Holley comments cause concern

I am absolutely appalled by Mr. Holley's comments. I am a white middle aged woman and have lived in Portsmouth since I was. I used to be very proud to say I lived here and supported my city. After, Mr. Holley's comments, I am not. I thought Mr. Holley was for equal rights for all, not just "the black community". NO matter how he words it, sugar coated or not.. HE SAID WHAT HE MEANT AND MEANT WHAT HE SAID. He does not deserve to be addressed as "Mayor".
I will not support him and he should be made to resing by the City Council, if they don't then I believe they are just smakcing him on the hand and saying its ok, just don't do it again.
My husband and I have even talked about moving to a less racial run city/commnity if he does not.

What an embarrassment to a city which is trying so hard to overcome it's image!!!

Sue wrote:

What an embarrassment to a city which is trying so hard to overcome it's image!!!

The north end of Va Beach will take any and all homies from P town in. They are here for you all so please stop down!!

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!Now the tables have turned..this is not a big deal..remember just like the radio announcer Don Imus made that comment on air about the "African American" girl basketball team..nothing was said..i mean, the African-Americans were upset but some of the Caucasian people were so proud of him..that they gave him another opportunity on the air, we shouldn't have gotten mad either because just like Mayor Holley, he said and expressed his feelings on the way most of you feel anyway(FACT)..and what happened? he yet again made another racist comment? it's funny how stuff like that is forgotten and so easily swept under the rug..but the minute an African American take a stand and say what's on their mind..Oh let's get rid of him..does racism still exist? sure it does, but ask yourself.. is it just one race who holds hatred..DON'T THINK SO (period) THE END

Ms Simmons wrote:

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!Now the tables have turned..this is not a big deal..remember just like the radio announcer Don Imus made that comment on air about the "African American" girl basketball team..nothing was said..i mean, the African-Americans were upset but some of the Caucasian people were so proud of him..that they gave him another opportunity on the air, we shouldn't have gotten mad either because just like Mayor Holley, he said and expressed his feelings on the way most of you feel anyway(FACT)..and what happened? he yet again made another racist comment? it's funny how stuff like that is forgotten and so easily swept under the rug..but the minute an African American take a stand and say what's on their mind..Oh let's get rid of him..does racism still exist? sure it does, but ask yourself.. is it just one race who holds hatred..DON'T THINK SO (period) THE END

Don Imus was fired because of the black community calling for his head to roll over what was an off-color joke. He was rehired by a different company. What Holley said was no joke, and he should be removed from public office. There is no place in city govt. for racism.

I feel that the Mayor's apology is insincere to say the very LEAST. If you LISTEN CLOSELY to the "so-called" apology, you will hear the Mayor say that he is SORRY IF YOU ARE OFFENDED by his words. He did NOT say that he is sorry he spoke them. These type of deragatory comments do nothing to help with race relations in our community.

I think its wrong. Why is race even an issue.

Ms Simmons wrote:

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!Now the tables have turned..this is not a big deal..remember just like the radio announcer Don Imus made that comment on air about the "African American" girl basketball team..nothing was said..i mean, the African-Americans were upset but some of the Caucasian people were so proud of him..that they gave him another opportunity on the air, we shouldn't have gotten mad either because just like Mayor Holley, he said and expressed his feelings on the way most of you feel anyway(FACT)..and what happened? he yet again made another racist comment? it's funny how stuff like that is forgotten and so easily swept under the rug..but the minute an African American take a stand and say what's on their mind..Oh let's get rid of him..does racism still exist? sure it does, but ask yourself.. is it just one race who holds hatred..DON'T THINK SO (period) THE END

I think you are now seeing the tables turning. For years, you could not say anything without someone screaming you are a racist. No one said a word about "honkies", "crackers", and other remarks, but after being tired of having to listen to it all these years, no one is going to get away with it and that's how it should be for everyone.

Generationnow wrote:

This is to the people who don't live in Portsmouth. But OUT!!!!!!!!!! Mayor Holley has done great things for Portsmouth. I don't approve of what he said, but I understood what he meant. Some citizen voted for him some didn't. If you don't like the mayor you should have ran for office. Since many of you didn't just SHUT UP!!!!!! Portsmouth residents have bailed out many failed projects. City Council just don't want to help an African-American women. Yes I said it because it needed to be said!!!!!!!!!

I totally agree with everything but your last statement.

It wasn't that city council didn't want to help an african american woman - it was that they did not want to set up a situation where any investor would come back and ask for millions of more dollars the city doesn't have. Had she promised not to come back to the city, it would have been a much different vote.

And everyone, stop bashing on Portsmouth. If you don't like it here, move out! If you don't live here, it's really none of your business.

Portsmouth Taxpayer wrote:

WELL I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK'S TO THE ALL YOU IDIOTS WHO VOTED HIM BACK IN OFFICE!!!!
MAYBE THIS WILL BE A CALL TO ACTION NEXT TIME, THAT IS IF HE HASN'T DIED FROM OBVIOUS END STAGE ALZHEIMERS.

So we were supposed to vote for Martha Ann instead? I wouldn't trust her to run a lemonade stand.