VCC Gets An Earful From Black Community Leaders

DeLand, FL – Volusia County Council meetings begin with public comment and members got an earful today (June 22) pertaining to District 5 member Dr. Fred Lowery and a sermon he gave a few weeks ago.  Dr. L. Ronald Durham, President of the Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus, is also a pastor at Greater Friendship Baptist Church in Daytona Beach. He said that in his more than 50 years as a pastor and preacher he would not desire to control the doctrine of another preacher. "When a preacher turns his pulpit into a bully pulpit to peddle extremism and undemocratic propaganda and poisons our faith and belief in our democracy, we as your constituents should not remain silent." Other prominent members of Volusia County’s black community also spoke in favor of a resolution asking for Dr. Lowry’s resignation. Jewel Dickson, Chair of the Volusia County Democratic Party, said the comments he made "were an apparent violation of his oath of office, they were a public embarrassment, they were damaging to his constituents."  Cynthia Slater, President of the NAACP- Daytona Beach, and a lifelong resident of Volusia County,  said Dr. Lowery’s 45-minute sermon "discredited the existence of COVID-19, the 2020 elections,  and Q-Anon conspiracy theories with the belief that there’s a satanic cabal of elites in America sex-trafficking children." She said his sermon was ludicrous and it questions one’s judgment. Dr. Lowery did not respond to the comments but other members of the Council did speak on the issue. Chair Jeff Brower said the policy is to not respond to public comments when they’re given but they are listening. He said that it’s up to Dr. Lowery’s constituents to decide whether he gets reelected. Other members of the Council, including District 2 member Barb Girtman, agreed but she did say she was disappointed in Dr. Lowery’s words. "He represents Volusia County and to me, it is the residents of Volusia County that need to address him because we don’t have authority over each other in that way. Any action that would be taken, it would be taken by the state."