On Tuesday we wrote about an anti-gay flier attacking Dallas City Council candidate Leland Burk that was found in a newspaper box in Preston Hollow on Election Day. We also mentioned that a copy of the flier had suspiciously been included in an email sent out by fellow District 13 candidate Rich Sheridan a few days later. Well, as if we needed any more evidence that Sheridan was responsible for the flier, he was distributing an even more hateful version of it at City Hall today, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Rudy Bush. The latest flier, shown above, is a distortion of Dallas Voice’s April 26 cover showing the three openly gay City Council candidates this year, with X’s through their faces and 6’s on their foreheads.
“God’s voice was heard in Dallas Saturday. No openly gay LGBT City Councilmember!!” the flier states, referring to the fact that all three gay candidates lost their races.
Sheridan, who received just 28 votes out of 10,350 that were cast in the District 13 race, also left a threatening, profanity-laced voicemail for a People Newspapers reporter, attacking him for failing to mention in his coverage that Burk is gay. But it was his actions at City Hall today that got the attention of officials. According to The DMN’s Bush, Sheridan was distributing copies of the flier to the audience during the City Council meeting when he gave one to gay former Councilman Craig Holcomb, who later stood up to address the council.
“If I were quiet that would be wrong,” Holcomb said. “It allows that kind of thought to flourish. It allows the person to think that is acceptable thought, and it is not acceptable.”
In response to Sheridan’s flier and Holcomb’s comments, Councilman Dwaine Caraway asked Mayor Mike Rawlings to change the rules so that speakers can address the council only once a month, to limit the amount of hatred that can be spewed by people like Sheridan. Councilwoman Angela Hunt seconded Caraway’s suggestion.
Of course, council members could also send a strong message to Sheridan and other haters by unanimously approving a resolution backing marriage equality and LGBT employment protections that they’re scheduled to vote on in June.
Watch video of the meeting by going here and clicking on Open Microphone Speakers (Part 2 of 2). Holcomb is the final speaker.
