By now, I'm sure many of you have read the controversial "
The House Negro Is Unfortunately Alive And Well" column written by Cloves Campbell, Jr., publisher of the
Arizona Informant.
I've had discussions with people who agree and disagree with the premise of the column which attacks an African American District 8 male candidate (which we can only assume is
Lawrence Robinson) for exaggerating his involvement with the Black community and cowtowing to the White community.
Campbell is a supporter of
Warren Stewart, the other African American male candidate in the District 8 race and the long-time senior pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix.
While Cloves' column about Robinson makes some valid points, we in the Black community (especially District 8 residents) have to see to see the bigger picture.
District 8 is NO LONGER a BLACK DISTRICT. District 8 does NOT just cover South Phoenix. In fact, it covers South Phoenix, Laveen and Downtown Phoenix.
Click Here to look at the
District 8 Map.
Latinos make up the majority in District 8. Moreover, we have people of ALL races living within the District 8 boundaries.
I live with my family in District 8 and it's important for us all to understand that things have changed here. The majority of our neighbors DON'T CARE who has helped the Black community in the past.
Yes, the Black community still has a strong influence but we are going to be pushed out if we are NOT clear on who NOW calls the shots here.
BE CLEAR ... Downtown Phoenix is the major player in this race! Major corporations and retailers have moved into the Downtown Phoenix area and they will be using their money and power to make sure that their interests are addressed.
You only have to read the recent editorials in the
Phoenix New Times and
Arizona Republic about the "House Negro" column to see that Downtown Phoenix wants to get rid of Black leadership in District 8. Their editorials are making our Black candidates look hypocritical, untrustworthy and out of touch. The Phoenix New Times even took a swipe at the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce in
its article! Talk about throwing an organization under the bus!
Let's WAKE UP and show Arizona that we are BETTER than how we are being portrayed in the mainstream media.
Let's stop worrying about which candidate is "Blacker" than the other.Instead, let's focus on supporting candidates who focus on the issues that really matter - reducing crime, developing jobs, improving education, establishing better transportation and building a major hospital in South Phoenix.
If we don't adjust our THINK, we won't have any BLACK REPRESENTATION in the District 8 after the August 27 primary election.
Young Money rapper Drake will bring his “Would You Like A Tour?” arena tour to US Airways Center in Phoenix on Saturday, November 16.
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