History Demands Us to Vote on November 4th

Hardy Brown

You have heard all of the speeches from both sides and you have listened to all of the experts, so now it is up to you. All you have to do is take a few moments and vote and remind your friends and neighbors to vote by November 4th for Barack Obama.

Racism No Place in Campaigns

It made national news when the president of the Chaffey Community Republican Women Federation, here in the Inland Empire, sent out a political piece showing Barack Obama on a phony food stamp with a bucket of KFC chicken, a slab of ribs, a pitcher of Kool-Aid, and a slice of watermelon. This action drew immediate fire from some members and the state Republican leaders saying this type of racist acts will not be tolerated.

I am happy to see KFC demanded a "cease and desist" usage of their logo in this type of mailer.

This local president is acting out of what the national Republican Party has been practicing for the past several decades, so she had the green light. Thanks to a member Sheila Raines, who is Black, for blowing the whistle to the public on this mailer.

This attitude came out earlier in one of John McCain's rallies when a lady said Barack Obama is an Arab or McCain said "That One" during one of the debates.

These incidents have happened because good people in the party have sat on the sidelines and allowed it to continue, that is why I am glad General Colin Powell chided his own political party as going over the edge. If the Republican Party is wondering why Blacks do not join their political association just look at what they do. The same is true of the police association in Rialto, where the Police and Fire Associations sent out a campaign mailer depicting a gun wielding Latino male pointing a gun with one hand and flashing gang signs with the other, with no shirt on and tattoos covering his chest. Along side the picture are the words "You can expect to see a whole lot more of us if Deborah Robertson gets elected to mayor". Deborah Robertson is African American and serves on the city council while the police and fire associations are supporting the current mayor Grace Vargas who is Hispanic. Let me say up front that I do not believe Grace had anything to do with the mailer but this clearly rests on the racist head of our public servants gone wild. This act is an affront to stereotyping every Hispanic male every where and does nothing to support unity or confidence from the public in police officers. They not only owe Deborah and Grace an apology but the entire community they serve. The rank and file officers should demand the resignation of their leaders or their silence is saying we believe this mailer is true.

It is this kind of overt action by the police and fire associations in various cities that widen the gap of mistrust by the community.  If they cannot come up with valid reason of why they support their candidate then they should just vote if they live in the city.

Ameenah Fuller for 31st Senatorial District

Ameenah Fuller

Vote Ameenah Fuller for Senator District 31.