Black Mobile council members: Effort to shed supermajority rule a ‘full-out assault on our citizens’

So some history. Mobile back in 60's had a 3 member commission form of government. A public works commissioner, police commissioner and finance commissioner. All elected at large and they rotated the ceremonial "Mayor" title. During the civil rights changes and lawsuits the Black citizens complained "they" didn't have representation even thought their vote counted the same as any other and it you wanted to win a seat you better go after that black vote too.

So lawsuits and federal government came if and Mobile was forced to adopt a council form of government with 7 districts 4 to be predominate white and 3 to be predominately black, you know the colorblind society? AND for any major piece of legislation, ordinate, budget etc it would take a supermajority to pass, IOW at least one black district had to agree even if the 4 white districts, 4 out of 7 is a majority, voted for the whatever was being voted on. Without the support of one of the black districts it could not pass. So ineffect blacks got a special veto power, their votes counted for more than white votes.

Finally after all these years motions are being made to vote to repeal this provision.

And of course here come the reactions

"A plan to undo a portion of Mobile’s 35-year-old form of government is a “scheme” and a “full-out assault on our citizens,” three members of the City Council said Wednesday.

The joint statement from the council’s three black members – Levon Manzie, Fred Richardson and C.J. Small – hinted at a political and racially sensitive clash over the future of city government."

"Presently, under the law, a five-vote supermajority of the seven-member City Council is required to pass ordinances, regulations and other significant matters. Most other cities in the state require only a simple majority."


And guess what the precious twice elected mayor who was very popular WAS BLACK. It's time to get of this unfair representation that was to correct old school Democrat politics. It has been racially dividing for years. The blacks can compete like everyone else with their votes counting the same as everyone else.

https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2020...-rule-a-full-out-assault-on-our-citizens.html