“It doesn’t matter who wrote the letter. But, the letter is full of misinformation. In my day we called it lies … I am many things: an educator, a pastor, and a husband. I grew up here in Portsmouth and I grew up as a scared closeted teenager hearing people use the typical slurs for gay men. I also heard people talk about the gay agenda. In that agenda, us gay men were supposedly hiding in the darkness trying to lure young boys and men into our evil cult. That is ridiculous …
“I’m sick of it. I don’t care who wrote it. I don’t care who distributed it. But we need to start speaking against this kind of hate and these kind of narratives or its going to produce more hate, more fear, and more violence.”
– Bennie Blevins Portsmouth Welcoming Community member and Community of Christ Pastor, Remarks to City Council on October 25
I must disagree with the courageous Pastor Blevins. He says “it doesn't matter” who wrote the letter, and he “doesn't care” who did. I believe very strongly that it does “matter” and I “care” about the identity of the author(s) of this anonymous letter.
Distributing such a piece of negative propaganda unsigned is cowardly. The author(s) lack the integrity to identify themselves while distributing their hateful narrative as a vehicle to influence votes and to propagate fear and loathing of both the candidates and those with views unlike themselves. They should be ashamed of their underhandedness.
Even though the Supreme Court of the United States in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, 514 U.S. 334 (1995) held that an Ohio statute prohibiting anonymous campaign literature is unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (which protects the freedom of speech), this local letter has wrongfully injected race and religion and hate into the campaign, making this campaign ugly when it didn't need to be.
Now, I can use my same freedom of speech to say that sitting on the fence about such hypocrisy enables further wrongdoing and emboldens the very people who intend to use the present political divide to further their political agendas. I call such actions unconscionable. I believe knowing the identity of the author(s) is absolutely necessary.
I commend you, Pastor Blevins for speaking out against this letter. On behalf of the community, allow me to thank you for your work. I wish more clergymen would publicly enter the fray and represent for equality. Again, you are a brave man.
Pastor Blevins, you have your opinion; however, I truly believe identification does matter – not only for verification of the evil content of such distorted views, but also for the missing authorship – the identity of the writer(s) and distributor(s) – who sponsor such political aversion. At the risk of being cliché, I'll use the old National Enquirer catchphrase – “Enquiring Minds Want to Know.” Indeed, we, the public, deserves to know.
The Letter And the Hubbub
Our local paper wrote …
“Last week, a now infamous letter went out to residents living in Portsmouth’s 3rd and 5th Wards. In the letter, an author who is identified only as the “concerned citizens of Portsmouth,” urged voters to cast their ballots for candidates Gary Jenkins and Joey Sandlin as a way to oppose “City Council’s radical agenda.”
“The letter specifically targeted First Ward Councilman Sean Dunne – who is running unopposed – as well as Fifth Ward Councilman Edwin Martell (who is running against Joey Sandlin). The letter states that council, led by Dunne and Martell, have taken Portsmouth in a “confusing and dangerous direction” by supporting the decriminalization of marijuana, enacting anti-discrimination legislation, and leading the charge to have Portsmouth recognized as an All-American City by the National Civic League.
“ The letter stated the anti-discrimination legislation, which prohibits discrimination dealing with housing and employment, will “result in … unhealthy and dangerous gender confusion in young children…(and) also place local girls at direct risk of sexual assault.”
(Derrick C. Parker. “Dunne condemns infamous letter.” Portsmouth Daily Times. October 26, 2021.)
Portsmouth City Council candidates Gary Jenkins and Joey Sandlin have publicly stated they had no involvement with the letter.
Councilman Dunne responded:
“We should stress, as a community, we are not stupid – and this letter was void of all intellect. We are not cowards – and not being able to put your name to something is pure cowardice. I want to stress that. I condemn the cowards that are behind this. I condemn the cowards that have stayed silent about it. And we should use this as a way to congratulate all those that have moved our community forward in a variety different way. Let’s not give attention to those that are here to troll, attack, and be toxic.”
What the Letter Said
The Scioto County Daily News pointed out gross inconsistencies in the letter.
For example, the writer(s) of the letter called out First Ward Councilman Sean Dunne and Fifth Ward Councilman Edwin Martell and accused them of taking advantage of the COVID crisis to sneak the legislation through. The writer claims “the legislation is part of larger agenda that is hostile to religious freedom and will lead to gender-neutral showers and put girls at higher risk of sexual assault”
Such alarmist views are attempt to exploit and manipulate white voters’ fears of a changing cultural landscape, and these ideas have exploded across the country. For, example the right-wing “critical race theory” political charade has people in an uproar over a nonexistent threat. Such absurd claims of a “larger agenda” are absurd statements that would have the public believe liberalism is a Trojan horse for Socialism.
The letter smacks of discrimination. With increasing frequency, we are seeing individuals and institutions claiming a right to discriminate – by refusing to provide services to women and LGBT people – based on religious objections.
Transgender people, especially transgender women and girls of color, are among the most vulnerable populations in the United States. People like Terry Schilling, who runs the American Principles Project in Virginia, wants to make transgender rights a “kitchen table issue” in this election. He believes that opposition to transgender rights for young people “should define the Republican Party going forward.”
Campaigning against the rights of transgender people – especially transgender children and youth – should be seen for what it is: hateful, bigoted, and wrong. Don’t fall for it.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that everyone in the United States has the right to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all. It covers all people equally – Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, and atheists. Religious freedom preserves America’s diversity, where people of different faiths, worldviews, and beliefs can peacefully live together without fear of punishment from the government. Efforts to repress religious freedom are not just attacks on individual liberty and human dignity, but on the very foundation that has made America strong.
In an attempt to refute the information in the letter, reporter Cyn Mackley said that “state and federal laws already prohibit discrimination in the workplace or housing issues based on sexual orientation. Federal and state laws against marijuana possession would have taken precedence over any local ordinance.
(Cyn Mackley. “Letter Causes Firestorm of Controversy.” Scioto County Daily News. October 22, 2021.)
It appears Mackley is somewhat right about her information on sexual orientation. According to the Ohio State Bar Association, Federal law now unequivocally prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on an employee’s LGBTQ+ identity. Ohio civil rights law typically follows federal Title VII precedent Local municipalities in Ohio have also passed legislation protecting LGBTQ+ rights, to varying degrees.
(Susan Keating Anderson and Patrick O. Peters. “LGBTQ+ Rights in Ohio: A Changing Landscape in the Workplace.” Ohio State Bar Association. June 30, 2020.)
Therefore, the Ohio Civil Rights Act protects Ohio workers on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, age and military status.
But … and it's a Big But …
“Ohio courts have not yet interpreted this statutory protection as extending to sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, one Ohio appellate court has stated: “Sexual orientation is noticeably not included in the list of prohibitions enumerated in R.C. 4112.02(A) . . . We decline to interpret R.C. 4112.02 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. We conclude that the protections of R.C. 4112.02(A) do not extend to discrimination based on sexual orientation.”
(Tenney v. GE, 11th Dist. Trumbull No. 2001-T-0035, 2002-Ohio-2975, ¶ 17-18; (also see Burns v. Ohio State Univ. College of Veterinary Medicine, 10th Dist. Franklin No. 13AP-633, 2014-Ohio-1190, ¶ 13 “Appellant refers to R.C. Chapter 4112 and Title VII as demonstrating a public policy prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation; however, . . . courts have held that these statutory provisions do not apply to sexual orientation.”
The Ohio Fairness Act is a very simple bill that basically adds sexual orientation and gender identity to those already protected classes in the Ohio Revised Code. This version of the bill adds those items – gender identity, sexual orientation – to the definition of sex that's already a protected class in the State of Ohio. It remains a much-needed piece of legislation in the state.
Mackley also said the writer criticized Martell and Dunne for working to have Portsmouth recognized with the All America City award by the National Civic League. The writer accused the NCL of a radical progressive agenda that will eventually “introduce divisive racial and other quotas in all city hiring and contracts, as well as give city government enormous unilateral power over local businesses and institutions.”
(Cyn Mackley. “Letter Causes Firestorm of Controversy.” Scioto County Daily News. October 22, 2021.)
In truth, Portsmouth received the award in 2020 and 1980 and the nomination was widely supported by politicians from all parties. Portsmouth was chosen as an All-American city in 2020. The award, given to 10 communities each year, celebrates and recognizes neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties, tribes and regions that engage residents in innovative, inclusive and effective efforts to tackle critical challenges.
In a Facebook post, the organization said Portsmouth’s virtual presentation was “incredible.” As part of Portsmouth’s submission, they discussed addressing the opioid epidemic and adding community centered events to boost morale.
In support of the award, the National Civic League wrote: “Several studies have shown that countries with greater public trust, equity and social capital have had fewer deaths from COVID-19. These are three ingredients of civic capital, a community’s capacity to solve problems and thrive. Civic Capital is a key factor not only for community health, but for most quality of life measures we care about.
(“Is Civic Capital the Key to Combating Coronaviruses?” National Civic League. October 1, 2021.)
