THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9411120162
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Republicans should look on Virginia's U.S. Senate race as evidence of the collective might of African-American voters, organizers of a four-day conference to discuss issues in the black community said Friday.
But at the same time, they said, African Americans now must warm to Republicans if they want to affect the nations' agenda on race relations and minorities.
As a small group of black community leaders gathered in downtown Norfolk Friday, talk turned to Tuesday's upheaval in Congress that put Republicans in charge for the first time in 40 years. Unlike Virginia, which bounced Republican Oliver L. North based largely on African-American opposition, much of the nation reported that a disproportionate number of white men swung the election.
Asked Friday, leaders of the Strategy 2000 conference at Omni Waterside said they don't believe that Republicans are more racist or less sensitive than Democrats.
The problem with Congress, they said, is that both parties are dominated by white men who too often ignore American blacks.
``It wasn't a setback, it was a new opportunity,'' said Mary L. Redd, head of the Urban League of Hampton Roads. ``They were shut out just like us, and now they know they can't ignore us.
``If it makes them pay attention then it's just what we need. Republicans are human. They'll see what it's like.''
Redd and two other women developed Strategy 2000, a plan to rally African Americans to solve their communities' troubles with crime, health care, education, housing and economic development. The four-day conference to discuss the strategy ends tonight, with a speech from educator Joe Clark, who was featured in the film ``Lean on Me.''
The conference convened the day after the Grand Old Party gained control of the nation's legislature.
``Tuesday was a clear message that there is going to be a real change in the day-to-day business of America,'' said Dr. Charles B. Whitehurst Sr., chairman of Strategy 2000.
``No one can deny that we need a strong defense, or that people want lower taxes or that the judicial system needs reforms,'' Whitehurst said. ``But are those reforms going to come at the expense of disadvantaged African Americans? We need to be the ones who keep that from happening.''
Whitehurst acknowledged he wished the Democrats had held power, but said ``we weaken ourselves by throwing arrows and stones.''
The philosophy of Strategy 2000 - helping people in public housing buy homes, providing incentives to work, empowering communities to help themselves - fits into the Republican philosophy of decreasing government intervention, Whitehurst said.
But more important, he said, nothing can be done about Congress now. At least not for another two years.
``All of us can't get everything we want,'' he said. ``If we really wanted to keep this from happening, African Americans all over the country would have worried about it before Nov. 9.''
Redd, who said she felt ``energized'' by the strong black showing Tuesday in Virginia, said African Americans should take over the Republican Party if they're serious about effecting change.
``People say Democrats have always been sensitive to our issues, but then there are enough Democrats who aren't interested either,'' Redd said.
``One carrot we have is that the Republican Party wants African Americans. What we should do is work with them. Because once we're in there, our agenda is in there, too.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
``No one can deny that we need a strong defense, or that people want
lower taxes or that the judicial system needs reforms. But are
those reforms going to come at the expense of disadvantaged African
Americans? ''
Dr. Charles B. Whitehurst
by CNB