Citrus County is a pretty laid-back community. We have a significant population over 65 and a substantial number of military veterans. We are not a rabble-rousing Berkley. We are just everyday Americans trying to make it through the day and keep our community and families strong. We enjoy the peace, serenity and neighborliness of Citrus County.
It seems that lifestyle might be changing.
After leaving the Miami-Dade area after having been identified as a homophobic bigot, John Labriola decided to move to Citrus County, thinking (I suppose) that since we are an older, more conservative community, we would fall for his homophobic evangelism.
After living in Citrus for a very short time, Labriola decided to take on the Library Board and the Board of Commissioners over displays celebrating Gay Pride month. Fortunately, he lost his battle. Citrus County may be conservative, but we know right from wrong, and he is wrong.
Unfortunately, Labriola doesn’t like to lose, so he decided to take on Josh Wooten, CEO of our local Chamber. Wooden made the unforgivable sin of supporting the BOCC and our gay communities. Labriola failed in that effort. Wooten is a good ambassador for our community.
He then went to the Inverness City Council, demanding the removal of Jacquie Hepfer from the Library Board. She supported re-appointing the Library Board. The Council rejected his moves.
Labriola is a bigot and intolerant of people who may be different. He calls people who disagree with his appalling position on gay rights, pedophiles.
In the short time, he has been in the public eye, he has sown chaos and division. Now he wants to spread his foul message as a councilperson on the Inverness City Council. He is running for election this November. The voters of the city of Inverness, like the Library Board, the County Commissioners, and the Chamber of Commerce, must reject his message. He needs to know that Inverness is a welcoming community and does not need his message of division, hate, and intolerance.
Bud Hurley
Beverly Hills