Posted on 06/03/2002 5:42:23 PM PDT by AFA-Michigan
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A group of Ferndale residents angrily demanded Councilman Craig Covey's resignation at Tuesday's council meeting for what he did during the city's Memorial Day parade, the oldest in Michigan.
If he doesn't resign, resident Dawn Ptaszynski promised she'll start the process immediately to recall him from office, a seat Covey has held since 1999.
During the 60-second benediction portion of the parade, which was delivered by Pastor Tom Hansen of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, chaplain for the Ferndale Police Department, Covey and former FANS President Kevin Rogers, both with their baseball caps on, turned in protest and faced away in silence from the ceremony.
Covey and Rogers protested because of comments Hansen made to council at the last meeting when a resolution was adopted welcoming PrideFest to Ferndale for the second year.
Hansen told council, among other things, that the practice of homosexual, lesbian and cross-gender lifestyles was immoral and contrary to God and Ferndale's well being.
"He has repeatedly attacked certain aspects of the Ferndale community," Covey said of Hansen.
But residents argued that Covey's actions were disgraceful and inappropriate at a ceremony that honors veterans who gave their lives for their country.
"I demand that council condemn Councilman Covey's abhorrent showing," Ptaszynski read from a prepared statement. "I demand Councilman Covey's immediate resignation from council."
Ptaszynski continued: "This is not the first time that Councilman Craig Covey has been an embarrassment to our city. At a dance, Councilman Covey showed up dressed as a Nazi. He has been quoted saying that the religious right is a vampire that needs a stake driven through its heart."
Ptaszynski also demanded that Rogers, who is on the parade committee, be kicked off.
Covey, wearing an American flag tie, sat listening to what turned at times into diatribes.
Covey said Ptaszynski's words are efforts to divide the city even more and characterized her attacks as "bizarre and mean-spirited."
"It's obvious she's beginning her run for council in 2003," Covey said.
"I'm ashamed to admit that I live in Ferndale," said Marteena Baxter, a resident of the city for 40 years.
Covey said he resented that his patriotism was questioned because his father and two uncles are military veterans.
"I pulled together 12 religious and political leaders and organized the candlelight vigil for the 9-11 tragedy and Ferndale and the country," Covey said.
"I'm so appalled," said resident Kay Watson, as she held up for the television cameras a photo that captured Rogers and Covey during their protest.
"This was a national holiday, not Craig Covey's day," Watson said.
For a moment things got a little scary when resident Gary Holland, a Vietnam veteran who lost a brother in Vietnam, started to shout and pound on the podium, overwrought with emotion. He had to be escorted out of council chambers by Police Chief Mike Kitchen and Capt. Tim Collins, but not before he shouted "f------ fags."
Covey received support from members of council.
"Since I was elected to this council, Councilman Covey has been extremely helpful to me," Councilman Dave Lennon said. "He cares deeply about this city. If Ptaszynski wants to start a recall effort, I welcome her to do that because I will start one to keep Craig on the council."
Mary Jo Hammond, director of elections for Oakland County, said a recall can take as long as six months. For a recall election to take place, organizers would have to collect approximately 1,750 signatures, which represents 25 percent of the votes Ferndale residents cast for governor in November 1998.
"Yes, I will start tomorrow," Ptaszynski said Wednesday about her recall plans.
Mayor Bob Porter supported the shell-shocked councilman.
"I can't make any judgment because I wasn't there. But I can say that I have worked with Craig Covey on many issues related to Ferndale and his dedication is unquestionable," Porter said.
Covey, in a shaky, emotional voice, said he has a major problem with homophobia, racism, sexism and ageism and will fight them until the day he dies.
"I apologize for my protest," Covey said. "I will issue an apology in writing."
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Support local citizens' demand for homosexual city Councilman Craig Covey's resignation. Call city manager at 1-248-546-2360 or e-mail at: http://www.ferndale-mi.com/ResourceCenter/FeedbackForm.htm
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Not Enough...
Not enough by half.
Show the damn queer the door.
Wasn't that the location in which the hit TV show of the 1970's, "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman", was set?
Having said that, I too believe that his protest, in it's timing and manner, was inappropriate. It is certainly a tenet of Christian faith that the validity of the sacraments conducted by a priest is independent of whatever sins the priest is guilty of. So even if the Councilman felt that the priest/minister in question was wrong in his political and social attitudes, he should still have respected the time and place.
LOL!
What odds are you giving?
Your question implies that you believe that there's the slightest possibility that he's not deranged...
How confident are you that he's normal?
Against all the gold in the world, bet that he IS a homo, would you risk a day's profit?
Would you bet your home?
Or your life?
I wouldn't wager a turd.
Those fags are always good at the shaky, emotional voice. Must be his feminine side coming out. Ferndale deserves what it gets for electing a queer.
Good point.
But common sense is sufficient to the day.
One comment, one jack-assed infamy, one suspicious sympathy for perverts, by itself, means little...
One after another means everything.
Birds of a feather flock together.
That was true a million years ago, and it will still be true a million years from now.
Homosexual Councilman Called Unfit for Office
By Allie Martin
June 3, 2002
(AgapePress) - Pro-family activists in one Michigan city are calling for the resignation of a
homosexual city councilman because of his behavior during a Memorial Day ceremony.
Last Monday, during a Memorial Day ceremony in Ferndale, openly homosexual City Councilman Craig Covey turned his back and refused to remove his hat during a public prayer for America's war dead and their families because the prayer was offered by a pastor who disagrees with Covey's views on homosexual behavior.
Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, says such disrespect should not be tolerated.
"When an elected official is unable to put his own special interests aside and have some sensitivity and tolerance for a diversity of opinion in his community, and to show simple respect for America's veterans and their families, then in our opinion we agree with local citizens who think he should remove himself from a position of public responsibility," he says.
Covey's actions, according to Glenn, are hypocritical. "That's one of the most intolerant things I've ever heard of," the pro-family leader says. "It is a good example of the intolerance of those who demand that Christians and others who have traditional values bow to their view of the world."
"But this repeated public display of intolerance and hostility toward citizens in Ferndale who hold to traditional values, we believe, makes [Covey] unfit for public office," Glenn says.
In February 2001, when local residents soundly defeated a homosexual-rights ordinance, Covey called Christians who voted against the measure "vampires" who needed to be exterminated. The councilman also was criticized recently for wearing a Nazi military uniform to a USO "oldies" dance held at a local Elks Club.
© 2002 AgapePress all rights reserved.
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foreverfree
The only missing ingredient in Michigan-and elsewhere-seems to be Will.
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