Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, Biden and Trump, you all failed her. The city of Tulsa, you failed her. The state of Oklahoma, you failed her.

Failed her and the other survivors. You are failing and have failed.

One survivor remains as of now, Ms. Lessie Benningfield Randle and she just turned 111 some weeks ago. And each of you keep failing her deliberately.

Our elders have lived a living legacy of 100+ years…the oldest, ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN years on this earth to demand their reparative justice from the atrocity that happened over a century ago that they miraculously survived when she was seven…they all and still are demanded/demanding till their last breath for neither president to sign an executive order or do anything tangible and every single one of you did absolutely NOTHING!

Our elders saw all these presidents and administrations sign EOs and pass bills and make law for monetary justice for so many other groups. Sign EOs for groups that weren’t even oppressed by our government of this land. You help the Holocaust victims and their descendants, you continue to help the native white Americans annually, you are still aiding Japanese-Americans, aiding the foreign country of Ukraine for years now and the list goes on and all the Tulsa survivors got was symbolic tweets and gestures, visits and memos, pictures, plaques — all inconsiderate, inconsequential, performative acts.

It’s not even shameful it’s deplorable. It’s pathetic.

Obama…There’s nothing more miserable than the time he held of not doing anything for Ms. Fletcher, Ms. Randle or Mr. Ellis (who is Ms. Fletcher’s brother).

And it is absolutely nothing more miserable than his social media post to mention her passing. Even his tweet was untethered to reality. That’s on purpose. That tweet was mocking her and her descendants. Nothing of it was honorable and genuine or true mourning of her. She did not simply “share” her story so that we’d never forget it — she retold her lived traumatic, survival experience to be repaired by you and others. Her survival wasn’t some “lifelong work” so you and your spouse can reminisce about it nor was her survival “advancing civil rights” when you didn’t even do right by her. They endured a genocide and to him, he’s treating it like mere entertainment.

Despicable cowardice treachery. It’s profane.

It’s disgusting.

For 111 years, NO ONE did anything for her. It really feels sacrilegious. This elder survived a massacre, endured and survived the aftermath of the massacre when the survivors were forced into concentration/internment camps, wars, pandemics, segregation, tragedies, terrorist attacks (their own over a century ago), disasters and natural disasters and witnessed nonwhite officials hold the highest of office…both a Black African president and a minority “poc” woman VP they lived to see have titles in their country’s highest office…and for over a CENTURY, our country ignored her. Both President Obama and Vice President Harris ignored them. Didn’t even have the courage to acknowledge her until her passing.

She, both the other survivors defied the whole “No one was alive when slavery happened/the massacre happened”. THEY LIVED! The massacre didn’t kill them! They were/are ALL ALIVE!

Everyone who did nothing for them with high political positions…May their soulful spirits be perpetual reminders that torture every single one of you that denied, dismissed and did nothing for them.

RIP-ROARIN' OUTTA TUSLA, OKLAHOMA IN '94.

PICS INFO: Mega spotlight on assorted art print and/or poster designs for American rockabilly/ psychobilly band, THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT, with bands TOADIES and TENDERLOIN supporting, performing live at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, on December 30, 1994. Artwork by Chris "Coop" Cooper.

THE JALOPY JOURNAL: "At some point your art carried over to the hot rod culture. I can’t really remember when or how that transition was made. It just seemed like one day you were every where. How did it all come about?

COOP: "I’m not really sure.. that imagery was always an influence and part of my work, and I think other car guys who were my age, and dug the same stuff, just sorta latched on to it. One of the first pieces of merch that I did for myself was waterslide decals, because I wanted some for my '50 Ford!

One interesting thing about the devil girl stuff; sometimes people ask why I don’t draw angel girls, which I guess would make a certain amount of sense. The truth is, I don’t think of the devil girls as representing one-half of a duality, a good/evil thing. To me, the devil imagery represents hedonism and indulgence, living in the moment, relishing excitement and danger, enjoying what the world has to offer today, instead of living in denial in hopes of a reward in the afterlife. I think that’s one reason why hot rodders and bikers gravitate to these images."

-- THE JALOPY JOURNAL, "Coop," posted by Ryan on August 31, 2007 [filed under: Art & Inspiration]

First shows of the year for me!! A bunch of my friends are playing First Friday in deep ellum at trees and then I'm seeing tx2 at RBC a couple weeks later!! Come hang!!

Song recs for you: