Noel Freedman, president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus released the following statement regarding Keryl Douglas campaign’s gay-bashing campaign email:
With another election cycle comes another candidate who has nothing to offer the electorate than an attempt to sway voters by spouting forth hateful, bigoted rhetoric against the GLBT community. Given the progress toward equality that has been made in Harris County over the past 50 years, it is remarkable that someone running for chair of the Harris County Democratic Party would honestly believe that bigotry is an effective means of campaigning.
Despite the fact that Douglas attempted to portray her hateful message as coming from a group of African-American ministers, a digital analysis of the message easily revealed undisputable proof that the message did, in fact, originate directly from the Keryl Douglas campaign. Any claims to the contrary are simply false.
Coming on the heels of a revelation that right-wing social conservative groups have developed a mission to drive a wedge between the GLBT and African-American communities, this message of bigotry is particularly disappointing, especially when her campaign has made a point to attack Reverend Bill Lawson and Howard Jefferson. Both of these gentlemen are revered stalwarts of the African-American community and recognize the value in electing the best people to office, regardless of which community they may identify with. Her decision to attack them demonstrates her disdain for spiritual and political leaders in the African-American community who believe equality should be sought and celebrated.
In the 1970’s, when the GLBT community was being constantly persecuted, attacked, and criminalized, it was the African-American community and leaders like Judson Robinson, Sr. who stood with us and defended us because they recognized that hatred and bigotry against ANY community is an affront to EVERY community. We are proud of the relationships we have with African-American leaders and with the African-American community as a whole, because we all recognize that our communities are not exclusive of one another.
It is right and just for us to stand up together against hatred and prejudice wherever it may be found, and we will not allow a gay-bashing candidate like Keryl Douglas to denigrate and insult the entire African-American and GLBT communities. Her message only serves as further evidence that the Caucus, along with many African-American leaders indeed made the correct choice in endorsing Lane Lewis for Chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party.
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