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{ommentary
Let's crown president Clinton king and move on
Can we crown Bill Clinton
king of the democrats? Is it
okay to anoint him the
greatest, most charismatic
president ever? If we make
these proclamations will he
finally leave us alone?
Last week President
Clinton made his rounds in
California and lowa stump
ing for various democratic
candidates. They of course
fawned over him and said
what a great President he
was. Don’t get me wrong.
President Clinton was the
hest “republican” president
this nation has ever seen. |
know this is not conven
tional wisdom. Yet, look a
little deeper.
There are a few ways to
judge a great presidency. It
is commonplace to judge a
president based upon his
ability to deal with a crisis
or a war. Presidents Lin
coln and Roosevelt solidi
fied their place in history
hecause of their handling of
the Civil War and World
War II respectively. We can
also judge a president by
Next generation activists seek leadership role
From page one
Bryant, 32, was youth mem
bership coordinator for the
NAACP for five years.
"They had 2,000 people in
2003, which is 10 percent of
what they had in 1963 — all
we can say now at this point
is that maybe Spike Lee will
make a movie just like he did
with ‘Get on the Bus’ and
mayhe we could get more
people interested in it," he
says.
Otis Moss 111, 32, pastor of
Tabernacle Baptist Church
in Augusta, Ga., agrees that
if young people want to
hecome leaders in the Civil
Rights Movement, there will
he some inevitable tension.
"Historically, when we talk
about this torch being
passed, it is up to the
younger generation to
snatch it and say it’s time for
another voice to he heard
and ministers like Bryant
are a good example of that,"
he says. "Bryant and others
, are able to reach a larger and
younger generation in a way
that the civil rights leaders
of our day cannot."
. Kirk Clay, 31, deputy
director of the National
Coalition on Black Civic Par
. ticipation in Washington,
, D.C., says being young isn’t
the only criteria for being an
~ effective leader.
, "If your hands aren’t
_ strong enough to hold it up
80 that others can get the
light that radiates from it
, then you should let us help
. you identify ways to get the
light brighter so that it
might benefit everyone who
is in darkness," he says. "We
need to make sure that the
person carrying the torch is
doing what they are sup
posed to be doing."
Not all young torch-hear
ers have been snubbed by
their elders. Alise Barry
more, 34, dean of ministries
at North Park University in
Chicago, is an example.
"I've had the benefit of
having some wonderful men
tors in that I saw from them
ministry that was done well,
that was inclusive and intel
ligent. So I feel that I also
have been able to do what |
have done in the ministry for
those women who’s voices
maybe don’t get heard
because they don’t have the
benefit of being a popular
name," she says.
Julian Bond, 63, chairman
of the board for the NAACP,
has observed the movement
- from the perspective of a
! (3G
t a
By Harold V_Jones ||
his ability to influence the
dialogue or change the
nation’s political position.
Once again President Roo
sevelt solidified his position
by creating the New Deal.
Under Roosevelt,
(through the New Deal) an
economic safety net was
established. This safety net
continued throughout dem
ocratic and republican
administrations. Although
republican presidents
talked about rolling back
the New Deal, safety net
programs were accepted as
a function of government.
In 1980, (with the elec
tion of Ronald Reagan), the
first real assault on poverty
programs was instituted.
Reagan, (similar to an air
bombardment in a war) laid
the groundwork and the
young activist in the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC) and now
as a senior statesman.
"I was associated with
SNCC and bhetween 1960
and 1963; we had already
established ourselves as
equals," Bond recalls, "The
only time my age ever came
into question was when they
handed out responsibilities--
I ended up passing out the
drinks to the movie stars
who came to march and
Sammy Davis Jr., told me
thanks, kid, for the drink I
passed him."
Bond says that the very
fact that there were youth’
leaders who spoke at the
most recent march is proof
that their voices are being
heard.
"I think it’s artificial to
say that there is a passing of
the torch," he says. "No one
ever passed the torch to me.
I mean this is not a relay
race where one passes lead
ership to another. And just
like every other facet of life,
if you expect some one to
just pass it to you, then
you’ve got another think
coming."
Bond argues that age is
overrated.
"This youth-versus-older
generation phenomenon is
an old thing and it’s always
been with the younger sect
pushing the elders and you
shouldn’t think that simply
because you are young, that
it qualifies you for some
thing. That’s not true if you
are young and it’s not true if
you are old," he says.
