Politics Has Turned Some Oklahomans Against Gary England

If Will Rogers is Oklahoma's favorite son, Gary England is a close second. He was welcomed into our Sooner State homes and the calming voice of reason during most of Oklahoma's darkest moments for forty years before moving towards retirement.

Gary has overseen the modern world of weather forecasting, tornado prediction, early warning systems, and twister technology over the last sixty years.

Get our free mobile app

Doppler radar? Gary England.
The TV corner map with warning and watch information? Gary England
That storm track thing that offers ETAs on a storms arrival? Gary England.
He's even credited with some of the first programs to pop up breaking news and weather information on early internet-age computers.

Fun fact, Gary was the meteorologist in front of the camera and the main driving force behind the very first tornado chase in human history. It all happened live on News9 way back in 1973.

Even though, as a state, we've been bestowed a worthy replacement in David Payne, Gary is still the weather king... or at least he was.

Politics ruin everything.

From the middle looking out, politics on both sides of the spectrum are abysmal. The two sides seem to hate each other entirely based on which candidate they play follower to.

On the one hand, you have the "bleeding heart socialist commie Librals" in a constant war of ideology with "gun-clinging bible-thumping Trumpers"... It's toxic from any direction you look at it. It's also what is dividing our state once again, only the topic is Gary England.

Years and years ago, common nomenclature was that you didn't discuss politics or religion with others. That's how the Silent Generation did things before they discovered Facebook and Instagram ten years after the platforms popularity waned. They were silent about most of their lives, but as they've grown old and practically home-bound, much like the younger generations, social media is the only socializing they get these days.

In the hours since Gary posted this picture, comfortably seated in his walker, proudly declaring his personal political opinion, the comments erupted.

Way to support a man who doesn't belive in funding for weather. ('Bubbles' typo, not mine)

 

Wow, and just like that my respect and admiration for you has plummeted 💔

 

How much better will this world be when this boomer generation finally dies off! I am sorry to say that but it’s the truth!

For the record, Gary England isn't a Boomer. Oh how quickly politics can bring out the worst in humanity.

Understandably, being in the "Reddest State in the Nation," Gary also received plenty of support in his allegiance briefly before the comments on Instagram turned into a slew of anonymous interpersonal paper tiger fights. Like clockwork, Gary suddenly developed the reputation of a homophobic rapist with a propensity for underage girls on Reddit - a response just as typical from that side of the aisle as the instant unwavering support from the other.

I don't think it's political to say this, but keeping your overly-valued personal opinions to yourself - whether you vote red, blue, or purple - is a better way to find commonality with your fellow countrymen. That's how our forefathers did it, but even in the midst of trying to find honor and maturity in the annuls of America's history, they'd probably be stacking the bodies of people who love feet by now.