Good points here AC writer/s. It's a pleasure to agree with you for a change. GGpap
Matt Aitken's first-place showing in the majority-black Augusta Commission District 1 race Tuesday apparently shocked some folks.
But only those folks who don't know the kind of good-hearted, open-minded person Matt Aitken is.
Only those who hold on to archaic -- and racist -- notions that blacks won't (and shouldn't) vote for whites and vice versa.
Only those who subscribe to the belief that only a black leader can represent "black interests."
Only those who want the rest of us to put the Rev. Martin Luther King's dream of true equality on hold -- and still want to judge people by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.
Unfortunately, there are a number of dinosaurs like that out there whose days, hopefully, have a finite number: the number of days until the Dec. 1 runoff.
We're so saddened to see our friend and colleague Barbara Gordon, publisher of the Metro Courier , advocate that someone should be supported solely and completely because he is black. How terribly sad to see that bygone bias openly espoused in 2009.
If that outdated mindset prevails in the runoff Dec. 1, we will all -- black, white and everywhere in-between -- be the poorer for it.
We hope, instead, that voters Dec. 1 will look at the content of the candidate's character.
Augustans are tired of the cynical racial politics of the past. They're tired of the arguing and fighting and walking out and abstaining to block progress and white-and-black bloc voting that has Augusta going nowhere fast. They're tired of "leaders" whose only hope of relevance and power is to keep the fight going between the races.
None of it is serving anyone's interests, black or white.
Augusta has a white mayor and America has a black president -- and Atlanta may soon elect its first white mayor in 40 years -- precisely because the dinosaurs are becoming extinct.
In the coming month, we will encourage voters to think long and hard about what kind of city they want: a distrustful, stick-to-your-own-kind, nobody-gets-ahead-so-I-don't-fall-behind relic of racism, or the kind of city Augusta can be -- prosperous, progressive and unified.
We consolidated the city and county governments over a decade ago.
Isn't it about time we consolidated the races?
Comments
Good points here AC writer/s. It's a pleasure to agree with you for a change. GGpap
Great Editorial!
I don't disagree with the theme, but I also know the Aitken campaign is a plan of the Boardman's, Cousin Deke, Billy Morris and Osbon as a way to gain votes for the $100 million dollar TEE-Laney Walker project. They have this well thought out, although Butch Palmer was a thorn in the side. Voting will positively be along racial lines. Whites are quietly being encouraged to swamp the polls come the run-off with hopes that the black voters won't turn out. They found Aitken, the blue collar Olin Corp (yeah, the mercury polluter) worker, to run for this seat. If you think he is qualified, read his website with the poor English and grammar. But that's okay, he has the powers that be behind him.
My wife and I almost bought an old house on 8th street to renovate and eventually settle into. Then we saw the turbulance and corruption in Augusta. We saw the things that showed promise, on past assignments there, going away and changed our minds. I hope Augusta can overcome the mistakes of the past. There is so much potential in the city. I wouldn't mind looking again at the historical downtown as long as the leaders learned to overlook eachother's color and do the right thing.
Every pro Aitken and pro TEE Center editorial should contain a discllaimer that Billy stands to profit from the building of the center.
river: I guess you mean things like "Richmoond County"?
How dare you use Dr.Martin Luther King's words, to suit your purpose!!!! You are the last people to use his words for anything!!!!!Where was his words when it came to the confederate flag? This racist paper need to shut down!!Why would you even bring up the statement that ''blacks think that only a black can represent blacks.Where did you get that thought from? Just like always, you people are still trying to ''think'' FOR US!!! Are you saying that ,no blacks voted for the mayor? How many white mayors have this city had,are you saying no blacks voted for them?Are you people just picking and choosing, when you want us to vote for certain people that you want in, to serve your purposes, like the TEE center!!Since we have gotten the right to vote, we also have the right to vote for whom we want!! I would not vote for your pick, because I don't trust your paper, so I would not trust your pick!!!And that ''bias'' that you speak of, just read your Rants&Rave section!!!!
