Thumbs Down For The Recall

In am surprised at the media attention, this recall petition is getting. I'm not playing the race card, as I'm sure I'll be accused of doing. Just take notice where the campaign is centered. In the settled part ,of White East Memphis. Poplar and Highland, is in City Councilwoman Carol Chumney's district. One of the mayors most vocal opponents, on the city council. She ran on the platform, of making a change in the administration. It soon became evident she couldn't do anything by herself. I think she has aspirations, of being the Mayor of Memphis.

When you ask the average protestor why he dislikes the mayor? They don't have a legitimate complaint. They cry about the high taxes in the city, and the services that have been cut. The city has only had, three tax increases in fifteen years. The county has an increase every year. Why didn't anyone want to investigate the financial books, when Jim Rout was the county mayor. He spent $10,000 of taxpayer money, on his daughters wedding. It didn't come to the public attention, until after he retired from office. Do you think Mayor Herenton, could have gotten away with that? Everything this man does, has been gone over with a fine toothed comb. If he had done anything, it would have been discovered by now. The FBI has been watching this man for several years. They have caught everyone around him, that was dirty. Look at former Mayor Campbell of Atlanta, and the Tennessee waltz scandals respectively. The bait was there in both cases, the mayor just didn't bite. I know the organizers of the recall are chomping at the bit, hoping the FBI finds something. If they hadn't discovered anything yet. I would be willing to bet, they'll just be waiting.

If this was based on valid complaints, I would feel differently. This Recall Petition,Charter Commission and even the Ophelia Ford case, are simply attempts to override the peoples vote. These are plans devised by the minority of voters (White), to circumvent the choices of the majority voters (Black). They are trying to accomplish something in the courts, they can't do in the voting booths. If their position is right, the race doesn't matter to me personally. I spoke with someone earlier today, who is collecting signatures for the recall. He won't meet with White people though. Does that make sense? I'm not so optimistic, that I'm not realistic. I know race oriented issues, when I see them. We live in the only city in America, that has duplicate governments. The city and county administrations do the same thing. The residents of the county pay one, residents of the city pay two. That's the basis of the city's problems. This I see as a last ditch effort, to hold on to the past. Some traditions need to be discontinued, they were always wrong. For that we need a recall, but the citizens of Memphis aren't ready. Recalling Mayor Herenton won't change anything.