/‘Public hanging’ comment creates a stir in Hyde-Smith’s hometown as race emerges as key issue in Senate runoff

‘Public hanging’ comment creates a stir in Hyde-Smith’s hometown as race emerges as key issue in Senate runoff

Smith is a fourth-generation cattle farmer. His wife, and their families, run the Lincoln County sale barn. Tuesdays are auction day, when hundreds of cattle from the region are brought to the sale barn each week. Three dozen to three dozen farmers were watching as the cows were swiftly ushered out of the holding barn through the turnstiles into the small arena. One employee at the floor shouted the name of the next cow and prodded them with a long stick to adapt to their new environment. Two bulls ran at the floor employees, drawing jeers from farmers who were present. Outside, the roaring moos of the holding barn drowned the traffic noise from the nearby highway. Michael Smith sat beside the auctioneer on the platform, and stamped the receipts for the animals that were sold. A relative of Hyde Smith’s and an employee at the sale barn had to ask Michael Smith if he could watch the auction. The same relative checked the phone of the reporter to make sure that no video was captured during the auction. The Smith family has enjoyed better weeks. Brookhaven and Mississippi are talking about a video of Senator Hyde-Smith. In April, she rose from relative political insignificance as Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture to the U.S. Senate. The video features Hyde Smith at a Nov. 2 campaign rally, where she promises to attend a “public hanging.” This is a video of Sen. Hyde Smith. Given Mississippi’s history of racial violence and the fact that Hyde Smith’s Senate opponent Mike Espy seeks to be the state’s first African American senator elected to the Senate in the past 50 years, the video instantly made national headlines and stirred anger within the state. On Monday, Hyde-Smith refused to answer questions about her comment and Gov. Phil Bryant, who appointed Hyde Smith to the Senate in April tried to change the subject by talking to black women and abortions — what he called “genocide” – but Jordan, a Lincoln County cattle farmer, pulled his jacket tighter in the cold wind when Jordan was asked about the video. Jordan, who is white, said that she said “hanging” and people then turn it around and say “lynching” and all the rest of the crap. She didn’t intend it that way. She meant that if you hang some of these suckers who are doing all the killings, it would change how you think. To be completely honest, they should start to hang people again. It’s just like the man who murdered all the police officers in this area a few years back. If they hang that sucker and let everyone see him, sure it’s going to make a difference.” While Republican leaders are blaming Democrats and the media for sensationalizing this story and Hyde Smith’s campaign is shaming reporters for not discussing “real issues”, the video has made race the main issue in the runoff, if the buzz around Brookhaven is any indication. While several black cattle farmers declined to speak on Tuesday, others in the community did not hesitate. Loretta Campbell, who lives north of the town in Wesson, stated that if you wanted to represent everyone, poor people, rich folks and black people, those words would not have come out of her mouth. “As a black woman, or as a black person it lets me know that she’s not for everyone. The governor then stands up and talks about how he knows her heart. He doesn’t know her heart, because he doesn’t even know his heart.” Bones from Lincoln County Bernetta Character, a Brookhaven resident, first heard Hyde Smith’s comment about “public hanging”. She thought of Lamar Smith. Smith, a 63 year-old black farmer and activist for voting rights, left his car in August 1955 and walked towards the Lincoln County Courthouse. Smith was trying to encourage black voters to vote in the upcoming runoff election. He was shot and killed on the courthouse lawn in broad daylight. According to police reports, there were dozens of witnesses from white people at the scene. However, no one has ever been identified. Three white men were taken into police custody, but they were never charged or tried for the crime. In 2009, the FBI reopened Smith’s case and sought public comments. However, no changes were made. Lamar Smith’s death was just one of many racially motivated killings that occurred in Mississippi in 2009. Brookhaven residents are traumatized by the thought of public hangings. It is not something I like. Character, president of the Brookhaven/Lincoln County Chapter NAACP, said that she thinks it is very small of him. “To run to public office to represent all the people of the State, I think it’s small of her.” Brookhaven’s population is