For 12 years our newspaper has chronicled, informed, and championed the fight against the "rulers of darkness in high places" here in Sumter County on behalf of its Black community. This paper has exposed issues that directly affect the average citizen in Sumter, particularly its Black citizens. But for 12 years, Black in this community have not motivated enough to act, or, at worst, indifferent to our fight. Because of the hard economic times we all face, now is the time for Blacks here to rethink their "do nothing" attitude against local bias reporting, racist decisions by government entities, corrupt police practices, irregularities with voting practices, racist school decisions and unfair hospital practices. Never again should Blacks be silent on these issues.
Bias Reporting The Sumter Observer exposed racist attacks by Editor Beth Alston of The Americus Times Recorder when she wrote about local NAACP past presidents Eugene Cooper and Rev. Fer-Rell Malone, who led the effort to name a street Martin Luther King Boulevard, and Alston's was mean-spirited and less than honest in her reporting of Dr. John Marshall, publisher of The Americus Sumter Observer publisher, and a former NAACP president. The bias reporting from Alston has abated somewhat. Apparently, once exposed, Times Recorder realized that bias reporting had an affect on their bottom line. But Blacks must be ready to voice strong opposition if the Times Recorder should revert back to the old Beth Alston.

Government Racist Decisions
Unfortunately, our local government entities include Blacks and Whites with racist attitudes when it comes to their decision making. Countless times we have had to expose Blacks in responsible positions in the government for their anti Black positions as well as racist Whites. These "rulers of darkness" have been voting without any shame with White racists that have had a detrimental affect on Blacks. We cannot forget how City Attorney Jimmy Skipper gerrymandered the district held by Eloise Paschal, giving her a competitive advantage by adding more Whites to her district. (White voters are more inclined to vote for Paschal than Black voters). Nor can we forget our Black representation (Eddie Rhea Walker, Lorenzo Johnson, and Paschal) failed to take a stand on the brutal beating of Eddie Bridges by police officer Michael Middleton. Bridges was beaten so badly that his eye was knocked out of its socket. He died later. These same three city officials did not stop police Chief Green and their White city council colleagues from removing an excellent Black police officer [Burdwell] on questionable, trumped-up charges. A more recent incident is when the City refused to rehire Fireman Gerald Whitehead after he was cleared of all charges made against him. Moreover, we informed our readers of the County Commissioners who refused to tell citizens what happened to County Attorney Paul Farr, who was accused of allegedly taking money at his law firm. Farr was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of forgery in the first degree. Never again should Blacks be silent when local government officials act irresponsibly on such grave issues as these.

Corrupt Police Practices
This paper provided evidence that then police chief Michael Yates performed an illegal background check on our then NAACP Vice President Craig Walker. Yates actions were used as a tactic to "quiet" Walker for Walker's aggressive actions against Yates daily practices. Other racist practices were rampant during Yates' tenure as chief.

Racist Voting Irregularities
Because of bias voting practices and irregularities, this paper wrote about and pled with the County Commissioners to remove the election supervisor, Sherry Ratliff. Ratliff has been discriminatory in her treatment of Black and White candidates who run afoul of her voting philosophy. Supervisor Ratliff has been very detailed and critical of Blacks who handled absentee ballots. But Ratliff was less detailed and non-critical when the same practices were pointed out at Magnolia Manor Nursing Home.

Sumter Regional Hospital's Unfair Practices
We reported more than 10 years on our local hospital exposing unfair practices that kept Blacks out of key jobs, poor quality healthcare, and abuses of needed hospital funds. This paper and our local NAACP asked County Commissioner Andrea P. Brooks to help elect qualified Blacks to the Hospital Authority, but she refused. We showed the community that former hospital administrator Jerry Adams was racists and abused the power of his office and was terminated. Adams' replacement, David Seagraves, has turned out to be worst. Seagraves' ineptitude in basic management skills has bankrupted the hospital. Sumter County citizens are waiting for an outside hospital to do a 40-year lease and $25 million. We have shown how the hospital has been in a free fall since Dr John Marshall's privileges were taken in 2001. There was a community wide protest on Marshall's behalf which permanently damaged the hospital. The hospital has been averaging only 35 inpatients for the past 6 years. We wrote extensively how the NAACP asked the hospital management board and the Hospital Authority to intervene and save our only hospital. The Hospital Authority followed David Seagraves and we have ended up with no hospital. We are especially surprised that Rick Whaley, president of Citizens Bank, was one of Seagraves' most ardent supporters. We also know that Sumter Regional Hospital's money was in Whaley's bank and that he serves on the Hospital Authority. Whaley should have removed himself from voting on those serious issue because of his apparent conflict of interest.

