A note to the beloved community challenges and opportunities in the upcoming elections
By Congressman Alcee Hastings

Originally posted on August 18, 2010 in the Westside Gazette

I continue to be so grateful to you for giving me and others in our community the opportunity and privilege to represent you in the elected office(s).  Additionally, I am, and we all should be, grateful to the Westside Gazette and other Black media (albeit too few) for their consistent and persistent efforts to keep our Beloved community informed.

August 24th provides an opportunity for the community to impact elections locally, statewide, and nationally.  I am not a candidate in the August 24th election.  Even so, I feel it is an important election for our community. We have an opportunity to elect Congressman Kendrick Meek as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.  If he wins, he will be the only Black in the Senate.

Voter turnout is expect to be low on August 24th.  The challenge for the community is to exceed expectations and to turn out in large numbers.  If we turn out in large numbers, Kendrick will win.

If we turn out in great numbers, we can overcome another challenge.  All of the sitting Black judges are being challenged: Judge Elijah Williams and Judge Kenneth Gillespie on the circuit bench and Judge Mary Robinson on the county bench.  As far as I know, they have all performed well and should be retained.  Roshawn Banks and F. J. McLawrence are seeking election to the county court.

We all know the important role judges play in our society and Broward County has absolutely too few African American and Hispanic judges.  Please vote with this in mind since competency appears not to be at issue.

Turning to the County Commission Race for Seat 9, my friends in this race are Margaret Bates, Dale Holness, and Carlton Moore.  They have always supported me, and I have always supported them.  I encourage you to support any one of them.  Each would be an exceptional County Commissioner.  I cannot comment regarding Aude Sicard because I do not know him well.

Albert C. Jones has chosen to run in this election as "Al C. Jones."  The play on my first name, Alcee, is obvious as it is wrong.  Do not be confused.  I am not on the ballot on August 24th.  Albert C. Jones and I have not supported each other in the past and I have no reason to believe he would outperform Carlton, Margaret, or Dale.

Further, if you see any endorsement card with my name on it, please disregard same.  Other than this note to you, I have not formally taken any position in this important race nor do I intend to.  It is very important that you understand that there is one very pernicious piece of literature circulating with my name on it as though I am on the August 24th ballot.  The person(s) responsible for this dirty trick should be ashamed of themselves for trying to mislead voters.  This kind of voter manipulation does not help the positive political evolution and development of our Beloved community.

Historic opportunities are staring us in the face.  We can nominate and then elect Kendrick Meek to the U.S. Senate.  We can protect sitting Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Gillespie and Elijah Williams as well as County Court Judge Mary Robinson.  At the same time we can expand the number of African American judges on the county court by election F.J. McLawrence and Roshawn Banks.  Additionally, we can elect Dale Holness, Carlton Moore or Margaret Bates and be assured of electing a person who has the Beloved community, a term I borrow from Dr. Mack King Carter and Dr. Martin Luther King, at heart.

The Beloved Community is being challenged in so many ways from without, but we control within.  Please, we must not waste this opportunity to vote for the candidates of our choice.  Vote for the sake of our Beloved Community!