Open letter to author of anonymous emails

Recently, I was notified by my pastor that Lowndes Funeral Home had received an email about a member of Fairview Baptist Church, which happened to be me. The letter said “the deacons and members of my Sunday School class” had requested me to leave Fairview Baptist Church because of my racist views about our city government operations. That was news to him, because my Sunday school has not met since March in person, and my name had not been brought up at any deacons meeting. The email — and multiple others that followed — was sent from an anonymous, untraceable email address and appears to be an effort to cause trouble for me at my own church. In addition to calling me racist, the emails criticize my intelligence, suggest my church no longer wants me and say I make fun of others.

If my fellow members at Fairview had sent it they would share their name because that’s the kind of Christians they are, and they are not cowards. “Love God, Love People” is our motto. The email also suggested my late mother was upset by my letters to the editor and that she thought I was a racist. Shame on you. The nursing home always shared my letters with her. It made her day knowing I cared about our civic affairs in Columbus.

I don’t know your identity but God does know. He also knows my heart. I will not be bullied or insulted by your racial innuendos and accusations. My criticism of the city’s operation will continue because this is my home. I’ve paid for my home, I have paid my taxes and God has blessed me. Through hard work and good health I have lived the American dream. Racism has not been in my vocabulary. The emails have been so full of mistakes, misspelling and out right exaggerations of my letters, no wonder you want to stay anonymous. I know the author of these emails reads The Dispatch. Attacking my character and name is not going to work. I will continue to express my thoughts about civic issues. Transparency, open honest government and accountability is all I want. If that is racism then we have a real problem. I just wish my dear mother was alive to read this. She would be proud of me.

“Love God, love people.”

God bless America,

Lee Roy Lollar

Columbus

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.