Racist School Decisions
Education has been a perennial focus of this newspaper because we see a good education as the key to a better life for all Sumter County's children. Exposing our schools' failed policies and practices began in earnest when Dr. Michael Busman and the newly elected White board majority voted to remove the school's first Black school superintendent. Dr. Franklin Perry, the highly qualified and respected school superintendent. His school contract was abruptly cancelled without just cause. The Board's reason for canceling Dr. Perry's contract was: "We wanted a change." Dr. Dennis McMahon from South Carolina and a friend of Dr. Busman's replaced Dr. Perry. The local NAACP has recently charged Dr. McMahon and Dr. Busman with retaliating against Principal Carolyn Hamilton, of Sumter Middle School.

We reported extensively on how the school system went after Principal Victoria Harris, of the North Campus which contained 9th graders. Harris almost lost her teaching certificate on some minor trumped up charges. An attempt was made to link Principal Harris to Superintendent Dr. Perry's case. Even the Americus Times Recorder has been implicit in this case by devoting two full pages to the Harris' case to remove her from the system. This paper [ASO] battled the Americus Times Recorder over their negative coverage of Harris. Principal Harris survived the Times Recorder's coverage and the school system's racist actions. She is now the principal of Staley Middle School.

Justice is not Blind
District Attorney (DA) Cecilia Cooper was exposed for not practice the law evenly.
Probably one of this community's worst nightmares is an elected official sworn to uphold the law and renders justice selectively and unfairly. This paper has reported that DA Cooper is guilty of "selective prosecution" of certain citizens. We exposed this double standard when the DA pushed for and obtained an indictment of former NAACP Vice President, Craig Walker. DA Cooper went along with police officers Alfonso Ross' charge of child cruelty in the first degree. The child was Walker's niece and was asked by his twin sister to discipline his niece. No skin was broken in the spanking. (Walker's case is still pending.) But, when a Pakistani store owner on Lee Street beat a black child who had to be taken to the emergency room for treatment; the Pakistani was never indicted. He was charged with simple assault and was given a $500 fine and a 90-day probation. Other cases revealed that DA Cooper's prosecution of Blacks is harsher than that of Whites. Cooper was defeated in her reelection efforts in November 2008..

A Call for Active Involvement
This paper and its supporters are trying our best to expose wrongdoing of our elected officials, leaders of organizations, and individuals who negatively affect the progress of our community. We cannot carry this burden indefinitely. We need your support. Gone are the days when a few can carry the entire load; everyone has to pitch in to achieve a goal. We should not depend on other ethnic groups to solve our problems. Soon, Sumter County will be majority Black. The White population is declining, and those that are remaining want to make Sumter County a retirement area. Should this happen, our young people will continue to leave this area. Moreover, this community won't be able to attract young professionals and industries, the life blood of any community.

We are at a crucial time in our lives: the worst economic times in decades. These problems are color blind! Community leaders, ministers, and elected officials must put aside their differences and egos and come together to plan our community's future. Let's roll up our sleeves and act responsibly by dealing with the business of our citizens and ensure that we empower them.

Stimulus Bill
Under President Obama's Stimulus Bill, Sumter County will be receiving money. We need to ensure that people who truly need help will receive it. We have seen the hospital received get indigent money that was used for things other than for the indigent. We have witnessed two disasters [a flood and a tornado] and the county received monies and the needy never received help.