A Sedalia Town Council member who had served on the council for 17 years has resigned over what she says is endemic racism from the all-black council against white residents.
She said she had seen enough of the harassment by Town Council members of innocent citizens who challenge them – and of the way town business is conducted as a secretive cabal that runs roughshod over the state’s open meetings laws.
Town Council Member Valerie Jones, whose term on the council was set to expire in 2023, said that mounting frustration over the hostile actions of the Sedalia Town Council members towards her and others had led her to resign.
Jones, who is black, said the council is prejudiced against white people and lacks any sense of fairness or consistency.
She added that she was appalled that the council lashed out at a white resident, Ed Piotrowski, merely for filing to run for office in the town where the elected officials have all been African American.
She said she was especially outraged when Piotrowski was threatened with criminal “wiretapping” charges after he recorded a Town Council meeting on his phone and posted it online.
“I didn’t like the way they treated my neighbor,” she said, adding that he was a friend as well as a neighbor. “He said he was running for office and I couldn’t believe the way they treated him. They treated him like a persona non grata. All he did was throw his name in and say he was running for office. That was it.”
Over 80 percent of the town’s 676 residents are black, and the town’s leadership – and the candidates running for office – are consistently black as well.
Jones (second from the left in a pink sleeveless dress in the picture of town officials above) was first elected to the Sedalia Town Council in 2005.
She said that she has sent her letter of resignation to the town.
Jones added that, like Piotrowski, she faced constant hostility and unfair treatment from the council members. She said she has been dating a white man and she believes that angers other council members and is a key reason for their dislike of her.
Jones also said that recently she had to stay home for some council meetings due to a health issue but the other council members refused to let her participate remotely.
The town’s mayor and the other council members all declined to speak with the Rhino Times for this article.
An actual example of black racism against the white community. Don’t see that too often. Mostly all you see if whinny old white men complaining about reparations such as diversity programs, focused support for minority communities.
Real racism requires one group to have an advantage over the other group that they exclude that group from. This is a good example of that distinction. Will be interesting to see if they are willing to diversify their council membership. You know…just like the would like to see greater diversity inclusion of people of color in positions of power in the broader community…especially executive corporate positions.
“Whinny (sic) old white men”… That sounds like you, Chris.
And buy a dictionary, for God’s sake. Your stupidity is on display with every comment you make.
Awww. The door to door salesman is extra grumpy today.
At least he can put together a cogent sentence.
Awww do typos make you senile and unable to read? Or maybe they toss into such a rage you can’t see straight? or maybe, just maybe you are filled with so much hate you are blind and dumb with self inflicted ignorance. (note the lack of question mark on that cogent sentence.)
🙂
Wow. One of us is certainly full of rage.
Take a deep breath, buddy. And seek help.
Go with tuna back to Jersey
NC born and raised. Hahahahah
Good on ya, mate!
chris. In case you haven’t been told you’re as racist and ignorant as any liberal I’ve ever spoken with. You remind me of a turdunken. Let us know if you can figure out what that is. Just in case you’re wondering I grew up 3 miles from Sedalia they are as racist and clannish as any community you will ever visit. The majority really don’t like WHITE people never have and never will but in their eyes what they do isn’t racist because black people cant be racist.
How so? Because I am woke?
Woke. Woke to what chris please explain. A year ago you had never heard that term but now you are suddenly “woke “. Get over yourself you ignorant a$$
Woke is a term vilified by the right for several years now. Just another means for the alt right take over of the modern conservative movement with subtle racism and cultural bias. I have been woke for several years as I have enjoyed taking the time to get to know people from a range of cultures. Both domestic and foreign. Both Christian and non-Christian. Give it a try. I really is fun and enlightening.
I disagree. Greensboro is the most racist City I’ve lived in and I’ve lived in Detroit, Charleston and Atlanta. In Greensboro everyone is racist against everyone else. But the black leaders and constituents are so very racist that it is mind boggling. Evidently you haven’t been to or viewed a Greensboro City Council Meeting. You should. And listen to Sharon Hightower and Goldie Wells. That is outright racism. At least the white council members try to hide it, but you know. The people who live in Greensboro, and I live in Greensboro, experience racism whether they are black, white, Hispanic, yellow, purple, pink……any color. Everyone hates everyone. And with this existing Mayor and Council, especially the Mayor we are headed for a major blowout at some point. Did you not watch the local events of the Black Lives Matter riots in town?
Chris – you must not get out much or maybe you’re living under a rock. Black racism is all around us; open your eyes and see it.
Sure. It is deep in the shadows of white on black racism. Racism exists in all communities. It’s just that white culture holds most seats of power in both the public sector and the private sector. Oh, and not to mention the history of slavery, repressive poverty of share cropping after slavery, then the repressive nature of Jim Crow laws, Redlining, Lack of equitable access to higher education and careers.
