Eighty-seven percent of the black vote went to Charles Schumer. Only 13% went to the Floyd Flake supported Al
Damato. Rev. Calvin Butts supported Pataki who got only 15% of the black vote. This says that the black electorate
is smart enough not to be fooled by the Flake and the Butts claims to political leadership. The sad thing is that it says
the black vote is too blindly devoted to the Democratic Party. When you look at Schumer’s vote ten percent of the black
vote went independent. Carl McCall got 2.6 million votes, more than Pataki and more than Schumer. Remember that
Carl McCall has not been seriously challenged in an election. Blacks saved the Democratic Party across the country and
put Charles Schumer in the Senate. Now here are some things he can do. He could lead the charge to get a presidential
pardon for Mumia Abdul Jamal. He could get with Attorney General Spitzer, another beneficiary of the black vote, and
give Alton Maddox his license back. He’s already done ten years. Even convicted murderers get out earlier for “time
served.” Schumer should sponsor a Martin Luther King Plan to rebuild urban communities modeled after the Marshall
Plan for Western Europe. The Plan would rebuild infrastructure, roads, bridges, parks and housing stock. It would
create jobs and promote urban health. The new senator should be dedicated to developing black economies in black
communities. Then we can own and operate our own businesses in our communities. Instead of Rite Aid, we should
have a Rite On Health and Beauty Aids. These major stores coming into the black community are really promoting
white economic development. Schumer could also look at immigration to make it easier for folks from the Caribbean
to have citizenship. He could support a Bill on reparations for black people in America. These are the kinds of things
blacks should be speaking with Schumer about. The danger is that he may choose something like the African Trade Bill,
which is simply a plot to strip Africa of her resources, and call it supporting a black agenda.
Charles Barron
Ed. Note: The Unity Party received a total of 11,000 votes with 7-8,000 coming from NYC. The largest votes came
out of Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, East New York, Brownsville and Harlem, which happens to mirror the major part of
the Our Time Press distribution pattern. Because we had major articles about the Unity Party and Mary France in our
July-October issues, we don’t think it’s inappropriate to take some credit for the turnout in our area and thank our
readers for their support.