Oklahoma Governor Lends Helping Hand in Flaming Lips Flap

wenn.com

The Associated Press reports that Oklahoma governor Brad Henry is signing an executive order proclaiming the 2002 Flaming Lips hit "Do You Realize??" the official rock song of Oklahoma, after a conservative contingent in the state legislature tried to block the effort.

The song initially won the honor after earning more than half of the 21,000 votes cast by Oklahomans in an online poll. However, while the majority of the Oklahoma House members approved the motion to make it official, some conservative officials balked, claiming to be "offended" by the band's clothing and language.

Rep. Corey Holland [R-Marlow] said he was angered that Lips bassist Michael Ivins wore a T-shirt bearing a hammer-and-sickle emblem during a visit to the Oklahoma state Capitol in March.Rep.

Mike Reynolds [R-Oklahoma City], meanwhile, complained that the group's lead singer, Wayne Coyne, had once used an expletive at an event.

Holland and Reynolds' complaints managed to raise enough votes to block the resolution from passing.

Characterizing the political opposition as "a little minority of some small-minded religious wackos who think they can tell people what kind of T-shirts and what kind of music they can listen to," Coyne praised Governor Henry's decision to intervene via executive order.

"I think the governor is very cool, how he's come to our rescue, Coyne—who formed the group in Norman, Oklahoma in 1983—noted.

Let's share in the victory by watching a video of the Flaming Lips performing "Do You Realize??" on The Late Show With David Letterman.