"Please Send me the entirety of Ben Holder's work summaries for his recent contract with the City of Greensboro.
Thanks -Billy Jones"
I'm still waiting for the City's response and don't know when it will come but on Sunday morning while I was at work Ben e-mailed his response:
Why does everything have to be about violence with Ben? Does he not realize that differences can be resolved through communication? I'm only seeking answers to questions and all he wants to do is hurl insults and threaten me. It's as if I questioned his status as the god almighty himself.
"1 dui Billy...and marijuana and rolling papers isn't crack...have at it lil Billy...hide behind your computer and type your stupid bullshit...its obvious you have nothing better going for yourself. I promise...in person...you wouldn't talk so tough. "
Then at 7:19 AM Ben e-mailed the following:
"I challenge you and your "writers" (goddamn you're pathetic) to a public debate. What do you say, tough guy?"
Now I realize that debating is a time honored political tradition and a means to put on a show but I just couldn't see how a debate would provide the evidence I've been trying to get from Ben for over a year. But I'm not running for office. Besides, after any public debate the fact checkers these days always prove all the debaters to be wrong about something. Debates are about gaining public opinion, not about spreading truth. I also had concerns about Ben's real motives which I expressed in my reply at 3:47 PM Sunday after I returned home from work:
"Benjamin,
Considering I have previously heard audio recordings of you threatening me with physical violence and that you have threatened me in the comments on my blog previously ( http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2014/04/ben-ran-on-whim-holder.html ) the fact that I heard you threatening police officer, Sal Leone, on audio recordings and your recent violent assault of George Hartzman in City Council Chambers your comment could be construed as a threat of physical violence.
Are you threatening me again, Benjamin?
As for your challenge to a public debate: why would I want to debate a man who is threatening me with bodily harm? It sounds as if you are trying to trick me to coming to some place where you and your cronies might gang up and attack me. No, Benjamin, we'll begin with you giving me answers to my previous questions along with sufficient documentation on Monday morning so that I may post them along with all the rest of our conversations-- every single word-- before moving on to more questions.
Do questions scare you Ben? How could the mighty Ben Holder be scared of questions?
And Ben, it's a pretty damned good indication that since Roch hasn't jumped in to help you, even though you tried to drag him in, that his faith in you is waning. At least that's how I read it.
It looks really bad when you respond to simple questions with name calling, threats and intimidation tactics. You can push lots of people but you can't push me. If you put a hand on me I put you behind bars. Your threats will serve to prove it was premeditated. Then the courts will lock you in an institution and take your children away from you. Even if you beat the shit out of me I win and you lose.
Grow up, be smart and answer my questions or I will ruin you.
Remember: I've got nothing left to lose. I lost everything I own. My only child is dead. I'm even fucking suicidal and have admittedly been in therapy for years so I don't care if you kill me.
(ONE SENTENCE REDACTED. BEN HOLDER HAS MY PERMISSION TO RELEASE IT AS IT IS ABOUT BEN)
You have a lot to lose.
Think about it.
You've proved yourself capable of using e-mail, you've run out of excuses"
As to the redacted sentence: I've known it for years. People who are really close to Ben along with the e-mail recipients, Mayor Vaughan, Councilman Barber, Councilwomen Hoffman, Abuzuaiter and Hightower, George Hartzman, Sal Leone and I all know what that thing is but it is up to Ben if he wants the public to know. Ben has a right to keep it secret even though he's done a very poor job thus far.
At 4:09 PM Ben sent the following one word e-mail to myself and Roch Smith jr.
"Roch?"
I replied:
"Yes Ben, in one of your previous replies to me you you attempted to drag Roch in to back you up. He didn't bite. Looks like you're all alone."
Roch and Ben have been tight for years. I had been expecting Roch to chime in at any time but he never did. A few minutes later I followed up with:
"Yes Ben, Roch.
You brought him into the conversation early on. I've known for years who Herky Fishbine is. So do a whole lot more people. So stop denying that you tried to drag Roch to your defense.
I'll ask the questions, you'll have all the type you need to answer them.
You've already got Monday's questions so start working.
And get your documentation in order.
If you've lost them let me know and I will resend them as I have saved every exchange between us. Every single pixel."
Roch and I take opposite sides and fight a lot. But I've never known a time when at least one of us-- usually myself, sometimes Roch-- honestly believed he was right. Roch doesn't fail to chime in when he thinks I'm wrong. We've even had another fight about a completely unrelated topic since then. Roch doesn't like the way I go about searching for the truth. And to be honest, my methods are very hard on everyone involved-- myself included. But I believe-- and Roch will probably disagree-- that I get results. Or at least more questions that need to be answered.
I didn't hear back from Ben on Sunday. It would not be until Monday morning before I heard from Ben again and that will be a part of True Confessions Of Ben Holder: Episode 5.
Stay tuned for more Trouble. That's Trouble with a capital T.
