As the national and local media spend all their time and energy covering the latest Middle Eastern war distraction, I thought it would be important to focus on the truly important things that matter – turnpike names.
Last week, KFOR’s Spencer Humphrey filed a report about the decision by lawmakers to name the controversial Moore/Norman turnpike after Toby Keith, a man who vehemently opposed the project.
Via KFOR:
Some Norman residents are upset after state lawmakers passed a resolution naming a controversial planned turnpike after the late country music star Toby Keith, because they say Keith was a vocal opponent of the project and argue naming it after him feels like a slap in the face.
Lawmakers who wrote the resolution say they got permission from Keith’s family and thought it would be a fitting honor for such an influential Oklahoman.
Man, not to be judgy here, but Keith’s family isn’t doing a very good job honoring their late father’s wishes! First they pull the plug on the Sellout Crowd, now they’re letting lawmakers name the turnpike Dad hated after him. What’s next? No more beer for his horses?
Seriously, if you really want to honor Toby Keith, name something after him that has to do with OU football, the U.S. military, or alcohol consumption. Don’t pick something he hated!
Here’s how the dumb lawmaker who thought up the proposal justified it:
“Toby Keith was – without question – Oklahoma’s greatest country and western star,” State Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, said during a Senate hearing for the resolution this week. “He’s the kind of musician who never tried to separate his music from who he was…”
Hey lady, if he never tried to separate his music from who he was, then I’m guessing he wouldn’t want his name slapped on a road he publicly opposed. In fact, I’m pretty sure if Keith were alive today, his new album singles would be “F U OTA,” “Drinking With Eminent Domain,” and “Take This Toll and Shove It.”
Some turnpike opponents would agree:
“I was a little shocked,” Dave Moore said. “I believe the people of Norman are offended. This is almost a slap in the face.”
Moore said it was well known around Norman that Toby Keith was not a fan of OTA’s Access Oklahoma plan.
“He was very much opposed to the toll roads and the whole idea of turnpikes in Norman and in Cleveland County in general,” Moore said.
News 4 shot video of Keith’s Norman property in 2022 as he allowed activists with the group Pike Off OTA to put up a massive sign opposing the turnpikes.
Keith was also among the people who signed on to a lawsuit challenging Access Oklahoma’s legality.
“Toby Covel — that’s his given name,” Moore said while pointing to Toby Keith’s legal name on the lawsuit’s initial filing. “And I’m like… wait, Toby Covel? I know who Toby Covel is that signed on to the lawsuit. That’s pretty cool.”
That is pretty cool! Know what’s not cool? Naming that very same turnpike after him!
But Toby’s family is fine with it, so everyone probably shouldn’t care:
“After several meetings with his family, they — along with many others, including myself — believe this is a fitting way to memorialize an individual who meant so much to so many,” State Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore, said at a House of Representatives hearing over the resolution.
I don’t know about you, but when it takes several meetings to convince people to name a turnpike after their late father, maybe there are better candidates out there. You know, like someone who actually wanted a turnpike. I know that person is hard to find, but I assume they’re out there.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
