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FREEDOMWAYS

FOURTH QUARTER 1971

cincts and wards and counties and delegates and  electoral votes, you may end up with pleasant memories of a campaign, but you won't end up in office. I say that even though some of my best friends are actors and singers.

So it is a political emancipation proclamation that I present to you today. I submit to you that we do not have to continue being the unrewarded servants of either major political party; that we can obtain a full voice, full recognition, full strength, full power in the decisions, in the actions of the political processes of our country. Obviously I am not advocating or proposing a third party. George Wallace has that. Or a fourth party. The history in this country of minority parties is not a history of success, and success is what we mean to have.
  But I am proposing the end of political voluntary servitude. We will accomplish this by developing and understanding the power which will come through coalition politics. We will accomplish this by focusing on issues, by demanding solutions to the problems which beset our country, by holding as our only commitment the following: First, that Black elected officials and Black voters, Republican and Democrat, make no commitment to any of the announced or easily draftable candidates for president.
  Second, that Black voters concern themselves with issues, not personalities. Force the would-be candidates to talk about issues. Are they for public housing in the suburbs, busing to achieve quality education, guaranteed health care, minimum income maintenance, getting out of Vietnam now, drastic reduction of defense spending, agricultural research and postponement of the space program until mass transit needs are met, welfare reform, revenue sharing, citizen participation and community control, the reordering of national priorities and direct federal-city funding with a massive domestic Marshall Plan for our own country.  
  Third, that Black voters in their respective states start now in the process of deciding upon delegates to next year's political party conventions. This will vary from state to state.
  Fourth, develop communication now with other political minority groups as the issues are framed and common interests identified for coalition purposes.
  Last, that your delegates go to the conventions next year with a full understanding of why they are there to represent us, not to snatch at some crumb offered them by the old line organization; and that they be unequivocally committed on the issues and on the full compliance with the selection processes.

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