April 8, 2021

The Honorable Jim Olsen
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 340
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105

Dear Representative Olsen,

I am writing to express my disappointment and dismay at your comments on April 7, 2021, regarding your comparing your fight to outlaw abortion to preferring slavery. It is an outrage that in 2021 any person, let alone a lawmaker, would make an insensitive reference to the disgraceful act of owning human property to argue a point. This is unacceptable and not how to represent Oklahoma. We are better than this, and your constituents deserve better.

When elected, you swore an oath to represent all Oklahomans, including Black and Brown. The language used in the Public Health Committee meeting is divisive, dangerous, and suppressive to marginalized communities, especially during a time of racial upheaval across our country.

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is demanding a public apology for the use of racist language during the committee meeting and requests that you seek diversity and inclusion training to understand better why your comments are demeaning and hurtful. We hope that you will reflect on your comments and do the right thing by apologizing for your disgraceful remarks for the good of all Oklahomans.

Sincerely,

Alicia Andrews
Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair