I have people ask me all the time what I think about the current political situation of the city. While I enjoy the questions and the debate in random aisles of the grocery store as I desperately search for avocados in the offseason at a decent price, or while I try to beat my old deadlift weight, the best solution I have heard so far was the following:

“If we had a Chic-Fil-A, everything would improve.”

I will leave the identity of this individual a mystery due to the context, but yes apparently Chic-Fil-A is everything Selma needs to make this city better.

Forget a balanced and unanimously passed budget, you can’t go wrong as long as you have those awesome potato wedges in your life.

I understand people have different goals for the city, and who knows, maybe the most religiously influenced fast food chain is the answer.

Why not give it a whirl? We’ve tried everything else to no success, so who’s to judge?

The thing about this statement: I don’t think this individual is totally wrong.

It takes a combination of things such as retail businesses, a functioning government and other establishments to work together towards a common goal.

We have all of these groups that are wanting to improve the county and city in their own way, but their efforts alone are not enough to make an impact on the major problems that we have going on around here.

Take the Selma Police Department for example who is banding together with other state and federal agencies to basically clean house in Selma.

Chief Spencer Collier literally brought in the big guns to help out. All of the agencies had a common goal in getting their wanted criminals, which they achieved almost effortlessly it seems.

The same mindset should happen with all of the groups that include somewhere in their mission statements something along the phrase of “helping the community.”

Take it from the most introverted extrovert that communication is important. I hope that all of these groups will one day get on the same page with each other and help each other out. Be more than just words and make things happen.

Most importantly, aim higher than just a Chic-Fil-A.

Although, I must say that if that chain announced they were interested in coming to the area, I would sell my non-existent first born to make that happen.