At Monday’s Monroe City Council meeting, Randy McConaughey of 201 Loop Road took to the microphone and made a statement that left many in the room shaking their heads.
“I’m a taxpayer. The district you represent may or may not be—I don’t know,” he said to the council. The room was filled with African-American residents who knew exactly what that kind of statement meant, even if McConaughey didn’t.
Councilman Bishop Rodney McFarland didn’t let the moment pass unchecked. He quickly made it clear that no “isms” would be tolerated in council chambers. That may have confused Mr. McConaughey, who asked McFarland to define the term. McFarland chose not to answer, as the meeting needed to move on. But for the benefit of the public, and especially those unfamiliar with the phrase in the cultural context of the Black community, here’s what it means.
An ism is a belief, philosophy, or practice that is accepted or promoted without facts to back it up. In many churches, for instance, there’s an unspoken rule that no object should be placed on the communion table, or that only preachers can enter the pulpit. Some believe you should raise one finger before exiting a meeting. These are cultural norms—practices passed down, not laws passed in scripture. They are isms.
But the most damaging of them all is racism—the belief, unfounded and dangerous, that one group is superior to another. That’s the “ism” McFarland was calling out.
Whether McConaughey meant to or not, suggesting that Black constituents may or may not be taxpayers fed into a long-standing stereotype, one that questions Black economic contribution and responsibility. It’s not just offensive—it’s false.
Let’s be clear: everyone pays taxes. Sales taxes hit every purchase, regardless of income. Renters pay property taxes when landlords pass those costs down. Homeowners and property owners pay directly. No one gets a free ride.
So, whatever brownie points Mr. McConaughey thought he was scoring with those aligned against the current city council, his statement came across as condescending, misinformed, and racially insensitive.
Mayor Friday Ellis’ refusal to cooperate with a majority-Black city council already paints a troubling picture. Add McConaughey’s comment to the canvas, and it becomes clear that Monroe still has a long way to go in understanding what racial collaboration and respect really look like.
Progress begins with listening. It grows with mutual respect.
And it survives only when we put aside the isms.
All of them.
