Lack of Knowledge about Mobile’s History-2 Tommy Green – Mobile Beacon City Editor On June 3, 2014, the Mobile City Council held its third hearing on installing, former mayor Sam Jones to the Mobile Area Water and Sewage System (MAWSS) board. On May 30, 2014, Mayor Sandy Stimpson encouraged the City Council to approve former Mayor Sam Jones nomination for serving on MAWSS board. This is the second article in “Lack of Knowledge about Mobile’s History.” All three Black Council members (Fred Richardson, C.J. Small and Levon Manzie) and two White Councilmembers, Gina Gregory and Joel Daves voted for Jones. Bess Rich voted against him, and John Williams wasn’t in attendance. Councilman Joel Daves read an article in the Wall Street Journal which stated, “The U.S. added 650,000 factory jobs since the numbers rebounded after the recession, putting manufacturing at 12.1 million. Mobile was one of the 15 most successful cities rebounding from the recession.” Mayor Sandy Stimpson got involved in the MAWSS debate concerning Jones serving on the board because the city couldn’t function effectively without one of the Black councilmen agreeing with the four White councilmembers. The Black city councilmen have power in Mobile, and they should use it to enhance the African American community and don’t apologize. This is how all ethnic groups operate, except Black people. We are concerned about being labeled as a racist. This should be a historical lesson for Black people. If you aren’t being treated equitably, you should let it be known to the people who are mistreating you. There were forces in the African American community who wanted Councilman Richardson to withdraw Jones’ name and nominate some else. Councilmen Richardson rejected their request and said, “It is my right, as was the right of every councilperson to nominate their choice for serving on city boards.” One of the reasons that African Americans haven’t had more success in America is weak-kneed chicken eaters who put getting along with White people above gaining power for Black people. Black people remember that money rules in America. When the three Black councilors stood together, it could have jeopardized the city functions. This is why Mayor Stimpson asked the council to approve Jones. It wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart. We have to be smart because when a Black man stands up for righteousness, there will be forces who will feel threatening by his action. There will be rumors and lies about Councilman Richardson. Some of the lies will be coming from White individuals, but some will be coming from Black people who are comfortable in their subservient status. When resentful people try to discredit Councilman Richardson, we have to continue supporting him. On May 22, 2014 – May 28, 2014, the Lagniappe had an editorial, “Whipping on a couple things that have me stewing,” by Ashley Toland-Trice/Editor. “Trice said, “Oh Fred please stop, just stop. The debacle between the Mobile City Council started a couple of weeks ago when four councilors (John Williams, Joel Daves, Bess Rich, and Gina Gregory) voted against Councilman Fred Richardson’s MAWSS board member appointee, former mayor Sam Jones. Richardson, along with fellow councilors Manzie and Small, retaliated the next week by blocking some of the other councilors’ appointments and a neighborhood improvement project in one of their districts. Mayor Stimpson was so angry that he walked out of the meeting. Richardson ranted and raved, wearing black, saying he was in mourning and referencing the Tatanic and the Malaysian Air Flight 370 that recently went down. (You do realize 239 are still unaccounted for, right Councilman?)” “I would hope if one of the councilors put a career criminal or insane person up as their appointee to some board, my city councilperson, (who is Fred Richardson by the way), would vote them down . This is really not about race, but if he is qualified to sit on the board or not. And even though the vote fell along racial lines, this has absolutely nothing to do with race either,” said Trice. When someone says, it doesn’t have anything to do with race. Of course, it is about race. Why didn’t Trice have, at least, one criticism against Mayor Stimpson when he abruptly stormed out of the city council meeting on May 13, 2014 and went to a dilapidated former hotel on Lincoln St in the African American community? “THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!”
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 00:00:11 +0000
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