Last year, U.S. Senator James Inhofe put Tulsa in the national spotlight when he declined to attend the Tulsa Holiday Parade of Lights, a parade that’s been a tradition in Tulsa for over 80 years. He wouldn’t participate in a parade that didn’t have the word “Christmas” in the name.
In the November 15, 2011 issue of This Land, publisher Vincent LoVoi invited Inhofe to rejoin the parade.
“We invite you to come home and be part of the parade we share with all Tulsans,” LoVoi wrote. “It’s important to our community. We want to address your concerns in ways that are both inclusive and respectful of faith; we want to help Downtown continue to grow; and we want to preserve a wonderful Tulsa tradition.”
A competing parade, the Tulsa Christmas Parade, apparently didn’t satisfy Inhofe either. Being presented with the choice to join either parade, Inhofe ultimately decided he would not attend either parade.
“It’s just it is not a Christmas parade, and so I won’t be riding in it for the same reason as last year,” he told the local daily paper, Tulsa World, causing varying reactions from its readers, some of whom left comments critical of the Senator.
“Perfect!!! Having failed in marginalizing others, Inhofe has succeeded in marginalizing himself,” wrote the user Mindman, whose comment received the most thumbs-up.
“I have the utmost respect for Jim’s,” offered user dontliveinfear, in the only supportive comment thus far.
In the December 1 issue of This Land, associate editor Natasha Ball will offer a feature-length article detailing the history of the downtown parade, which will include an anecdote about Inhofe’s reactions to the parade when he served as Tulsa’s mayor.
While the Senator has chosen not to participate in the parade, many local businesses and organizations have stepped forward to sponsor the parade. For the first time in the parade’s history, Tulsa’s Jewish and Muslim communities will participate in the parade together.
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