Rebuts claims of racially-motivated letters
In Tuesday’s paper Mrs. Latham-Harris of the NAACP appeared to insinuate that I am a racist because I stay on top of city issues.
I started going to the city council meetings about 10 years ago and attend regularly. I voted for Robert Smith the last two elections. My wife and I gave him campaign donations in 2017. Robert worked with us when the school board was trying to raise our taxes by six mills when they were flush with cash. I watched the school board at that time disrespect him at the meeting in a terrible way. In 2013 the Mayor brought in J5 at the council and said they were going to get public works under control and found a million dollars of waste. After the February 2019 tornado Jabari Edwards came to the meeting and addressed the council like he owned them. I did not appreciate the way the citizens of Columbus of all races had to suffer through 45 days of no clean up of debris. Does that make me a racist?
Mrs. Latham-Harris also stated I made the racist statement that Rep. Karriem and D.A. Colom “want to bring our folks back home” concerning prison. If she would look at the January 21, 2020 edition of The Dispatch she will find I took those remarkably racist words from Rep. Karriem’s quote. Not my words but his. She also stated I assumed all people in prison are black. Since 2010 I have pressed charges against six repeat offenders resulting in jail time for crimes. All were white. Does that make me a racist?
The bottom line here is she and the coward who sent me an unsigned letter also accusing me of being racist must really like my research on the city because they want me to do the same for the county. I have not followed county politics much and have never attended a board meeting. I have never met Harry Sanders, Leroy Brooks or Jeff Smith. I met John Holliman and Trip Hairston last fall. Mrs. Latham-Harris writes a good letter and has full access to Mr. Brooks, so I think if she wants it looked into, she should have at it. Does that make me a racist?
I have black and white friends and I want the best leadership for Columbus regardless of race. I vote Republican most of the time, and I supported Dr. Ben Carson for president when the race started. Does that make me a racist?
Jabari Edwards is a diamond lifetime member of the NAACP, so I assume Mrs. Latham-Harris will take up for him without knowing the facts or knowing my heart. Does
that make me a racist?
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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