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SELMA’S OWN PINOCCHIO…
7-31-12



          In Selma, we have our own versions of the fictional character created by Carlo Collodi, Pinocchio, known for telling lies, fabricating stories and exaggerating tall tales for political purposes. Our versions of Pinocchio are all associated with HATE RADIO 105.3 AND THE PERKINS FOR MAYOR CAMPAIGN.

          We have the Perkins campaign chairperson, Lydia Chatmon (mother of Ward 4 city council candidate Doris Chatmon) who has demonstrated that she has no personal or journalistic integrity by never revealing that she is Perkins’ campaign chair while publicly trying to set up a debate between Perkins and Mayor Evans. While she acts as if her phony debate will be an objective informational event, it is nothing more than a staged event to try to build up Perkins and make Mayor Evans look bad. Can you imagine who would be asked what questions if Lydia the fabricator were in charge. Every Tuesday and Thursday, your nose grows Lydia!

          We are appalled that former mayor Perkins continues to repeat the lies about the murder rate in Selma and how he increased jobs in the city. How can he continue to say that the murder rate has increased 70% since Mayor Evans took office when the FBI and Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center SAYS THE OPPOSITE. The truth is that there were 53-YES 53- murders while Perkins was in office. There have been 30 murders in the past 4 years. Even a high school drop out can see that this does not equate to any 70% increase.

          Even worse is Perkins’ lies about how much jobs he created while Mayor. The truth is that in every measurable category, the work force, jobs, employment ALL DECREASED while Perkins was Mayor.For example, while Perkins was Mayor from 2000-2008, the CIVILIAN WORK FORCE decreased from 17, 926 to 15,324. While Perkins was Mayor, MANUFACTURING JOBS DECREASED from 4730 to 3929. While Perkins was Mayor, the unemployment rose from 7.2% to 10.3% when he left office. Every day, your nose grows former Mayor Perkins!

          And we could not name Selma’s most notorious fibbers without mentioning the liar in chief for Hate Radio, Johnnie M. Leashore. We heard him on HATE RADIO, which banned him from being on Public Conversation, 105.3 telling his oft repeated lie about some secret meeting involving black council members which resulted in Cecil Williamson being elected President Pro Tem of the Council. NO SUCH MEETING EVER TOOK PLACE! Williamson was elected by five members (not by Benjamin, Bowie and Tucker) by FIVE members of the City Council as Pro-Tem because RUTHLESS CRENSHAW choose not to be sworn in or attend the organizational meeting of the City Council with the other council meeting. Every day, your nose grows, Leashore!

          We have been amused to see how Mayor Perkins and his supporters have split up in the various races. It appears that Franklin NOT A BISHOP Fortier is Perkins’ personal choice to be City Council President. On the other hand, we see a Tremaine Gordon sign in Leashore’s yard. This seems to leave Rufus Ford to fend for himself.

          The Perkins Dream Team appears to be in place. We hear that Rod West has become his favorite in Ward 2 although Rod has a number of personal and family issues to overcome.

Ward 4: Dorothy Chatmon
Ward 6: Johnnie Leashore
Ward 7: Bennie Ruth Crenshaw
Ward 8: Michael Johnson

President of the School Board: Henry Hicks
District 1 School Board: Cynthia W. Harris
District 2: Velma Brewer
District 3: Phyllis Houser

          People who want Selma to prosper and move forward united should do all in their power to see that none of these people are elected to public office in Selma. TWO PERKINITES have already been elected: Sam Randolph in Ward 5 and the Nigerian born Ufo Ufomodu to District 4 of the School Board because they had no one to run against them.

          We believe that the City has made some progress in recent months and appreciate the efforts of some council members. We especially thank Council members Keith, Bjelke and Atchison for getting the paving of Cahaba Road and Medical Center Parkway in the pipeline to begin soon. We appreciate what Councilwoman Keith has done to bring the Military Medical Assistance program to Selma and thank Councilwoman Benjamin for the new KaBoom playground and Youth activities which she supports. As always, Councilman Tucker is making improvements in his Ward.

          We especially thank Ward 8 Councilman Corey Bowie for his even handed leadership as President Pro-Tem of the Council and for leading the Council during the illnesses of Dr. Williamson. Mr. Bowie has demonstrated that he has the temperament and now the experience to be the President of the Selma City Council.

          In closing, we say again, though we know most people probably do not care about this, that we are troubled by Franklin Fortier presenting himself as a BISHOP and taking himself seriously enough to call himself the “Bishop of the Black Belt. Not only is that not true, but it is offensive to anyone who understands how important the office of Bishop was and is in the church. Though we are not Bible scholars, we can read and do know that in Titus 1:5-9, the qualifications for a Bishop in the church are set forth including the requirement that a Bishop “must be blameless, the husband of one wife…”, which certainly bars Fortier from being a Bishop. Quite apart from any political reasons, we believe that it is an affront to the true church for any man to take to himself an office to which he is not entitled! That Fortier does this is an indication that he has a serious character flaw which should preclude him for ruling over us in any fashion.