Last week we ran a story that certain leaders of our large African-American community would call for a public march if their concerns about the Board of Commissioners’ decision to strip Commissioner J.C. Henderson of many of his committee assignments was not properly addressed.

We think that the commissioners had a right to censure Henderson; if this was done properly is the question.

If they didn’t, it needs to be fixed, and the vote can be retaken. This can produce the same results.

The threat to hold a march or any other type of major demonstration in support of J.C. Henderson by some members of the African-American community is disheartening.

There might be reasons for one group or another to boycott or demonstrate because of an injustice, but the support of Henderson, who was stripped of his authority for political reasons — not because of his color — is not one of them.

Henderson got taken to the proverbial woodshed because of his own political actions, actions that have caused some of his fellow elected commissioners to build up resentment for a long period of time.

We repeat again, in our opinion the action taken against Henderson was not because he was black but because of past political decisions on his part.

We are heartened that members of the African-American community have talked to us and told us that threatening a march was not acceptable by a majority of the African -American community.

We would like to think that Newton County’s entire community has come a long way from the days when marches were necessary to prove a point.

There is no reason why people of good character and a general positive concern for the community can’t sit down face to face and work out issues that need to be worked out without issuing threats and putting fears in distrust in the minds of of all our citizens.