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1

AsslessBaboon OP t1_izbsbfz wrote

Great to see young minorities breaking the record books by getting involved in the decision making institutions to create the ideal world they'd like to inherit

Just no ice town nonsense Mayor Jaylen s/

78

Sdrd22 t1_izby3er wrote

As long as he doesn't open a winter sports complex he'll be fine

2,218

Batmanlover1 t1_izc3wbu wrote

This is usually the headline that gets displayed before the same dude ends up saving the day 👍👍👍👍

92

SerendipitySue t1_izc7yh9 wrote

This is a great accomplishment! Way to go. He is just so inexperienced due to his age, I hope he finds a wise advisor or two from where ever. Maybe other mayors, maybe a biz professor at his school. This young man has the drive and intelligence, and care for his community

He will have some successes and some failures. Just an exceptional young man!

149

[deleted] t1_izclt1a wrote

let's hope he's nothing like Hershel walker.

−15

iTwango t1_izcsvtf wrote

Wow!!! That's really impressive to get elected to office at age 18. Must be a really impressive guy.

6

squealor t1_izct65i wrote

While I love his ambition, I question the judgement of someone so young running a city. Your frontal lobe doesn’t stop developing until you’re 25

29

preston t1_izcv49e wrote

Nothing will go wrong with this!

4

p-d-ball t1_izd0xzp wrote

The mayor who can't legally drink in America.

4

AreMyEyesOk t1_izd7wfj wrote

Now, as mayor-elect, Smith said he plans to focus on transportation, public safety and bringing a major grocery store to the city. Increasing residents’ access to food sources is a cause Smith said he’s especially passionate about.

“We had one a long time ago, but it closed,” Smith lamented about the now-closed grocery store. “Our seniors don’t have transportation to get to and from West Memphis to get food. So it would be better to have a grocery store here in town.”

This guy has my vote!

183

djinnisequoia t1_izd9nfp wrote

Now watch him be, like, the best mayor ever and start a trend of electing very young people to office. That would rock so much! If it happened in enough places, we might actually get honest sincere politicians again.

I hope some smart person opens a grocery store there for them soon, and has a long and happy career selling decent stuff at fair prices.

157

AstrosFan4 t1_izde258 wrote

Is this to say there's a younger mayor of non African American race in this country?

6

Xaelar t1_izdf69z wrote

Hope it's not another Ice Town fiascle...

2

Diatain t1_izdfm62 wrote

My first thought was "This guy's 18, the fuck does he know about politics and elected office?"

Then I remembered the last 6 years and yeah alright, let's see what he can do. He couldn't possibly be worse, right?

420

LineChef t1_izdg9zl wrote

Mayor! I like the sound of that…

5

R3ndr0c t1_izdkitg wrote

Imagine his resume. His only work history is “Youngest black mayor in American history”.

3

R3ndr0c t1_izdkpgu wrote

Can’t drink, can’t smoke, still living with parents, still a virgin! That’s your mayor Earle!

−2

RicTheRuler16 t1_izdsbe0 wrote

City Council will keep him on track.

−3

ad1don t1_izdsitu wrote

Get the right person for the job in place, don’t just look for progressive points. No 18 year old of any colour is going to be effective in that role. Sorry it’s the truth

4

Ok-Top-4594 t1_izdvc1i wrote

What country is "the country" tho

−2

lhayes238 t1_izdw7uo wrote

Oh shid earle Arkansas is getting an ice town?!

9

Sorokin45 t1_ize2dsc wrote

18 year olds have no life experience, shouldn’t mayorships have a minimum age limit like other office in government?

6

MyUterusWillExplode t1_ize2dy4 wrote

>Meet the 18-year-old who just became the youngest Black mayor in the country

The wording implies theres an even younger white mayor somewhere.

How the fuck do you get to become mayor at that age? Don;t you need some proper education and qualifications to become mayor in America?

Here I am in the UK, sitting here with two fucking degrees and still my salary sucks ass. This guy will be earning more than me by the time he's 20.

Im jelly.

Good for him, but if you guys dont mind, Im now considering moving to the US. Im sure there must be a town somewhere that needs me to run it.

