Oklahoma Governor Claims PBS Is Indoctrinating Children, Because Republicans Are Contractually Obligated to Say This S–t Now

Late last month, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt vetoed funding for his state’s public television network, despite the fact that the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority is the most watched Public Broadcasting Service in the country, with more than 650,000 viewers tuning into its programming every week. Why did Stitt pull the cash? You can probably hazard a guess.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Stitt, a Republican, said, “You know, the big, big question is why are we spending taxpayer dollars to prop up or compete with the private sector and run television stations? And then when you go through all of the programing that’s happening and the indoctrination and over-sexualization of our children, it’s just really problematic, and it doesn’t line up with Oklahoma values.” Among the content that Stitt apparently finds objectionable is a segment called “Let’s Learn,” which features a children’s book called The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish; a gay character in Work It Out Wombats!; LGBTQ+ characters on Clifford the Big Red Dog; and a same-sex wedding featured on Odd Squad. 

There is, of course, no evidence whatsoever that these programs are trying to indoctrinate or harm children. (Rather, the programs are showing kids that it’s okay for people to be different.) But according to Stitt, the idea that it’s okay to be different is not a “value” all of his constituents subscribe to—and it’s apparently his job to defend those people. “Oklahoma taxpayers are going, ‘Hey, hang on, time out for just a second. That’s not my values,’” Stitt told Fox. “I’m just tired of using taxpayer dollars for some person’s agenda. I represent the taxpayers.”

Incidentally, as KTUL pointed out after Stitt vetoed the funding bill, OETA airs more than just TV shows; tornado warnings and Amber Alerts are also among its services. But apparently Stitt is more concerned about protecting Oklahomans from seeing two gay people get married than warning them about catastrophic weather events.

Stitt, of course, is just one of countless Republicans whose new pet cause is to protect children from the mere existence of LGBTQ+ people. After expanding its dystopian “Don’t Say Gay” law to all grades through 12th last month, the Florida state legislature passed a bill that would prevent teachers from using students’ correct pronouns, which Ron DeSantis is expected to sign. Meanwhile, numerous states are trying to ban drag shows, while others want to prevent drag queens from merely reading to children. Last week, Stitt made it a felony to provide gender-affirming care to minors. Harper Seldin, a staff attorney for the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, called the law “a dangerous attack on the rights of families and their transgender youth who call Oklahoma home,” adding: “Governor Stitt and the politicians targeting trans youth have ignored the voices of parents, medical providers, and transgender youth themselves, instead choosing to put their politics between doctors and their patients.”

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Report: Jill Biden is trying to stop Biden from eating “like a child”

He may be 80 but Joe Biden’s diet apparently skews (much) younger. Per Axios:

There’s a delicious (surf and) turf battle inside the Biden White House—over the president’s plate. The food fight has pitted Joe Biden—who prefers carbs over greens—against First Lady Jill Biden, who has been pushing the commander in chief to eat more fish and veggies whether he likes them or not (he doesn’t). Why it matters: The internal tug-of-war over Joe Biden’s diet is just one of many public and private steps being taken by close aides and the first lady to keep the 80-year-old president healthy as he prepares to run for a second term.

State of play: Some Biden aides have long noted that he eats “like a child,” with a food palette that skews beige. His favorite dishes include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, BLTs, pizza, cookies, spaghetti with butter and red sauce, and ice cream that he occasionally makes into a full sundae, according to current and former Biden aides.