Calls for Harry Sanders Resignation

This morning the Lowndes County chapter of the NAACP held a press conference at the courthouse calling for Sanders to resign from office.

Throughout the community - i'm joined by bobby martinez who has been hearing from county residents after a day of demonstrations and calls for change..

One group is calling for harry sanders to do more than step aside as president of the board of supervisors..

This morning the lowndes county chapter of the naacp held a press conference at the courthouse..

Calling for sanders to resign from office..

The group's president, lavonne harris says sanders comments were not only hurtful.

But also brought back dark memories of slavery... and says she is going to do all she can to see sanders step down.

"we done been down that history.

You don't know where slavery is about.

You have never been whooped, beaten had to get up been raped you know, beat, go to bed hungry he's not used to that.

And harry is living a good life but he don't understand he's living a good life off of slaves."

Harris also says sanders comments are hurting columbus.... the group that gathered this morning all say they care about lowndes county and its future.

It was a diverse group - in agreement on one thing that board president harry sanders needs to resign.

A call for action... "harry sanders must go..

Harry sanders must go."

Was the focus of wednesday's gathering..

These people say the only option for sanders now is for him to step down from his elected position.

" he needs to resign.."

April clayton says sanders comments do not represent the city of columbus.

Sot - april clayton - columbus "the fact that he does not represent columbus in any way shape or form.

What he said about the african- american community was ignorant and inappropriate."

Many people believe sanders comments are tone deaf and could not come at a worse time.

And to zab clayton... enough is enough... "i just think it is important that as a white person i show that harry sanders does not speak for all of us.

We need to show support for black and brown people in our city and our country and tell them that they are not alone in this fight.

And that we can use our privilege as white people to amplify their voices.."

Wiggins also wants people nationwide to know sanders comments don't reflect the state of mississippi..

Sot - zab wiggins - columbus "mississippi is not as backwards as everyone wants to think.

You know there are plenty of young people who disagree with harry sanders' grossly telling of history because that is not historically accurate."

Cataurus shields says he is happy the crowd is diverse.

Sot - cataurus shields - columbus "i believe that it is great that we had a whole multitude of races not just black white but all people to come together.

And that's what we have to do as a community come together to lift not just black people but the whole community up.

We are brotherhood and we are family you have to lift each other up."