Thanks to Jon Gillooly for his excellent March 20 Marietta Daily Journal front-page article about the work of our friend and activist Jeffery Selman in East Cobb. Jeff’s work and dedication to real American principles and values are an inspiration to all of us. When I moved here with my family in 1979 from the DC area, I was concerned about how we would fit in to county and State that had a long and terrible reputation for its racial and religious intolerance. When I tried to organize an office holiday party here in East Cobb, my African-American boss said I needed to change the venue because “no black will risk coming to Marietta or Cobb for an event.” “It was just too risky,” he said. Well, I went ahead with the party anyway, but although it was a success, many of my African-American colleagues would not attend. 

So times have indeed changed here in Cobb County. Jeffery’s work is testament to that. No longer can the “old guard” simply assume that Cobb voters will have a knee-jerk negative reaction to progressive ideas and values. Values such as fairness, openness, community, and compassion. Ideas such as protection of the rights of all regardless of religious belief, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Thank you Jeffery Selman and thank you Jon Gillooly for showing what it means to be a good citizen in Cobb County today.

[Article Published in Marietta Daily Journal on March 23.]

Contact Sander Bellman