OPINION
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Publisher/Co- Founder
Business Manager
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Managing Editor
Production Supervisor
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Black voters and the
N.C. Democratic Party
Val Atkinson
Jones
Street
Most African-Americans in
North Carolina who bother to
register usually register as
Democrats. But recently we've
seen a bubble in that expected
outcome. More and more
African-Americans are register
ing as unaffiliated - deciding to
shun both the Republican and the
Democratic parties.
The data also indicate that
there are about 95,000 unaffiliat
ed African-American registered
voters in North Carolina, which
represents about 10 percent of all
registered African-Americans in
North Carolina. What could be
causing the most loyal demo
graphic of the state Democratic
Party to consider not registering
as a Democrat? Several reasons
come to mind. First and fore
most is the fact that North Car
olina is becoming a very diverse
state, and that includes diversity
in political affiliations as well.
Things aren't so black and white,
so Republican and Democrat as
they used to be. African-Ameri
can transplants from the North
east and the far West are bringing
their own brand of politics with
them, and in many cases that
means being an independent or
unaffiliated voter.
Secondly and most troubling
for the state Democratic Party
are home-grown cross-overs.
Cross-overs from the Democrat
ic side of the ledger to the unaf
filiated side could mean the dif
ference between winning and
losing elections. But the overrid
ing question for the party leaders
has to be WHY? Why are native
African-American North Car
olinians changing their registra
tion from Democratic to unaffili
ated? I think that question needs
to be addressed before any strat
egy can be mounted by the
Democratic Party to increase
voter registration, and GOTV
(get-out-the-vote).
Another piece that should be
a significant part of any African
American - Democratic Party
discourse has to be a strategy to
keep voters on the rolls. State
Board of Elections data indicate
that there were about 15,000
fewer African-American voters
on the rolls in June 2003 than
there were in October 2002 - not
good. The N.C. Democratic
Party in general and African
Americans in particular seem to
be falling prey to the "one-time
voter" syndrome. "One-time vot
ers" are folks who get wrapped
up in an emotional election - for
example, Jesse Jackson for pres
ident or Harvey Gantt for U.S.
senator - but never vote again
and are removed from the rolls.
If we are to keep African
Americans motivated and inter
ested in the electoral process we
must come up with a 360 degree
strategy and a 24-7-365 commit
ment. The voter registration
process should not be turned on
and off for the election cycle
only. If we're really serious
about voter registration and voter
retention, we must come up with
a plan that has no boundaries.
And the time to start is NOW!
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Thanks for coverage
To the Editor:
We. the Sisters of Bivouac,
thank you for taking time from
your very busy schedule to
personally cover our first
annual Juneteenth Celebration
and Health Fair. Your article
was informative and really
covered what we are trying to
do.
The event was a huge suc
cess and with the continued
support of your paper and all
of those who contributed, we
look forward to an even larger
event next year. Because of all
of the contributions, we had
enough food, drinks, gifts and
prizes for everyone. Adults as
well as kids enjoyed them
selves, and we did not want to
leave when it was over.
Juneteenth is a historical
occasion in the development of i
our country, of which so many s
of us are not cognizant. We i
hope to bring more awareness
of this celebration to our com- t
munity. ;
Breast cancer awareness is ;
vital to the African-American t
community as well as other
minorities and men as well as
women. Many of the women
who were serviced by the
mobile unit had never had a
nammogram before. So as you
,ee, the event served a great
rurpose in the community
We enjoyed working with
he YWCA's Sister Speak pro
tram and with any other pro
trams that will aid our com
nunities.
Jean Nunn-St. Preux
Worthy Matron
Sisters of Bivouac Chapter
530, OES, PHA
America forever tied to Liberia
Marshall
Bass
Guest
Columnist
It was my duty, honor and
privilege to serve as the intelli
gence officer for the U.S. military
mission to Liberia from June
1960 through June 1962. Before
assuming that duty. I spent six
hours a day, five days per week,
for six weeks at the Military
Assistance Institute in Arlington.
Va., learning about the history,
customs and mores of the Liber
ian society, which later proved of
great benefit as a diplomat in a
foreign country.
During those six weeks at the
Military Assistance Institute. I
was exposed to some of the best
minds in the Foreign Service
Institute, who convinced me that
"nationalism transcends morali
ty." Those words were never used
as I can recall, but somehow the
message was loud and clear. In
other words, the interests of my
country were fust and foremost.
