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Pa ge 2 siackInk Nov. 10, 1983 Running for a reason The Rev. Jesse Jackson was warned repeatedly not to run for president but the threat of his candidacy hngered for a long time. Recently he made his intentions definite. Black leaders, among others, warned Jackson that his candidacy would cost the Democratic Party the 1984 election. They reason no black person is going to win the nation's highest office. A black person would be concerned with the problems of his own people rather than with the problems of the country. Furthermore, when Jackson is defeated , disillusioned blacks will turn away from the voting process. This reasoning is outdated. In the past bJack voters have been apathetic where voting was concern ed. "My vote doesn't make any difference," has been a collective attitude. But blacks are beginning to realize their political strength. Statistics show 175,000 new black voters registered to vote in Chicago when now-mayor Harold Washington sought the office. However, in the past, faced with a choice between the lesser of two evils, blacks chose not to participate at all. With none of the issues pertaining to blacks —still the lower paid, less educated race —being addressed that group would indeed have less to gain through the election of one candidate over another. But situating himself among the Democratic candidates, Jackson can raise issues that will attract black interest to the process. This may become uncomfortable for Democrats who fear they will lose white votes in supporting "black issues," but because they are forced to talk about the issues blacks want to hear, candidates will give blacks something to base their selection on. Jackson, who has been politically ac tive long enough to know he won't get the nomination is likely to drop out of the race and throw his support to another candidate. To assume that the blacks would become disillusioned at the loss of that candidate is to assume that they are still politically immature. The fact is blacks register and vote in large numbers each year If Jackson is successful in registering the 4 million blacks out there to be registered, even President Reagan is likely to try to capture some of those numbers. If he is to gain more black support he too will have to face some of the "black issues." Those who discount the Jackson political move because it may cost the Democratic party the election are assuming there was a chance of defeating Reagan to start with \ \ Claude Allen ^Helms not a racisf By Regina Newell Staff Writer A few weeks ago. Sen. Jesse Helms stated, "Ask any black who knows me if I am racist, and they'll tell you no." This statement was made while Helms fought desperately to keep the Martin Luther King holiday from becoming a reality. Helms wanted the federal government to release tapes of King that he claimed would reveal King as a communist and would show other bad qualities of the civil rights leader that would cause great embarrassment to the black community. — continued on page 8 — U.S. must act as peacekeeper By Vince Steele We are a generation of apathetic cowards. It is unbelievable the num ber of voices that have cried our in mass protest of the Grenada invasion and even the dispatching of U.S. Marines to Beirut. Yes, the U.S. in vaded Grenada but it was in the name of world peace and democ racy. Could we sit back and wait and wait and wait like we did when the Iranians took ouf embassy hostage? Could we in good conscience let the aggressive actions of those barbaric and undoubtedly communist forces overrun the defenseless Grenada? Never As a matter of fact, now is the time for the U.S. to shoulder the responsi bility it has shirked for so long, the responsibility to world peace and de mocracy. We have the firepower and the manpower to usher in a new era of Homeric freedom and glory. With one swift and fatal swoop against the despicable vermin that inspire destruction and fascism in defenseless lands like Beirut and Grenada we can turn the tide. We can channel history and make it flow forever true towards a golden age im bued with freedom of choice and equality. This is no time to balk. What greater honor could there be than to die in the service of our beloved president, our country...no, our world. A laurel wreath to each of our slain heroes and let us honor them with remembrance as we did our brave veterans of the Vietnam con flict. But we must not lay down arms. It is only just that we give up our lives for the sake of a greater good. We must surge forward to replenish the ranks as our few good men be come fewer For too long college students have feigned at controversy and wandered aimlessly supporting causes while safe and warm in the bowels of uni versity life. Lay down the pen and pick Op the sword. It is time that we truly don the mantle of manhood. Our selfish dreams are moot com pared to the dream of salvation for our world. A mass exodus is in order from the classroom to the battlefield. We must fight to ensure that our dream of a world free of communist injustice and blind inhumanity come true. Hear not the wails and moans of — continued on page 8 — Feedback BLACK INK If blackness can be converted into words and pictures, we intend to do it Albertina Smith Managing Editor Cheryl Williams Features Editor Cwendoiyn Hailey Editor in Chief Charles Covington Business Manager Willie Little Advertising Manager Sonja Payton News Editor Lisa Stinson Circulation Manager Dear Editor: I read with great interest the article entitled "BSM President Speaks: Current Status of the BSM" (BLACK INK, October 27, 1983). As former president of the Black Student Movement, I was very pleased to read this glowing report about one of the most viable student organi zations here on UNC's campus. Such a report reaffirms my faith that the BSM continues to get better with each admin istration. Having worked closely with the current BSM president while he actively participated in yesterday's administration, I can attest to his dynamic lead ership abilities. Moreover, given his past experience from working with last year's Central Committee and his political savvy, the current BSM presi dent can certainly provide the able leadership that the BSM constituents deserve. Best wishes for continued success to the Banks Adminis tration and for continued prog ress for the Black Student Movement. Sincerely, Wende j. Watson
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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