Montgomery County Democratic Chairman Charles Uffelman (standing in blue shirt) addresses a Clarksville City Council meeting regarding comments made by Councilman Travis Holleman about the city’s recent gay pride event. Councilman Travis Holleman, sitting to the left of Mayor Joe Pitts, has been the target of calls for his resignation from Democrats and LGBTQ activists for comments he made during City Council caucus sessions. Sheri Reeves
A group of concerned citizens appeared before a Clarksville City Council standing committee on Thursday to call for the resignation of Ward 7 City Councilman Travis Holleman following comments he made at a city council meeting in June.
Charles Uffelman was one of three local residents who spoke during the public comment period of Thursday’s meeting, saying he was there to protest Holleman’s “hate-filled” presentation on June 27, in which he claimed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and LGBTQ+ pride are communist and satanic.
“As chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, I call on Travis Holleman to immediately resign from his position in Congress for his failed leadership and the harm he has caused not only to the LGBT community, but all those served by our diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” Uffelman said.
C-Pride president Anita Hart also spoke, saying Holleman’s comments had caused unnecessary fear among members of the community.
“He targeted the LGBTQ community and our C-Pride organization. Ultimately he claimed we were a threat to the people of Clarksville and said we are not welcome here,” she said. “The rest of the City Council, all of you, except for one courageous member, were silent. This has left the LGBTQ community fearful that they no longer have representation in the room where everyone is supposed to feel equal and their rights are protected.”
Ward 8 Councilwoman Wanda Allen said Holleman’s actions left her in tears and that she did not attend the June 27 meeting.
“There should be no room for this much hate in our world,” she said, before adding in later comments, “That kind of sentiment cannot represent our community, and it cannot truly represent everyone that should be represented.”
Holleman defended his previous presentation, saying the LGBTQ+ community was “targeting” children.
“I never really cared about LGBT until they started targeting kids,” he says.
There was an uproar in the hall after his remarks, but Holleman then went on to address the issue in California, where a new law has been enacted regarding children’s gender identity and teachers.
“They are targeting children and they are using legal means to do it,” he added. “Wake up, guys. My only goal is to protect children.”
Ward 9 Councilwoman Karen Reynolds thanked the residents who spoke and also asked that copies of a local Democratic Party resolution calling for Holleman’s resignation be distributed to all council members.
Other council members did not comment on the matter and no action was taken at the board meeting. The council is scheduled to hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, August 1.
