To the Editor:

There is a black cloud over Selma and I don’t mean in meteorological terms. The future of this city in my opinion is bleak. Our future is in the hands of a select few leaders who do not have any concept of reality. Their only view is of their own selfish needs.

No city official should be allowed to be on the city payroll more than once. There are too many people in this town needing a job for one fat hog at the trough taking them all. If they had any morals at all they would pass these jobs on to their constituents. I think it is a shame the way the current administration creates jobs for kinfolk and friends who are not qualified for the position. It may have happened in the past administration as well but that does not mean it should happen in the current one.

We the people of Selma need to come together and make a stand and let these people know that their time is limited and put new qualified people in key positions that can accomplish something for the city without waiting to be told so by their leader. The outbursts in city hall by public officials in council meetings is uncalled for and they do not represent their constituents well and are not good role models for the youth of Selma.

Since I have been in the nonprofit arena, I have had to face many obstacles and I don’t mean my personal visual impairment. My biggest handicaps have been access to local politicians. They all know you before an election but after they get your vote they soon forget what you and your organization is about. They all have the same attitude, what is in it for me! I am not going to waste my time and efforts on political butt kissing or publicly supporting any of them and I strongly suggest that in the next election you the people of Selma look at how accessible and dependable each person has represented you and your special interest group before casting your vote. We the people are still their boss but some of them have forgotten it.

I am personally against career politicians and think there should be a term limit on each of them. I think eight years of one person is enough? It takes four years to clean up a mess from previous administrations and four to do something with your own term in office.

I feel discretionary money should be used to assist people and non profit organizations in your territory and not to buy votes.

I feel that all the people of Selma should be treated fair and equal but I now feel that white people are treated unfair and not equal by the black administration. It is almost like we are not important to this community.

This attitude is not proper and is not what Dr. King stood for. He was for an inclusive society and not for an exclusive society and that is what I see in the future of Selma with the current black administration in power is running Selma geared toward themselves and their own interests not including the white population.

I speak from a person who has goals and a man who wants to work with everyone but who has been shunned by black politicians and they would not give me a fair chance to talk to them and share my goals to help the visually impaired, black and white population of Selma. I feel it is based on my color of skin and disability. This friend is not being treated fair.

“That is the way I see it.”

William H. Bowman