We are seeking to educate Black voters on the new political reality .pdf [88kb]
Washington, DC – The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition of 34,000 churches
across the United States, under its Civil Society Initiative announces its Early Voter Registration
Drive as one way to send a message to elected officials that the suffering of African Americans
in this country is deep and substantial. Our Civil Society program focuses on holding elected
officials accountable for the policies of which they advocate that have a direct impact on the
Black family. Through our Civil Society program we plan to hold elected officials accountable
to moral and ethical standards that should be present in all people of society.
We will also hold
them accountable for what they deliver to our communities in the areas of housing, education,
health, financial literacy, foreclosure education, small business assistance, putting a stop to gang
violence and stopping police brutality and racial profiling, like was seen in the recent Cleveland
serial killer case. That case clearly showed how law enforcement completely ignores racial
communities, despite the fact that the federal government makes money for community police
available. As NBCI noted in its press release on the subject it is unacceptable behavior and our
elected officials must stop it.
We are seeking to change the political dynamics in the Black community. We can ill afford to give
our votes to one party and not hold them accountable to deliver the goods and services required
to sustain a healthy community. We are ready to try new ways of working with old partners, and
also trying different strategies in working with new partners. We will not be bound by tradition,
whether it is Democratic or Republican. We will be bound by what that individual can deliver
to our community, and he or she will be held accountable every election because NBCI will be
distributing report cards on all officials throughout its network of Black churches. This is a part
of a comprehensive strategy to educate Black voters on the issues and to form new alliances and
coalitions so that the Black community can prosper even in times of economic difficulties.
This recession has taught us that we cannot rely on Democrats or Republicans to deliver the
goods and service needed. We must educate our voters concerning a candidate’s position, ethical
character, ability to serve and ability to deliver on campaign promises. This is why we are moving
to launch an early voter registration drive so that we may have significant time to educate African
American voters on the real positions of a candidate.
We will reject the notion that because
someone endorsed a candidate from our community, that all African Americans should support
them. We will break away from traditional relationships that we have had in the past, like the gay
community, in electing a particular political candidate. We will not be persuaded by the notion
that to vote for a particular Republican or Democratic will be bad for the Black community. We
will use our political report cards to educate our communities on who will be the candidate that
will help the Black community build a civil society.
Here is how it would work:
- NBCI ministers throughout our Faith Commands in Atlanta (SE), New York (NW),
Dallas (SW), Oakland (West) and Chicago (MW) will meet with each candidate to talk
about the five given areas and what they have done or will be doing in those areas.
- We will create scorecards on each of the candidates and they will be distributed
throughout the congressional districts by our churches. These scorecards will also be
posted on our Website.
- We will then allow the candidates to address our congregations 90 days before the
election. We want to avoid the last minute rush toward trying to persuade the Black church
to support a position.
- We will hold multiple public forums that would allow our congregants and clergy to
question the candidate.
- 30 days before the election we will ban candidates from addressing us in churches.
By that time many of our members will have all the information and will need time for
reflection. We want to give the congregations a chance to think for themselves which
candidate is right.
- We will provide comprehensive transportation assistance for all of our congregants,
especially seniors in battle line states, on the day of the election as part of our "Get Out the
Vote" strategy. We hope to minimize the last minute influences on our members.
- We plan to organize up to 50,000 church vans to deliver our members at the polls.
The scorecards that representatives will be evaluated on will use five major points in order to
grade the candidate.
- Health – This will focus on their position and plans on subjects such as health
disparity, healthcare, access to healthcare and more minority doctors, especially dentists.
- Education – This will focus on the massive dropout rates in inner cities, the
availability for quality education for all those who want it and the issues of funding
surrounding historically Black universities and colleges.
- Business – This will focus on how the candidate proposes to create news businesses
in the community and how they plan to revamp the federal and state assistance to small
businesses. Black businesses desperately need capital as they have been failing at a rate of
50 percent since the recession.
- Housing – What are some of the policies that the GOP is considering that will help
African Americans recapture the level of homeownership that was achieved prior to the
crisis.
- Crime – The candidates plan to deal with the high crime rate that infests the Black
community and also issues around racial profiling, neglect of minority neighborhoods (i.e.
the Cleveland serial killer).
Rev. Anthony Evans, President of NBCI, said, "I am enormously happy to announce this new
initiative because it changes the political dynamics of our community, and does not allow us to
throw all of our votes at one party. It will allow us to use those votes to promote the principles of
our communities. So often we have voted for candidates that don’t represent our best interests or
our principles, and they have taken us for granted year after year. I am happy to say that this will
not be the case for the Black community anymore. Through our Early Voter Registration Drive
the education of the voter will be our cornerstone of moving the African American community
to vote for candidates who share our positions and goals. We will not vote for candidates based
upon endorsements or party affiliations. We will use the criteria that we have set forth in this press
release to judge each candidate. This is a brand new day in the African American community, and
it is a long time coming!"
NBCI understands that the GOP is trying to pick up 41 seats in order to control the House
of Representatives and that the DNC is trying to maintain its majority in the House. NBCI
clearly recognizes that the Black vote can play a constructive role in the 2010 elections. African
Americans are 5-12 percent of the vote in some closely contested districts and hold between 20
and 40 percent in other districts. Given the nature of the electorate cycle since 2000, 5-12 percent
can make or break any candidate. This was proven in NJ, and other races around the country where
winning was because of under 12 percent of the vote. The Black Church wants to demonstrate
in the current round of elections the importance of political education and issuing information on
each of the candidates.
By taking these actions, we play a more productive role in general society
and also within our own communities. The church is very concerned with protecting the integrity
of the poor. Too often they are disregarded and ignored. This is why our voter registration will
focus on keeping those who were first time voters in the Presidential election of Barack Obama
voting. However, we will not play party politics here and simply want to keep voters voting on
one side of the aisle or the other.
Rev. Paul Sewell of Mount Zion AME Zion Church and head of NBCI’s Southern Faith
Command said, “We have our marching orders and our process has begun here in the southern
states. We have met with two members of party leadership already.”
