What Should We Do?

Dear White People,

I am continuing a letter to you that I started writing and first published in the September 25-October 1, 2009 edition of this newspaper. If you recall, you will remember that I talked to you about the main elements of the problem that you have and why there is still a significant racial divide between us. You believe that you are better than us. Superior.

Some of you believe this and hold to it much more than others. Not all of you. But so many white people feel this way, that the others who don’t, just accept it and many of you follow suit. And, even if you are not one of the white people who believes that you are superior to all Black people, I say that you should check yourself again. Who do you choose as your most beautiful? What is the best way to worship God or preach to people about him? What’s the best food and what is the best way to prepare it? Who is the smartest? How does president Obama measure up to you when you compare him to other presidents (if you believe that president Bush is a better president or more capable than president Obama, then you have flunked the test or you are just stupid.)?

And, what about McComb Mayor Zach Patterson, Magnolia Mayor Melvin Harris or Summit Mayor Percy Robinson? Do you believe that if a white man was in that position, he would do a better job than any of these three?

Mayor Patterson, who was elected with 98% of the Black vote (something that has never happened before in the history of the “bombing capital of the world”, McComb, MS) as the first Black Mayor in the history of McComb, said that he was going to bring about change for the better. He campaigned on that promise and won. Do you really believe that he has been as bad for McComb as your white controlled and written newspaper (the Enterprise-Journal) would lead you to believe?

Why is it so easy for you to so quickly believe the negative opinions and stories that that newspaper as written about him? Their editor, Jack Ryan freely publishes comments made by clearly racists and bigots about Mayor Patterson and anyone who is working with him and his administration to try and improve McComb.

You feel that you know what is best for us Black people. You know who you would approve to speak to us and lead us. And who you disapprove. But who are you? We are not little children and yet you often treat us this way. Yes, we are behind in many social, educational, political and economic arenas compared to you. But, that is not because you are better than us. You are not. We were held back on purpose. That why we must remember the time of slavery and post-reconstruction, Jim Crow, and segregation. This contributed significantly to the state of Black people in America today. It has shaped both of our viewpoints. And, those viewpoints are often times, very different.

You want us to take responsibilty for ourselves, and then you stand in the way of us doing just that! And, you need to take responsibility for what you have done and you are doing that negatively impacts us as a people. So, that is a big part of the solution. You owning up to your viewpoint that you are in some ways superior to us. That is what you believe. And some of you believe that you are superior to us in everything (except some areas of sports and entertainment).

You must take responsibility for the bad things white people in the past have done to Black people, and what you are doing even now. Yes, the solution is that you must stop feeling and believing that you are superior to us in any area and that we need you and your opinion and resources more than you need ours. That is what fair and equal access is all about.

No, we are not the same, but it is for this very reason that we need, we demand an equal footing with you, so that we will have a fair chance as a people.

And, we can start at city hall!!! Leave Mayor Patterson alone and let him do his job without you trying to control all of the decisions and power the way that you are used to doing. Officially give him back his powers that you illegally took from him. Name one thing that he has done wrong or attempted to do that was not for the benefit of the city of McComb. NAME ONE THING!

This mayor has done so much good. Even when some of his efforts have focused on areas of need in the Black community, that is still a great benefit for the entire city. For example, he has tried to and he has made efforts and started initiatives to address problems at the Community Parks housing complex. The citizens know that he has done more for them than any other mayor in history. Safety issues, drugs, loitering, crime, recreation and youth needs, he has been addressing these issues. And, he has been looking into compliants by residents about police abuse and mistreatment.

Now, I love and support our police and the police department. I am 100% for the police. I mean that. BUT NOT WHEN ANY OF THEM ABUSE THEIR POWERS! Especially against Black people. I hate racial profiling and mistreatment of Blacks by the police. So, I am happy that we have a mayor who is for all of the people, including the people in Community Parks. He is FOR the police and he is AGAINST abuse of powers by the police or anyone else who represents the city of McComb.

He is for a better quality of life for everyone. Not just for white people. He is for fair treatment and fair representation. So why are so many of you white people mad at him and against him (not all of you)?

He led the way to a brand new Waste Water Treatment Facility that leads to more jobs and possible revenue for the city, and the avoidance of a major and costly lawsuit. So, why would you want to get rid of him. He brings mayors and other leading officials to McComb during his two and a half years in office, and shows the world so many great things about McComb and the surrounding area.

