SWGA Politics

Finally!  The citizens of Albany and Dougherty County are one step closer to choosing their own fate when it comes to consolidation.  Of course, it wasn’t without Tommy Postell’s typical anti-consolidation rhetoric, but this wasn’t a measure to approve it, just to let people vote.

And it’s about time too.

Postell has said more than once that consolidation is an attempt to take control away from the black community, since much of the white population of Dougherty County reside outside the city limits.  Of course, I’ve pointed out before that Postell is as ignorant as they come apparently because the “black community” dilutes down from about 64% of the population to 60%.  That’s right boys and girls, while 4% can be significant, it’s a moot point on this because 60% is still plenty to maintain control for the “black” community.

But what bothers me more is that politicians on all levels are still trying to divid us into a “black community” and a “white community”, despite the fact that there’s a whole lot of difference between people in each community.  The problems that face most communities aren’t issues of color.  Economics, crime, education, they don’t care how much melanin you’ve got.  Instead, they need to be addressed for the good of all who live there.

But Postell isn’t happy unless he’s dividing the city by pretending that this issue has anything to do with race.  He and Mayor Adams have both pulled the race card, and incited some in the community.  What they have missed is that many in the county oppose consolidation because – wait for it – they’re afraid of diluting the white vote. 

In many parts of the county, white voters maintain control of those County Commission seats.   They may lose that control after consolidation, and they know it.  Sounds kind of different than what Commissioner Postell and Mayor Adams says…I mean, white folks should be all over this mess, right?

The merits of consolidation will need to be discussed thoroughly and I’ll give you my feelings on it later.  However, we need to vote on it.  I applaud all the commissioners who voted for the measure, but now we need the County Commission to vote it through as well…and that was the roadblock last time.

It is my most sincere hope that they will approve consolidation as well.  Then, we can get down to the nitty gritty of the details, the merits and flaws of consolidation itself, and make a decision as a community.  Then, we can move forward…whether as one government or two.