I Can Support Whomever I Choose

Let me first say I'm not racist, so my comments won't be misconstrued. But week after week these "Rednecks" get on the radio lying about Mayor Herenton and his tenure. Instead of discounting his administration with some facts. They try to attack the man personally. I don't agree with all his personal shortcomings, but no one is perfect. "He who is without sin cast the first stone". Their main problem is the fact that he is an outspoken Black man. For the one that made the comments about the MCS. Yes, I graduated from a Memphis city school and I have more of a grip on things than you. The permanent underclass are those individuals that allow themselves to be influenced by liars like you. These people in most cases don't even live in Memphis anyway. They think you're smarter than most Memphians, but they're not. They just spent more time in school. Now they want to blame the mayor because many of the young people cannot read. That's why industry doesn't come here. Because we have an uneducated workforce. The qualified workforce is scarce to nonexistent.

For those that want to blame the Mayor for crime. They fail to mention that though slight, crime is down in the city. The Mayor asked for the money to hire 500 more policeman. What did people like councilwoman Carol Chumney have to say about that? They didn't want to spend the extra money. They accused him of wasting taxpayer funds. Everything he comes up with, they are against it. Anything that can be done will require money, in the form of a tax increase. How many citizens supported "D.A. Bill Gibbons" when he asked us to support stiffer laws? That would do more to combat crime than anything the mayor could do. Until the rape took place in "Chickasaw Gardens", his plight went almost unnoticed. The Black community was too busy accusing him of being racist in regards to the Mickey Wright case. Those Whites outside the city limits feel like they're exempt.

Opponents of the Mayor won't ask me the tough questions as they call them. Because they know I have an answer. These "Herenton Haters" want to put all his supporters in the same boat. People who blindly follow the Mayor. I don't fall in that category. Some of us understand and are able to articulate our ideas. They harp on the weakest argument they can find, and try to hone in on that. Somebody who looks at the fight with Joe Frazier as one of the mayor's accomplishments. Is not the same as someone like myself. That's only wishful thinking on their part that won't win them votes. I don't support the Mayor just because he's Black. I happen to think he's the best man for the job. I don't agree with everything he does, but most of it I do. The good far outweighs the bad. For one thing he has only increased the taxes three times in sixteen years. If the county could say the same. I would be in excellent shape right now. Where were all the detectives when Jim Rout was robbing us blind?

Personally I don't blame Mayor Herenton for not debating his opponents. That only gives people who otherwise wouldn't have a chance, to get in a blow. A debate would benefit former "county commissioner John Willingham" the most. He knows about all the mistakes made in the last sixteen years because he signed on to a lot of them himself. Why did he vote to let the "University Of Memphis" out of it's lease with the now empty "Pyramid"? Where were these investigative skills while "Jim Rout" was in office? Of the top four candidates he has the slimmest chance of winning. They have had a couple of debates already that have been unmemorable at best. In spite of the Mayors absence they still haven't made any lasting impressions. I have yet to hear any of their positions other than their sweeping proposals. We all want better education, more high paying jobs and less crime in Memphis. What exactly do they propose to do to bring this about? They only debate about the mayor not participating.

I encountered what I think drives most of Mayor Herenton's opponents. The innate desire to dominate those around them. They don't want to persuade you over to their way of thinking through reasoning. They just want you to accept it because it's their opinion. After all, they were smart enough to leave the city. Of course if you listen to them you will never figure it out.How do these candidates plan to bring the races together, when their supporters can't even be civil? That brings me to why the Mayor reacts as he does. I experienced the same emotion I think the Mayor experiences. You exercise patience and restraint in dealing with those who don't agree with you. And you try to explain your position without being short or using expletives. They take that as a sign of weakness on your part. When you strike back they call you arrogant and disrespectful. Totally disregarding the fact that you are an alpha male. When attacked eventually you're going to strike back. Just like the Mayor is his own man. It's the same way with my vote. I can support whomever I choose.