Be Not Distracted: A statement to North Carolina Voters

by the North Carolina Coalition of Civil Rights Activists and Ministers

May. 22, 2008

[The following statement represents personal views from one individual and in no way represents the endorsement of any political candidate or initiative by the Beloved Community Center of Greensboro. This article is printed to promote ongoing dialogue about the opportunity and responsibility for promoting an equitable and democratic society for all.]

The people of North Carolina and the nation face massive social problems that must be addressed now. Election campaigns are the only time when political leaders must stand up and say how they will address these problems so we can intelligently choose between the candidates.

Unfortunately, the pattern just before many Southern elections has featured a well-financed last-minute effort to distract us from thoughtfully choosing the candidates best able to address our economic and moral crises. A common tactic is to air cleverly designed race-baiting television ads to try to divide North Carolinians along racial lines—particularly by groups who don’t want to address the real problems we face. A new tactic is to give us massive doses of talking heads, gossiping about different personalities, a few days before the election on round-the-clock so-called “news” programs. This year, these weapons of “mass distraction” and half-truths are being employed in a last-ditch effort to split the growing consensus for change among 60-70% of all Americans.

These tactics were invented by white supremacists in the N.C. Democratic Party in 1898 to help them violently overthrow the Black-White fusion government in Wilmington, the largest city in the state at the time. The purpose of these tactics has remained the same for 110 years; to distract us by stirring up old fears so we lose our focus on the common issues we face. It’s old wine in old bottles.

We undersigned civil rights and religious leaders urge each North Carolina voter to stay focused on the real problems we face as we cast our votes. We invite national and state political leaders of all parties to join us as signatories to this statement. Our growing poverty; our inadequate and re-segregated schools; the racial disparities in our criminal justice, health and mental health systems; the housing crisis; the loss of jobs; $3.57 gas prices; and the never-ending occupation of Iraq—these are the problems we need to address. They should be the focus of our political leaders, our media, and our citizens. These are the issues prophetic ministers will preach about. They are what patriots will talk about and social activists will march about. These are the issues good citizens will vote about.

North Carolina Coalition of Civil Rights Activists and Ministers
[Signatory list is expanding hourly. Please join us by adding your name. Just email your agreement to add your name as a signatory to turner@naacpnc.org.]

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, Goldsboro, President, NC NAACP
Rev. John Mendez, Winston-Salem
Rev. Gregory K. Moss, Sr., Charlotte
Rev. George Reed, N.C. Council of Churches
Rev. Nelson Johnson, Greensboro
Rev. Mazie Ferguson, Greensboro
Ms. Joyce Johnson, Greensboro
Mr. Alan McSurely, Chapel Hill
Rev. Curtis Gatewood, Oxford

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