4

JohnnySasaki20 t1_ize3x42 wrote

There's been a black president but no black mayors?

−1

Unlikely-Pizza2796 t1_ize3xht wrote

Damn. Imagine leading off with that office on your resume as your first job. Good for him.

105

Nukegm426 t1_ize6vtw wrote

Replying to MyUterusWillExplode (#884,712)

Most places you can elect anyone for most offices. There are places that have elected cats or dogs into office which makes no sense. Personally think the only issue is his age, but if he’s one of the rare people that are super mature at a young age then why not.

2

Sixtyoneandfortynine t1_izedpr0 wrote

Replying to MyUterusWillExplode (#884,712)

It might make you feel better to know that mayors, especially in small towns, generally have rather low salaries and often work at second, “normal” jobs in addition to their mayoral duties. In fact, the shift manager at the local burger joint likely out-earns the mayor in a town like that.

Also, the scope of a mayor’s job duties can vary a great deal between cities. In some cities the mayor is more of a figurehead, with minimal authority above and beyond a city/town council member.

I have been through Earle (about 25mi/40km west of Memphis) and it makes sense that they would elect an 18 year-old. Like many towns in that part of AR they appeared to be economically struggling, and it seems the citizens have chosen to go with someone young, ambitious, and (likely) idealistic for a change. I would NOT underestimate them.

14

mailordermonster t1_izej4n3 wrote

I'm not a fan of having a bunch of geriatric people run the country, but I don't see this a better option.

2

mitch8893 t1_izek73s wrote

How is an 18 year old mayor useful though?

−1

WikiSummarizerBot t1_izenrpm wrote

Replying to colin8651 (#885,964)

Non-human electoral candidates

Elected to office

>In 1922, Ioiô ("Yo-yo"), a billy goat, was elected city councilor of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. in 1938 Kenneth Simmons entered Boston Curtis, a brown mule, as a candidate for a Republican precinct seat in Milton, Washington, in 1938, winning 51 to zero. Simmons stated that he had done this to demonstrate that many people vote without considering who they are actually voting for. In 1967, an Ecuadorian foot powder company advertised its product, Pulvapies, as a mayoral candidate in the town of Picoazá.

^([ )^(F.A.Q)^( | )^(Opt Out)^( | )^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)^( | )^(GitHub)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)

1

Big_Forever5759 t1_izeom2c wrote

Replying to MyUterusWillExplode (#884,712)

Yep, would be nice to have mandatory exams that would determine if someone can run any government office. The more people they govern over, the harder it is. It would weed out a lot of nut jobs.

But the laws are still from early times when most didn’t read or write.

1

AnAncientMonk t1_izep04y wrote

i read that as "Meet the 18-year-old who just became the youngest Black man in the country"

3

dabasauras-rex t1_izewfje wrote

Replying to VikingMilo (#886,313)

He had a long history of gaffes and misspeaks long before he was an old dude. I think he had a bad stutter as A kid that he’s worked through. Frankly he’s not super eloquent and never has been. Wouldn’t be shocked if age has maybe exacerbated it… but honestly my grandparents weren’t nearly as sharp as him at that age. He’s got crazy energy for someone that old. (Obviously my preference is for much younger presidents but here we are 🤷🏼‍♂️)

12

Caffeine_Advocate t1_izeyymf wrote

Replying to ad1don (#886,534)

Lol, literally doesn’t answer the question I asked. Why are you so sure that he’s not the right person? A brain being not fully developed doesn’t mean he’s not still the best candidate they had to choose from. There was likely 2 candidates, the other one could have had any number of issues that were more problematic than “your brain isn’t fully developed”. Plus, if it’s such an issue, then Real AdultsTM who make the laws should have put an age limit. But they didn’t. So is their judgement wrong too?

3

Knightmare945 t1_izezh6g wrote

We need more young people getting into office.

2

ad1don t1_izf0ry4 wrote

Replying to Caffeine_Advocate (#886,606)

I was a mayor back in 1996 and I can tell you that you need to have an understanding of social, ethical dynamics across the board. If you do not then things just won’t happen. You need to be the lubricant in the machine. You need to be competent and this promising young man will not be competent in this capacity. He will no doubt have a fantastic future ahead of him, however he’s a pawn being used to appease a woke mob.