Go, Matt Aitken, and may God go with you. You have done more positive for blacks in your area than the commission has in the past few years. I hope you do get the seat. Who cares about your grammar on your site...as if these bloggers are English majors anyway?!! I think not.
We were sold a bill of goods when we got conned into consolidation. Before you dismiss Riverman's comment, pause for a moment and recall WHO sold you this pig in a poke? (Clue: Who has benefitted most?) (Hint: Who promoted it most?)
Keep looking back, you will turn to salt!
1941 your grammar is appalling along with most of the racist crap you post!
We didn't consolidate the government over ten years ago. What we did was collapse the government over ten years ago into a small section of downtown. That is where the focus is and will remain. It is obvious that we have a problem when we elect comissioners who can't add, subtract, divide or multiply. The proof of that is the 750 to 1000 dollars per square foot they want to spend for the Tee center. By comparison I just received a ad in the mail advertising beautiful upscale homes for $52.53 a square foot, complete with kitchens baths and all fixtures countertops cabinets driveways, heating and airconditioning. That is about 5% of the price the comissioners are willing to spend for a empty room.
Well written BUT stop acting like we are ignorant of the process. Hankerson lost again because he went with the white 5 on T. Smith. If the black voters do not turn out and Aitken wins, the first vote against the black 4, will result in a recall effort after his first year in office. They either vote against the white candidate now or a year from now. A recall will be news worthy and bad for this city. Having talked to both candidates it is sad to see it come down to race as the qualifier, both are good men. Both sides of the race card will never go away because that is their jobs. This is a much bigger deal than both sides are willing to say on record.
This TEE center isn't about race to me. It is about the ongoing, pitiful failure of the government to think of or do anything successful, or attract any commercial development. They just do study after study of fantasy scenarios. They feel they have a "right" to put revenue-negative boondoggles on the most valuable property in the city, which is pure socialist arrogance. I am hoping the city goes so broke they are forced to sell their riverfront for commercial development. I hope FEMA forces all the businesses to pay for flood insurance and the levee can be leveled. Most cities are not so lucky to own 25 miles of riverfront. Most cities would not squander it out of the ridiculous belief the levee is protecting the city from a dam failure. You're dreaming! You will get a free trip to Savannah if the dam breaks.
I have a bumper sticker on my truck. "Mr. Copenhaver, tear down the levee." But I mentioned on another thread, how the Wash. Rd. Stevens Creek Rd hotel development around that square is such a magnificient accomplishment completed with all private money. We hear nothing about that.
Racism, pure and simple. Racism rears its ugly head in Augusta.
Riverman1, I agree with you in all your above writings, go figure.
Our city government can't think outside the box only tax, tax tax for special projects that Morris and certain developers want so they can make big bucks off our backs.
Isn't the levee there to protect the city from flooding? Tearing it down doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Haven't you read about the floods Augusta used to have?
And why does everyone keep picking on the people who have put their efforts and investments into Augusta? If they've invested in downtown, I imagine they do want to make a profit. That is still legal in America, isn't it? I would imagine with all of the worthy causes these families support, they have a vision for a better Augusta, and if they make a profit too, great. There's never a guarantee when people initially invest that there will be a profit, it's a gamble.
