Election reflections: Princeton

The biggest winner in last week’s Princeton Town Board election? The people of
Princeton.
We might argue who the best man (or woman) for the job was, but clearly the two candidates
who were elected, Walter Martin and Brandon Holland, are two good ones. In my
humble opinion, we had six good ones who were up for election.
While I offered my choices in last week’s paper, and we have to make choices, I don’t
think any candidates have anything to be ashamed of. I believe
each offered their candidacy out of a caring for the community.
They felt they could make a positive difference for the
people of Princeton, and they offered to serve. While each
have distinctive gifts, I believe each had fine qualities to offer
the town and would have made good representatives.
I would say that the two that worked the hardest to get
elected were the ones who won. The key to getting elected
remains getting out, knocking on doors, and asking for people’s
vote. Those who care enough to get out and work hard
to get elected are the ones generally you want to get elected.
That says something positive about their caring for the people
in the community.
As Brandon indicated in the interview in this week’s
paper, he made as his goal early on to out-work the rest of the
candidates. He certainly did that. I believe the voters were
impressed.
The voters continue to be impressed with Walter Martin. I am surprised by how well
he does at the polls.
It’s no secret that Princeton and Johnston County have roots in racism, on both sides
of the color divide. I have no doubt that some in the white community opposed his election
based on the color of his skin. There may have been some in the black community
who opposed him, jealous of the success he has had in office.
Clearly, however, there were many more who favored his election based upon who he
is and what he stands for.
That speaks volumes about how Princeton has grown and is growing past our roots.
Walter indicated in a brief interview Monday that when he meets new people from
other areas and it comes up that he is an elected official, they assume that Princeton has
district elections. With the black population being a smaller percentage of the total population,
as compared with Fremont, where the percentage of blacks in the community is
over 50%, Walter reaches a lot of people over the racial lines in the community.
He said that his message particularly resonates with many of the older voters in the
community. Obviously those are a lot of the older white voters in the community, and
those are ones whom you would expect to see Walter first as a black man, and second as
someone who shared their values. Walter was able to overcome that and again drew more
votes than any other candidate. That’s very significant.
I have been called to serve in a ministry to men through my church, Princeton United
Methodist. As we have officers and different levels of officers, we have meetings to talk
about the ministry and elect officers. Marilyn and I were in Atlanta this past weekend
for one of those meetings.
I’m in the ministry because of a man named Mack Parker from Raleigh. I met Mack
eight years ago at a church retreat that had nothing directly to do with this ministry, and
I can’t say that we immediately hit it off. In fact, I’m not sure we said much to each other
on that weekend. Mack, however, beams with the love of Christ in his life.
Five years ago Mack looked me up and asked me to get involved in this men’s ministry
with him. I did, and I continue to serve with him today. He rode to Atlanta with Marilyn
and me.
Mack has been my mentor in this ministry. He has groomed me for leadership. He
continues to advise me on what to do and how to do it. He recognizes our gifts are different
and allows me to do things my way, but he helps me understand how to work with and
through others.
Mack is a black man. He’s very astute and perceptive. While he has helped me immeasurably
in this ministry, he’s also made me more aware of sensitivities to perceptions of
black people in mixed racial situations.
He’s my friend. I owe him a lot.