Georgia happenings of the past week...

Aside from my previous post that occurred in GA (involving Shirley Sherrod), there were other major events in the past week.  On Tuesday, there were gubernatorial primaries for the Republican and Democratic parties along with U.S. Senatorial primaries for Democratic nominee challenging socially conservative incumbent Johnny Isakson.  The Democratic gubernatorial race hands down was going to go to Roy Barnes since it was obvious to me along with anyone that knows politics that Barnes got the black establishment in Georgia along by 'essentially rubbing their bellies' with potent talk about "being a key ally".  I don't have a dog in this fight, but Barnes isn't a progressive at all; on the other hand, it is obvious in most Southern states that most of the black establishment will throw that under the bus to keep themselves in good graces with whomever is going to lead their state Democratic party.

Also there for some of the congressional primaries in both parties for the practically all the seats except for the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th districts.  Incumbents in the 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th, and 11th districts went uncontested within their parties.  The open seats like the rapidly shifting 7th district, where there will be a battle royale in the fall since the district's population center, Gwinnett County, has recently become a non-white majority (courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution).  Meanwhile, Congressman Hank Johnson, of the 4th district was fighting long and hard against former DeKalb County CEO and beacon of racial controversy, Vernon Jones.  However, the more prudent amongst the majority black district voters kept Jones out of the seat (thank God!).

Now on to the other stuff...

On Thursday, Atlanta mayor, Kasim Reed, along with newly appoint APD chief, George Turner, and the Atlanta City Council openly LGBT member, Alex Wan, APD assistant chief, P.N. Andresen, and newly appointed APD LGBT liaison, Patricia Powell, attempted to pacify the city's large LGBT community.  According to the AJC, This meeting stems from the allegedly stake down that occurred in September 2009 at the Atlanta Eagle LGBT bar in midtown.  Meanwhile, I think it is obvious that there are some forces at work within the APD that will continue to harass some of the LGBT fold in the ATL, but event just doesn't seem like much without any actions proving there will a change of regime.  This is STILL the South, you guys should know and that Atlanta might be a major city, but there will always be those whom will show they don't approve of LGBTs within their ranks of the police force and in the city itself...