Petitioning for Change
One Man’s Quest to re-name his town
Durant, Oklahoma, is home to a lot of things. You can find the “World’s Largest Peanut” there. You’ve got Southeastern Oklahoma State University. And up until July 4 of this year, it also felt like indirect homage to Oklahoma’s brightest young star.
Apparently the thrill is gone.
Never mind the town was never remotely related to the person Kevin Durant. No, it was founded by a man named Dixon Durant — a Choctaw who lived nearby— way back in the 1870s. Like...before Oklahoma was even recognized as a state. Durant has been holding it down for almost 150 years now, which is coincidentally how long it might take for Oklahomans to get over what Kevin did.
All of that makes all of this even more believable — There is currently a petition on Change.org asking to re-name Durant, Oklahoma… To “Westbrook.” As in Russell Westbrook. As in Oklahoma’s favorite son, most prized inhabitant and bringer of joy to all the children. The people are demanding change. Wiping the slate clean of all KD references.
Put together by a mysterious creature known only as “Ryan N.”, the petition is very straight forward in its approach. Via the website itself:
Ladies and gentlemen, the great state of Oklahoma has been betrayed. As many of you know, Kevin Durant has left our state, torn out our hearts, and left our beloved Oklahoma City Thunder in depleted shape. All of this after even being offered a cabinet position for the State of Oklahoma. It is because of this heinous action that I believe the State of Oklahoma has a responsibility to change the name of the City of Durant to Westbrook, the man who is loyal, whom we believe in, and who will lead our team to glory. Yes, it is understood that the city Durant was not named after the evil Kevin Durant, but it is just another hideous reminder of what happened to our community.
You have to love it. Even if it’s just a little bit.
When I found the petition online, it had only picked up two signatures…not getting the job done. But in the last hour, that number has risen to 66 — which I’m sure has already changed by the time you’ll see it. It appears as though there is some steam behind this movement now. Clear off your desk, Mary Fallin. Ryan N. and his change train is coming full steam ahead for you.
All in all — this is a fun, harmless exercise in the off-season and I’m all for it. No disrespect to Dixon Durant or anyone that put work into making the town an inhabitable dwelling, but this is fanship at its finest. And as someone on Twitter suggested, perhaps we can just symbolically change the name whenever Durant and his Warriors visit Oklahoma. That seems reasonable to me.
If you’d like to add your name to the petition, you can do so here.
