Spent the morning tilting at windmills.

[trof]

I'm the treasurer for a candidate for city council.
She's a black lady and if she wins it will be a real first for this little southern town.

The incumbent is a black man who the black community general believes is an Uncle Tom.

The city did a redistricting and what was once a 60% majority black district isn't any more. About 60% white, 35% black, and 5% "other".
The entire city of around 10,000 is 75% white, 25% black according to the latest 2000 census.

There's been a huge spurt of growth, many new subdivisions and territory annexed in the last few years. The city manager says most of the influx has been white residents, which is probably true.
So the percentage of blacks will be even smaller in the 2010 census.
Possibly around 13-14%.

The candidate and I had a 2 hour sitdown with the city manager and his staff to see what could be done.
Bottom line: Nothing.
He claims to be hamstrung by U.S. DOJ and Alabama election laws.
It's one of the most complicated can of worms I've ever tried to figure out.
Maybe he's right.
I dunno.

<sigh>
And so it goes.

[Condem]

1. Good luck, trof.

[trof]

2. Thanks.

I sure get no encouragement around here.
:-(

[trof]

3. I mean...really.

No 'atta boy'.
No 'Keep fighting the good fight.'
No 'Keep on keeping on'.
145 'views' and not one whit of encouragement, except for you.
Thank you.

G'night all.

[flashl]

4. Thank you trof for your work and keep fighting the GOOD fight. nt