And,, Mackley reported: “The writer went on to say 'The current City Council’s radical agenda will inevitably produce increasing and deepening social divisions. Its push for racial equity and the implementation of the Discrimination Prohibited ordinance will result in Cancel Culture, gender confusion, and viewpoint discrimination, the same kind now occurring in left-dominated cities, states, and school districts around the country. The end result will inevitably be the kind of civic breakdown we have seen in numerous cities, including Portland, San Francisco, and Minneapolis.”
(Cyn Mackley. “Letter Causes Firestorm of Controversy.” Scioto County Daily News. October 22, 2021.)
Many unfounded conclusions in the letter – statements made with volatile language and culture war codewords – spread untruths and create division.
First of all, Scioto County is decidedly un-dominated by the left and overwhemingly Republican. In the 2020 Election, Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence tallied almost three times as many votes in conservative Scioto County as Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Republicans also scored substantial victories in both the 2nd and 6th Congressional District for Representative to Congress, State Representative, County Commissioner, Prosecuting Attorney, and County Sheriff. That's about as conservative as an area can get.
Cancel culture – the phenomenon of promoting the “canceling” of people, brands and even shows and movies due to what some consider to be offensive or problematic remarks or ideologies – isn’t all that new.
Danielle Kurtzleben, political correspondent assigned to National Public Radio's Washington Desk, says …
“The phrase (“cancel culture”) is so pervasive that it's arguably background noise in American politics now – just part of the wallpaper, a pair of words you might easily (or, depending on your feelings, happily) breeze past every day without paying it any attention.
“Republicans have for a long time used the phrase "cancel culture" to criticize the left. But lately, they have seized on it particularly aggressively.
“Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan used it to defend his fellow Republican, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, as she was stripped of her House committee assignments following her support of conspiracy theories including QAnon, as well as racist social media posts.
"'Everyone has said things they wish they didn't say. Everyone has done things they wish they didn't do,' Jordan said. 'So who's next? Who will the cancel culture attack next?'"
(Danielle Kurtzleben. “When Republicans Attack 'Cancel Culture,' What Does It Mean?” National Public Radio. February 10, 2021.)
In about half a decade, the phrase “cancel culture” has gone from its slang origins to being laden with partisan political baggage. And the recent GOP fixation on cancel culture is, for some, a sign of a party that has strayed from its core tenets …
Kurtzleben reports that "cancel," "woke" and "political correctness" all also happen to be phrases that can be (and have been) used to sincerely debate the best way for a society to be inclusive. But that also is perhaps what made them so easily weaponizable: those original usages imply that there are ideas or words that are not inclusive — that for discourse be inclusive, some speech has to be excluded.
Much Ado?
In conclusion, of course, I'm concerned with the evident feedback against a progressive movement in Scioto County. Many skilled and concerned individuals have been working to establish changes here. Without their efforts, stagnation would continue to choke our communities and division would stifle upward movement. Most area residents are so accustomed to fighting changes that they grumble, doubt, and even fear the evident realities they face. Most troubling is the resistance to equality and justice. Conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated threats are roadblocks to a better future.
Yet, if you believe in a particular agenda – especially one supported largely by emotion and hearsay – at least claim your stand and use your name to identify your participation. Individualism, self-reliance, and pride are characteristics most often associated with Appalachian people. Even though we may feel isolated in our rural environment, we should not sacrifice our good values with deceit and anonymity.
If your upbringing was like mine, you take great pride in “being raised right.” That raising continues until your last breath, and if I've learned any wisdom from aging, it's that being open and receptive to change is paramount for honest living. May God continue to bless those who enable a better world.
A Litany for Survival
By Audre Lorde
For those of us who live at the shoreline
standing
upon the constant edges of decision
crucial and alone
for those
of us who cannot indulge
the passing dreams of choice
who love
in doorways coming and going
in the hours between dawns
looking
inward and outward
at once before and after
seeking a now that
can breed
futures
like bread in our children’s mouths
so
their dreams will not reflect
the death of ours;
For
those of us
who were imprinted with fear
like a faint line in
the center of our foreheads
learning to be afraid with our
mother’s milk
for by this weapon
this illusion of some safety
to be found
the heavy-footed hoped to silence us
For all of
us
this instant and this triumph
We were never meant to
survive.
And when the sun rises we are afraid
it
might not remain
when the sun sets we are afraid
it might not
rise in the morning
when our stomachs are full we are afraid
of
indigestion
when our stomachs are empty we are afraid
we may
never eat again
when we are loved we are afraid
love will
vanish
when we are alone we are afraid
love will never
return
and when we speak we are afraid
our words will not be
heard
nor welcomed
but when we are silent
we are still
afraid
So it is better to speak
remembering
we
were never meant to survive.
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