−1

DaysOfParadise t1_izf1q79 wrote

I’m more impressed with his age. How many 18 year-olds run, let alone get elected?

1

iPoopLegos t1_izf561p wrote

Isn’t he also the youngest human mayor? What’s with the racial qualifier?

3

msuing91 t1_izf8fso wrote

There’s a younger mayor that isn’t black? That’s crazy.

He’s got 17 years to beef up his resume before he can run for president.

3

MINKIN2 t1_izf98k2 wrote

Replying to lhayes238 (#884,415)

Hello, for those of us who are out of the loop, and outside of the US. Can you eli5 Ice Town? It keeps being mentioned and Google ain't giving results. L

3

TheEffinChamps t1_izf9nej wrote

Yeah, I don't know about 18 . . .

But his brain at that age is still probably far more developed than the average rural American mayor.

1

adoremerp t1_izfaq83 wrote

History books aren't going to cover the election of small town mayor whose biggest achievement is getting elected.

0

Leto1776 t1_izfbcij wrote

So who’s really running the city/town? Young people getting elected for mayor means, in my experience, that they;re a front for local power brokers.

0

Meal_Status t1_izfblff wrote

Well, if this isn't a step up in responsibility for the young lad.. Then I don't know what is, I wish him & the town prosperous times ahead..

1

sgame23 t1_izfcks7 wrote

Replying to Diatain (#883,916)

That's the magic of trump. No one else truly made me believe like anything was possible. Like I was qualified to be PotUS. Even GWB was a fighter pilot. I know dude came off has a simpleton, but I'm sure the guy wasn't the functional retard that we got with Trump. And we somehow survived him! If we can survive him, I'm a firm believer I couldn't possibly fuck up bad enough that people can't survive me. Remember everyone. Regardless of how smart you are, anyone can grow up to be the leader of the free world! (Having a few billion dollars doesn't hurt though)

8

lhayes238 t1_izfd1fx wrote

Replying to MINKIN2 (#887,184)

It's a joke from the TV show parks and recreation, one of the main characters, Ben, was mayor at 18 and sunk the towns budget on a huge ice sports complex called ice town, his career in politics was pretty much ruined because of it

10

oakeyafterbirth t1_izfd99i wrote

Replying to Sorokin45 (#884,711)

Do you really think right now that all these politicians with "life experience" are doing us any good? I think it would be better to have someone younger in charge. The old ones don't give a fuck about the damage they do because they're all going to die before they suffer any consequences. The world is fucked because of the older generations and its the younger ones who are going to have to fix it all.

2

Snoo74895 t1_izffv8b wrote

Replying to Dorocche (#886,680)

The point is that they let that desire which you feel is legitimate overshadow any concerns they had about the way that breath of fresh air was going to come about.

1

rr90013 t1_izfhij3 wrote

That’s cool — are there non-black mayors who are under 18?

1

ave416 t1_izfis0j wrote

This is great but what does any 18 year old know about running a city?

1

KingValdyrI t1_izfjgdx wrote

I was expecting to be amused and pessimistic. That being said his goals are very down to earth, needed, and realistic. I think he may be the right man for the Job.

2

Pinoymmafighter1 t1_izfksxn wrote

Damn thats WHATCHU CALL AN ICON LIVIN... Oops read that as Jayden Smith nevermind.

1

Deyvicous t1_izfnhee wrote

Replying to Diatain (#883,916)

The same that probably most local government does. You don’t go to school specifically to become a mayor. I’m not really sure it even pays much. It’s almost like a volunteer position.

If you ever look at local ballots, it’s just random ass names and descriptions like “mother and real estate agent”. Oh yea that sounds like a well qualified vote!

1

steeg2 t1_izfoxgc wrote

Head on a swivel,buddy

1

Kahless01 t1_izg4kta wrote

he should run for class president. wonder if he would win.

1

londoncatvet t1_izggye4 wrote

This begs the question: who was the youngest mayor in the history of the USA?

1