The Oklahoma House has rejected the classic Flaming Lips song “Do You Realize??, Pt. 1
as the state’s official rock song, reportedly because bassist/engineer Michael Ivins wore a t-shirt with a hammer & sickle to the state capital.
Hey, isn’t Russia supposed to be our ally now?
You can vote to make Oklahoma seem less idiotic here. Right now they’re losing pretty badly.
BUT WAIT! There’s more! From News OK:
Update:
Gov. Brad Henry announced Thursday evening that he will sign an executive order on Tuesday naming the Flaming Lips song as the official rock song. Henry had planned to sign the resolution into law at a Tuesday ceremony that members of the band as well as national music and entertainment writers planned to attend.
Flaming Lips band members Wayne Coyne, Kliph Scurlock and Michael Ivins in March 2, 2009. Today the Oklahoma House rejected a resolution to name “Do You Realize??” as the state’s official rock song because band member, Michael Ivins wore a T-shirt bearing a symbol associated with the Communist Party while at the state Capitol last month.
Henry said that for more than 20 years the Flaming Lips have produced “creative, fun and provocative rock music.”
“The music of the Flaming Lips has earned Grammys, glowing critical acclaim and fans all over the world,” the governor said. “A truly iconic rock n’ roll band, they are proud ambassadors of their home state.
“They were clearly the people’s choice, and I intend to honor that vote.”
Previous story about the House Rejection after the jump:
The Oklahoma House rejected a resolution today to name a song by The Flaming Lips as the state’s official rock song because one of the band members wore a T-shirt bearing a symbol associated with the Communist Party while at the state Capitol last month.
A resolution making The Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” the state’s rock song failed to get the necessary votes for passage. Senate Joint Resolution 24 was the last item brought up today, and because it was the last day for the House to vote on measures coming out of the Senate that particular piece of legislation is dead this year.
Rep. Corey Holland, R-Marlow, debated against the resolution, saying he was bothered one of the band members wore a red T-shirt with a yellow sickle and hammer on it when The Flaming Lips came last month to the Capitol when results of an online voting contest showed their song to be the clear-cut winner. “I was really offended by that,” Holland said.
Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, also spoke against the measure, saying the band has a reputation for using obscene language, recalling band members used offensive language several years ago when the city of Oklahoma City named an alley after the band.
“Their lips ought to be on fire,” Reynolds said.
Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, House sponsor of the resolution, said The Flaming Lips were scheduled to be at the state Capitol next week for a ceremony when the governor was to sign the resolution. National media members also were invited to attend, Dorman said.
The Flaming Lips also were to appear next week at a music exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center, Dorman said.
The resolution won a majority of votes, 48-39, but it failed to get the minimum 51. Many of the 101 members after working late Wednesday night left early this afternoon.
The state Senate last month approved the resolution 46-0.
The song, a single from the 2002 compact disc “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” beat out nine other finalists chosen by an advisory panel working with the Oklahoma History Center.
More than 21,000 people voted on the Oklahoma State Rock Song. The Flaming Lips song got more than 10,000 votes, Dorman said.
Kudos to Governor Henry for approving the song anyway. 11,000 Oklahomans chose the song, and they should not have been punished because one perpetual adolescent wore a symbol of death and destruction on his T-shirt as an ironically-hip fashion statement.
But can we also agree that it’s high time to stop treating communist symbols as cute? The hammer and sickle represents a boot stomping on collective humanity’s face. Tens of millions of innocents died at the hand of dehumanizing communist regimes.
The hammer and sickle is a hateful symbol. Let’s have the moral courage to call it what it is.
That said, I’m glad the Lips’ song is the new official state rock song of Oklahoma! It’s a great song!