

“I’m rising in opposition because of my disappointment in one of the band members’ decision to come in here wearing a communist T-shirt.”

Republican Rep Mike Reynolds also spoke against the band, opting to diss the Lips because singer Wayne Coyne once dropped an F-bomb while expressing gratitude in 2007 for Oklahoma City naming an alley after the band.

“Their lips ought to be on fire,” Reynolds said.

The resolution naming “Do You Realize??” as Oklahoma’s official musical ditty needed 51 votes to pass, but yesterday’s final vote in the House was 48-39. Democratic Rep. Joe Dorman, who sponsored the resolution, told the Oklahoman that three Republican members told him they would vote in favor of the Lips, but decided instead to “run with the mob.”

“Had those three members kept their word, this resolution would have passed, and Oklahoma wouldn’t be experiencing national embarrassment,” Dorman said.

But all is not lost for the Flaming Lips. Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said he will sign an executive order Tuesday morning naming “Do You Realize??” as the Sooner State’s official song.

In the meantime, the House will have to put up with the bad press it’s getting for the Lips incident. Oklahoman editor Ed Kelley recorded a video condemning the legislative body’s action, calling it “another black eye” for the state and accusing the House of punishing “diversity of thought, religion, politics and just about anything that doesn’t conform to its narrow view of what Oklahoma ought to be. Kelley then wraps up his op-ed piece, saying, “to the outside world, we must look like a bunch of hicks.”