Norman Senator condemns racist graffiti; calls for civility

State Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, issued the following statement in the wake of racist graffiti discovered Wednesday at three locations in Norman, including the Cleveland County Democratic Headquarters, McKinley Elementary School and the Firehouse Art Center.

“This is a call for civility, whether in day-to-day life or on social media. People can disagree but still treat one another with respect. I don’t believe these hateful words and images represent the vast majority of people in my hometown of Norman, and I don’t believe they reflect the values of our state as a whole. I stand with others in our community who have condemned what happened here in Norman.

“We all have friends and family whom we love but might occasionally disagree—let’s treat all our fellow citizens with whom we might disagree with the same kindness and respect we would appreciate, and that we afford those we love.”