Letter to the editor: Better candidates needed

OPINION:

For me, 2022 will be remembered as the election year in which the most unqualified African-American candidates emerged. When I hear these candidates’ platform positions or their rationale, I no longer wonder why there has been so little progress made in addressing issues such as health, education and crime.

In each of these categories, African-American culture is near the bottom or at the bottom. So why do so many candidates feel they have what it takes to get the job done? Since the Obama administration, we’ve seen more and more people adopt the belief that anyone can serve in public office, whether they have the expertise and know-how or not. As we can see, this just isn’t the case.

Adam Clayton Powell was a great example of how to achieve results, especially during the Jim Crow era. When I hear Stacey Abrams, Raphael Warnock, Mandela Barnes and even Herschel Walker speak, what I hear are candidates reciting past leaders or using fear mongering to gain supporters.

Now, nobody is perfect and some behaviors and actions will always be questionable. What I’m referring to are the lack of concrete proposals candidates are putting forth to address any of the issues, and the abundance of blame being placed on racism. These candidates lack the courage to admit that they have no answers. 

There was a time, according to my mother, when organizations (our churches and universities) developed African-American leaders. It appears those days are over. Participating in elections is difficult not because of limiting access to polls, as candidates have averred, but because of the lack of high-quality, experienced individuals choosing to run for office.

These candidates are representative of the dearth of true leadership in government. They also expose the self-interest and entitlement mentality of our elected leaders. We need to wake up and start seeking out or identifying legitimate African-American individuals who prioritize public service and self-empowerment along with ethics, morality and integrity. The marginalization of the African-American experience is starting to take shape, and with weak candidates, decline will only continue. 

GREG RALEIGH