Reader suspects city leaders criticized because of race

To the Editor:

I attended the Blytheville Finance Committee meeting held Monday, December 7th and I read the letter to the editor December 19th and I must say "Racism" is alive and well in the city of Blytheville. If you notice the only ones that are criticized in the December 19th Letter to the Editor are "Black", Mayor James Sanders, Councilman Jones, Councilman Musgraves and Parks Director Elroy Brown.

How is it that Mayor James Sanders is recognized all over the state for the great work he is doing in Blytheville and criticized at home in the city of Blytheville? I don't understand that. At the December 7th Blytheville Finance Committee meeting the only "Black" department head in the city of Blytheville was basically put on trial about his job.

It is my understanding that secret meetings and discussion plans are being work on to eliminate the Parks and Recreation Director's Elroy Brown's job. Set up questions was asked to try to discredit Mr. Brown and the answers that was given was not true. Where were all the "Concerned Citizens" when the city owed the IRS $3.8 million, or owing the state $1.6 million?

There seems to be a different set of standards going on here. Councilman Jones, Councilman Parks, and Councilman Musgraves thank you all for standing up for the truth. Pastor Lawrence Echols, Pastor Laddie Whaley, Rev. Douglas Echols, Rev. Eddie Echols, Rev. Blanton Jones, and all of you that attended the meeting thank you for being there with your support. Mr. Brown is being targeted be cause he is Black. Let's just call it what it is.

He is also being targeted because he works for Mayor James Sanders. Mr. Brown has been targeted every since he stood up and tried to get new equipment for Williams Park a year ago. By the way Williams Park is in a "Black" neighborhood, some folks even stop speaking to him for his efforts. There is a movement going on to try to take his job, not because he is not doing his job but because he is Black. Mr. Brown has outstanding credentials, he has a Bachelor Degree from Arkansas State University and is currently working on his master's degree, yet none of this seems to matters.

The city of Blytheville's job description for Parks and Recreation Director requires a "Bachelor Degree" how many of the other department heads have college degrees? The only thing seems to matter is he is the wrong color. Racism is alive and well in Blytheville.

-- James Davis

Blytheville