Poor Proctor Needs Protection from Mean Little deaf Queer

I think Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor must be feeling pretty miffed that someone upstaged him at the last County Commission meeting.

When my friend, Terry Galloway, stormed across the room shouting at Proctor that he should be ashamed of likening LGBT people to pedophile priests in the Roman Catholic Church... I think the Commissioner was shocked. His bullying tirade about "homosexual church people" had been interrupted. And worse for Proctor, people were applauding the five-foot-two deaf woman for her protest.

Realizing that the spotlight had moved off him, Proctor decided to do something to get himself back at center stage: write a letter to the Sheriff insisting that there be more security at the next public hearing on the Human Rights Ordinance, and--for the sake of safety--don't let that "allegedly deaf citizen" back in the chamber. Here's his letter, with my commentary:

Dear Sheriff Campbell:

I am requesting enhanced security for the Board of County Commission May 11 meeting. The Commission will hold a public hearing on whether to adopt an anti-discrimination policy against gays and lesbians.

Actually, the Commission will be holding a public hearing on whether to adopt a Human Rights Ordinance that would extend protections for currently listed classes... and ADD sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

At our meeting on Tuesday (April 27, 2010), I suffered an uncivil reaction from an alleged deaf citizen who charged the dais toward me as I was speaking and the Commission was deliberating.

Terry is not an "alleged deaf citizen"; she is, in fact, deaf since she was a toddler. She did not "charge" the dais, but did leap from her seat and wagged her finger at Proctor as she crossed the room. True, Proctor was speaking... but the Commission wasn't deliberating. I think they were waiting for him to shut up.

Compliments to the two deputies posted in the chamber that evening. They escorted her out professionally.

True.


They reacted hastily and alertly to the emotional woman who was running toward me and shouting. I have never seen this occur at our meeting before. Her eyes were on fire. Her face appeared dangerous. I believe she would have fired at me if she had a weapon or thought to grab the deputy’s gun. You did not see her face and eyes, but I did.

Excuse me, but, bwahahahahahahaha! Yes, Terry was emotional. Yes, Terry was shouting. Her eyes on fire? Her face "dangerous"? She was no menace to him. She knew when the deputies approached her that she was going to be taken from the room. And she would not have been so stupid as to grab one of their guns and started shooting him. Can you say, "drama queen"?

I recognize there exist a broad horizon that people identify as reality and normalcy.

And you, Commissioner, live on a planet all of your own making!

Tuesday’s meeting further confirmed this recognition. Yet, we, nor county staff should have to sustain bodily injury from the public while discharging our responsibilities at an official County Commission meeting. The price of being a public servant should not include physical attacks. Given the context of the era we now live, I interpret angry charges toward me as having deadly potential. I don’t know what this deaf woman was hearing….maybe demons?

Again, Terry got nowhere near him and was of no threat to him, bodily or otherwise. As for what "this deaf woman was hearing..." well, I would agree Commissioner. As a hearing person, I believe what you were saying about me, her and the thousands of others like us was demonic!

Sadly, no one “who could hear” ran toward me or acted so uncivil.

Ahhh.... now we see what was really bothering him. He didn't want to have the deaf going after him; he wanted a hearing person. I will remember that next time, Commissioner.

Given the experience I had and the comments from others who saw the moment I respectfully request that citizens are searched for weapons and that additional deputies are posted for the next public hearing on the anti gay discrimination ordinance. Moreover, I request that this lady not be allowed into the chamber for the next meeting on this ordinance.

Because, dammit, it's all about ME... Bill Proctor... me, me, me!! How dare that deaf woman upstage me in my own theater!

It is interesting to note that Bill Proctor, an African-American, would call on the Sheriff to use intimidation such as metal detectors or searches or additional law enforcement to deal with us uppity gay folk. Does he not see the irony in that?

Oh, that's right. It's Bill Proctor, the allegedly sane County Commissioner.