Newbern is a rural town in Alabama. 85% of its population is black. There hadn't been an election there in decades. The serving white mayor would pick his successor and that person would appoint the city council. No black person ever served as mayor and only one on the city council...ever. Patrick Braxton, a black firefighter and first responder, confronted the current white mayor and advised him he was going to run for the position. That mayor lied to him about the process, but Braxton figured it out, filed the necessary paperwork and paid the applicable fee. No one else qualified to run so Braxton was duly elected mayor per a local judge. That's when the redneck fun starts. The local white residents were not happy. The locks on the doors to City Hall were changed, Braxton wasn't allowed access to the town's bank account or even the town's PO box. The white mayor and white city council members then held a secret meeting and voted to have a secret special election where they voted themselves back in. Braxton had had the locks on City Hall changed so he could get into the building, the secretly elected white mayor had them changed again. Braxton has a federal lawsuit pending. Black man who says he was elected mayor of Alabama town alleges that White leaders are keeping him from position
Wow, that's a tough situation. It's disheartening to see discrimination and attempts to suppress change. Props to Patrick Braxton for standing up and
Racist people are everywhere and Florida has our share but I can't imagine wanting to play college football in Alabama or Georgia knowing how many fans would show their true colors given the opportunity.
Blatant racism. Right there- who on the statewide level in GOP is condemning this? It is the government that is behaving this way. State sanctioned. Everyone needs to be extremely worried as well as outraged.
I've often wondered that myself. However, my hometown of Gainesville has a rather sordid history. I agree, though, Alabama is in a class by itself. (They elected Tubberville as one of their Senators, for God's sake!)
I’ve seen a few articles on this in the last few weeks, surprised it wasn’t posted here yet. Was going to start the thread myself or use it as a counterpoint where folks insists racism is a thing of the past. Your take is exactly the same as mine. It’s so extreme you wonder how this was even possible. To just “hand down” government positions without an election, when there is an election to just ignore it because of race? I don’t care how small a town it is, that’s not American. Doesn’t give much confidence those black folks votes in that county are ever counted appropriately, and also makes one wonder if it’s a truly a one off.
Can’t wait to hear DeSantis’ take on this. I’m sure there’s a silver lining to black people being denied representation by a white minority.
“However, Braxton said that the "minority White residents of (Newbern), long accustomed to exercising total control over the government, refused to accept this outcome." Hmm sounds similar to a certain contingent who refused to acknowledge a certain presidential election outcome recently. I guess this is what they do. Anyway I hope Braxton wins this lawsuit against those corrupt scumbags.
I dont see what the problem is here. The black Americans of Newbern are learning valuable skills in bureaucracy that they can utilize to be successful later in life. Signed FL DOE.
