Dear Editor:

Many of us, if not most of us — whether white or Black — have labored under the belief we elect officials to do the research, weigh the facts, then vote their conscience in matters of public trust.  But that is an incorrect assumption in light of [the most recent] Board of Commissioners’ meeting.

Ms. Terri James used her opportunity during citizen comments to take a swipe at District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason for not voting with fellow African American commissioners J.C. Henderson and Alana Sanders on each and every vote. 

In commissioner comments at the end of the meeting, Henderson repeated the same criticism of Mason, adding an additional twist of the knife.  Not only did he whine that Mason is a Republican — his oft-repeated epithet — but he votes “against everything Black.” Of course, that’s not true. 

Is this where we have landed in Newton County? Blatant incivility, and every vote, every decision is to be adjudicated as being a Black or a white vote regardless of the issues in play? Please tell me we have not devolved to such a low position where intellect and education play no role in public policy-making.

If that be the case, then why elect living, breathing people to office, having evaluated their qualifications against competing candidates? Just call in the bots and let’s be done with the ruse of educated debate and individual decision-making to guide public policy. Let’s just define every vote as a vote to be taken based on racial lines. 

What a sad state of affairs.  Shame on those who tout such positions. We are better than this. Commissioner Mason should be commended for not caving to such reprehensible demands.

Barbara M. Morgan

Covington