Clarksville Now publishes opinion pieces representing both sides of a variety of topics. Opinions presented do not necessarily reflect those of the newsroom or management. To join the conversation, email your opinion piece to news@clarksvillenow.com.

Contributed commentary by David Shelton, Montgomery County Commission, District 21.

I’m very disheartened and disturbed that Travis Holleman, City Council member for Ward 7 here in Clarksville, posted a video recently where he declared that “the LGBTQ agenda is Communist.” During the video, he spent a great deal of time attempting to connect the modern LGBTQIA-rights movement to The Communist Manifesto, while reading several passages from the mid-19th century book.

As county commissioner for District 21, I also represent many of the same neighborhoods that are in Ward 7. And I’m utterly disappointed that such conspiratorial and hateful language was delivered through the council member’s official city newsletter. Fully half of the video was of the elected official reading from The Communist Manifesto in a wild attempt to link Communism to those in opposition to an expanded school voucher program. He also attempted to link what he calls “the LGBTQ agenda” and other societal ills, as he sees them. As I am openly gay, this impacts me as well.

“We don’t want that sort of thing here,” he says.

Who wants to tell him that we’re already here? And let me tell you, we aren’t going anywhere.

I could write multiple pages about how the entire video is replete with utter falsehoods, wild prejudice, and bonkers conclusions that are based on nothing other than wild speculation. Frankly, I did write multiple pages on it, then tossed it.

After a while, I realized that when my dog does something similar, it’s just time to grab a plastic bag and discard it. I’m of the strong opinion that the folly, absurdity and sheer hatefulness of what was said is self-evident. As such, I will forego the analysis.

To all of my constituents, and to anyone else out there in District 21 and beyond, I want to offer a different perspective:

Dear LGBTQIA friends and all our friends and family members, gay or straight, or any kind of “other,” no matter who you are, you’re amazing. You have to endure constant fear and prejudice just like we see in Councilperson Holleman’s video every moment of every day, of every week, of every month, and of every year. Yet, you endure.

We see the same kind of fear and prejudice in schools, and they feel trapped, knowing that some private schools will even admit someone that’s LGBTQIA. So they endure. You endure.

You’re called horrible names, told you’re not worthy of living, and should just … you know. But you endure.

You’re ridiculed. Laughed at. Mocked. Told that you are abominations by the church that was called to love you. Kicked out of your homes. Condemned. Disfellowshipped. Rejected. Yet, you endure.

There’s no attempt to understand, to listen, or even to acknowledge. I recently saw someone tell of how they were laughed at by the staff of a local fast food restaurant just for walking in to pick up an order. “Look, a (slur that rhymes with granny)!” Still, you endure.

And when a city leader in the 21st century uses their platform for a message of conspiracy and hate that’s straight out of the 1950s Red Scare, you continue to endure.

We endure.

We endure not only as LGBTQIA folks, not just as residents of Clarksville and Montgomery County, but also as Americans. We endure because we know full well that American history is filled with the stories of every class of people that struggled for their own rights, and called “Communists” every step of the way. Women’s rights. The civil rights movement. Latino rights. Asian rights. And of course, gay rights. Yet each of these struggles is truly as American as apple pie.

And like every other minority that continues their own struggle, we know that the time-honored American principles of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equality under the law, are not just words. They are constitutional protections for all of us. We – you – are no less American than George Washington himself. Councilperson Holleman would do well to remember this.

I stand with all of you, my friends. This is precisely why I always take the time to say: You are worthy. You are loved. You are valued.

And this is true, no matter who you are. And no one will take those things from you. You’re not an “agenda.” You’re just trying to live your life. And no one can take these things from you.

As always, I stand for justice and fairness. After all, we are part of Clarksville. All of us.

David Shelton