Written by Kazemde Ajamu

How the Southern Strategy is at work

The Southern Strategy was a political strategy employed by Richard Nixon and the Republican Party in the United States to win votes from white southern voters who had traditionally been loyal to the Democratic Party. The strategy involved appealing to white southern voters on issues such as race and law and order. In the 1972 Presidential election, Nixon won 43.4 percent of the vote to Humphrey’s 42.7 percent, and Wallace captured 13.5 percent. Third-party candidate George Wallace was unsuccessful in his run for the U.S. presidency that year, winning 13 percent of the vote (9,906,473) and five Southern states as the nominee of the anti-liberal American Independent Party.  Wallace garnered the majority of his backing from White Southerners and disgruntled blue-collar workers who were fed up with the Democratic Party’s Civil Rights policies from the previous decade. The success of this tactic led to its adoption by other Republican-majority states.

In 2021, the Republicans have complete control over the legislative and executive branches in 23 states, while the Democrats will have control of the legislative and executive branches in 15 states. African Americans make up a significant portion of the population in Republican-controlled states. As of 2022, the population of African Americans living in the 23 states controlled by Republican politics is 20,925,486.

 The Federal government’s passing of legislation to end Jim Crow and ensure rights for women was vital in setting the stage for progress in the southern states and across the country. This number is expected to increase in the coming years, which made it all the more imperative that the Southern Strategy refocuses its efforts on fighting for State Rights.

The term “states’ rights” is often used in political discussions, but what does it actually mean? States’ rights are the powers and authority that are reserved for state governments, as opposed to the federal government. This means that each state has the right to govern itself and make its own laws, as long as those laws don’t violate the Constitution.

So why is this important? The states’ rights vs. federal government. It is clear that in order for the Republican party to maintain power, they need to grow their base and control state politics. By passing laws within their own states and sending representatives to Washington to vote on legislation and putting Supreme Court Justices on the bench, they are working to dismantle any obstacles that stand in their way.

Beginning in 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated seating was unconstitutional and made segregation illegal in public schools in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964—legislation initiated by President John F. Kennedy—into law on July 2 of that year. Followed by the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965. The Fair Housing Act was a groundbreaking piece of legislation that was passed in the aftermath of King’s assassination. It aimed to put an end to housing discrimination and ensured that everyone had equal access to housing opportunities, regardless of race, sex, national origin, or religion. This act was one of the many accomplishments of the civil rights movement. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed Congress in 1972 and was quickly ratified by 35 of the 38 states needed for it to become part of the Constitution. As the seven-year time limit for ratification approached in 1979, Congress and President Jimmy Carter controversially extended the deadline by three years. However, no additional states ratified.  During the mid-1970s, a conservative backlash against feminism eroded support for the Equal Rights Amendment, which ultimately failed to achieve ratification by the requisite 38, or three-fourths, of the states, by the deadline set by Congress. Roe v. Wade is a 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationwide. The decision was based on the Fourteenth Amendment, which protects a woman’s right to privacy.

When Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, it shifted the ideological balance of power toward conservatives who embraced the Southern Strategy. These justices have embraced the Southern Strategy and delivered rulings that have brought power back to the states. The Supreme Court is now majority-conservative, we can expect to see more rulings that favor the states over the federal government and that chisel away at the civil rights protections that have been put in place over the past few decades. This is a major shift in the balance of power, and it will have far-reaching consequences for our country.

The recent Supreme Court decisions on the Voting Rights Act and Roe v. Wade show that the Southern Strategy is working. For example, the Voting Rights Act was weakened when the Federal government was stripped of its oversight role. Similarly, Roe was overturned, and states were given the power to make their own decisions about abortion. This is a huge step backward for civil rights in America.

Although schools are no longer legally segregated, 23 Republican-controlled states are introducing legislation that prevents educators from teaching history through the experiences of African Americans and other minority groups in America. Florida Governor Ron Desantis, a potential candidate for President in 2024, has recently signed into law one of the most oppressive education policies in the country. In an article for the Counterpunch titled “The Nazification of American Education,” Henry Giroux writes: “Not only are these laws aimed at minorities of class and color, but this GOP attack on education is part of a larger war on the very ability to think, question, and engage in politics from the vantage point of being critical, informed, and willing to hold power accountable. More generally, it is part of a concerted effort not only to destroy public education but the very foundations of political agency.” This is a very serious problem that needs to be addressed. It is imperative that we take action against this discrimination to ensure that all students have access to quality education.

