You are digging yourself a pit that could eventually cave in on you and the City of Tulsa.  I am referring specifically to the police oversight board and the search for the alleged “mass graves” resulting from the 1921 Tulsa race riot.

The Police Oversight Board

The police oversight board will not result in a better relationship between the citizens of Tulsa and the Tulsa Police Department (TPD).  Regardless of what your good intentions might be, this board will only be looking for incidents, which they perceive to be, incidents of racial discrimination.  And let’s face it, none of these board members are completely neutral – they are all human beings – and every human being has preconceived ideas when it comes to matters such as this. 

Some will have strong feelings regarding the necessity of maintaining law and order to assure the safety and protection for all citizens living in the community.  Others, in that same community, will view law and order as an invasion of their rights to privacy, and make claims of racial discrimination.

You witnessed that firsthand during your recent ride-along with the TPD.  Your observation of an incident at a north Tulsa apartment complex was completely different from the observation of the same incident by some of the people living in that area.  In fact, some in the Black community were quoted as saying “you were out of touch.”

This police oversight board will not change the natural built-in perception that all people have of themselves, and the world in which they live.  That personal perception will never change until all people take an inward look at themselves, and honestly critique their own actions.  And as a result of that introspective look, gain a better understand as to how our personal behavior is viewed by other people – and – how our personal behavior (both good and bad) impacts our relationship with other people.

The police oversight board will only widen the chasm of perceived racial injustice.  And if the board is allowed to continue, it will eventually tie the hands of TPD officers, weaken their authority, and make it impossible for them to enforce the law.  The media will cloud the public perception with doubt, and respect for TPD officers will begin to decline.  TPD officers’ lives will be endangered, and many dedicated individuals will no longer desire to serve the people of Tulsa through law enforcement.

Search for Mass Graves

With regard to your search for the alleged “mass graves” from the 1921 Tulsa race riot.  It is interesting how, on one hand, Tulsa is trying to erase the past by removing the names of certain Tulsa pioneers from our city streets.  And Tulsa Public Schools is doing the same thing by renaming some of our city schools.  And yet, on the other hand, you want to dig up the past, build new statues, and re-educate our children on a race riot that took place almost 100 years ago.

Even If you find mass graves of thousands of people (which is doubtful after 100 years) . . . How will you identify the people buried therein?  How will you determine their cause of death?  Could their deaths have been from wide-spread disease?  This was once Indian Territory . . . Could these graves be from tribal wars – or wars between early settlers and Indian tribes – or even Civil War battles?  And how, after 100 years, will you know any of this for certain?

Tulsa is not a perfect city . . . We are not a perfect people, and this is not a perfect nation.  Since the founding of this great nation, and this great city, many mistakes have been made along the way.  But thank God, the American people have always had the determination to work hard and not repeat the mistakes of the past.  And if you look around, there is ample evidence all around us today that proves how much progress we have made, and how promising the future is for all of us.

Let’s build on what we’ve accomplished to date, and not keep digging up the past.