Ryan Walters isn’t the only Oklahoma right-wing political zealot who likes to be a homophobic, pearl-clutching prude online.
Earlier this week, some guy named Nathan Weisser – a fun dude who probably goes to one of those weird churches where everyone wears robes – shared with the world the “heartbreaking discovery” that a Braum’s logo appeared on a social media graphic promoting tomorrow’s Pride-themed Live! on the Plaza.
That seems like an overreaction. If you're going and worried about how Braum’s spends their money, I’d start with their sponsorship of Affair of the Heart!
I say this as a heterosexual American male who would honestly feel a bit out of place at either event, but I’d much rather expose my child to the sequins and glam of Pride drag shows than the denim vests and modern farmhouse wall ornaments of Affair of the Heart.
Nathan’s tweet caught the eye of State Representative Gabe Woolley – the man-bunnin’, daisy-dukin', former-homosexualin’ lawmaker from Broken Arrow.
He decided to cosplay as a woke, outraged virtue signaler and let his followers know about this innocuous crisis:
Yep, the right-wing, bigoted Oklahoma lawmaker isn’t going to eat at Braum’s anymore because – unbeknownst to Braum’s – the company’s logo appeared on an ad for a Pride event.
If that gets him fired up, just wait until he finds out Braum’s also sells Mexican ice cream.
Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if he and his lawmaker buddies draft a resolution tomorrow calling for ICE to round up all the Braum’s dairy stores and ship them to El Salvador — but only after they seize all the ice cream.
After Woolley’s tweet gained traction, people who understand how marketing works pointed out that the logo placement was likely part of a general Live on the Plaza sponsorship package. And even though it shouldn’t matter either way, it wasn’t some targeted drag show sponsorship.
In response, Woolley grabbed his magnifying glass and, like Sherlock Holmes pretending not to notice Watson’s erection, went to work investigating things further. Within minutes, he found the “evidence” he needed:
Really? That’s it? Even the love child of Sally Kern and Anita Bryant would roll their eyes at that! If Woolley truly wanted to expose Braum’s for supporting the gay drag show agenda or whatever, he could’ve just pointed out they serve rainbow sherbet!
Anyway, I know I’m not a formerly gay, homophobic lawmaker from Broken Arrow whose only real claim to fame – outside of being formerly gay – is being involved in some weird, out-of-left-field custody dispute with OKDHS that involves fringe religious folks, murder and abuse allegations… but, once again, this feels like an overreaction from the Oklahoma homophobia social outrage chamber.
Gabe and pals should probably consult the Social Outrage Boycott Grid™ — a helpful visual guide I created for whenever I need to decide whether to boycott a business based on politics, opinions, and prejudice.
Just plot your Anger & Outrage on the Y-axis and the brand’s Service & Quality on the X. If it lands in the red, boycott. If it’s in the yellow, enjoy your food. If it’s in the gray, it’s your dumb decision. Enjoy!
Isn’t that handy and totally worth a $6 monthly subscription? I sure think so!
Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see if Gabe’s boycott takes off, and – as a result – the Braum’s customers in Broken Arrow get shorter drive-thru lines. We’ll continue to monitor this culture war meltdown and provide updates if needed. Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
