Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 October 2000 — Page 6

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2000

*5 MW&J

National News

Million Family March “Ibelieve this inarch will have a qlateif to draw dramatic effect on race relations,” together, create marriage »ys Simmons. “It’s a march about unions the human family, rising above WASHINGTON (NNPA) — co,or “ d reli 8 ion ’ symbol* «m d The Nation of Islam will host its crc ® d ’ he said - Million Family March in Wash- Blackchurch andfratenuty leadi ngton as a means of creating greater ers on boardrelations and stronger ties within' I am pleased and honored to do Black families and communities. ™ter registration for the Million During the event, NOI leader Min- ^mily March, said Dr. Mamn ister Louis Farrakhan is expected Cheatham, nauona^ director of solo marry thousands of couples in a cia * action for Phi Beta Sigma Framass wedding ceremony. termt y w b° sc na J tIona, hcadquarThe Congressional Black Cau- tcrs .'vasjhe headquarters for the cus (CBC) has created a commit- Million Man March and now serves tee with specific task of assisting a* the same for the Million Family with the efforts of the Million Fam- March, ily March. Chaired by Congress- . . . man Earl F.’ Hilliard, D-Ala., the Black service s news group met with Farrakhan to dis- Web site to heat up cuss their roles. coverage for election ‘‘We want to make this a sue- WASHINGTON (NNPA) — cessful day,” said Rep. Hilliard. The nation’s oldest Black news ‘‘The Black Caucus is very much service, the National Newspaper involved. There will be no ques- Publishers Association, plans to tion about the Black Caucus’ sup- aggressively cover the election port. We’ 11 have speakers involved 2000 campaign trail over the comwith the actual program and we ing weeks of one of the world’s have people helping with the plan- most watched political developning and logistics.” ments through its new Web site, The CBC is joined by enter- blackpressusa.com. The site, detainers organized by Russell veloped as one ofthe nation’sleadSimmons of Def Jam fame who are ing news and new analysis arenas not pnly expressing their support created, managed and marketed by of the MFM but can also be seen African Americans and contributed and heard on television and radio toby African-American writers and doing public service announce- political analysts, ments for the march. ;, “We are very excited about what

we are developing because it will allow Black voters greater access to analysis of the candidate’s positions on key issues,” says NNPA President John J. Oliver Jr. “It also allows other communities around the nation and the world to see how we view this important election process.” The site offers daily and weekly revolving commentary and analysis by the nation’s leading political thinkers as Election Day draws near. It also will distribute news and behind the scenes coverage as it relates to Black elected officials in leadership within Congress, Supreme Court appointments, progress within Black voter registration efforts and race profiling and affirmative action programs. “Blackpressusa.com launched out of the starting gate last summer through coverage of the RNC and DNC conventions,” says Executive Director Ben Jealous. “Our supporters have recognized the value of this kind of independent news sourcing. We will continue to grow with that support.” “We are nonpartisan,” says Managing Editor Raoul Dennis. “But we fully intend to raise all the questions and hold candidates’ feet to the fire on issues of importance to the Black community. The Black Press is America’s fifth estate.”

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Rep. Conyers hopes Demos retake control off House

By HAZEL TRICE EDNEY Special to the NNPA Fires burned and riots raged out of control after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the midst of the havoc, U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan — then in office for only four years — envisioned national honor for the man who had led America’s civil rights movement. Four days after King's death. Conyers initiated a bill to pay tribute to him and commemorate the cause of freedom and justice with a national holiday. He fought vigorously for the measure until it finally passed 15 years later. He now considers the bill among his greatest accomplishments. Although the holiday is here, the battle for racial justice is not over. That, in a nutshell, is the sentiment of the now 18-term Detroit congressman, who would likely become the first Black chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee — if voters elect six new members to the House of Representatives on Nov. 7. In his mind, he will need the same passion, racial consciousness and foresight that it took to pass the King holiday bill to effectively deal with America's civil injustices that are still raging out of control. The Judiciary Committee is the premiere congressional forum for civil rights issues. “It is not good form 42 days out to talk about what you’re going to do,” Conyers said in response to probing from a reporter in his Capitol Hill office. “First, I have to be re-elected” to Michigan’s 14th House District seat, then selected by the House Democratic Caucus. “But the way that I can get at it is to talk about what I have stood for and what I am currently doing." With that, the lean and handsome Conyers, surrounded by

African artifacts and jazz music mementos on his walls, desk and floor, ticked off a list of proposals that he envisions as law. Conyers said some of the issues that might finally reach the House floor include: federal monitoring of police profiling or “Driving While Black;” special prosecutions and deterrents for police brutality; federal sanctions for hate crimes; restoration of voting rights for convicted felons; an end to mandatory minimum sentences; the beginning of diversionary drug courts for drug rehabilitation at the federal level; increased funding for the rebuilding of Haiti and reparations for the damages of slavery. “On these kinds of issues right now, we’re getting nothing with the Republicans in control,” Conyers said with frustration. "This thing is a vicious cycle. You're either in control or you’re out of control.” High-profiled cases such as the police torture of Haitian-born Abner Louima and the police slaying of Guinean student Amadou Diallo among other civil rights enforcement issues have frustrated Democrats because of the silence of Republicans, according to Conyers. “Our Judiciary Committee has had hearing after hearing focusing on the so-called problems in civil rights enforcement, yet not a single day of hearings devoted to the problem of racism and intolerance in our nation," he explained. The Judiciary Committee oversees the work of the U. S. Department of Justice, which includes civil rights, voting rights, equal opportunity as well as criminal justice, police and immigration issues. Andrea Martin, policy director for the Congressional Black Caucus, of which Conyers was a founding member in 1971, echoed his sentiments. “It’s got

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to be frustrating for him,” she said, noting Conyers felt the brunt of the Republican takeover in 1995 since he was chairman of the Government Operations Committee at that time. If Democrats were in the majority, they could schedule any bills and determine what •' I hearings would be held. They ,"i could also decide which legisla- 7 tion would come to the House to-> be voted on. “There’s only six ri seats separating us from that,” :fj said Conyers, his eyes intense ' >; and determined as he rose to : ,t leave for a vote on the House i! floor. “I’m going to keep doing >; what I’m doing.” ,t Meanwhile, civil rights , t representatives around the < country are taking the message to 1 the streets that some of the most 1 crucial civil rights issues such as.; police brutality and "driving while Black” can only be dealt , - with through the vote. :' “Lift Every Voice and Vote: i Unity 2000 Campaign,” a • massive voter mobilization movement organized by a coalition of 90 grassroots groups, continues to push for at least 2 • million more registered voters by ■ Oct. 15, the deadline to register for the Nov. 7 election. A Democratic majority could i mean 18 Black chairmanships of House subcommittees and three*'

Black chairmanships of commit* tees. They include Conyers, U.S^ Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who would become chairman of the Ways and Means Committee 1 and U.S. Rep. Julian Dixon, D- ' Calif., who would become chairman of the Intelligence Committee. House Minority Leader , •’ Richard A. Gephardt, D-Mo., would become Speaker of the House. ! 1 “This is a big deal, a really big deal,” Gephardt told a crowd at get-out-the vote forum during th* 1 Congressional Black Caucus legislative weekend. :•>!

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