THE WtOUNA INDIAN VOICE Pubfr .. I ich Thursday by First American Publications, Pembroke, NC ^VOLUME 23 NUMBER^ ^MA Y 16, 1996 TWENTY-FIVE CENTS y ' *j A front Page Editorial *iY ** T Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend Challenged by Mike Mclntvre It was hardly a surprise, bul Mike Mclntyrc made il officio! Monday when he called fora runoff against Rose Marie Lowrv -Townsend in spite of the fact that she beat him by more than 5.000 votes on May 7 in the Democratic Primary for the right to replace Rep Charlie Rose in the 7th District Congressional race. There were other surprises though, and Lowry -Townsend supporters were quick to point theni out One surprise is the fact that Mike Mclntyrc has decided the only way to beat Lowry-Townscnd is to throw a little dirt here and there The Lumbcrton attorney was quick to criticize Lowry-Townscnd by say ing "Will the people of this district support a candidate who has been living in Raleigh or someone who has been dow n here in the district making a difference?" Lowry-Tow nscnd. a Lumbce Indian from Pembroke, had to smile gently to herself about that one After all. she is the daughter of Pembroke's Rev Wcllon Low rv. a retired teacher and Baptist preacher who paslorcd West End Baptist Church in West Lumbcrton for more than thirty years L.ocal Indians chidcd Mclntyrc for his approach Alter all someone mused at Town and Country. a Pembroke Restaurant. "I'll bet you the Lowry name has been in Robeson County at least as long as the moniker 'Mclntyrc'" The truth oflhc matter is that Lowry-Townscnd is still on a leave of absence from the Public Schools of Robeson County while she leads the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) Low ry -Tow nsend w as the principal of Union Elementary when she w on the post to lead the slate-wide association of educators Lx>wryTownsend has her roots deep in Robeson County Mclntyrc would be politically foolish, in our editorial opinion, to belabor the point of her living in Raleigh the last few years. Mclntyrc also negativelycried out. "Will they (the voters in the 7lh Congressional District) support a candidate who raised more than 70% ofher money from 48 other states, including Alaska and Hawaii'''' Come on now, Brother Mclntyre, where do you stand on the issues? Voters here at home applaud Lowry-Townscnd forbcing an effective campaigner, and for her ability to raise the funds needed to run a w inning campaign. After all. the question should be. was the money raised legally? Of course it was. Another question might c\cn be where docs Mclntyre's money come from-' Both campaigns have to public!) tell who is financiallysupporting them Will Mclntyrc be damned for accepting money from Lumbcrton's business community forlnslancc? Of course not! It's hard for us to believe that the working men and women inside the 7th Congressional District arc going to damn hard working people outside thcdistricl for.financially supporting Low ry-Townsend. Mclntyrc. as we see it. won't get far with the political trick of tarring and feathering those who work for an honest living, especially NCAE members across the district and beyond It is encouraging that people outside the district recognize Lowrv-Townsend as the probably winner on June 4 RO BESOM AN ONCE AGAIN SHOWS ITS TRUE COLOR... Not surprising is the fact that Ute Robesoniun the so-called county daily newspaper, is showing its true color in the way it is covering I he two candidates. Mclntyrc. on Monday was showcased again on the front page of the Robesoniun as he called for a runolT against Rose Marie Low ry-Townsend It is already the second time Mclntyrc has made the front page of the daily (sic) newspaper hie was inliving color on the front page the day after the May 7 primary. in spite of the-fitcl that Mchntrnr~ finished second to Low ry-Townsend in the 7th Congressional race Lowry-Townsend's picture finally appeared on the front page or the Robesoniun Tucsday a week after leading Mclnly re by more than 5.0(H) votes in last Tuesday "s Democratic primary We imagine she'll probably make the front page of the Robesoniun again, after this editorial chastisement appears it\theCurolinu Indian Voice. It will be interesting to see if the Robesoniun will have the editorial guts to endorse Mclntyrc outright rather that do it unofficially as they arc now doing Low ryTow nsend has mostly ignored the Robesoniun in her campaign. That's probably a good strategy. although it would be nice if the so-called daily truly represented all the people in the county and treated both candidates fairly and above-board Some of Lowry-Tow nscnds supporters were also amused lo find that Brant Clifton, the Republican staff writer of the Robesonian. was assigned to the story of Mclnty re's call for a runolf Watch that one Clifton is the master of the political dig. the classical, political writer who seemingly invents when the story IS not forthcoming It is hard for Clifton to disguise who he is supporting when he co\crs political events like Mclnlyrc's call for a runoff against Lowry-Townsend Who else would refer lo a run-off for a scat in the United States House of Representatives as " A Robeson Rumble" That's what Clifton did when announcing Mclnlyrc's decision to call for a run-off Even the Robesonian editors, or some one canic back the next day^and stated in the "Correction and Amplification" that Mclnty redid not refer Urthc race as a "Robeson Rumble. "Well, if Mike didn't that only leaves Brant. That isjusl the kind of reporting (sic) wc'vecomeloexpcct from Brant Clifton. * . Aftcrall.hcwasparticularlvvindictivcand mean-spirited intheSherifT s race when Glenn Maynor beat Republican James Sanderson in V... * ?. November of l*)94. Indians recall that campaign well It is our opinion that at that time, the Robesonian and its staff reiterated and emphasized their true feelings about Indians. Obviously, they do not like us. And their - _ rcasons.inouropinion.fordisliking us. is because of the color of our skin That scents so silly and petty to us. Of course, we believe they would like it better if we were not so proud of being Indian. But our Shcriffhas said it well. "1 am Indian by the Grace of God." Yes. we arc proud!! And. yes. we will suppporl the Indian candidate. Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend We challenge the Robesonian to be honest and announce who their candidate is History has proven that they have never endorsed an Indian or a Black candidate. It will be interesting to see if Brant Clifton takes any pot shots against Lowry-Townsend as the runoff nears. It will be interesting, but it certainly will not surprise the Indians who .just for the record, make up the majority population in Robeson. Keep reading and telt all your friends and neighbors. June 4 is the day we elect the first I ! female Native American Democratic nominee for the Seventh | Congressional District!. Remember! Only in Robeson!! Sutton re-elected for House of Reprsentatives Incumbent Ronnie Sutton. Representative for District 85. easily o\ crcame a challenge by Harold G Dial or Pembroke to retain his seal in the North Carolina House of Reprcscnatives on Tuesday Rep Sutton isa member of the Pembroke Law Firm. Locklcar. Jacobs. Sutton and Hunt. There is no Republican opposition is this Rice Sutton stated that he was thankful for the trust that the voters of the X5ih district ban placed in him by re-electing h