I question if the words in this statement can truely be exercised by the masses of
people this statement refers to. " U.S Panel Upholds Prop 209" read the front page
caption of the Los Angeles, Times newspaper. The article was in reference to the
Affirmative Righs Initiative as it has exited for more than 30 years has been
terminated out of existence by the casting of uninformed voters in the 1996 general
elections. Prior to the passage of is initiatve, Prop 187 was passed, denying immigrants
access to basic services necessary for survival. In review of the past 3 decades we
have witnessed the decay of human rights to the citenzenry, thru the political arena and
the ct of voting. We have voted away multitudes of laws and initiatives that would
improve our lives, and simultaneously allowed the passage of other laws that are
destructive to our existence. My purpose in addressing politics is to persuade you to
take up and accept a personal mission to become a more informed person in regards to
politics.
The knowledge and study of politics is not reserved only for the lawyer, legislature, or
politician, so busy running for office, he cannot find time to answer a letter sent to his
office. Nor is it the sole responsibility of grade school teachers to teach you all there is
to know about politics. And fortunately it is not the domain of a minister, or a
"self-appointed" minister to teach the society about politics.
It is important to avail yourselves on political issues, holding community seminars, and
intelligent debate with your neighbors, and civic groups, to acquire the knowledge and
understanding necessary to cast the most beneficial votes for all concerned. In so doing
this, then truely the statement of "Government For The People, And By The People "
will inevitably be manifested.
Having made this statement I hope to impress upon you the acceptance of a new
attitude. I hope you will adopt the new attitude that months before a political election
goes into the polls, that you avail yourself into community political mobilization. You
are wondering how this is accomplished ? It can be accomplished in many ways. But
some of the simplest way would be to find out who your legislative persons in your area
are, and send them a long letter. Make copies of this letter, and ask a friend, and
neighbors in your area to sign and mail copies of the same letter. In this letter, in
simple statementsd, ask them when is the next election, either, local, primary, or
general, and ask them to send you a list of all the initiatives that will be voted on, at the
various elections. In this letter, make sure you ask each politician you send this letter,
to for a clear desctiptive explanation of each item on the list.
Another idea I would suggest would be to assemble as many persons as you possibly
can to meet with you at your local church, to speak with your minister. , Ask your
ministerr to help you to become a better informed voting citizen. In advance at the
approval of your minister, ask several politicians to routinely attend these meetings.
Even before the meetings, start a campaign to organizize a Toastmasters club in your
church. The aim of this is to assemble youselves into Political Action Committees.
Political action committees, or PACS, as they are called in Washington, are the groups
of people organizied and ready to spread information into the communities, at a
moments notice. The persons that make up the political action committees, are the
person I believe are the Vanguards of society.
These Vanguards, are regular people that are committed to reading, studying, and
analyzing, legislation, and laws. They have prepared themselves so that at a moments
notic, they are able to disseminate the information and teach the community. This is
necessary so that the most proper and beneficial rules and laws are passed for the good
of all people.
After the Political Action Committee is fully in place, see to it that regular community
members, church members, and officers, community watch committees, and many
Toastmasters are aligned in a strategic position to 'tell the politician' what issues they
should represent you; the community on. In following out the mentioned suggestions, do
you see how the statement of "Government For The People By The People " would be
in full force ? Through the politician being told how to represent you, in essence you will
be governing the pending political process.
At these meetings, which should be scheduled regularly before the elections, be sure to
present the information and the letters you received from the politicians replyThis is
necessary because Toastmasters are recognized by policiticians because most
Toastmasters possess strong articulation and verbal skills, and most ploiticians don't
want the Toastmasters to hold political action meetings without their attendance, to
know what is being said about them.
It is a sad fact that these human rights initiatives were voted out of law because the
Vanguards in our society has been asleep for of 30 years. The victories that are slowing
being voted away are because of the grace of the Almighty giving strenght to
Vanguards like Frederick Douglas, Sourjourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Caesar
Chavez, Malcom X, Marcus Garvey, Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Vanguards that
are still in our lives the ability to stay strong and helped "each one to teach one."
But now the actions necessary for progress, and to avoid slipping back into wearing
chains and institutionalized slavery, is an action that require thousands to take up the
mission. I will continue to strengthen my words and efforts to persuade others to take
up the publlic servantsd mission to become a Vanguard to watch and protect ourselves,
our family, friends, from the tweisted and malicious laws and legislation to imprison and
stifle opportunities for a better life for ourselves, and our generations of family
members for decades to come. The masses of common people have failed to stay>
informed on every polical issue affecting this society. African Americans, and other
Minorities have allowed themselves to be lulled into a narcotized state of false security.
I have witihin the given time allocation laid out actions that will help African Americans,
women and all minorities, become politically strong by taking up the mission of a
Vanguard to protect our culture by governing the political process.