If you want to know what Project 2025 is, let me just share this with you. Let me tell you what it is. It’s Jim Crow 2.0. – Congressman James Clyburn
We have already heard from the Republican speaker of the House that he will not guarantee a certification of a Harris win. – Kristen McDonald Rivett
Featured photo: Rev. Robert Lewis, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Written by L. M. Land, with photos by L.M. Land
You may have noticed how many politicians have come to Flint, almost begging us to vote: for example, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Jesse Jackson and James Clyburn. Michigan is considered a swing state. So, Flint’s Black votes are important.
As I stood in the same room with these men, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Congressman James Clyburn, I was struck with awe. Both men have been tireless fighters for equality in their adult lives.
Jackson has lack of mobility and communication issues due to Parkinson’s disease, yet he is traveling to encourage you to vote.
Clyburn is 84 years old.
These two men are travelling the nation, educating and pouring their life-blood into saving our democracy. It was an honor to be in the same room with these two remarkable men.
There have been many local events sponsored by our local clergy and other groups to educate their people and to show support for Kamala Harris. These learned ministers and politicians have read the truth in the proposed Republican changes and are unified in their urgency to avoid a Jim Crow nation again.
On October 1, 2024, Rev. Jesse Jackson and his son, Jesse Jackson Jr. came to Southwestern Classical Academy to inspire young people to vote and get them registered to vote as well.
Later in the afternoon a gathering at Christ Fellowship MBC inspired community leaders to get people out to vote. Also present were Pastor Robert Lewis from the Rainbow PUSH Organization in Chicago, Dr. Joyce Ellis McNeal – president of the Flint School Board, Bishop Chris Martins, Brother James Avery, Mayor Sheldon Neeley and State Representative Cynthia Neeley, as well as many other Flint leaders.
Rev. Wallace Hill III was the first speaker, and he summed up what I have heard by every single speaker for the last month.
“We’re still fighting in the struggle…we are in some crucial times. This is a crucial time in the history of America. And people that don’t understand it…we must [teach] them to understand that this country will never be the same if we don’t elect Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States.”
In two different events, both McNeal and Congressman Clyburn shared an example of how one single vote changed outcomes.
“I always heard my vote doesn’t matter.” McNeal explained.
She continued: “I live in the 8th ward…I decided to run for city council. I was told I wouldn’t get in the primary. I was told they won’t vote for me, they don’t vote for Black people in 8th ward. [On voting day] a lady come to the polls, she’s running late. I said madam, the polls are closing in 3 minutes. She said that ‘God told me that she gonna need this vote, and I am going in there to vote.’”
God certainly did speak through this woman. McNeal won by that one vote.
Another dynamic speaker at that event was Darryl Campbell – president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council – Flint Chapter.
At the October 1st event, Bishop Martin said “I want everyone here to know that we got a problem. It is not a Baptist problem, it is not a COGIC problem, it’s not apostolic or a non-denominational problem. We’ve got a humanity problem. It doesn’t matter what we disagreed on in the past. We need to agree on one thing, we can’t let that madman back in that office…We have to stand right now and say we are not going to allow this man to get back into office and undo everything we have worked so hard for….we can’t let this happen”.
Congressman Clyburn also spoke at the Cathedral of Faith on October 5th, along with Mayor Neeley, Bishop Martin, Kristen McDonald Rivett and others.
Clyburn shared the story of how one vote created the Jim Crow laws in an Electoral College situation in 1876. Read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1877
This is absolutely the most consequential election of our time…We’ve got an educated Black woman at the top of the ticket. And I’m offended at this man, who would continue to call her ‘dumb as rocks’. He’s said she is ‘mentally incapacitated’. I’ve been hearing him talk about Joe Biden like that…but when it came to ‘a Black woman is mentally incapacitated…she can’t put a sentence together and she can’t do an interview’. When I look at that, you [are also] talking about my wife, you talking about my daughter. You talking about my mother. You talking about a lot of folk I care about. Whatever differences we’ve had in the past, this is not about local differences right now. This is about our entire nation right now.
“We’ve got to remember that this man said ‘I’m not a Christian’ and ‘You vote for me this time, you’ll never have to do it again’. Anybody hear that? This is dangerous…we cannot lay down and be wavering on [support for] a woman who has laid out a wonderful economic plan.
“We know what we have to do. The person in the White House has to have compassion for humankind. We don’t need anybody in there who has a hate list and a hit list. That is going to take us backwards. That why we must stand, and we have a great example to follow, and he’s sitting right there, Rev. Jesse Jackson…”Even though his health is not good, he is still out here campaigning for the greater good in this country. And that should make all of us say, that we got to keep working, we can’t go to sleep.”
The October 8th event featured Clyburn and Rivett. Also in attendance were Mayor Neeley and State Representative Neeley, Bishop R. L. Jones, Candice Mushatt, Mary Hood and Linda Itson representing Zeta Beta Zeta Chapter, Pastor Overton and many others.
Rivett spoke. “We have a lot at stake and you all know this. Having started my career in Head Start, I can tell you that Project 2025 calls for the elimination of Head Start, it calls for the elimination of school lunches, Title I programs, things that we know are necessary for our children.
“On January 3rd the new members of the US house will be sworn in. And on January 6, those members will certify this election. We have already heard from the Republican speaker of the House that he will not guarantee a certification of a Harris win. This is what is at stake.”
Clyburn told us that his favorite book of the bible is James.
“I want to remind you the book of James was written about 44 AD. About 44 yrs after Christ ascended; the people of faith were trying to figure out what to do to manifest their faith. And some of them felt all you need to do is have your own personal relationship with the almighty; it’s nobody else’s business. James, who was Jesus brother, who had traveled with Jesus, he knew what was required. And James decided to write this epistle as some instructions…And James wrote, and it’s right there in the second chapter, he wrote that your brother or sister comes to you hungry and naked, it is not enough to pray for them. You’ve got to feed them; you’ve got to clothe them because faith without works is dead. We cannot have a dead faith. I see church as the Church of the Living God. I’ve never seen the church of the dead Jesus. It’s the living. And that’s what s required of us. And we have a government, a mechanism of government is to make sure that people who are hungry get fed, people who are naked get clothed. And I think that Jesus would say if they are hungry and they are sick, then give them health care.
“I’ve got a daughter now on the school board. You all know what’s going on all over this country, Moms for Liberty all over this country. If you don’t know who Moms for Liberty is, click on Project 2025. They are there throughout that whole document. Part of their plan is to ban books. Think about that. Who wants to ban a book on Rosa Parks? That’s one of the books they’re banning down in Florida, the book on Rosa Parks…Another book they want to ban: Martin Luther King Jr. You’ve got to ask yourself, what’s this election is all about? If you want to know what Project 2025 is, let me just share this with you. Let me tell you what it is. It’s Jim Crow 2.0. The revisit of Jim Crow. I’m the ninth African Americans to serve in congress from S. Carolina. There were eight before me. The problem is there are 95 years between number eight and number nine. Why? Because Jim Crow.”
Your one vote is important.
Jesse Jackson Jr.
Rev. Robert Lewis, Rainbow PUSH Coalition
Congressman James Clyburn, 6th District, South Carolina
Mary Hood and Linda Itson represented the local Zeta Phi Beta Chapter.