What began in 1968 with Nixon’s attempt to convert White southern voters to the Republican party by appealing to their racist and misogynistic policies through messaging that would be described as dog whistles or code language that only whites can understand, became the national calling card for the conservative movement. The “less government intrusion” platform plank of the republican party is nothing more than their “State Rights” agenda. The coded language ended when Trump won the 2016 Republican primaries and Presidential election. Trump spoke directly to the White disgruntled voters of America who feared that their whiteness was losing political and economic power to African Americans, women, and other minorities. Trump and his Republican base began to exercise their right to hate speech both politically and socially protected by the Constitution.

In the unsuccessful bid for Trump’s reelection, he still garnered 74,223,369 votes, the second most by any presidential candidate. More confirmation that the messaging of the Southern Strategy which was designed to win over Southern white voters has now permeated the mainstream. The current political landscape is dominated by identity politics. This has resulted in a decrease in moderate Republicans and fiscal conservatism has become the prevailing ideology while trying to conceal the true objectives. The groundswell of support from primary voters is carrying this party’s agenda forward, and those who align with this ideology are voicing their approval loudly. Those who oppose this movement within the party are keeping mum for fear of being voted out in future primaries. We saw the lengths they were willing to go to when the aforementioned loss was so devastating to them that they not only spread misinformation but also resorted to deception and violence in an attempt to storm the Capitol and disrupt Congress’ constitutional duty to certify Biden’s election.

Fortunately, Trump and his divisive rhetoric did not win in the end. Biden not only won the electoral college, but he also won the popular vote by over 7 million votes. This fight is far from over, with the midterm elections this year and the presidential election in 2024. Trumpism, identity politics, and the southern strategy are synonymous and still very much alive, even without Trump himself.

In conclusion, the consequences of the Republican platform are immeasurable. The ongoing campaign to spread misinformation amongst African Americans is designed to create apathy and confusion. This is precisely what they aim to achieve–create enough chaos as well as passing legislation to disenfranchise voters to guarantee their party’s victory. Their goal is to make America like it was before–great again. Which ultimately means returning us to our former position.

No matter how complex the Republican agenda becomes, we can see through it. We must be constantly vigilant in scrutinizing information designed to alarm us and prevent us from participating in the political process. While we should be concerned with what the current Administration and this Democratic Congress are doing or not doing, we must not lose sight of what the Republican agenda will do if they regain power.

It is imperative that we all turn out to vote this November. Why do you ask? Well, if we want to maintain control of both houses in Congress and also increase numbers in the Senate by having three more Democratic members, that’s why. Additionally, doing so would allow us to codify abortion rights for women and pass the John Lewis Voting Act – which would help restore the Voting Rights Act’s requirement that states pre-clear any changes made to their voting laws with the federal government. The act was reintroduced in the 117th Congress and is named after the late Georgia Representative and voting rights activist John Lewis. Another important piece of legislation we should demand is the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, it is a bold, comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives. These are only a few examples of the legislation we could hope to achieve but by no means a comprehensive list.

While we are focusing on Federal legislation, we cannot lose sight of what is taking place in our local and state politics. Remember that all politics is local. The Republican Party’s strategy for the last 50 years has been to control the politics in states. That strategy has proven successful for them. We are most effective where we live and must push back collectively on these repressive policies.

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The post The Dismantling of Civil Rights in America. appeared first on Urban Politician.

CSX Transportation has the legal right to use the tracks through Lithonia and all of Georgia that have been granted to them by the federal government. Local municipalities have no control or oversight over this activity. They are one of the seven largest freight railroad companies and the largest in the Southeast. Additionally, Georgia boasts the largest rail network in the Southeast.

Earlier this year in February, the 11 Alive News Investigation Team looked into the matter and found that complaints about stalled trains in Georgia had jumped 259% in 2021. Deshon Cooper of Lithonia started a change.org petition late in 2020.

