Part 1 of 2
Nov. 2, 2010, election night in America, an election that is purported to bring so much change and hope after the last election that was supposedly going to do the same — a tawdry spectacle put on at our behest. The people with the “R” beside their names waging war on those who have a “D,” each accusing the other of  the country’s current economic malaise, when the blame should be squarely laid at both parties’ feet and the political system in its entirety.
Ground zero for election night in Oktibbeha County was the circuit courthouse, a clean, new building, housing the courtrooms for the disposition of felonious cases. Present were poll watchers, gleaning the returns for their respective candidate and phoning the results in, the chairmen of the Democratic and Republican Parties, the county sheriff, poll workers, the circuit clerk, election commissioners and the press. County inmates dressed in blue sweatshirts and khaki pants were used as labor to haul in the precinct boxes as they arrived. One of these inmates would show a keen interest throughout the evening in one of the judicial elections, perhaps to see the very judge that incarcerated him defeated. It was democracy in action.
The second chapter of this story takes place just across the parking lot of the circuit courthouse. Not more than 150 yards away from the front door of the courthouse is a local grill and bar, Mugshots. The upstairs bar and its balcony overlook downtown Starkville, the county courthouse, and sits next to the county jail. It’s a perfect circle for when a nefarious patron of the bar care to take their evening’s entertainment a little too far. Perform an offensible act here and foreseeably be tried, convicted and incarcerated in the same city block. Popular with the college set, the bar sees a steady stream of customers throughout the week. Ogling 20-somethings gather to ply libations and socialize through the roar of a booming stereo.
A parking lot and a generation gap away from each other, the quiet courthouse and its people going about their civic duties, and the college kids at a bar on a cold, rainy school night. It’s the political spectrum personified. What are the concerns for each of these groups? Do they all believe in what the mass media says over and over again, or does their hope lie in the seeming infallibility of the United States of America?
The Courthouse
Yvette Rice is a friendly African-American woman, a bright smile to go with her outgoing personality. She is easy to approach and quickly relates she is running for an at-large seat on the county’s board of education, declaring her campaign a victory.
Rice says the mood of the people is anxious, ready to see the election end in a positive way.
“With the loss of jobs, downsizing of the economy in our own area, it’s almost to the point of very low tolerance. We depend on our representatives to represent us well,” Rice said.
She continues to talk about the support a locality needs from its representatives, using their expertise to help the district with its problems. Also, she says she sees children as an overlooked population that needs help.
“I think the biggest thing we need to worry about now are the homeless children being subjected to any kind of neglect, even after being part of the system,” she said. “Making sure, as a nation, that our children receive the best education, whether they are from a high economic standing or a low economic standing. Letting these children that are neglected or, for the most part, overlooked know they have an opportunity for a college degree.”
As results trickled in, one precinct reporting, then five, then eight and 16 reported in of the 21 total precincts, it was looking like the pundits were right; the Republicans were not only standing firm in the election, but gaining much ground.
Rob Roberson, a local attorney, former state legislator and current Oktibbeha County Republican Party chairman, kept track of the results for a friend running for one of the three circuit court judgeships in the 16th circuit court district. Many of the sentiments that Rice, a Democrat, talked about, Roberson echoed, especially federal officials leaving their constituencies in the dark.
“A lot of people feel disenfranchised. They don’t feel their elected people are listening to them. Now, with the election, they’re getting an opportunity to weigh in on things,” Roberson said. “There’s a feeling incumbents, especially on the federal level, aren’t listening, and the people, they’re not comfortable with the direction our country’s going in.”
Roberson says economic woes are a major factor and a fear that jobs lost may not be recovered.
“I think part of it is that there’s this large fear our economy isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do. Our politicians basically sold our blue-collar jobs off. You can’t do that when the playing field isn’t level,” he said.
As election night ended, many incumbents on the Oktibbeha County ballot were Republicans. Gregg Harper, Republican congressman for Mississippi’s third district, handily defeated his Democratic opponent Joel Gill. Yvette Rice failed to win the seat on the county school board.