Here it is, for what it’s worth, which isn’t much. I guess if you can truly convince yourself that Hotze’s endorsement wasn’t about Annise Parker’s sexuality, you can believe it’s okay to accept it. I don’t know what there is to say about this that hasn’t already been said, so let me just refer you to a press release from State Rep. Garnet Coleman that calls on Locke to repudiate Hotze and leave it at that. Click on to read it.
Hotze, Blakemore and their Work in Houston
You may have heard about the latest round of attacks in the mayoral race by Dr. Steven Hotze and his political operative Allen Blakemore. I cannot believe that Gene Locke would associate himself with Hotze, Blakemore and other peddlers of hateful bigotry in Houston.
I’ve known Gene a long time, and I believe him when he says he’s not trying to be divisive. However, it’s important to see the kind of filth that has come from the people behind the latest attacks in the mayoral race. Blakemore’ hate mongering campaign tactics have been widespread in our city and no candidate for office should associate themselves with him. People need to know about the kind of divisive, bigoted filth that has been developed by Allen Blakemore, and know he’s behind these new attacks.
In the run up to the November 2008 elections, Allan Blakemore sent out a direct mail piece attacking a white Democratic state House candidate with darkened and ominous images attempting to evoke a response of fear and hate. Images of black and Hispanic lawmakers (including myself, Rep. Harold Dutton, Senator Mario Gallegos and President Barack Obama), several black birds resembling crows surrounded a darkened black and white picture of the Anglo Democratic candidate. The tag lines read: “Birds of a feather flock together” and “Bad Company Corrupts Good Character” (see images & article below). The same controversial direct mail piece was used in 2003 against then City Council candidate MJ Khan. Both times, the pieces were roundly denounced by various individuals and groups as racebaiting.
Year after year, Hotze and his consultant Blakemore resort to the lowest forms of hate-based campaigning. I have great respect for Gene, who has spent decades fighting against these types of divisive, hateful attacks. However, he needs to disassociate himself immediately with the likes of Steven Hotze and Allen Blakemore.
Click here to view a pdf of the piece, or scroll down. The 2008 piece featured darkened black and white photographs of Democratic candidate Joel Redmond, State Senator Mario Gallegos, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Representatives Harold Dutton and Mario Gallegos, and President Barack Obama.
The 2003 piece featured darkened black and white photographs of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, former Congressman Craig T. Washington, former Councilman Ernest McGowen, State Rep. Sylvester Turner and former Councilman Gordon Quan.
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The reality of this is that Steven Hotze does represent a percentage of Houstonians who are, sadly, homophobic but also extremely conservative and don’t think for one minute that their votes are not important because they are and politicians aren’t running to make political statements but merely to win. Another sad reality.
If this homophobia was the basis of the endorsement, Steven Hotze would have endorsed Annise Parker based on her commitment not to use to mayor’s office to further equality for all. Gene Locke’s commitment is that he will do just that. Steven Hotze in fact wanted Gene Locke to promise not to. In writing. Steven Hotze likes these little “pledges” to wave around if need be. Gene Locke refused to do so. Steven Hotze endorsed him just the same.
I wasn’t planning to vote for either candidate mainly because of their involvement in the “gentrification” of Fourth Ward and the misuse of public funds by Houston Renaissance which I might add Garnet Coleman turned his head to as did so many others including Sheila Jackson Lee.
This “if you vote for Gene Locke you are a homophobe” approach by Annise Parker and her supporters however convinced me to vote for Gene Locke.
Good lord “Baby Snooks,” you really had to twist yourself in knots to make that sound like logical reasoning.
The bottom line is this – Gene is not a bigot but Gene knows that he has to convince bigots to vote for him to win so he’ll happily embrace the Hotze endorsement even though it is rooted in bigotry. The sad thing is, in his quest to win, Gene has left his self-respect at the door.
He knows that Hotze’s followers would normally refuse to vote for a black man simply because he’s black but since they hate gays more than they hate ethnic minorities, they’re willing to hold their noses. In other words, Gene is saying, “I know you think I’m a lesser human being than you but since you think she’s a lesser human being than me, I’m willing to look the other way.”
It was a test of Gene’s character. I like Gene a lot but this time he failed the test.
In other words, Gene is saying, “I know you think I’m a lesser human being than you but since you think she’s a lesser human being than me, I’m willing to look the other way.”
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What absolute garbage. He is not saying that at all but there are quite a few who will believe it I’m sure.
Thia is analogous to a white candidate, running against an African American candidate (or a Jewish candidate frankly) and, after the white candidate receives the endorsement of the local KKK, that candidate claiming that it wasn’t about race.
I am tired of apologizing for bigotry just because someone says their religion and faith tells them to be a bigot. Remember that racism, slavery and segregation were, in one form or another, defended at various points in our history by claiming that the Bible condoned such behavior. Just because a portion of the Houston electorate are bigots doesn’t mean that either legitimate candidate should placate these people. They should be singled out for what they are.
ARP….very well said. Thank you.
I doubt seriously the KKK would endorse a white man who supported civil rights for blacks. Or Jews. Or gays. Let’s concentrate on gays. Gene Locke is on the record. So is Annise Parker. Let’s talk commitment to the mayor stepping up the plate to expand “gay rights” in the City of Houston. Gene Locke will. Annise Parker will not.
That’s where your argument falls apart.
There are a growing number of people are fed up with being told if they vote for Gene Locke they are homophobes. Suffice it to say there are lots of homosexual homophobes out there voting for Gene Locke along with the heterosexual homphobes.
I am not saying that if you vote for Locke, you are a homophobe. I am simply saying that neither candidate should accept, or even be seen to accept, the support of a a known homophobe.
Locke should publicly and officially reject the support of Hotze and distance himself from this bigot. Locke’s actions (accepting the endorsement and essentially finding an excuse Hotze’s support) essentially raises the stature in our local political culture of a man who deserves no such honor.
The fact that Locke continues to refuse to distance himself from Hotze tells me that he ether lacks the judgment to understand the full ramifications of his actions or that Locke really isn’t as interested in full equality as he says he is.
Do you think these ministers Bill White just pandered to are not homophobes? They are. You know it. I know it. Okay for him to pander because you want him to be governor. Not okay for Gene Locke to pander because you don’t want him to be mayor. The Chronicle is now claiming Andrews & Kurth was given a D rating on diversity in 2007. According to the list of acknowledgements on the Andrews & Kurth website, Andrews & Kurth was given an A rating on diversity in 2007. I’ll trust Andrews & Kurth before I will trust the Chronicle. Which as always is twisting truth in the name of journalism and giving even tabloid journalism a bad name.
The mayor has to work with all Houstonians. Not just some. Annise Parker has made it clear she will not work with some. Gene Locke has made it clear he will work with all. And you know what? Maybe by working with Steven Hotze we will see a little change in Steven Hotze. We already have. He had to put that homophobia aside to some degree to endorse Gene Locke. He wanted Gene Locke to sign a pledge not to use the office of mayor to extend “gay rights” and Gene Locke refused. Gene Locke must be the first candidate for public office who refused to sign his pledge. That in itself has shocked quite a few of the people he represents. There are quite a few. Some say 20,000. Some say 30,000. Not sure what the figures are with regard to our adult population but obviously he represents perhaps 10%. And Annise Parker has basically said they have no place at City Hall. Well, sorry, but they do. That is what democracy is all about.
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