Jeff Sykes (pictured right with Reidsville police), a regular commenter at local Greensboro blog EdCone.com and at InterstateQ.com, had to be physically removed from a local television station by police on Thursday.
Sykes is known for his outlandish, ultra-conservative and anti-gay comments in the local Greensboro blogosphere, often aggravating many bloggers and community members.
According to The News & Record:
The latest round of tit-for-tat between a former editor and local pundits went live on camera this week.
A furious Jeff Sykes — previous editor of the Reidsville Review and a would-be City Council candidate — was removed by police Thursday from the WGSR studio.
Sykes called Charles Roark, a producer at WGSR, “dispicable” and used expletives, Roark said Friday. Roark was co-hosting an afternoon call-in program called the “Star News Warm-up Show.”
The station aired part of the exchange between Sykes, Roark and show co-host Mark Childrey. However, it did not show the entire exchange, only about two minutes of it, citing FCC rules prohibiting foul language.
Sykes’ unannounced arrival stemmed from a question Sykes posted on his blog this week on whether to run for Reidsville City Council: “Is it right for a person with a criminal record to be an elected official?”
He was convicted of attempted arson in 1996.
You can read the rest at the N&R.
Update: Jeffrey Sykes commented below and you’ll notice the strike-out in the first paragraph. He’s right: He’s never commented here before now. I thought he had. My apologies.
Update: We’ve got video… YouTube is awesome!
Welcome to InterstateQ.com, the commentary and opinion blog of civic journalist and progressive, LGBT activist Matt Comer. Hailing from Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt, 26, now lives in Charlotte, where he works as editor of 
Matt:
I don’t recall ever leaving a comment on your colorful website before.
I know a lot of people who think that someone who spends his time promoting a perverted lifestyle such as homosexuality is “outlandish” and aggravates many bloggers and community members.
Best,
Jeff
My apologies Jeff. The first paragraph is corrected. Thanks for the tip. I thought you had commented here before. Guess I got all those convos we had confused.
I’d say enraged, profanity laced and aggressive behavior is pretty “perverted” too, huh?
I’ve been arrested before. Thank God it wasn’t for violent behavior like yours. All that hatred that builds up in your heart… I guess you had to release it somehow, right?
Was the arson in 1996 another one of those releases?
Just askin’
Have a nice evening Jeff!
Amen Matt! What does appearing at a business in a rage and being aggressive and having to be escorted off the premises by police have to do with being gay – or “perverted” as Jeff says? Do the two have anything to do with one another? At all? Oh, and I love the “gay card” he’s thrown in with that guy that works for the television station. Nice touch Jeff. I can smell the defamation suit cooking now. If the television commentator needs a good civil lawyer I can recommend one. But my last question is, if he is so repulsed by gay people – why does he read your blog Matt? Hmmm.
I don’t read Matt’s blog. Only came here to see what he had to say about my visit to the tv station. I read We101 frequently and gloss over Matt’s posts as best I can.
The commentator won’t sue because truth is a defense to libel.
I don’t hate you Matt, just disagree with your chosen lifestyle. We will have to leave it at that.
I’ve often thought you and I should create a joint blog where we trade our differences in a civil, eloquent manner. We could call it Matt and Jeff. Interested? We both might learn something.
Email me if you wanna’ pursue.
Re the arrest: In 1996 I was on a drug fueled, alchohol induced binge hell bent on self destruction and death. You’ll have to wait for the book for the details. Suffice it to say, I’m lucky to have survived my 20s and thankful I was allowed to pay my debt to society.
Re the “gay card”: If you knew the cards the commentator has played against me you would understand the card is desrvedly played and has been held in reserve for more than two years.
Hey… you got admit I was being a pretty cool and funny smart ass in my last comment here though. Come on… You know you want to admit it Jeff.
Jeff… as much grief as I’ve given you, I think you know that I love to have you around because really… where would I get some of my laughter if you weren’t here?
I laugh… because your opinions are totally ludicrous.
Jeff, buddy… I don’t think I’ll be taking you up on that co-blogging thing. I’m not going to debate my humanity and my right to exist equal to all other people. I am who I am, the way God made me. I’m sorry you can’t accept that, but I’m not going to debate it.Actually Jeff… Now that I think about it… I take that last paragraph back (well, I take back the not wanting to co-blog with you thing, everything else I still hold to)…
Maybe I’ll think about the joint blog thing, except, I propose a better, more eye-catching, provocative and irreverent title: “Breeder vs. Fag” or perhaps “Bigot vs. Queer.” Do I feel a bite on the line?
I see. I just read your blog too. So your defense for playing the “gay card” is that you’re stooping to someone else’s level? You think it is fair for you to try to smear someone’s personal life on your blog? Maybe I am in a fog on this thing, but how is it that you are able to parlay someone’s personal life out for the public to see, but its not fair for them to discuss your criminal past? You’re saying that because these people talked about your past, which you say is no secret, then that gives you a free hand to discuss and trash a man’s personal life? How can you justify trashing a man’s private life compared to your criminal conviction? If this guy did go somewhere up north and have a civil union with another man, just what business is it of yours? And how does that even play into you showing up in a business and having some fit of rage? Please, connect the dots for me here..
Hey Jeff…
Here’s the logo for our new blog
Editors’ Note: This comment was meant as a joke… don’t take it seriously. I’d delete it, but for the interest of openness it’ll stay up.
Updated Logo for our new blog
hahahaha
Editors’ Note: This comment was meant as a joke… don’t take it seriously. I’d delete it, but for the interest of openness it’ll stay up.
Beautiful!
Yeah… I couldn’t find any non-copyrighted photos of either an angry looking angel or a preacher and a really hot, scantily clad guy. j/k
Jeff… Our new blog is set up!
OUTletNewsMedia.com/versusblog/
Editors’ Note: This comment was meant as a joke… don’t take it seriously… the website link was a joke, too; It is no longer active. I’d delete it, but for the interest of openness it’ll stay up.
In the interest of openness I would like to submit these comments for posterity:
1. The day after this post and my ignorant comments above I publicly apologized to Matt in a post where I stated my regret for comments I had made about gay marriage and homosexuality in various blog discussions.
2. I was wrong and I regret the comments I made and any hurt they caused people or their loved ones.
3. In 2008 I publicly stated that I had changed my views on gay marriage and that I regretted being raised in a Baptist environment that cemented homophobia as a mindset that I lived with.
4. In 2012 I voted against Amendment One in North Carolina and wrote an extensive post stating the evolution of my views on homosexuality and gay marriage.
5. For the record, I was being a gigantic asshole in the time period 2005 to 2007 because I had lost my job, been publicly humiliated and was scared of the future. I was never against civil rights for gay people. I was primarily being argumentative regarding the semantics of the word marriage. I went beyond semantics with my tone regarding homosexuality in general. That was as a result of my fear and anger I mentioned above and I was using this topic as a way to vent that fear and anger at that time because I had no control over the course of my life and it was an easy target. I regret doing that and am sorry that I chose that path.
6. I alone was and am still responsible for my actions and words.
7. I again apologize to Matt for the ignorance and spite of my tone in this thread and for all previous blog arguments in which I engaged him on the subject.
8. My desire is for all people to achieve happiness in their personal lives and I support equal rights for the LGBT community.
9. I am sorry. Please accept my apology if possible.
Jeff