Macon Georgia Mayor embraces Chavez; leaves Christianity & converts to Islam
Associated Press - August 12, 2007 9:04 AM ET
MACON, Ga. (AP) - Some Macon residents have called for demonstrations and boycotts after the mayor of the middle Georgia city formally reached out to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with a declaration of solidarity.
Mayor Jack Ellis said the declaration -- sent about two weeks ago by courier -- was a message that local leaders can stand together despite disagreements at the highest reaches of government.
Some local leaders have blasted the mayor's decision to support Chavez -- who is a vocal ally of Iran and Cuba who has called President Bush "the devil."
Former mayoral candidate David Corr said the mayor's comments were "an outrage." And state representative Allen Peake -- a Macon Republican -- said the mayor's action taints the town. He said "We need to be doing things in this community that show the tremendous positives of Macon."
Ellis praised the controversial leader as a champion for the common man who could offer aid to Macon's residents. Chavez has subsidized the cost of heating fuel for some American low-income citizens.
Ellis said "This is about a humanitarian effort. This is NOT about politics."
The mayor's decision prompted 20 pages of comments on The Macon Telegraph's online message board before the newspaper decided to take it down. Some called for demonstrations and boycotts to express their distaste for the mayor's move.
Ellis, a Democrat, is serving his second term as mayor and cannot seek re-election because of term limits.
He announced in February that he had converted from Christianity to Islam and was working to legally change his name to Hakim Mansour Ellis. He said he became a Sunni Muslim during a December ceremony in the west African nation of Senegal.
Macon Georgia Mayor embraces Chavez; leaves Christianity & converts to Islam
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