Down the Mississippi: Barack Obama effect ends white rule in Deep South town

Telegraph ^ | 07/12/09 | Toby Harnden

[Sig Sauer P220]

A tiny Mississippi delta town has elected its first black mayor after the white incumbent, unopposed for 30 years, faced a young challenger inspired by President Barack Obama's feat in winning the White House. In a shock result in Alligator (population 220), Tommie “Tomaso” Brown, 38, defeated Robert Fava, the mayor since 1979, owner of the general store and once his opponent’s boss, by 37 votes to 27. Mr Brown’s surprise victory was a milestone for Alligator, which is named after the curving lake nearby rather than the alligators that once occupied it. Although the only three businesses in the shrinking, tumble-down town are run by whites, three-quarters of the population is now black.

[Sig Sauer P220]

"Some youngsters ran into Mr Fava’s store to taunt him. “They was pulling down their pants, shouting, ’Kiss my black ass, because we got a black mayor’, swinging their things around and throwing stuff,” said Jennifer Green, 31, a black mother of 10."

Sounds like a lot of racists down there.

[mkcc30]

The most physically racist people I have known were black and that is just a fact of my own experiences. I have known a lot of racist whites too but most never overtly demonstrated it.

[Red Dog #1]

I've had similar experiences, sort of a hyper defensiveness. Many of these offensive individuals couldn't make the leap of understanding that there failure to be accepted had to do with being an @ss vs. their race.

[piytar]

Upon which point, if I’d owned the store, I’d have put a “closed - forever” sign on the front door, sold it, and moved out.

The election? Fine. The taunting by these racist little punks? Not so much...

[Nosterrex]

It was a landslide election. He received 40 votes to his opponent's 30 votes. The mayor elect probably got all his illegitimate children to vote for him.

[Hacklehead]

I predict that in 2 years that town will be boarded up and abandoned. But in the short term the low lifes are happy.

[BubbaJunebug]

Hmmm...black mother of 10....bet she’s seen some of them swingin’ their things

[GeronL]

The town is 75% black. So this is a huge shock.

[lonestar]

I predict that in 2 years that town will be boarded up and abandoned.

Ditto!

[pnh102]

I predict that in 2 years that town will be boarded up and abandoned.

South Detroit here we come!

[Starwolf]

The most physically racist people I have known were black and that is just a fact of my own experiences. I have known a lot of racist whites too but most never overtly demonstrated it.

You must not have a lot of exerience with orientals, particularly the Japanese and Chinese.

[pnh102]

He [Tommie "Tomaso" Brown] promised a swimming pool and a recreation centre, which he can’t do.

Typical liberal. Running on how much loot he plans to give away.

[SampleMan]

I ran on ’30 years of dedicated service’ and he ran on ’Change’. He promised a swimming pool and a recreation centre, which he can’t do.

That's about $100,000 minimum if they are both tiny. More like $800,000 if there the pool is big enough for 20 kids with changing rooms etc. and the recreation center is more than a big room with a ping pong table. So that's about $3600 for every man woman and child in the town. But I'm sure a business tax on the remaining grocery store will do it. “There isn’t even a phone or a fax machine in there. How can we communicate with the outside world and ask for things?"

Yep, they're Obama inspired all right. Forget my last, it looks like I'll be paying for it.

Some youngsters ran into Mr Fava’s store to taunt him. “They was pulling down their pants, shouting, ’Kiss my black ass, because we got a black mayor’, swinging their things around and throwing stuff,” said Jennifer Green, 31, a black mother of 10.

100% class act. I hope Mr. Fava is ready to retire and close the store.

[RebelYell1990]

It is merely a coincidence the town went to shit once all of the Italian Americans left.

[RebelYell1990]

I haven’t met any racist Japanese or Chinese, at least they aren’t racist towards white people.

[RebelYell1990]

Where do they plan to get the revenue for this? The only revenue produced in that town is by the Favas and Sbravatis. do they plan taxing those businesses upwards of 50% or something?

[RebelYell1990]

Where do they plan to get the revenue for this? The only revenue produced in that town is by the Favas and Sbravatis. do they plan taxing those businesses upwards of 50% or something?

[SampleMan]

do they plan taxing those businesses upwards of 50% or something?

I guessing that they could tax the entire town at 100% and not have enough money.

[Popman]

What’s with “white rule” in the title, the Mayor ran unopposed for thirty years

That’s not white man ruling; that’s “I don’t give a Shiite”

[Tupelo]

Excuse me! Stupid story!
Black mayors are the norm in the Mississippi Delta. Not the exception.
The big story this year in Mississippi is in Greenwood where the black woman mayor was shown the door in favor of a white woman.
Sorry for the rant but this story is more of case of some ‘journalist’ looking for a racism story that something of real interest.
Heck, Goggle black mayors in Mississippi or black elected officials in Mississippi and see what comes up.