Fellow voters, do we live in a democracy or a dictatorship?

While I am in total agreement our city clerk has not executed his duties I do not believe that our current board of aldermen and mayor should have the ability to appoint the city clerk and municipal judge. It is very presumptuous of them to assume that we would not have the intellect to vote an elected official out of office that does not perform the duties required. This is America, and we are allowed to vote for the person of our choice. Do I agree with a lot of the people who are voted in office? No, but majority wins. I find it alarming that the very same group of people who were voted in office are now trying to take our voting rights way.

How did our municipal judge — an attorney who is qualified for his position —get pulled into this fiasco? What law did he break? What did he do wrong?

Maybe he is too impartial, honest and can’t be bribed or bought and is a man of integrity and won’t give in to the powers that be.

Do some of you feel he should bow down to political pressure and be a yes man? Judge Jim Blough will never be a yes man nor is that what most voters want in a judge and if that’s what this current board wants then perhaps our only mistake was voting them in office.

It is unacceptable what this board is trying to do to Judge Blough and us the voters. We watch the aldermen meetings, and it was all for one and one for all in this case! Amazing! Judge Blough was thrown under the bus in order for the board to get our city clerk out of office, and I find that to be very unfair to Judge Blough and us the voters.

Unfortunately the mayor and board of aldermen can try and make both the city clerk and municipal judge appointed positions. Will there be closed-door meetings that we won’t be privy too? They do not need any more control in the positions they hold. Power in the wrong hands is dangerous and mark my words it will not serve us the citizens of Natchez well by giving this current or any future administration more power. It is sad to say but these board members have become way too smug in their elected positions.

Fellow voters we cannot allow this to happen! We must protect our right to vote! When the time comes I will be signing any petition that may be presented as well as contacting the attorney general and governor in opposition to making the city clerk and municipal judge appointed positions. I hope all of you who are in agreement will do the same by going to the web address below and making your voices heard.

http://www.ms.gov/content/Pages/Elected-Officials.aspx#

 

Johnnie Galer

Natchez resident