Nearly 400 people in Lithonia have signed a petition on change.org complaining that CSX trains blocking traffic for days at a time, an issue that Lithonia Mayor Shameka Reynolds says has been plaguing the city for nearly a year.

“Today they have it opened up and we’re grateful for that,” Reynolds said pointing to the tracks, showing two rows of train cars on either side. “But nine times out of 10, it’s mostly connected and we have to go a different route.”

When the trains are connected, Reynolds said it blocks people from accessing resources like grocery stores and can keep police from using the most direct route to an emergency. 

In each instance, CSX’s temporary relief measure will only buy time until they can return to blocking off Lithonia streets for extended periods of time. This has resulted in frustration for residents and officials, who have received a variety of explanations for the delay, including a lack of personnel and trains being stuck in place for mechanical and operational difficulties.

CSX’s website states, ‘While CSX operates in many kinds of communities, the company’s focus remains constant. CSX has an unwavering commitment to the safety, the service of its customers, the disciplined utilization of assets, and the development of people and the communities where the company operates.”

The commitment CSX claims to have toward safety for the communities they operate in does not make sense.

When the focus is on them, they appear to rectify the situation without having a fervent dedication to addressing it entirely. It seems as if CSX has no plans to address the issue and will continue to act with total disregard.

This can only be solved politically and the Georgia State Legislators proposed HB1473 in their 2021/2022 Legislative Session. 37 States have passed legislation prohibiting CSX Transportation and other freight railroad companies from creating safety issues by limiting how long trains can sit on the tracks.

Georga House Bill 1473

To amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 8 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to operation of trains at crossings, so as to prohibit the operation of a train in a manner that occupies or blocks a street, road, or highway grade crossing longer than a certain amount of time; to provide for exceptions; to provide for immunity from penalty in certain instances; to provide for penalties; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

(a) No railroad common carrier shall authorize the operation of a train in a manner that occupies or blocks any street, road, or highway grade crossing by engines or passenger or freight cars longer than 15 consecutive minutes unless the train is in motion or such blockage is:

(1) Due to a power brake failure or other mechanical failure;

(2) Necessary to avoid striking any object or person on the track;

(3) Due to a derailment or other accident; or

(4) In order to comply with a federal safety directive or regulation or other federal law.

Georgia HB 1473 never made it out of the Transportation Committee to a full vote in the Georgia State House. In other words, the bill was dead on arrival. It is critical that we have a discussion on HB1473 so that we can move forward with this important legislation. Representative Dr. Jasmine Clark (D) has co-sponsored the bill along with 3 Republicans, but the Chair of the Transportation Committee Rick Jasperse (R) in the Georgia State House has not allowed a debate on the bill. We need to pressure the Chair to allow a debate on this bill so that we can move forward on this crucial issue. Federal Interstate Commerce laws protect trains, so the state is limited in what it can do. Further Governor Kemp has expressed interest in bringing stakeholders to the table, but that’s about all he has done. He can do more, such as actually bringing people to the table. He has that power.

Virginia is one of a limited number of states that have a law in place to restrict the amount of time that trains can block crossings, as dictated by the State Corporation Commission. The time limits for such situations range from five to twenty minutes, depending on the circumstances.

The Virginia State Corporation Commission is “joining a national effort to seek federal assistance regarding the burgeoning safety issue of blocked railroad crossings,” according to a press release from earlier this month.

“The Association of State Railroad Safety Managers is urging the adoption of federal regulations to limit the amount of time a train may block a highway-rail grade crossing,” the release stated. “The association recently circulated a resolution calling for federal legislation requiring the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations making it unlawful for trains to block highway-rail grade crossings for longer than a specified period unless the train is stopped for mechanical or emergency reasons.”

The increase in complaints about stalled trains in Georgia is cause for alarm and we must take steps to address the issue. This is an election year in Georgia and Stacey Abrams is running against Brian Kemp for office. It is essential that she receive as many votes as possible in order to win. She trails Kemp by a few points in the polls. Issues such as this resonate with Georgia voters, especially in small places like Lithonia and other municipalities that are held hostage by CSX and Republican politicians like Rick Jasperse. This is an excellent opportunity for Stacey Abrams and other state and federal officials in Georgia to advocate for this critical legislation.

