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Among the 168 people killed in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City was Raymond Lee Johnson (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma). He was volunteering with the Older Native American Program at the time and was heavily involved in education and other issues important to Native people. Cherokee Ballard was a television news anchor and reporter who covered the aftermath and the subsequent trials. And FBI special agent Walter Lamar was on the scene that day helping rescue survivors. He was also part of the FBI’s investigation into the bombing. We’ll hear stories about how the bombing affected the city with one of the highest percentages of Native citizens in the nation.
GUESTS
Walter Lamar (Blackfeet and Wichita), founder of Lamar Associates and former FBI special agent
Anne Marshall (Muscogee), council representative for the Muscogee Creek Nation
Cherokee Ballard (Cherokee), communications director for the Oklahoma County Clerk and former news anchor and reporter
Break 1 Music: 500 Years O’ Blues (song) Digging Roots (artist) Seeds (album)
Break 2 Music: Rodeo Song [Skip Dance Song] (song) Sweethearts of Navajoland (artist) From the Heart of Diné Nation Traditional Songs of the Navajo (album)
I’m frankly just astounded that you managed to have a conversation about the Oklahoma City bombing in a way that was almost entirely devoid of political context. It was BARELY mentioned that people and the media initially operated on the assumption that the bombing an act of was islamic terrorism. There was NO connection made between the right wing, anti gov’t extremism of Timothy McVeigh in relation to the current administration. No mention of the current director of Trump’s OMB, Russell Vought’s, oft referenced quote about wanting hurt, scare, and demoralize federal workers until they “live in trauma.” No mention of the military militia context of the bombing at all… it’s not like McVeigh was a “lone wolf.” I listen to your show quite often on KUNM. I generally really enjoy it and I often learn a lot. This episode was the true disappointment.