Oklahoma Delegation supports military parade in D.C.

On the order of President Donald Trump, Washington, D.C. Saturday will host the largest military parade in the U.S. since 1991, when the nation celebrated the success of the U.S.-led Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. Tomorrow's parade falls on President Trump's 79th birthday, but the administration says that is only a coincidence and that the parade intends to celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army. The parade is expected to cost about $45 million, including the cost of making repairs to the expected street damage. Many Americans say they are uncomfortable with such a militaristic spectacle, but the Oklahoma congressional delegation is in full support. Here are some comments from Senators James Lankford and Markwayne Mullin this week:

CAMERON: How do you feel about Saturday's parade?

LANKFORD: This is the kickoff to America's 250th birthday. It's the 250th birthday of the Army and then, by the time we get to July the 4th next year, it's the it's the 250th birthday of the country and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. So this really begins a one year celebration of the freedom that we enjoy as a country. And so it's a good kickoff for us to be able to have this parade, to be able to have the recognition. But there'll be so many events that happened over the next year. Now, as the country stops and pauses and says, how precious is this democracy, this republic that we have in our Constitution, the beginning point of it to be able to say, how do we allow all people to be represented, to be able to be heard and to be able to just focus on what we have and how important it is that we maintain this freedom that we have, as Ronald Reagan was famous for saying, is not passed on in our bloodline. Every single generation has to speak out and be able to protect our freedoms. It's on our generation to continue to be able to protect those freedoms, but also to pause for a moment for a year and to be able to celebrate it as well.

CAMERON: Some Americans don't approve of such a militaristic spectacle and view parades like this as something that's done in places like China and Russia. What do you say to those people?

LANKFORD: So, I would say to folks, they should come to Midwest City on Veterans Day and see the veterans marching through that parade and see military weapons that are actually going down the street in the celebration. It's actually a demonstration for America and a proud moment to say we continue to have a strong military. The United States and American citizens strongly supports our military. We're grateful for the 1% of Americans that actually defend the other 99% of Americans. And so this is a moment to pause and to say thank you. Thank you to the innovators. Thank you for the folks who put their lives on the line. But we do this every Veterans Day. We do this all over the country, and we continue to be able to celebrate and recognize both our innovation and devotion.

CAMERON: President Trump this week warned those that protest tomorrow that they will be met with force. Peaceful protest is fine, right?

MULLIN: If you want to go out there, hold up signs, you want to yell, that's fine. If you want to start throwing stuff and rioting and burning down stuff, that's different, then we're going to go after you and go after you hard.

CAMERON: I know you can't be there for the parade, but you said you'd like to be there.

MULLIN: I think it's exciting. You know what's funny about this? Once again, the left wants to spin this as the president's celebrating his birthday, and I spin it by saying, 'yeah, and I'm also celebrating my anniversary,' but it's also Flag Day, and it's the 250th birthday of the Army. What have they done for this country? Think of the wars that they've that they've won and the sacrifices that have been made. Think about the where we'd be today without them. We should celebrate them. And I'm excited. I really do wish I could be here, but as I've been very public about it, I choose marriage. And, so there's priorities and, as I say all the time: Ours are God, family and everybody else.