DONT LIKE YOUR POLATICANS ,SEND THEM TO JENKINS COUNTY. OURS ARE ALL SELF CENTERED .CARING ONLY HOW THINGS AFFECT THEIR OWN POCKETS .If we get the Prison it will only be be cause they on associates got lucrative contracts out of it.high unemployment high prices .come on DOWN visit you"ll be glad to get back to discusta
As noted, let's not forget Matt Aitken supports building a TEE center and parking garge for the editor's employer.He's getting a free hotel addition and is paid to run it, courtesy of the tax payers. Now, let's look at the election. We had three districts voting. Two majority black and one majority white.One black district split with the winner also black, winning by two percentage points. The other race had a white winning with forty percent, but will have to have a runoff, because he didn't get the fifty percent neccessary to avoid a runoff. In the majority white district, the white candidate Mr. Bowles won by eighty percent over two black candidates. Now, Mr. Bowles is a qualified individual, but it appears whites voted along racial lines. Now, they are quoting MLK's words, when in the thirteen years of consolidated government they have never elected a black commissioner, not even close. I say follow the Golden Rule and do unto them, as they have done unto you. Talk is cheap, but their actions don't line up with their words.
Vote Fennoy. He is less damaging to our pocketbooks. Sure he'll play the race card.. but then doesn't Don Grantham? I'm sick of this double standard in Augusta... racial politics are intolerable when it comes to blacks but are ok when done by whites like Granthman. Atleast be consistent Augusta... if you don't want the race card then don't keep electing bigots like Grantham either. Right now, stalemate may not be such a bad thing. We have another election next year.. hopefully then ppl will get their butts to the polls and actually vote for change. Vote Fennoy..
There is no way voting for Matt and getting the TEE is worse than more gridlock along racial lines that Fennoy would bring. But with that said, it is a hard pill to swallow that the same corrupt folks I despise are going to win the tax payer lottery if Matt gets in. I wish he would support a revote on all the parts that are not in the first $20,000,000. I guess the voters have to weigh the factors of, do I want a $100million TEE with a break in the deadlock along racial lines (Matt), or do I want to stop TEE and deal with more years of racial politics (Bill)? Tough choice because TEE will be a 50 year commitment (Matt) and Bill can be voted out in four years. Too bad Matt is connected with the Dirty Deals Authority (DDA) and wants the Too Everloving Expensive (TEE) Center or he would be a great candidate all around.
If whites in Augusta were truly colorblind and would break away from voting beyond racial lines then why didn't more of them vote for helen Blocker Adams for mayop who was far more qualified and had more leadership skills then Deke "never had a real job in my life" Copenhaver. But the thing was Copenhaver was backed by the Boardmans.. heck he is even married to one. I am white but I can fully understand why many blacks in Augusta feel the way they do.
Tough choice but the change Matt would bring is worth the $100,000,000 but I am not sure having him on there will make a difference to how the final deal gets worked out on TEE.
Brad.. you have to be here to understand who is behind Aitken...not just the DDA... but they are a big part.. but I'm sorry.. gridlock may not be so bad right now.. atleast Fennoy won't vote in favor to give another $38 million to Billy Morris for his hotel expansion. Think about it, the black commissioners have actually been more fiscally conservative and responsible than the white ones.. but with a 6th vote for Billy and Claye.. every special interest taxpayer subsidized project they have had their eyes on for years will be passed. There is so much corruption in Augusta and the TEE scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. Fennoy will basically just keep the status quo.. which isn't great but better than the alternative// another election will happen next year.. then hopefully we can get some actual change agents on the commission.
Brad, he works at Olin. I don't follow your logic that he would be such a big addition.Sounds to me like you're saying you want whites to have it their way. At least, with an even split they have to debate and compromise.The plan you are proposing would give them(whites) free reign. I'll hold my nose and go along with the TEE center, but the white commissioners are pulling a bait and switch. And the guy from the Hyatt is probably in on it.
Just out of curiosity, why don't the hotels have to pay the city for building amenties to their structures?
Don;t hand over $38 million more in publicly financed debt to Billy Morris, Julian Osbon and his cronies.. vote Fennoy.
Lawdy forbid that Richmond County had a commission that wasn't deadlocked over race for the sake of race on every issue no matter what it is. If they aren't careful and elect Matt, they might end up as successful as Columbia County. It's apparently important to some to keep the gridlock to preserve the historical ghettos. "Yo bro! Status quo!"
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