On December 1, 1955 Mrs. Rosa Parks boarded a Montgomery, Alabama bus and changed the world. When she refused to give up her seat to a white man, over 50,000 African Americans in the city of Montgomery stood up in unity for the first time in their lives.

With their backs straight and their heads held high, in four (4) days the entire African American community in Montgomery had rallied around Mrs. Parks and organized a unified bus boycott that lasted 381 days.

This organization occurred when most of the African Americans in Montgomery did not have cars or telephones; let alone e-mail, pagers or cell phones. On that faithful day, 50 years and 6 days ago, Mrs. Rosa Parks became the "MOTHER OF THE WORLD'S CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS."

On December 6, 2005 the African American community in Augusta, Ga. dishonored Mrs. Rosa Parks and her legacy. The run-off election for Mayor of Augusta was a slap in the face of Mrs. Rosa Parks. However, the election was not about Willie Mays or Deke Copenhaver per se. On the contrary, it was about whether or not African Americans could come together as a unified community, as was done on December 5, 1955. An the answer is a resounding "NO!"

The fact that a white political newcomer without a consistent employment history and absolutely no political experience can defeat an African American politician with twenty-five years of continuous political service and over thirty years of continuous employment on the same job is indicative as to how far African Americans have regressed over the last fifty years.

The morning after the run-off election is full of finger pointing and scapegoating. Many in the African American community is blaming Helen Blocker-Adams (African American female) for dividing the African American community by first running against Willie Mays in the primary election and then endorsing Deke Copenhaver in the run-off election.

I must confess that I too am guilty of blaming her. Yet Willie's defeat goes beyond whom Helen did or did not support. The true legacy of Mrs. Rosa Parks is that we as a people can do all things through unity that strengthens us. On the other hand, without unity, there is absolutely no strength, which will result only in our continued defeats.

State Rep. Sue Burmeister is accused of saying, "If Blacks are not paid, they won't go to the polls," and many in the African American community are outraged with her. Yet I believe she spoke partial truths. Every African American living today has been PAID with the blood, sweat, tears as well as the lives of those who sacrificed so much in order that we can have the right to vote. Rep. Burmeister was also correct when she allegedly said, "…they won't go to the polls." The outcome of December 6th's election results in Augusta was because the majority of African American voters did not go to the polls. And those of us that did vote were without a unified agenda.

Let us keep one thought in mind and that is there will be another mayoral election next year. Now is the time to begin grooming our candidate, if we want to elect Augusta's second African American mayor. By the way, there are those in the minority (white) community that want those of us in the majority (African American) community to buy the hype that it is not about race. But the truth is that it is all about race!

So if we are looking for someone to blame, we must look into our own mirrors. Because, "IT'S STILL TIME TO STOP BLAMING THE WHITE MAN."

Jerry Smith, LCSW, LISW, can be reached at www.jerry@itsstilltime.com.

© December 2005 By Afromerica

Brother Jerry Smith will be keeping the Black community educated on ethical issues of life and living in America. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

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