The shadow of white on black racism is looooong and daaaaark. But you go ahead and worry about what little bit of black on white racism that exists within a few pockets here in the US. Good on you.
chris have you had your head up your arse for the last 20 years. What seats of power have blacks not held or have now. From the President,Senate.House Governors all the way to local political offices, Greensboro has had 5 black police chiefs. A lot of cities have black mayors albeit they are the democrat mayors of cities with the most crime in the country not sure how you can spin that in your “woke” head. Just look at Greensboro for a great example. Something to think about numbnuts
Greensboro is the economic engine for this part of the state and growing an employing most people in the Piedmont a little crime always accompanies growth.
chris you sound like you’re happy to hear about this obvious racism, doesn’t surprise me me you are such a hypocrite. Your comment about share croppers was a little off the mark there were almost as many White people share cropping as blacks. We are not in the 40s,50s,or 60s anymore blacks have as many opportunities as they want to have but they have to be willing to work for them and stop voting for the tit at the table democrats
So now that she’s dating a white man after been on the board for 17 years is complaining about black people being racist towards white residents, so they weren’t that way before she started dating a white man
She wasn’t on the receiving end of it, until she started dating a white man.
If that’s what it took to open her eyes, well, they’re open now.
Is anyone really surprised ??
Good for Councilmember Valerie Jones! Racial hostility is wrong regardless of the direction of the racism. That’s why racist programs like Affirmative Action are inherently wrong.
And in my experience, black people – especially young black people – are very much more racist that white people. But then, they’ve been taught to resent whites in the education system.
Not only affirmative action but the whole mwbe problem the Hightower is always crying about. Can you imagine the outrage there would be from the black community and so called black “reverends” if there was a program called White business enterprise that gave set asides for White businesses
What business is the white business community not getting it’s equitable share?
In lots of townships across America have a similar makeup of this town council with similar dispositions:all white’s are racist!!!!! Do you suppose that when Jesus Christ comes back these same people still be calling anyone of a different shade a ‘Racist’.This email is for all who have a negative attitude toward a fellow human being.Since I was a small chap about 70 years ago ,I was told just because a person is a different shade/color than Me that I was not better than He/She was and the same applies to them ,they were not better than me.
When I was a teenager,I played baseball.We lived in a community that were ‘Lint heads’, or on a mill village.There was another village nearby that had a different race than us.Whenever we selected a team,there was never a cross word about what race person was on 2nd or pitching.!!We were all one and we chose not to see or disagree about who was black/white /Indian,or any other race We were all God’s Children at that time and to this day we are all God’s Children.You May disagree but we loved each other and respected each other .Why do we need to continue rehashing what happened 100-150 years ago.I did not have anything to do with that and if you look in the mirror,I think you were not here at that time either . If you are a Christian and read this you will know where I am coming from ,If not you are in for a rude awakening in the immediate future. So get over it and love your fellow human being.
It seems that our current group of politicians in Washington are playing that same blame game as Miss Jones has to contend with.Every 4 years they come up with the same playbook,racist,homofobic ,and all the others .It is such a sad state of affairs that one group of politicians feels so superior to all others and they are so out of step with America .
In closing Miss Jones you are to be commended for your stand against this ideology .I am sure all other members of this council will think about what you have done and they,if they have any conscience at all ,will remember this event the rest of their lives.Stay Strong In your convictions Miss Jones.
Good comment, Rich. I have always noticed that race relations are much more relaxed and easy going in the rural areas than in the cities. Race is just a much bigger thing in Greensboro and Winston than rural Caswell County, for example. In the rural areas they just seem to get along, without letting it worry them. They even make jokes about race – to each other’s face – and no offence is taken by either side. Good natured banter in the boonies would be construed a “hate crime” in the city. It’s strange, but true.
They’re all just afraid that Whitey might uncover some of their stellar bookkeeping and financial management practices.
Ms. Jones will you please tell us when and where the next council meeting is supposed to be. I have quite a few friends who would like to attend.
Oh my, small town only, nope. I moved here from Atlanta 20 yrs ago. It was extremely evident there. Just small mindedness. To say it is a sign of the times wont work, it varies from state to state and town to town, usually along the lines of those involved being educated or un-educated, you could say mature or immature, yet none the less small minded, less worldly, less educated. Unfortunate indeed. The progress of our wonderful U.S.A. has overcome as well as come so far from those days. See ya at the NEXT meeting too! This ought to be GREAT! American’s in action.
In my experience it’s the more educated people who are more racist.
There is only one “race”. The “human race.” We may have different skin colors due to our nationality. I do not consider that “race”. We have let this incorrect usage of the word “race” create hatred in the world. It is a fact that most people associate most closely with those that agree with them and look like them. But that does not mean that we are “racists.” When are we going to get past this issue? I say live and let live. All people deserve to be respected, but they also need to be civil to their fellow human beings. Racism was wrong historically and it is wrong today. Everyone needs to know that when any human is cut, he/she will bleed the same red blood. Just think how wonderful the world would be if we removed this word “race” out of our vocabulary.
AB nelson has my vote….and I don’t live in Sedalia. LOVE.
How can a town so small have so much drama?
That’s easy black people, especially those that are in power create drama