The Urban Politician Alliance is located in Lithonia, Georgia, in the Metro Atlanta area. This small city has a population of just 2,600 people. We are dedicated to bringing to light all that is done to keep our communities unsafe and unattended to by our local, state, and federal politicians. The time to act is now, and your donation can be instrumental in making this a reality. With your monetary support, we can maintain our tireless pursuit of combating social injustice through our writing and media platforms.

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The post Ga Republican State Reps Kill Bill that will limit how long trains stay on tracks appeared first on Urban Politician.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed the Democratically-controlled House of Representatives in February, but has yet to receive a vote in the evenly-split Senate. Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins joins Judy Woodruff with an update on where things stand.

The post What is the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act? appeared first on Urban Politician.

If enacted, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would help protect voters from racial discrimination and voter suppression.

The post John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act appeared first on Urban Politician.

I remember the 2016 election campaign of Donald Trump when asked who he would bring into his administration since he wanted to drain the swamp. He attempted to define the swamp as the deep state or career people already working in the government. His reply was he was going to bring in the best business minds, the best talent ever assembled.

I was reminded of that time listening to Jacinda “Cindy” Thomas’s audio of last night’s candidate forum in Lithonia. I was not in attendance; however, I have listened to the audio from last night’s forum. The most striking resemblance was her lack of experience as to how government works. Being Mayor is not like being a President, however, they are both executive positions that have high visibility and sets the vision and tone for what they would want to achieve during their term. The questions by the moderators were basic questions of any politicians running for office. Unfortunately, we are used to politicians not answering questions, but never not answering a basic question like what is your greatest achievement both professionally and personally. That’s a softball question intended to give us some insight into what you’ve done in your past that will give us a clue as to what you bring to the table. It’s even more dumbfounding when you’ve just been asked to share with us the 20 million dollars you secured for businesses that you allegedly consulted with in the past. That would be a major professional accomplishment! Instead, we got what she would do in the future. A talking point designed to supplement when you don’t have an answer. Back to the 20 million dollars raised for her business clients. Unless you’ve raised hundreds of million dollars deals you would remember with specificities. Instead, we got ramblings about examples of funding. Even if I give her the benefit of the doubt that she didn’t want to give away trade secrets, surely, she could have given us how that experience transfer to government funding. Instead, we got something like, “I’ve been in sales,” or “my connections.” What connections do you have? Who are they? Not even a name drop. Can we at least get that? This leads me to believe that she is being evasive and not given anyone the ability to fact-check. It’s all talk with no substance, it’s what is called in the sales industry an air deal. Better yet, can we get some verifiable testimonies from the companies you secured 20 million dollars in funding?

Now for some of the governing questions, Ms. Thomas was asked and I’m paraphrasing, “Name one zoning requirement in the city you would change?” Before I continue, what are Zoning Laws?

“Zoning is the process of dividing the land in a municipality into zones in which certain land uses are permitted or prohibited. In addition, the sizes, bulk, and placement of buildings may regulate. The type of zones determines whether planning permission for a given development is granted.

Source: Wikipedia”

For example, if a property is zoned residential, there is no need to change the zoning on it unless you plan on tearing it down and building a commercial property on it like a store or office building. Or changing the structure of the building on that property from a single-family home to an apartment building. That would require a zoning change.

