Where Selma goes from here is anybody’s guess. Actually, it’s a lot more than a guess — it’s a decision.

After Tuesday night’s election, and subsequent run-off between LaTosha Brown and Yusuf Abdus Salaam, the political atmosphere in Selma and Dallas County will not reach far below a deafening level. In some ways, that will be good for this community. In other ways, it could be devastating.

The race between Salaam and Brown must remained focused on the only reasons that matter — the good of this community. The way to keep the campaign focused on the good of Selma is for dialogue to center on issues that affect our lives.

When candidates don’t have any ideas, and when they simply want to earn a paid position in Montgomery, they often resort to attacking each other. Residents in Selma should shun the notion of attacks immediately.

So long as the deafening noise created by this election focuses on the future of Selma, then the noise will make our community a better place.

On the other hand, we in Dallas County have a knack for enjoying political controversy. Though we wish candidates would discuss issues, we don’t seem to mind when attacker take to the streets. We almost enjoy a climate that breeds dissension.

Maybe that comes from events of the 1960s, though that’s another issue for another day. Today, we must focus on what happens to our political process.

In Selma and Dallas County, elections become painfully evil when candidate supporters take it upon themselves to win elections. Every good candidate needs a strong base of supporters, but every noble candidate needs a base of people who support. In other words, supporters must not become attackers. When they do, they only depict candidates as desperate.

We issue a challenge to both Brown and Salaam: Run for yourself and for Dallas County; don’t run against each other.

Becoming a state legislator is an important responsibility. Prove you are responsible candidates by telling us how you’ll make this community better, not by how you feel the other candidate is worse.

And in that challenge, ask your supporters to do the same.