Getting Blacks Elected, But at What Cost to Black America? by Richard Dimery

Savoy magazine recently addressed the issue of getting more blacks elected to public office. Views were diverse, and all disturbed me.

Mellody Hobson of Ariel Capitol Management sounded naive: “I don’t care what the platform is, I just want a black senator or governor.” Publisher Earl Graves, Sr., took a different track, warning: “You have to support the candidate who will support our message. If you don’t, you end up with a Clarence Thomas.”

Nobody asked me to help craft “our message.” I like Thomas. And I appreciate the fact that Graves showcases black entrepreneurs’ success stories in his magazines. His apparent support of the liberal agenda concerns me.

This notion of a “message,” its irony and the confused thinking related to it is apparent. Support black candidates unquestioningly, unless they are conservative. J.C. Watts, Alan Keyes, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice are “dissed” while leftist icons are revered.

Black “leaders” with their own agendas encourage this attitude. It is shortsighted and threatens the form of government that protects the freedoms we enjoy and provides the opportunities Graves celebrates.

People without a real understanding of the foundations of their freedoms, opportunities and prosperity can be deceived by disinformation. What force can influence those who profess Judeo-Christian principles – or even a secular morality – to cleave to Godless and destructive ideologies or support those who do?

Politics.

After the 1983 U.S. liberation of the Caribbean island of Grenada, captured records documented meetings of the ousted communist leadership. In a December 15, 1982 meeting, it was noted “Barbara Lee is here… with a report on the International Airport that was done by Ron Dellums.” The report was an intelligence assessment on the Granadian airport used as a trans-shipment point for arms from the Soviet Union to guerilla groups in the Western Hemisphere. Lee was an assistant to Congressman Ron Dellums (D-CA). Since then, Dellums retired and Lee replaced him.

Both are black.

The captured minutes explain that Dellums, through Lee, invited enemies of our nation and form of government to suggest changes to a report to be submitted to the House Armed Services Committee.

Dellums and Lee, throughout their political lives, have allied themselves with the extreme left and subversive groups that share a direct lineage to the values espoused by Karl Marx. Marx’s Communist Manifesto declares there should be no power given to God or family, only to the state.

There is no disputing that our community places a great value in God, family and morality, yet many who claim to be our leaders and serve as our representatives in government adhere to political values that are exactly the opposite. Why?

This is the reward for not caring about the positions of those we give power. We the people, through ignorance, apathy or both consistently elect people whose activism clearly demonstrates a conflict with the people’s business. In this way, government, which is supposed to be the servant of the people, will surely become the master.

Dellums, Lee and others have unquestioned support in much of the black community. Yet we seem unable or unwilling to assess the ultimate threat to America’s existence.

We live in perilous times. The price of freedom is constant vigilance. Only an informed citizenry can defend our freedoms.

How long ago was it written, “…for lack of knowledge, my people perish”? For lack of knowledge of our heritage, our founding principles and understanding of the responsibilities and privileges of the freedoms we have – many of us are giving away our birthrights.

Utopia is an unobtainable dream. Rather than tear down to try to create it, I believe that defending, building up and improving the system we have now is our best hope for the future.

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