We learned that beginning
around 1827, U.S. slave states
became increasingly interested in
getting rid of their free black pop
ulations. They encouraged the
formation of the American Colo
nization Society. Both freed
slaves^and blacks in general were
encouraged to leave America.
Some of the "volunteers" were I
emancipated only if they agreed i
to go to West Africa. Maryland,
Virginia and Mississippi estab- '
lished colonies in Liberia for for- '
mer slaves and free blacks.
Free and enslaved black
Americans continued to have '
hardships and inequalities.
A number of white Ameri- '
cans, for a variety of reasons,
joined in their efforts to resolve 1
this complex problem. One possi- 1
ble solution, which was advocat
ed at the time with the assimila
tion of blacks into American soci
ety. was the complete separation
of white and black Americans.
Some voices called for the return
of African-Americans to the land '
of their forebears.
In 1847. the Liberian colonies '
adopted the Liberian Declaration
of Independence and formed a
governmental structure similar to
that of the United States with a
president as the chief of state.
Liberia was the first African
republic. All of my learning at the
Military Assistance Institute
proved of great value to me dur
ing my tour.
Our tour of duty in Liberia
was enjoyable and educational.
The commanding general of the
armed forces of Liberia. Gen.
Harper, spent much of his time
explaining the long-standing
friendship that existed between
>ur two countries. One of his
avorite recollections went back
o the early days of World War II
when the United States did not
lave air superiority of the Atlantic
ind therefore was not able to pro
ride needed supplies and equip
ment to support our forces and
Allied forces in fighting in North
Africa. He would tell nte time and
ime again that had it not been for
Jberia's support to my country,
he allies may not have defeated
he Axis powers at all or, at best,
he North African campaigns
could have been prolonged.
Harper explained that through
in agreement between our two
.ountries. U.S. bombers would
ly south from bases in Florida to
Recife, Brazil. The planes would
efill and fly to Roberts Field.
Liberia, where U.S. and Liberian
roops would service the planes
for their destination in North
Africa. Harper would often use
his story of our country 's rela
ionship to support Liberia's mili
ary and economic requests to the
United States.
Liberia had to pull itself up by
ts bootstraps. Unlike most of its
leighbors. Liberia did nof have a
metropol in Europe. It has to
druggie on its own to survive.
The minimal military and eco
nomic support from the United
States caused Liberia to be known
as the "stepchild of the United
States."
When I returned to the United
States in l%2. I was assigned to
attend the Armed ? Forces Staff
College in Norfolk. Va. One of
each student's requirements for
graduation was completion of a
thesis, which could be used by the
U.S. military as a basis for further
study. During that six months of
study I spent untold hours devel
oping a positioh on "The Feasibil
ity of Establishment of a U.S.
Military Base in Liberia." 1 pre
sented my work to a group of sen
ior military officers from the vari
ous armed services. They agreed
that my thesis should receive and
be further investigated by the
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Because today Liberia is a
subject of discussion at the inter
national level. I reviewed my
1962 papers and continue to feel
strongly that the concept contin
ues to be valid.
It is my judgment that had the
United Siates maintained over the
years a closer relationship with
Liberia, the military coup by
Samuel K. Doe in 1980 would not
have happened. Charles Taylor
toppled the Doe-led government
in 1989, which led to a civil war
between various ethic factions for
control of the nation. Doe was
executed by rebel forces in 1990.
and Taylor was finally elected
president in 1997. Since that time,
various elements have challenged
Taylor and now call for him to
step down. In the meantime,
chaos prevails and human lives
are lost. And unless the United
States intervenes, we can expect
no end to the situation.
Sometimes we tend to forget
that, in part, the interests of our
country gave birth to Liberia.
Through our neglect, we, as a
nation, share some of the blame
for what Liberia has become. At
this critical time of need, the Unit
ed States should have a moral
obligation to help right the
wrongs that we have perpetuated
over the years. I encourage the
president of the United States to
act now to send troops to Liberia
and provide other aid and support
to help bring peace and stability to
the Republic of Liberia.
Marshall B. Bass is president
of the Marshall B. Bass A Associ
ates consultant firm. He is a phi
lanthntpist and a retired R.J.R.
Nahisco Inc. executive.
KRT Photo hv Michael Kamber
h front of the American Embassy in Liberia, a wounded boy is carried by civilians seeking
nedical care for him.