almost evenly divided between black and white residents. According to the 2010 Census, 48% of Brookhaven’s residents were white and 51% were black. The mayor of the city is white and the chief police officer is black. Four out of seven aldermen are white. Lincoln County’s county seat is located in the town. It was named after Civil War victor Abraham Lincoln. The state’s majority-black Legislature established Lincoln County in 1870 during Reconstruction. Brookway Boulevard, which is the main drag through Brookhaven, can be seen as a living testimony to the Mississippi’s racial complexity. Brookhaven is the latest to double down on its state flag. It has been removed from the flagpoles of dozens of Mississippi towns. Brookway Boulevard crosses with U.S Highway 51 about a mile east from the interstate. Hyde-Smith was in her second year as a state senator. She introduced legislation to name a section of Highway 51 after Jefferson Davis, who was the president of Confederacy with no ties to the area. The bill was defeated in committee. Hyde-Smith voted in support of resolutions honoring Medgar Evers, Freedom Riders, and Hiram Rhodes Revels. They were all civil rights leaders. Brookhaven residents were divided on the Hyde Smith “public hanging” comment. White residents supported Hyde Smith, while black residents condemned her. Brookhaven resident Brenda Case who is white said that she believes it was misunderstood. “She’s human. “I don’t believe she meant it that way. “She is the best person to do the job.” Sidney Tate has been styling Hyde-Smith’s hair for 15 year and knows Hyde Smith better than anyone. Governor. Tate met Hyde Smith at her salon in the early hours of the morning after Bryant announced his appointment as Hyde Smith’s governor. Tate stated, “There’s not a racist bone on her body.” Conflict in criticism? Brookhaven was barely in the news before the comment by their local politician. Brookhaven’s Forest Hill High School marching bands performed a halftime show on Oct. 5. The students were posing as law enforcement officers and pointed fake guns at each other, reenacting a scene from John Q. This performance was criticized by the government and the public. Two Brookhaven police officers had been killed and two others were injured in the line-of-duty shooting. Hyde-Smith didn’t make any public comments about the performance of the band, but her strong supporters did. Gov. Bryant took to Twitter to condemn the act. Bryant tweeted about the performance. Forest Hill High School is a Jackson public school that is 97% black. Many people suggested that racial motives were behind the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s punishment. The MHSAA placed Jackson’s band on probation, which meant that they would be unable to participate in any other football games or compete in any competitions. State Senator David Blount (D-Jackson), stated that the halftime performance was unacceptable and had been condemned by our mayor, as well as our superintendent. “People will be held responsible, but our high-school students need to have proper adult supervisions.” This week, several prominent Mississippians, who are well-known for their social media followings, recalled the fallout from the band’s performance after Hyde Smith’s comment. “Dear @PhilBryantMS. You called for the children of Forest Hill be punished severely,” tweeted Angie Thomas, famed author of “The Hate U Give”. “I expect you hold Senator Hyde Smith to a higher standard. These are children who were directed by an adult. “She’s an adult who’s supposed to represent ALL citizens in this state.” Bryant quickly attributed the Forest Hill band’s performance, but remained silent about the punishment for the students. Bryant has stood firmly by Hyde-Smith this week. Bryant stated Tuesday morning that “It’s easy for people to be offended or hurt by a variety of things.” She said, “But again, she is someone I know.” Brookhaven residents also defended their local politician. Judy Hart, a downtown shoe shop owner who was right across the street from Hyde Smith’s Senate appointment, stated that the video and its “unfortunate reporting” had actually helped her support Hyde Smith and attributed the blame to Democrats and spiritual forces. “It’s sad. Hart, who is white, said that it was “just something else.” “If you look back in history, you will see that the Democrats sold out black people… I was a Walmart employee and I can tell you this: It is a bizarre mentality. They have the slavery mentality. We know all the reasons behind this and we believe it to be Satan. It’s Satan’s agenda. We are aware of it. He’s pushing for it fast, because he knows his day is near.” Contributing: Bobby Harrison Mississippi Today’s complete coverage of the historic runoff between Cindy Hyde Smith and Mike Espy.