Like the current swarm of cicadas, opponents of giving the mayor a vote on the commission have taken to the streets, the community forums, social media and even a podcast, whining like an oncoming freight train.
Rather than make what might be common sense arguments against expanding mayoral power, the opponents are emitting nothing more than a continuous, annoyingly loud drone filled with lies.
Yes, lies.
The opponents of Senate Bill 231 have even gone as far as to write a fake letter to the editor by fraudulently using the name of a prominent community member to spread their misinformation and outright lies.
The loudest of the tiresome droners is former Commissioner Ben Hasan, who went off the rails at a recent forum and began accusing Mayor Garnett Johnson of breaking the law and postulated that if the May 21 referendum passes, Johnson will have the ability to “suspend the laws of Augusta/Richmond County.”
Hasan’s rhetoric became so outlandish that the moderator of the event had to ask him to calm down and cease the personal attacks against Johnson.
Unsurprisingly, Hasan changed course and made the issue about race. According to Hasan, giving the current mayor, who is Black, a vote on the commission would return the city to a majority White rule, and he continued on race baiting until Johnson stood up and called his statements “embarrassing.”
As this editorial board has stated before, Senate Bill 231 is not a panacea, but it is a very good first step in building a government that is by the people and for the people; and that means all of the people, not just Hasan’s crowd.
Turnout is going to be the key if Augusta is to move forward, we urge all citizens to exercise their right and responsibility and vote yes in this referendum. In fact, we as a public body need to show those holding our city back what a real swarm looks like.
If common sense doesn’t prevail and the measure fails, we have only ourselves to blame.
