This is the most momentous presidential election in the nation’s history. It is, as Gen. Colin Powell, said, a “transformational” election, one that will change America. Voters have a choice to change it for the better, or to interrupt c
This is the most momentous presidential election in the nation’s history. It is, as Gen. Colin Powell, said, a “transformational” election, one that will change America.
Voters have a choice to change it for the better, or to interrupt change and continue along the same ruinous path that has put this great country in serious economic difficulty, mired in two wars dependent upon foreign oil and deeply split upon racial, social and ideological lines.
For the Black community, and, we think, the general community, there is only one choice, Sen. Barack Hussein Obama.
Before the accusations fly that an endorsement of Obama is based strictly upon race, we feel that Obama is best for many reasons… his grasp of the issues, his temperament, his intelligence, his willingness to listen to other viewpoints and even alter his own if he is presented with a better idea.
And yes, race is a factor. An Obama presidency heralds to the world that the United States of America has come a long way, and that will help repair this nation’s standing around the world. The son of a Black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother, Obama is the herald of this multicultural society.
The last eight years of gunship diplomacy have marginalized the world’s greatest power, showing that power does not correspond to influence. The world is watching the United States on Nov. 4.
Barack Hussein Obama (and we don’t feel that using his middle name is a ploy to conjure up ghosts of Islamic terrorists because there truly is nothing wrong with being Islamic in this society), presents the best opportunity for this nation to “live out the true meaning of its creed.” This historic vote is not just an opportunity to elect a Black man to the highest office of the land, the most powerful office in the world, but it is an opportunity to elect the best man for the job. But while Obama has certainly become the reason for this political season, voters should not forget that the Nov. 4 ballot is full of qualified candidates who deserve their vote.
U.S. Senate Sen. Dick Durbin has been an able senator, a good compliment to Sen. Barack Obama and someone who respects the Black community. Obama’s Senate tenure has probably helped make Sen. Durbin that much better, and he deserves to be returned for another six years.
U.S. House of Representatives Our three Black congressmen all deserve to be returned to Washington. Bobby Rush in the 1st District has proven to be an articulate voice for his district. Cong. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) has shown his mettle over the past 13 years and speaks not only for his district but speaks well for all of Illinois. Cong. Danny Davis (D-7th) is one of the most respected members of Congress, and his is a voice that is listened to in his district, in Springfield and in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.
State Senate The retirement of Senate President Emil Jones Jr. deprives this area of the clout, expertise and seniority of a powerful public servant. But there are several prominent senators running for re-election who can use a strong turnout and strong vote to gain back some of that stature in Springfield. Votes count, and sometimes leadership hinges on how many votes can be delivered. We urge a vote for Sen. Rickey R. Hendon in the 5th District over Republican Jason Allen Braswell.
Hendon has shown that he is a doer, not a talker, and he’d rather work behind the scenes to get legislation passed rather than grandstand for the cameras. In the 14th District, Emil Jones III is running to fill his father’s seat but certainly not his footsteps. Jones III will have to experience much on-the-job training, but he is still preferable to Republican Ray Wardingley. Also running for re-election to the state Senate are Sens. Matie Hunter in the 3rd District, the Rev. James Meeks in the 15th District and Donne Trotter in the 18th District. They are all running unopposed, but again, we urge a vote for them.
State House There are very few contested seats in Black districts in the State House. In the 27th District, we endorse William “Will” Burns. Burns is no stranger to the State House, having served on the staffs of Emil Jones and Barack Obama. He will make a seamless transition from advisor to legislator. We also urge votes for LaShawn K. Ford (8th District), Annazette R. Collins (10th District), Monique Davis (27th District), Will Davis (30th District), Mary Flowers (32nd District) and Connie Howard (34th District).
Cook County Dorothy Brown has stood out as Clerk of the Circuit Court. She has helped to modernize the courts and has improved that office immensely. She deserves to return to the post, which controls one of the largest workforces in Cook County. Recorder of Deeds Eugene Moore beat back the challenge of Alderman Ed Smith in the primary, and he deserves a vote to return to the position.
Appellate Court Often lost in the shuffle of elections are our judges. They cannot campaign on issues, so they can merely recite their accomplishments on the bench. But sometimes that is enough to merit a vote. While many judicial ratings are floating around, from this bar association and that lawyer’s group, perhaps the best barometer of how well a judge is performing should not come from lawyers. In any court case, one side wins, and another loses, and the losing lawyer can hardly be called objective. The question is whether or not the judge applies the law fairly, and dispenses justice not just pleases counsel. We want to see diversity in our courts so that minority defendants are not the only minorities in the courtroom.
To that end, we heartily endorse the candidacy of Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman for Judge of the Appellate Court (Burke vacancy). Judge Coleman boasts 23 years of legal experience in a wide range of areas and would be a great addition to the appellate court. We also endorse Judge Marilyn F. Johnson for Judge of the Circuit Court. She is the first Black and first woman Division Chief in the history of the City of Chicago Law Department. She is also the former Chief Attorney–Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Housing Authority.
We especially urge retention of the judges on the Circuit Court. The “yes” vote will make sure that the circuit court retains some diversity and keep qualified minority jurists on the bench. Of particular note is Judge Evelyn Clay, who reportedly received negative ratings from some bar associations because she stood up and refused to settle for the continued seating of all-white juries in Cook County. There are 1.2 million Black people in this county and nearly as many Hispanics, but routinely juries are majority white. That doesn’t speak of justice and fairness, and it makes a mockery of the ideal of “a jury of their peers.”
We also endorse for retention judges Sharon Johnson Coleman, Vanessa A. Hopkins, Valerie Turner, Noreen Love, Cassandra Lewis, Lewis Nixon, Robert Gordon. We also urge a “no” vote on a state constitutional convention. We feel that there are ample tools available to “fix” the Constitution. When changes need to be made, amendments are the best way to go. Calling a convention is like taking a hacksaw to the Constitution when a scalpel, or at most, a large knife would do the job. A convention could not be limited to any one subject, and we worry about the chicanery that could result when the Constitution is subjected to partisan bickering and interest groups that don’t have the interest of the entire state at heart. We also urge a “no” vote on the ballot initiative that would have the legislature require certain kinds of ballots for all elections. While it looks like a way to guarantee fairness, we have seen those kinds of initiatives actually limit the vote in other states.
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