I am responding to Mr. Clifton Marvel Sr.’s article in Sunday’s Democrat, as it pertains to the fact the “City (of Natchez) should be represented by all.”

I am sure he must have meant by all races judging from the tone of his article, when he referred to the recent trip taken by some of our city officials to Washington, D.C.

However, he publicly stated he was against playing the race card both black and white.

Well Mr. Marvel, you missed the it by a wide mark, because I think anyone reading this article could see that is just exactly what you did, and in a most blatant fashion, I might add.

You stated that there should not be a “hint of payback on the part of any new administration.”

What did you mean by this? Are you insinuating that the previous black mayor of Natchez was guilty of reverse discrimination and therefore the current administration could be guilty of “payback” to “get even?”

I would be surprised if the previous mayor would appreciate this statement coming from you, Mr. Marvel.

Mr. Marvel stated that he was not happy with the fact that our city officials did not carry a black leader with them on the trip to Washington, D.C. (I assume he meant to include a black leader, since I cannot see our city officials carrying one of our black city leaders with them.)

I would have had at least some respect for Mr. Marvel’s concerns if he could have stated what qualifications some of our black leaders had that could have contributed to the success of the meeting that our city officials attained on this trip to Washington, D.C.

But instead of this Mr. Marvel seems to only be concerned that no “black leader” was included.

How racist is this?

I wish Mr. Marvel would be concerned that we have qualified and knowledgeable people to represent the business of the city, rather than only be concerned that the color of a person’s skin was not represented.

Natchez is fortunate to have some highly intelligent and qualified black people working for the city.

I would like to name all of them, but it would take too much time. But, believe that Natchez does have a plethora of these qualified black individuals.

Mr. Marvel, I wish you have been as concerned that our “city should be represented by all” when Ricky Gray and Joyce Arceneaux attended the Black Caucus meeting in Jackson prior to the Mississippi Municipal League Mid-Winter Conference.

They traveled and incurred travel expenses out of the city’s coffers to attend this meeting.

Were you not concerned that no white person from the city was at this meeting?

Why is it OK for black people to attend the Black Caucus meeting and like organizations that are for black people only, but it was not OK for our city officials to go to Washington without a black city leader in tow?

This sure smacks of playing the race card to me.

It seems to me that you need to get your facts straight and your head out of the sand before you attack the city officials for being racist.

You just don’t know what you are talking about.

Kirk Bartley

Natchez resident