The Alabama Sheriff caught in a hail storm of media has reluctantly removed his views of homosexuality from the official Marshall County Sheriff's website. The issue came to light when a former resident Don Hunter, came across the letter while doing some research.
In announcing the letter was removed, an unrepentant Holcomb stated,
"This action makes it clear that the views expressed are my personal views and do not represent official policy of the county or the Sheriff's Department."
Sheriff moves letter - still unrepentant
Holcomb told Tolerance.org today, "Why should an elected official not say this?" he said. "The Christian Coalition asks us about it when we're running for office, so why should we stop saying it once we're here?"
The County has received over 4,000 emails reports the local Birmingham news. Some are supportive and others angered by the hate the letter directed at homosexuals. One email that has been under reported in the larger media to date is from members of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team.
Officer.com reported, The sheriff's department says they received an email from several members of the Kansas City Chiefs. They say in the email that the players encourage the Sheriff and pledge their support.
The Kansas City Chief's Organization should be taking action against the players that sent the email. The players actions as stated by PFLAG below, foster an acceptance of hate, especially when those statements are issued by people looked up to in our community.
"He's fostering an environment of contempt; he's breeding hatred toward gay people," said Deborah Little, president of the Montgomery, Ala., chapter of the national Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG.
"If you don't like someone, it can lead to a fist fight first. And then it leads to something worse."Billy Cannon, Marshall County Commission Chairman told The Birmingham News, "We provide that website for all county department heads," Cannon told The Huntsville (Ala.) Times. "It's meant to promote Marshall County, not to get into personal preferences. But it is his right, what he wants to run on it."
Cannon goes onto say most residents of Marshall County don't share Holcomb's attitude, Holcomb says his constituents are aware of his beliefs. During his first bid for office, he said he ran on "family values" and took out a quarter-page newspaper ad that read,
"I neither want nor seek homosexual votes."The sheriff earlier told the Sand Mountain Reporter, "the real issue is not his public expression that homosexuality is a "very queer and despicable act... an abomination" but rather, his freedom to make such a statement about behavior he finds deeply disturbing."
"Just because I was elected sheriff does not mean I lose my right to my own personal opinions or my right to free speech," Holcomb said.
He said he will continue to own his beliefs, "until the day I die. These are the beliefs that made this country, this state and this country great."
Where is: Marshall County?
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