Here is a zoning ordinance in Lithonia that should address. Our downtown area zoned commercial is only so big, two whole blocks maybe. To obtain a liquor license downtown you can’t be within 75 yards of a church. At the time that Life & Times Cigar Bar was trying to get the liquor license, downtown Lithonia had two churches, one on Main Street and the other in Lithonia Plaza. If you look at small and large towns across this country, the downtown area flourishes with great retail shops, restaurants, and places of entertainment for the community to enjoy. It’s vital to the growth and sustainability of the community. Churches are vital to the community as well, however, most churches are not found in storefront locations. Churches aren’t typically open six to seven days a week during business hours. If the zoning laws were to change requiring retail, entertainment, and arts in downtown Lithonia, building owners could only lease their spaces out for those purposes. Therefore, allowing more economic growth within the city, which also provides jobs for its residents. Ms. Thomas did give an example of what zoning laws she would like to see changed, she answered investors buying properties and looking at what worked in the past and what didn’t work. For someone who prides herself on bringing new developments and attracting new businesses to Lithonia, I would think she would have a well-thought-out answer to that question not to mention her lofty goal of 100% employment for the residents of Lithonia. To achieve a better Lithonia, you must first understand the mechanisms of government and have a well-thought-out strategy to reach your goals. She had neither.

The governing body is in the case of a city the City Council. I was struck by the many times Cindy stated that she would bring in outside consultants or experts. On the surface that sounds solid, but if you know how governments work, it just not that simple. Ms. Thomas was asked, “What would you do if the city was awarded a million-dollar grant?” She talked about splitting the fund up and putting it in different areas for improvement. Again, that sounds rational, however, an informed candidate would work closely with the city council to map out a plan to maximize the city’s needs. The City Council has the power of the purse; they decide how money is going to be spent. The Mayor can give direction but doesn’t have a vote unless a tiebreaker is necessary. She was asked about the process of hiring police officers and using Police Officer Standards and Training (Post). Anytime in the State of Georgia, a police officer violates their oath it goes on the POST report. These reports are a great tool in deciding whether to hire an officer or not. You would prefer to hire officers that have a clean POST report or at worst have minor infractions. Ms. Thomas missed the mark altogether, instead talked about her own skillset and bringing outside consultants into the hiring process. If she knew, there is already a process in place to weed out unwanted police officers; the process just needs to be adhered to. A Mayor can certainly recommend or advocate for certain candidates, but the city council has the final say. Not once did she mention the city council in implementing her vision for the city. The moderator did ask Ms. Thomas how she would work with the city council in a separate question in which she stated that was ever good for the citizens of Lithonia would be a priority. That answer is good by itself but lacked the complete understanding that implementing any of her programs that require funding would have to go through the city council. It may appear that I am splitting hairs here, but someone with the experience to run for mayor would not have missed this very important point. One that possesses the necessary experience would always prefer their response with “I will work with the city council to ensure passage of this ordinance or law.

I don’t know much about a lot of things, but I do know when a politician is perpetrating a fraud against the very people they wish to serve. This is what I do, study politics.

Kazemde Ajamu

The post Cindy Thomas’s inexperience shows at Lithonia’s Candidates Forum appeared first on Urban Politician.

Every president has advisors. The most senior advisors have the president’s ear. They are able to push policy positions and craft messaging, even propaganda. In most administrations, we know who these advisors are and what they stand for. For example, President Obama had Valerie Jarrett, President Bush’s Senior Advisor Karl Rove was nicknamed “Bush’s Brain”. These senior advisors are considered the president’s right hand. They’re not elected nor does Congress have to approve their nomination. 

That being said, as far as I can remember, all the president’s trusted senior advisors are very much involved in re-election campaigns. You see them all over the news selling us on why the President should be re-elected. 

Until now!

The Trump Administration has seen more firing, resignations, or retires than any administration in recent memory. With the exception of Trump’s family members, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Eric Trump, very few have survived a full 4-year term in his administration. 

Who is this guy? His name is Stephen Miller and he is President Trump’s senior advisor for policy. Why is the Trump Campaign hiding him? If we review his record we may find out. In an article written November 12, 2019 by The Southern Poverty Law Center titled Stephen Miller’s Affinity for White Nationalism Revealed in Leaked Emails, 

it is suggested that “In the run-up to the 2016 election, White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller promoted white nationalist literature, pushed racist immigration stories and obsessed over the loss of Confederate symbols after Dylann Roof’s murderous rampage, according to leaked emails reviewed by Hatewatch.”

Don’t care about immigration policies from the Trump Administration or Confederate symbols? Here is another article from Forbes,  How Right-Wing Media and Stephen Miller ‘Radicalized’ Donald Trump.

