Melissa Ross
In the wake of bomb threats and racist KKK flyers being distributed around town, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality is sending a message of unity and strength as the city continues its “community conversations” on whether to expand the local human rights ordinance to cover LGBT residents.
In an email to supporters and media outlets, the JCE name checks this website:
“We learned this past weekend that, just days after the first of the Mayor’s Town Hall meetings on the Human Rights Ordinance, a reporter at the Florida Times-Union received a voicemail message from a caller who said he planned to bomb the next community conversation meeting on December 3rd at Edward Waters College.
The reporter contacted the police who arrested an Arlington man accused of making the threat.
Also over the weekend, homes in Riverside, Avondale, Mandarin and other areas received blatantly offensive flyers from the KKK (yes – they’re still out there), denigrating the LGBT community.
While we are troubled by this news, we are undaunted. We appreciate the quick work of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to arrest the person making the bomb threat, ensuring the safety of our Mayor, Council members, city staffers, and the LGBT and ally communities.
And we applaud the Mayor for his comments condemning these heinous acts made yesterday during an interview with FloridaPolitics.
We want to make this clear to all who would move to intimidate us: We won’t be bullied, threatened, or in any way dissuaded from doing what is right for Jacksonville.
The JCE is encouraging supporters (and faith leaders) to RSVP for the next mayoral town hall on the HRO, coming up next Thursday night on the Edward Waters College Campus.
