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Page 2 - EDITORIALS Spelman Spotlights February 1981 The Presidential Election Reconsidered-Part Two of A Two Part Series: The Prospects for Black America By Dr. Manning Marable Syndicated Columnist At First glance, the electoral victory of a one-time movie actor and mediocre two- term governor, Ronald Reagan, represents a major shift to the right in American politics. The figures are impressive. Reagan received 43.2 million votes, about 51 percent of the total popular vote. Carter received 34.9 million votes, and was unable to defeat Reagan in the South and traditionally Democratic states in the industrial Northeast. The so-called “Anderson factor” was not a factor in the Presidential race. Although Anderson received almost 5.6 million votes and so doing, qualified for federal matching funds, his campaign only stole several states from Carter’s electoral total. However gloomy the immediate prospects for a more progressive America may seem, we must be careful not to overestimate the influence of this so- called New Right. Only 28 percent of the eligible voters in this country endorsed the simplistic, sophmoric solution of Reagan. The overwhelmingly majority of Republicans elected to the Senate won by extremely narrow margins. In state after state, Republican candidates were able to squeak into office upon the public mandate of conservatism and political reaction. In Alabama, Republican Senator-elect Jeremiah Denton won by only 51 percent; Barry Goldwater, Arizona, 50 percent; Paula Hawkins, Florida, 51 percent; Mack Mattingly, Georgia, 50 percent; Steven D. Symms, Idaho, 50 percent; Warren Rudman, New Hampshire,52 percent; A1 D’Amato, New York,45 percent;John P. East, North Carolina, 50 percent; Robert Packwood, Oregon 52 percent; Arien Specter, Pennsylvania, 51 percent. Incumbency has ceased largely to be a major factor in Senatorial and Congressional elections. If these Republicans do not deliver on their promises to an impatient “Moral Majority”, they would be vulnerable to progressive challenge six years hence. What was most predictable, and lamentable, about Reagan’s victory was the response of the “Old Guard” black leadership. For months they exholed black voters to turn out on election day to support Jimmy Carter. They declared that Reagan administration would turn back the clock to an age of Jim Crowand economic equality. Privately, their real concern was that they would lose plush plums and federal grants from the bureaucratic drough in Washington D.C. once Reagan’s reactionaries took over. The winds of change that produced a Republican majority in the Senate have also reaped a transformation of black rhetoric. Black opportunists who jumped aboard the Reagan bandwagon were the first to crow. “1 am most pleased and convinced that Reagan is, not a warmonger,” clucked Ralph David Abernathy, “and, unlike Carter will do everything possible to keep his promises to the American people, particularly in the area of putting Americans back to work.” Joseph E. Lowry, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, had endorsed Carter and warned constituents that a Reagan Presidency would revive racism and bring disaster. Now, Lowery states that, “we have offered cooperation and support”to Reagan, because he has given a token promise to protect the rights of poor people, . Urban League President Vernon Jordan now is telling us that it’s too soon to conclude that Reagan will ignore black concerns such as affirmative action and an expansion of public sector employment opportunities. It is “dangerous”, in Jordan’s view, to think that the Reagan administration will be hostile to blacks. Jordan applauds Reagan’s idea of developing “free enterprise zones” in the ghettoes by granting huge tax write-offs to major corporations for employing black urban workers. Once Reagan was our bitter nemisis; now, as President, he understands the need for finding solutions to the pressing problems of the oppressed. Jordan embraces a “solution” that in Southern Africa has led to the development of Bantustans. Years from today, volumes of critical studies will document the incredible lack of political consistency, the bumbling judgement and shallow insights of our current generation of black “leaders.” Let history pass this judgement: at a time when neither Carter nor Reagan merited the support of the majority of black people, our “official representatives” stumbled hastily over themselves to get behind “the evils of two lessers.” New To Those Who Constructed The Bridge Over Trouble Waters As the curtains close on the worst eight weeks in my life, the stage is set for a bright new beginning. It’s because of you, that I can see over that rainbow. It’s because of you, that 1 can still stand tall, black, and proud. It’s because of you, that I can still feel love, compassion, and understanding. Yes, it’s because of you, that I am still Dara. The third day following my accident, I had received twenty-one cards, a Bible, candle, and enough love to bring Iran and the United States in unison. Dr. and Mrs. Stewart, AUC security, and hosts of faculty, friends, and fellow students — Thank you for helping me grow. Thank you for reopening my eyes to see that God plays an important role in every earthly thing. May God’s peace and blessings forever be upon you. Most Sincerely, Dara Perkins faces in the Senate will emerge next year; a reactionary movie actor without a shred of compassion for the interests of blacks, Hispanics and the working class will occupy a new stage in the Oval Office; but nothing fundamentally has changed. Black America is still oppressed, and our motto must still be resistance and self determination — by any means necessary. Dr. Manning Marable is a leader of the newly formed Black Political Party and a Senior Research Associate of political economy at the Africana Studies Center of Cornell University. Editor-in-Chief - Pamela D. Moore Associate Editor - Kiron K. Skinner News Editor - Bridgett Davis Feature Editors - Lisha Brown / La Rhonda Morris Photography Editor - Whitney Young Art Editor - Mary Barkley Advertising Manager - Janice Tillerson Asst. Advertising Manager - Elaine Terry Business Manager - Betty Jackson Circulation Manager - Lisa Vaughn Office Manager - Susan Hart Public Relations Manager - Sonja Washington The Spelman Spotlight is produced regularly by the Spotlight Staff composed of students from Spelman and Morehouse Colleges. Primary control, however, is vested in Spelman students. All questions and concerns from the public concerning this paper should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief, Spelman Spotlight, Box 50, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia 30314. The office phone number is 525-1743.