Miller, adopting a sarcastic tone of faux shock common to talk radio, dismissed Acosta’s mention of the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of America’s embrace of immigrants, and accused Acosta of “a cosmopolitan bias.” Guerrero says that phrase is no random insult, but a very specific line used by white nationalists—and one with long ties to white nationalists. As Politico reported at the time, “it’s a term that’s seldom been heard in American political discourse. But to supporters of the Miller-Bannon worldview, it was a cause for celebration. Breitbart, where Steve Bannon reigned before becoming Trump’s chief political strategist, trumpeted Miller’s ‘evisceration’ of Acosta and put the term in its headline. So did white nationalist Richard Spencer, who hailed Miller’s dust-up with Acosta as ‘a triumph.”

For all the Brothers and Sisters out there, who want to see police reform and think a Trump administration is going to deliver that, in an article from The Atlantic by McKay Coppins, Trump’s Right-Hand Troll,

Even from a young age, he said, crime stories on the news would upset him “on a core emotional level.” He bristled against the sort of “gentle rehabilitation programs” for convicts beloved by bleeding-heart Santa Monicans. “My core instinct was … to put them behind bars and keep them behind bars until they’re not a threat to anybody anymore.” 

I can hear the Trump supporters saying, well at least Trump did something about prison reform. Stephen Miller couldn’t have had too much influence. I like to remind you that Trump’s First Step Act allowing second-chance opportunities and sentence reduction for federal inmates didn’t directly impact our community. Sure, there are some federal inmates of color that received a shortened sentence, however, 60% of federal inmates are white. The remaining 40% is broken down between African Americans, Latino’s and Asians. Most African Americans are in state prisons and county jails. The bottom line is, the more you dig into Trump and his administration, the more you’re not fooled by his promises to Black America. 

For more information on Stephen Miller, check out this article from The Atlantic, Trump’s Right-Hand Troll.

Kazemde Ajamu

The post Who is this guy? appeared first on Urban Politician.

Under Lithonia’s current Mayor, annexation has become a hot topic, with towns like South Fulton and Stonecrest becoming new cities in 2016. The new city of Stonecrest was once unincorporated Lithonia that borders the city of Lithonia to its south and east. Prior to Stonecrest’s annexation, unincorporated Lithonia and the city of Lithonia made up of two zip codes, 30038 and 30058. 2010 Census Bureau shows that these two zip codes are ranked 2nd and 3rd in Black medium-income nationwide behind Prince Georges County in Maryland. Stonecrest now takes up all of zip code 30038 and a small portion of 30058. Under Georgia’s tax structure the county in which the unincorporated areas are responsible for collecting taxes among other revenue streams and providing services such as police departments, public works, and the governing body. Another area north and west of the city of Lithonia is planning to annex the remaking area surrounding the city into the City of Green Haven.  This move would leave the city of Lithonia landlocked with no room for growth. That potential growth would have added a significant revenue stream to the city. Lithonia has been a non-player in the arena of annexation until now.

 Councilwoman Shameka Reynolds grew up in Lithonia and has had enough of seeing her city standing on the outside of growth. She understands the power of annexation and how it can benefit her fellow Lithonia residents. Unlike Stonecrest and the proposed Green Haven, Lithonia wouldn’t have to spend valuable tax dollars building a City Hall, police department, and public works since we already have these services. Lithonia would only have to expand its city services to cover the annexed areas. Its expansion would make most of the new revenue available to create a better standard of living for all its residents. We don’t need to gentrify as Shameka Reynolds’ opponent intends to, we need to follow Shameka’s lead in creating other avenues of revenue for the city. Annexation will be the beginning. Last night at Lithonia’s City Council meeting, mayoral candidate Shameka Reynolds took the first step in the annexation process. The first step in annexation is to hire a company to complete a feasibility study to see if annexation would make financial sense for the city. Councilwoman Shameka Reynolds proposed the first step towards Lithonia annexation to initiate the search for the right company. The city council approved this Request for Proposal (RFP) with a unanimous 4-0 vote.

This is what homegrown leadership is all about. Moving the city forward while protecting its citizens.

