An email that many are calling racist and hurtful was circulated late Saturday night, and it was allegedly sent by a supporter of one of the candidates in the heated race for City of Houston Controller.
(You can read the email below)
It is shocking that anyone would stoop to such a sleazy level to try to smear candidates Pam Holm and M.J. Khan, while claiming to support their opponent and fellow city council member , Ronald Green.
But, 2 On the Beat received an email from Larry Green, who is listed as the author of letter. He denied sending it, called it repulsive and vowed to find out who is responsible.
“Someone is playing dirty tricks, and it’s definitely not me,” said Green, who is no relation to the city council member and controller candidate.
“Someone has used my name, and I have not and will not endorse any candidate in the Controller’s race or any race,” said Green , who is the director of Houston Works.
I also spoke with Keir Murray, Green’s campaign manager, and he said they have no idea who sent the offensive email, or why anyone would send it out:
From:Larry Green [mailto:sunnysideprecinctjudges@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 8:35 PM
To: Sunnysideprecinctjudges@gmail.com
Subject: We must go green controller
Dear Friends,
We hope this email finds you in great health. Our families would like to take a moment to say that we must never forget what happened in New York City on yesterday 8 years ago. Our hearts go out to the families that lost loved ones and to our service men and women who have served our country so valiantly. Here is an excerpt of what happened on that gruesome day.
At about 9 a.m., investment banker Richard Egües, 34, emerged from the downtown 2 subway line to walk toward his office at the World Financial Center. On the street I saw crowds of people looking south. I looked up and saw gaping holes in both towers. As you looked more closely you began to see little things flying down, and then you realized they were bodies of people who had jumped from the building. I saw the somersaults, the floating bodies. It was like they were in slow motion, sort of turning around. You had to think there must have been such total desperation.
An important day is coming up soon: Election Day. We have a group of distinguished candidates. We have one man that has always been in this city’s corner. This man we speak of is Councilmember Ronald C. Green; he has served the city well as an At-Large Councilman and a devoted father and businessman.
Ronald has been endorsed by a very diverse group of individuals and groups throughout the city of Houston. He has been endorsed by the Harris County Democrats, Harris County AFL-CIO, Harris County Tejano Democrats, the Houston GLBT Caucus and the Houston Firefighters Union. This race is important because we must continue to capitalize upon the progress made in 2008.
Ronald is running a tough race against Pam Holm, a member of the Republican Party of George W. Bush who was responsible for James Byrd’s dragging, but even worse M.J Khan a known Muslim.
This really disturbs us because we must never forget 9/11. Just this year in Buffalo, New York, a Muslim executive beheaded his wife after she filed for divorce.
While we are not saying that he will be head his wife: we are highlighting the fact that he believes in such atrocious activities. Here is an excerpt from the book which MJ worships from: “Believers (Muslims), take neither Jews nor Christians to be your friends….- Sura 5:51
We cannot entrust Houston’s finances to MJ Khan. The only safe choice for Controller is Ronald C. Green. Please join our leaders in Going Green for Controller!
Sincerely,
Larry Green
in Going Green for Controller!
Sincerely,
#####
2 ON THE BEAT omitted the names of the numerous business, community and political leaders who were also listed on the email as endorsing Ronald Green. Several of them, including State Representative Sylvester Turner, have issued statements rejecting the ugly tone of the message, and also stressing that they knew nothing about it.
Mary Benton Media 
This is so over the top that it cant be a letter in support of ANY candidate.
Nobody in their right mind would say something as stupid as:
“Ronald is running a tough race against Pam Holm, a member of the Republican Party of George W. Bush who was responsible for James Byrd’s dragging, but even worse M.J Khan a known Muslim.”
And think this is serious. This wasnt in support of Ron, it was written against Ron, but it was incredibly stupid
[…] (read previous post: https://2onthebeat.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/ugly-politics-in-the-race-for-city-of-houston-controller/) […]
That pains me so much.
Every time I think we have come closer to resolving our racial divide, someone comes out of the swamps to muddy the waters again and again.
Every time we make a stride forward. Someone comes along, to take us many steps behind.
I wrote an article years ago entitled, “Prejudice is Alive and Well, Thank You.”
I did not want to believe what I wrote then. I do not want to believe it now. But, I have no choice but to accept the facts on the grounds.
With the outburst of this ignorant Congressman Joe Wilson from S. Carolina showing the ultimate disrespect to the Office of the President of the United States. And with this appalling e-mail being circulated, my heart is bleeding.
Especially, since I am myself am a Muslim and a Proud American, yet people like these Hate Mongers are not willing to accept us as one of them. Yet, they persist in their continued ignorance of the true teachings of Islam. And their continued efforts to distort it.
Throughout history, none of the great civilizations that have existed in the past were destroyed by an outside force. They were all destroyed from within. Many scholars and historians attest to this fact, including Billy Graham
.
When the society crumbles and members of this society are divided, hate each other and work against each other, instead of together, this is the beginning of the end for this society.
I hate to imagine this possibility to a country that I truly love.
[…] Mary Benton brings word of the first dirty trick of the campaign, a nasty email purportedly sent from a supporter of Controller candidate Ronald Green that attacks his opponents. I presume it’s a dirty trick and not a real thing, as it’s an easy thing to spoof an email header, it’s not like we haven’t seen stuff like this in city elections before, and both Ronald Green and Larry Green, the alleged sender of the inflammatory email, have denounced it and denied sending it. I will say I’m a little surprised that the first such thing came out of the Controller’s race and not the Mayoral or one of the free-for-all Council races. Be that as it may, I hope that’s the end of it, and not just for this race. […]
I think the first divisive racial salvo came from a mayoral campaign, Gene Locke’s promise to the Tejano Democrats to build a black-brown coalition. http://bayareahouston.blogspot.com/2009/09/race-for-houston-mayor-is-not-about.html