Governor Stitt fails to plug, mention or even acknowledge Killers of the Flower Moon…

It’s been a little over a week since Killers of The Flower Moon premiered, and so far, the movie has lived up to its billing.

Outside of the contrarians who say it’s too long, too woke, or too non-woke, the film has received widespread praise, with many like our own Louis Fowler praising it as a grand filmmaking achievement and a shoo-in for trophies and salutations come awards season. 

Despite the film’s near-universal acclaim – and the fact that it’s the largest production to ever be filmed in Oklahoma, an M.I.O. treasure that will likely never be exceeded in our lifetimes – Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has failed to promote or even acknowledge the film’s existence on social media.

Kind of odd, huh?

You’d think such a pro-business Governor who always goes out of his way to promote business achievements would be proud that a highly visible and mightily successful movie was filmed in his state under his watch.

But instead of social media updates lauding the success of the movie that dramatizes the Osage Reign of Terror – a dark era in our state’s history where hundreds of Osage were murdered for their oil riches – Stitt is instead focusing on things like…

Seriously, what gives? 

I know Stitt’s not a film buff, but he’s also not an electric car guy, and that doesn’t stop him from plugging CANOO – or a toxic nickel refinery in Lawton – whenever they do something that he thinks can make him look good. 

Along those same lines, you’d think he would be eager to bring attention to a massive, highly visible film production that brought $40-million dollars in economic impact to the Bartlesville and Pawhuska areas, or at least show up in a CANOO to the world premiere.

I guess there is a slight chance that Stitt didn’t like the film or subject matter. 

He has been openly hostile with Oklahoma’s indigenous peoples and tribes since the day he took office, and routinely picks fights with them in his effort to strip them of sovereignty.

He’s also never been a big fan of teaching an honest and accurate history of tragic events to Oklahoma students, signing laws into place that prevent topics like the Tulsa Race Massacre or Osage Reign of Terror from being taught in classrooms. 

But come on!

He wouldn’t let those racist-inspired grievances stop him from bringing attention to a film that’s described as a “ sobering appraisal of America's relationship with Indigenous peoples.” You know, the same Indigenous peoples that Stitt’s family forced their way into over 100 years ago. 

Okay, so maybe that would let all that stop him from acknowledging this crown jewel of the Oklahoma film industry.

But at the very least, you’d still think he’d use the film as an opportunity to take a shot at his biggest political opponent, and point out that AG Gentner Drummond’s family lineage is connected to the “Reign of Terror” and possibly/likely benefited from the terror campaign that systematically ripped the Osage of their wealth, land and culture. 

Instead, he’s simply focusing on the Attorney General’s valiant effort to keep Oklahoma taxpayers from funding Catholicism:  

Anyway, I guess we’ll keep our eyes and ears open to see if and when Kevin Stitt wakes up and acknowledges Killers of the Flower and its impact on Oklahoma and our fledgling film industry. 

Until then…

Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.