Kazemde Ajamu

The post Mayoral Candidate Shameka Reynolds Makes First Step towards Lithonia Annexation appeared first on Urban Politician.

By Kazemde Ajamu, The Urban Politician

I am a strong advocate for local politics; it is there that we can make the most impact on our daily lives. I attended the DeKalb County Board of Elections meeting and had the opportunity to see just how dysfunctional local government can be. I will stipulate that the Board is understaffed due to how funds are allocated in the county. But that’s a discussion for another day.

At these meetings, residents are allowed to challenge residency for registered voters in the county and challenge the residency qualifications for candidates running for office. To challenge the residency of a registered voter is quite easy. A citizen can arbitrarily gather a list of voters and challenge their residency, which consequently challenges their right to vote in their district or county. When the list is submitted to the Board of Elections, it becomes their responsibility to go through each one to verify and categorize each one into active, non-active or removal. For example, if you move but remain in your district without changing your address with the Post Office and Driver License you may end up on the non-active list or removed completely. Your status is left up to the five (5) Board Members or the Board of Elections where you reside. This can be a very thorough process yet maddening at the same time. I watched one particular Member Susan Motter (D) go as far as pulling property tax records in Maryland to prove a registered voter no longer lived in the property. Another registered voter changed her address with the Post Office and Driver’s License Bureau. This change triggered a notification to the Election Board and she still received a notice that she may be removed, only to find out she didn’t need to be there in the first place. If you move, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure your paperwork is in order. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to confusion and possible removal from the voting rolls.

As to the reason I went to the meeting with the Board of Elections in the first place. My business is in the City of Lithonia, which is in DeKalb County. Although I don’t live in Lithonia, I am very active in its politics. I sincerely care about the residents in this city and I even serve as the Vice President of the Lithonia Business Association. Needless to say, I have a vested interest in Lithonia. 2019 is an election year in Lithonia. Mayoral and City Council seats are up. The candidates for Mayor are Two-Term Council Woman and Jacinda “Cindy” Thomas.

This piece will focus on the two Mayoral candidates. In order to run for elected office in Lithonia, you must establish residency for at least one year. So candidates running for office had to have lived here as of November of 2018 in order to qualify to run for office.

Lithonia is a small city, one square mile with a population of just over 2,000. Most of the residents have been here for decades if not centuries. The business community is small and close-knit but growing. The future is bright for Lithonia. News travels fast in Lithonia as in most small cities. In the business community, we know each other fairly well. We’ve created a family environment among business owners. We have developed such a fondness for each other that our lives connect well beyond business hours.

A Councilwoman who is running for mayor is a child of Lithonia, born and raised here. I’m a little old school and believe in the days when the community had a hand in raising all of its children. I first met the Councilwoman three years ago when I began attending Bi-Monthly City Council meetings. My initial impression was that she was quiet and polite, a product of good upbringing. I quickly learned to not let her quiet and polite demeanor fool you. She is a fierce advocate for what is right. A characteristic often spoken about but seldom adhered to.  It wasn’t about political expedience with her. She actually sits back and listens to your concerns and moves on it. If it’s about the betterment of Lithonia’s residents and businesses, she has been all in. The Councilwoman really earned my respect when we disagreed on an issue. I was caught offhand with how strong she stated her position. I didn’t expect how she broke down her position with such clarity and how she almost changed my mind. I didn’t change my mind. However, in a subsequent conversation with her, she acknowledged that we both wanted what’s best for the city, and that’s a debate she doesn’t mind having. Watching City Council meetings over the last 3 years, I have observed that she is never the loudest voice in the room, but when she speaks, everyone listens. She became for me at least, the “Quiet Storm.” Not only is the Councilwoman quiet, steadfast, strong and articulate, she is also a lifelong resident, Councilwoman, and part-owner of a well-established business in Lithonia. She is perfectly positioned to fill the needs of the entire Lithonia Family.

There was a challenge to Mayoral candidate Jacinda “Cindy” Thomas’s residency qualifications by three Lithonia residents, City Council Members William “Ric” Dodd, Amelia Inman, and a local resident.

