What an exciting time to live in Oklahoma. New museums, parades, supportive celebrities. It's good to see Oklahomans coming together to take pride in our state.
It's really rare to see Oklahoma mentioned in a national light in a positive way. I mean, even four years ago, I remember meeting people from Washington, D.C. that asked me if I drove a car or rode a horse to school. Really, it happened.
In the past few weeks, I've read about famous Oklahomans and the history of our state flag. There have been features on Oklahoma landmarks and traditions. One of my favorite exhibits is the one that features Oklahomans that are almost 100 years old or older. It's neat to hear from people who are literally older than our state.
Some Oklahomans, though, are wondering how much all these celebrations are costing our state. I've heard several people complain about the amount of attention the centennial is getting. They worry about all the "centennial" events that their tax money is going to pay for.
One legislator, Representative Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City, requested that exact costs for each project be presented to the public back in August, before a majority of the larger events had taken place. He questioned the type of events getting centennial approval as well. At that time, the centennial was still working on putting together information.
And while we should definitely make sure taxpayers' money is well spent, I think it's okay to splurge every once in a while. This is a milestone for our state. And whether you're an Oklahoma fan or not, it's still home to us, at least for now. I hope people learn something about our history or get out and participate in at least one centennial event. Everyone's admission has already been paid through taxes anyway.
As a history lover, I plan on driving to Guthrie, Oklahoma's first state capital, to see a re-enactment of the statehood announcement at 9:16 a.m. I'll even eat the same food Oklahomans did 100 years ago of smoked beef, a slice of bread and a pickle at the picnic at 1 p.m. Maybe I can even make it to the ballpark later that evening for fireworks.
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