I believe history will be made again before the end of the year. Over 3 years ago, McComb elected its first Black mayor. This year, I am predicting that McComb will elect its first woman selectman. The first woman selectman ever! Now, that by itself is significant. But, what makes this even more interesting to me is the political change that this will most seriously bring about. The woman is Tammy Witherspoon and the she is running for McComb Ward 3.

Yes, that is the same ward of current selectman E.C. Nobles. I am not sure if Nobles is planning on running for selectman in ward 3 again. But, if he does, I am convinced that he will lose. I predict that it won’t even be close. Last year, I stated in an editorial that I wrote in this newspaper that Nobles couldn’t beat my five year old son in a re-election attempt. I stand by that statement. Nobles has not only done a horrible job as a selectman, but he has turned on his own people, his own community in the process. He has allowed himself to be used by people who apparently don’t care much about what happens to the Black community. Nobles has spent his time as selectman, carrying the water and the ‘chair’ for the white community.

He’s had opportunity after opportunity to redeem himself and represent the community that elected him to that position in a special election to replace former selectman David Myers. But, with few exceptions, he voted with the white selectmen on issues that directly and negatively effected the Black community. The only exception that I can think of at the moment is when he helped vote Greg Partman in as an African American member of the McComb Housing Authority Board. That vote certainly helped the Black community. But that was just one issue. One cause. What about all of the other needs of the Black community? What about all of the other needs of ward 3?

One of Nobles’ first acts on the city board was to not vote on whether a special hearing should be held against McComb Mayor Zach Patterson to challenge his residency, after Patterson was able to get the same board to schedule a special hearing against selectman Danny Esch challenging his residency. At the time, Mayor Patterson had come under siege as the first Black mayor in McComb history. He was making changes to procedures and positions, and he challenged the status quo. Just like he promised he would during his campaign. The record of his accomplishments as mayor before Nobles was elected to the city board, as well as, his accomplishments after Nobles was elected to the city board, clearly demonstrate that Mayor Patterson has been working to ensure that everyone, including Black people have access to city hall and city government, like never before. Nobles followed his first act by leading the charge and the vote to keep Esch on the city board, even though the evidence in the hearing clearly proved that Esch had established a new residence in the state of Louisiana. The vote was two Blacks against Esch, two whites for Esch, and Nobles’ vote breaking the tie in favor of Esch. This would become Nobles voting pattern throughout his term as selectman. By the way, Esch is known to the Black community by his voting record: almost always voting against anything that directly benefits the Black community in McComb. This man (Esch) and Nobles often appear to be joined at the hip. The Bible says, “He who is a friend of the world is an enemy with God.” Well, I say, he who is a friend of selectman Esch is an enemy of the Black community. That’s you Nobles.

Tammy Witherspoon will win the Ward 3 Selectman Seat, whether Nobles runs for re-election or not. She is capable and competent. She is educated. She is Black. She loves her community. She loves Black people. She gets along with everybody (as best she can). She is not a sellout. She can work with anyone. She can work with the current McComb mayor and she will be able to work with the entire McComb Board of Mayor and Selectman in 2011.

I don’t know if Mayor Patterson is going to run for re-election. I hope that he does. I believe he has been a good mayor, even after Nobles and the three white selectmen stole Patterson’s mayoral powers and authority by approving some illegal amendments written by white attorney Dennis Horn. I believe he has accomplished more as mayor than any other mayor before him in one term. I believe Witherspoon can work with Mayor Patterson. I believe she can work with any mayor. I believe she will make an excellent selectman.

I support her candidacy 100%. She will certainly do a better job than Nobles. He is an embarrassment. She will not embarrass her ward or her community. And, she will be a better selectman than many of the other selectmen. Robert Maddox, who will be a subject of an editorial I will share with you in the very near future, has not offered any competency to the office of selectman since Mayor Patterson’s administration began. He has been used by Nobles, Esch, and selectman Wade Lamb throughout this current term. By his own admission, Maddox doesn’t have a clue about what is going on. He just votes the way Esch, Nobles, and Lamb want him to vote.

Yes, I believe Witherspoon will be a better selectman (select-person) than the rest of them. The best thing those others can do now, before the election, is restore Mayor Patterson’s powers. I believe the courts will do it. But that probably won’t happen until after the elections. Nobles and company should do the right thing now. If not, then it will get done through a new city board.

And, I believe that Tammy Witherspoon will be on that board.

Change is in the air.

History will be made again.