Cindy Thomas came to Lithonia sometime in late spring or early summer of 2018. She came to Green Love Kitchen with her Sister. During her visit, she met a local resident and business owner which gave her a tour of downtown Lithonia, something we pride ourselves in doing for people who have an interest in becoming part of our business family. When Cindy and the local resident developed a romantic relationship, we were all happy for him and his newfound friend. Cindy seemed to all of us to have it together, being bright, energetic, and motivated. The local resident had just recently purchased a building and was opening up an Arts Center in downtown Lithonia. Cindy was the catalyst to make it a reality. Unfortunately, the relationship between resident and Cindy soured and broke off in January of 2019. We barely saw Cindy through the winter and spring. Cindy started to reappear and the next thing we know she is running for Mayor of Lithonia. Practically every one of us in the business community is well aware Cindy does not fulfill the residency requirements to run for Mayor, or any seat in Lithonia, Georgia.

When it was time for DeKalb County Board of Elections to hear the challenge to Cindy Thomas’s residency, Ric Dodd and Amelia Inman contested that Cindy could not have lived at the rooming house on Swift Street because the building received their occupancy statement in late spring. No one could have imagined that Cindy and her attorney would attest under oath that Cindy lived at the local residency up until July of 2019. More importantly, the Board required no additional information to support Cindy’s residency, totally dismissing two City Council members’ claims. To add insult to injury, the attorney produced a sworn affidavit from her ex-boyfriend that Cindy did, in fact, live at his address currently. Now I’m not sure if the Board had already received copies of that affidavit, but not one Member asked to view it nor did the attorney hand it to them. So herein lies my issue with the Board. Just like they went the extra step to prove a voter lived in Maryland which is not required by law, they could have gone further and asked for a lease or utility bill to prove residency. The same rules should apply to both residents and candidates. This is exactly why people don’t trust the system, because when one is trying to do the honorable thing, no one takes it seriously. Yet, someone can compile a list of voters to purge, and everyone caught up in that list is subject to be removed. As I walked out of the hearing room, a woman who just witnessed the proceedings asked me if everyone feared that Cindy Thomas was going to win. I responded, “It’s not about winning and losing, it’s about the integrity of the process. How can we ever get the voting public to engage in their civic duties if all levels of government won’t hold to the very principles they require from us?”

When one wants to deceive the public, getting a driver’s license or an ex- boyfriend to sign an affidavit is easy. When we don’t hold elected officials accountable for their actions, we all lose. Sadly, while our communities are losing, these same politicians are profiting. One has to ask, why would someone go this far to deceive the same public she wishes to serve? We certainly don’t believe she has the public interest at heart.

It may seem obvious which way I’m leaning; however, it should be obvious to us all. We don’t let outsiders come into our homes to run our households. When you raise your children up to be leaders, you don’t look past them when it’s their time.

There is always a silver lining in all things. In the end, it is the voting public who decides. It is our job to make sure that the voting public makes decisions based on facts. An engaged and informed voting public maintains the power to elect and hold politicians accountable for their actions. We focus on Presidents, Governors, and Mayors during election season; however, it’s the U.S. Congress, State Houses, and City Councils that hold the power to pass laws and the power of the purse. Seldom do we focus on who sits on a Board of Elections and what laws and policies guide them. Governing laws and funding for the DeKalb County Board of Elections are managed by the DeKalb County Commissioners. If the Board of Elections lacks the proper funding to protect our vote and to ensure integrity in the entire election process, they should be held accountable. It doesn’t end there. No changes happen without each and every single one of us. We are the key to change. If we don’t like what we are seeing, it’s time to change the leadership; it’s time to vote people out of office. If you’re a registered voter that has moved or you haven’t voted in past elections, make sure you’ve completed a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service and changed your address with the Department of Motor Vehicles. For additional protection, while you’re at the DMV, update your voter registration card. These actions may not stop some unknown individual or group from challenging your residency and right to vote, but it will keep you safe from getting removed from the voting polls.

DeKalb County Board of Elections

• Anthony Lewis (R)
• Susan Motter (D)
• Dele Lowman Smith (D)
• Samuel E. Tillman (N)
• Baoky N. Vu (R)

Kazemde Ajamu

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