Tears and Laughter: How to know who not to vote for

Election years in Wilcox County are particularly fun and entertaining. In the past we have had candidates win by illegal absentees – receiving more absentees than votes at the polls. We have had candidates arrested for buying votes – your choice of $5 cash or a six-pack and all-you-can-eat fried chicken wings.

We have had different officials who were put out of office for wrongdoing and then voted right back in. We have also had candidates manage, with help, to keep huge wrong-doing covered and quiet. So at this point, Wilcox County citizens should be able to identify lame candidates and not vote for them. If a candidate’s number one reason you should vote for them is because who they are related to, there is a very strong possibility they aren’t ready for office.

Along those same lines…and I write this respectfully, if anybody starts comparing a current election battle to Jesus and Judas, ignore that person. They are trying to manipulate you. I actually heard that comparison last week. There was this man telling people in the local black community here that if another person of the black community approached them about voting for a new candidate to remember that it was one of Jesus’s own people who betrayed him.

This same guy suggested everyone ask these new candidates where they were when everybody was crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Again, no disrespect, but the bridge crossing was over 50 years ago. A lot of people running for office were children or not even born yet. And if you were old enough to be that involved, you are likely retiring or making end of life decisions, not running for office. So don’t let anyone sway you or play on your sensitivities that way.

If someone approaches you asking you to vote for a new candidate it is probably because they realize the shortcomings and less than acceptable behavior that exists in county government. Wilcox County has too many serious problems. Bridgeport Road, the main road that leads to Roland Cooper State Park – one of the few revenue producing attractions we’ve got – has recently completely washed off the map. It was built on a fault that shifted.  There is no current plan to fix it. There are no funds to fix it. I’m not completely sure the county engineer knows what do to fix it even if there were funds available. The state has agreed to help. State officials have visited and looked at it. They said they would try and come up with an engineering plan, but currently, it is just a gaping hole where the road used to be, full of red dirt and water.

There is obvious misuse of county funds. There are too many officials using their office for attention, personal gain, and to grant favors to family, friends, and people they are trying to keep quiet. We have officials making decisions outside the bounds of their authority. When questioned, the response is just go ahead and charge them with the ethic’s violation fees.

No elected official that has served more than a single term in Wilcox County has any bragging rights. If they have accomplished little in office and nothing in life but failure and a continual starting over…that is not the leadership skills needed to push the county forward.

Wilcox voters do not need to be told who to vote for by people who don’t need to be voted for. We are all very aware of what failure looks like. It often struts around on display for all to see on the second and fourth Monday nights of the month at county commission meetings.

Amanda Walker is a blogger and contributor with AL.com, The Thomasville Times, West Alabama Watchman, and Wilcox Progressive Era. Contact her at walkerworld77@msn.com or at https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWalker.Columnist