What began as a tribute to veterans and included a congratulatory message to an incoming commissioner was quickly overshadowed by a tirade against liberal media and Democrats across the nation made at the close of the Nov. 13 meeting of the Fayette County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner David Barlow made his remarks during the “Commissioners’ Reports” portion of the meeting, the last item on the agenda before executive session. He provided members of the press with a written copy before the meeting began.
Chairman Steve Brown disavowed Barlow’s comments in a letter to the editor on Page A4.
Barlow started his comments by thanking veterans for their service — “for not being selfish with their lives and believing in our nation’s freedom … Freedom has a taste to those who have fought and almost dies that the protected never know.”
Barlow then segued into sentiments derived from his spiritual life, crediting Jesus Christ with making the ultimate sacrifice and quoting from John 3:16.
“I believe we are created in the image of God and therefore have equal value, regardless of race, religion, or gender,” Barlow stated just before citing a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort or convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
He then shifted gears into a statement about the treatment of Christians in the current political climate.
“We conservative Christians have been unmercifully attacked by the liberal demoncrats [Barlow’s intentional misspelling] and liberal press throughout Obama’s presidency,” he said. “November 4 changed all that. I will work tirelessly to see that in 2016 the GOP regains the presidency thereby nullifying the evil that has been proliferating throughout our great nation. I declare this, in the mighty name of Jesus.”
Taking another drastic shift in tone, he congratulated Pota Coston, who was in the audience, on her win in the recent race for District 5 commissioner, although he made it clear how he felt about the election process itself.
“I have known Pota for four years. We first met in Tyrone across the street from one another. She was campaigning for herself and I was campaigning for then-candidate Eric Dial who became mayor of Tyrone,” said Barlow, who represents District 1. “Pota and I would be on the street every morning holding signs so naturally we began to speak to one another. We even prayed together for God’s will to be done. Even though I disagree with how she won, I look forward to working with her.”
Barlow concluded his remarks with the following quote from local writer Terry Garlock:
“Furthermore, the whole racist district voting project had the underhanded goal of getting Democrats elected in a heavy Republican county. If I moved to a heavy Democrat county, would I have any right to change the voting system and gerrymander a racial district trying to ensure a Republican result? Of course not. So pardon me if I don’t buy the happy-happy-happy view on recent changes in Fayette that stole four-fifths of every voter’s county votes.”
No other commissioners commented on Barlow’s statement at the meeting, but Chairman Steve Brown released a lengthy written statement that is published in its entirety in this edition as a letter to the editor.
Saying that he received “numerous negative comments” after the meeting, Brown first complimented fellow commissioner Allen McCarty, who was defeated by Poston in his bid for re-election, calling him “a class act and the embodiment of civility” for his congratulatory remarks to her early in the meeting.
As for Barlow, Brown wrote that he has heard “consistent verbal and written attacks on the Internet that consist of name-calling and venomous insults of Democrats and specifically female Democrats.” He cited Facebook posts shown to him by local citizens that include “lists of invectives of a more brutal nature” than what was said at the meeting.
Brown also mentioned a previous Barlow tirade consisting of “stereotypical racial insults” given without apology even when admonished publicly by Brown, whose wife is black.
“Let me say that Commissioner Barlow’s comments should be in no way construed as the official or unofficial opinion of the Board of Commissioners,” Brown wrote. “His words and sentiments belong to him alone. I have never once heard any of the remaining commissioners or county staff members ever agree with or approve of Commissioner Barlow’s comments.”
As for those who questioned why Brown did not cut off Barlow during his statement, the chairman replied, “I believe in free speech. As a sitting commissioner, he should be able to express his feelings and I would be a hypocrite to say otherwise. The voters make the ultimate decision.”
Brown called Barlow’s remarks incendiary and divisive while bemoaning his references to Jesus, whom he called “the most non-political being ever to grace the planet.” But he reaffirmed his belief in Barlow’s right to speak freely, nothing that “his words will only cause division if we allow them to do so.”
Some of Barlow’s Facebook posts were also cited with screen shots attached to a letter from Fayette County Democratic Party leaders, addressed to the other four commissioners as well as the county administrator and county attorney.
That letter cited two county code sections, regarding decorum at meetings and professional conduct by commissioners, that the Democratic leaders felt Barlow violated.
“Perhaps Commissioner Barlow does not understand his role as an elected official and his obligation to represent all citizens of Fayette County. Instead he has chosen to demonize, attack, and isolate individuals he was elected to represent,” the letter reads. “We know that the majority of Fayette County does not share his malicious beliefs, but instead believe that we can and should work together for the betterment of our community.”
The letter, signed by chair Dawn Mabra and executive vice chair Terry Williamson, formally condemned Barlow’s behavior and called for the rest of the commission to “respond appropriately by publicly denouncing his remarks.”
Barlow stated late Monday afternoon that he had received only two negative responses to his statement.
