By Paul Gable
The fifth chapter of the Ken Richardson for Mayor of Conway full-page ads in a local newspaper came out last Thursday.
The ad claimed Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy said she would only serve two terms and questioned why the change of heart? The ad went on to say the people of Conway deserve an explanation and leaders should honor their commitments.
The question goes both ways. On a local podcast, Richardson admitted he said he was done with politics after his loss in the 7th Congressional District race. Why the change of heart?
The answer is simple. It’s because Richardson saw an opportunity and decided to run against Bellamy after she issued the Mayoral Proclamation declaring June as Pride Month in Conway. He said as much in the podcast.
“Nobody’s going to dodge the question because it’s all everybody talks about is the proclamation the mayor did,” Richardson said.
One could argue that all three of Richardson’s decisions to run for public office came about after he perceived an opportunity. Richardson ran for school board chairman after the incumbent chairman died and there was an open seat. He ran against Tom Rice for the Congressional district nomination after Rice voted to impeach former president Donald Trump. Now he chooses to run for mayor of Conway because he believes the proclamation will reduce Blain-Bellamy’s support.
Richardson has a perfect right to run for any public office he chooses to run for. However, for a campaign claiming integrity, at least say aloud the real reason for running. To date, the campaign ads, billboards and various postings on social media have dodged mentioning the proclamation while only secondarily alluding to it with things like “God, Family and Conway.”
Getting down to the proclamation itself, it contained statements such as the following:
“WHEREAS, Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, legislation, and attacks are a threat to all who value human dignity and inclusion; and,
“WHEREAS, The City of Conway takes this opportunity to offer hope and positivity as the world moves slowly towards acceptance and compassion to our LGBTQ neighbors and friends.”
The proclamation did not promote the LGBTQ lifestyle. Its message was merely those who follow that lifestyle are our neighbors and friends who deserve dignity, compassion and safety as human beings.
Richardson claimed in the podcast that he had over 300 phone calls urging him to run against Bellamy after she issued the proclamation. This number included 41 ministers, all of whom Richardson claimed were supporting his candidacy and some of whom called the LGBTQ community an abomination and requested Bellamy rescind the proclamation.
From what I have heard and observed, hardly anyone is talking about the proclamation except for the Richardson camp. And, nothing in Conway has changed because of it. Conway is still the same city it was the day before the proclamation was issued. Businesses are doing fine, citizens are generally happy with the direction of the city and Conway is still the city other areas in Horry County hope to copy.
Here are some questions the citizens have a right to have Richardson answer on the record if he wants to prove his integrity.
Will Richardson rescind the proclamation if he is elected as the ministers he claims are supporting him requested?
Will he go on record and agree with the ministers that the LGBTQ lifestyle is a sin and an abomination?
If the answer to either of the above questions is “Yes”, how can Richardson claim he is for unity in the Conway community? Does he believe LGBTQ citizens deserve to be represented equally with other citizens by city council?
If Richardson is not dodging the issue, why haven’t we heard his position on the LGBTQ community, which also happens to be part of the Conway community, and is his position divisive or unifying?
Speak Up…