Indeed, if it were not for the negative propaganda and illegal actions taken against Mayor Patterson, I believe that many people within and outside of McComb would view the achievements of McComb in its government, its school district, its economic district and its community as landmark. Under Patterson’s administration, McComb has made tremendous improvements. And all of this in the face of tremendous opposition.

So, what are you mad at him for? All he has tried to do is change McComb for the better.

Remember, the same McComb that was bombing Black people homes, churches and businesses back in the 1960’s, because so many white people did not want anything to change for the better of everyone. They just wanted things to stay the way they were. Better for them, worst/bad for us.

And, here we are in 2009 and many white people and a few confused uncle tom negroes want things to stay unchanged, which is better for them and worst/bad for us. I am convinced that that has a lot to do with why many of you are against him. You didn’t pick him and you are so use to picking our leaders.

Well, just like President Obama, Mayor Zach Patterson is for all of us, and you need to learn to get use to that. Some of the good-ole-boys got so desparate to stop change that the people mandated when they voted Patterson in as mayor, that they have engaged in inappropriate and even illegal activity. They have gone to far.

And, it is starting to catch up with them. You and your leaders have reversed and stood against many of the good things about this administration. I guess it was the fear of a first time ever Black voting majority on the city board (after the election of the first Black mayor). Maybe you thought that you would lose control of the police and the fire department.

I’m not happy about the problems between Police Chief Martin and Mayor Patterson, but what was wrong with Lt. Mark Anderson being the chief instead of Martin? He was just as qualified, if not more qualified. But, he supports Mayor Patterson, so you remove him, arrest him and humiliate him. Why was Anderson handled this way?

Your leaders made Quordiniah Lockley the city adminstrator because of what amounts to “blackmail”! They illegally take away the Mayor’s powers and give those powers and authority to themselves and Lockley by approving illegal amendments. Lockley was suing the city because his position he felt has been unjustly eliminated. To avoid the lawsuit, those selectmen gave him a new job for much more money and power than he or anyone else ever had before.

You reward a great Black leader,(Patterson) who has done so much good for this city during his administration by trying to keep everything the same?

What about those 50-100 year leases to the American Legion and the Garden Club and any other group that were given city land and property for as little as $1 a year, when Black people were not allow to participate in these sweetheart deals? We have a Mayor now who is not afraid to straighten this out and make sure that the leases are fair and everyone gets to participate, not just you white people!

Black woman fire chief. Black city attorney. Black city administrator, majority Black boards in city government, McComb Housing Authority, McComb School District and more. All of these were firsts and necessary. McComb’s population is now majority Black. So is the resident population of the McComb Housing Authority and students, parents and constituents of the school district.

The board appointments are important, because it is the board that determines who the executive director or superintendent or leader of that particular organization or district. I know that Jeff Adams and Therese Palmertree are good people and I do support them both in their positions. But, is a white person the best person or the only person that we will trust with those jobs? Its not for me to decide, but for a board of my peers. And, a board of my peers is going to be majority Black. Black viewpoint and sometimes, a different way of doing things. Black power.

Yes, that is a big part of the solution. You stop seeing and viewing Black people as inferior and white people as superior. Stop acting on that. And, Black power. That is, Black people organizing around our common interests and viewpoints and acting collectively to bring positive change to our communties, our schools, our businesses and our government.

Then Black people and white people will be able to come together as EQUALS and ask Wayne Dowdy, where do you stand and demand an answer. All the illegal actions at city hall. Dowdy knows better.

The illegal 100 year leases. Lockley’s “blackmail” position as city attorney. Selectman Wade Lamb’s possible improper dealings with McComb’s fire chief B.J. Nettles that may have been a violation of ethics and the city charter. The appearance of a political and personal attack of officer Anderson and the actions of several individuals against him, including his arrest. Where do you stand Dowdy?

Like the mayor, we will be able to come together and request Dowdy’s resignation, along with Lockley and selectmen Wade Lamb, Danny Esch, Robert Maddox and E.C. Nobles. We would be able to pursue legal action against them. We would vote against them. We would support this Mayor more openingly and his administration. We would sit down with him and tell him what we want. And, we would thank him for what he has already done for us, dispite your leaders best efforts to stop him.

I’m sorry again, white people for writing another long letter. But, we’ve got so much to share with you on this subject. To get to a solution, we need you to hear us. So, until the next letter, white people, start by listening to us...

 Lonnie Ross, Editor