Jesse Jackson, in his
speech at the anniversary of
the March on Washington,
appeared to take a swipe at
young leaders trying to
assert themselves,
"There was a song we used
to sing called ‘Which Side
are You On? and it is not
about your age, that which
you cannot determine, hut
about what team you are on
and what direction you are
going," he said. "Are you
with an older Thurgood
Marshall or a younger
Clarence Thomas? Are you
with an older Franklin Roo
sevelt or a younger George
W. Bush? Are you with an
older Nelson Mandela or a
younger Mangosuthu
Buthelezei or Jonas Savim
hi?"
walked over to the chair
where | was sitting, and
said, ' Ralph, give me my car
keys.' Abernathy said after
he and King walked out on
the balcony, Jesse Jackson
first President Bush con
tinued his policies. Yet,
with the election of Presi
dent Clinton, the possibili
ty still existed that poverty
programs could be saved.
Unfortunately, President
Clinton did not attempt to
stop the assault on poverty
and government programs
in general.
It is ironic that in a time
of prosperity, this “great
democratic president” did
not propose a living wage, a
plan to strengthen unions
or provide criticism about
the rise of corporate greed.
Instead, he continued the
republican assault on poor
persons. Instead the stock
market became the vehicle
for trickling down prosperi
ty to the average citizen.
Clinton’s adoption of
Reaganomics was met with
nary a peep from the demo
cratic establishment. |
know many of you are say
ing “Oh no. President Clin
ton really made an impact.”
Well if that is so, then his
“democratic principles”
followed them.'Doc,’ he
called out.! Martin whirled
and glared at him. 'Jesse,' he
barked, 'it may be necessary
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
would be reflected in elec
toral victories.
Three years after Clinton
left office, congress is now
controlled by the republi
cans, the White House is
controlled by a republican
and a republican is now
Governor of Georgia. Oh, |
know you are going to say
that the republicans stole
the presidential election,
yet let’s look at that.
When President Reagan
left office (with high
approval numbers similar
to Clinton), his vice presi
dent wiped the floor with
the democratic candidate.
Even if Gore were to have
won the election he would
have just squeaked out a
victory. Yeah, go ahead and
say that Gore was a bad
candidate. Yeah and the
first President Bush was a
great campaigner, wasn't
he? Do we not remember
that whole wimp factor and
vision thing problem? Oh
and the current President
Bush was a great candidate
wasn’'t he?” He was consid-
for you to carve out your
own individual niche in soci
ety. But don't you bother
me.'
NORTH AUGUSTA
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Martintown Kd
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7066517003
ered such an intellectual
giant and he knew foreign
policy like the back of his
hand. No, the real answer
is that in the 2000 election,
the electorate was faced
with a real republican
(George Bush) and a repub
lican-like candidate in Al
Gore. Like Coke over Pepsi,
the electorate chose the
real thing.
Yeah, I know Clinton
really wanted to follow
democratic principles. It
was that mean republican
Congress that made him
abandon democratic ideals.
Come on, leaders lead.
President Bush is not say
ing it is the mean Congress
which is forcing him to pro
pose tax cuts for the rich or
further erode America’s
safety net programs or top
ple Iraq with little or no
evidence linking them to
terrorism.
Also, why are working
persons always given excus
es why their agenda cannot
be pushed? Only when we
talk about protecting the
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SEPTEMBER 18, 2003
interests of working per
sons and poor persons are
politicians hands tied. In
the end, Bill Clinton is the
David Eisenhower of the
democratic party no more
no less.
President Eisenhower did
very little to promote
republican ideals. He acqui
esced in the New Deal and
allowed government to
grow. His position led to
President’s Johnson Great
Society. President Clinton
acquiesced in the republi
can assault not only on
poverty but government
programs in general. The
effect of this acquiescence is
the growing movement to
privatize everything from
schools, prisons, (you hear
that, YDC workers?) to
child service agencies. Just
remember as government
programs become priva
tized (which means lost
health benefits, lower
salaries, and less job protec
tion) just blame the republi
cans not Clinton. Does that
make you feel better?
THOMSON
May Wirsless
1014 Augusta Hwy
Suite 6
706-5497-0423
WHENS
Crossroads
Communications
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