I receive and acknowledge your impassioned plea for assistance and commitment in the great work that confronts us, self-determination and self-actualization.

In the political context, I would offer the following: I would encourage the development and support of multiple political parties at the national, state, local levels: Democrat, Republic, Green, Reform, in order to augment our electoral impact by increasing the number of suitors for our votes, while diversifying and scattering our enemies. Lincoln was elected President in 1860, only because there were four (4) political parties: Northern and Southern Democrats; Republicans; and Whigs. Right now, "we" run from pillar to post, as there are only two viable parties.

First, we were rabidly Republican. Now, we are rabidly Democrats. The Republicans betrayed us in 1876, and thereafter, with the Hayes-Tilden Compromise and the withdrawal of Federal Troops from the South. The Democrats' deception began with the Kennedy's and continues, to date, i.e., How many black senators have been elected Democrat? None. How many black Republican senators? Two: (Hiram Revels & Edward Brooke). There has been one Democrat senator (Carol Mosely Braun). How many black Democrat governors? One: (Douglas Wilder). How many black Republicans? One: (P.B.S. Pinchback)

Frankly, we have not gotten our aliquot share, our per capita share, our distributive share, our fair share from any of them. We are scared to say "quota," like they are scared to say "nigger." We must not be afraid to demand a definite, portion of the pie: a quota, our quota. So-called black leaders reject seeking quotas, as they were afraid of alienating Jewish money and Jewish power (media, publishing), because Jews have a disproportionate share of the pie, i.e., a super-quota. They have more wealth and power than their percentage of the population would warrant. We have less wealth and power than our percentage of the population would warrant.

I say, let the debate begin on our fair share of the pie, our quota, economically and politically! Those who run from what is only fair are unworthy to lead us anyway! There is a quota government in South Africa, and in Europe, Japan and Canada. They are proposing a quota government for Afghanistan and Iraq. Only when it comes to us getting our portion, our quotient, is there a problem.

Lastly, I say that we need a new Constitutional Convention to deal with eliminating the 3/5s clause from the fabric of the Constitution. We need to make our rights not part of some Amendments, but part of the whole cloth of the governing document. Some blacks fear this, because they are afraid that white folks will bring back slavery in a new Constitutional Convention! That's absurd. The white folks have already fought a Civil War over that one, remember? We need part of the legislature and the judiciary and the cabinet set aside for us, as it is for other minority parties in Europe and Asia and Israel. Right now, we're totally excluded, having 33 Representatives, when we should have 50, and having 0 Senators, when we should have 15, at least. Having less than 100 black federal judges, when we should have at least 200.

After the Civil War, a new constitution should have been written, then--and the Taney Supreme Court should have been impeached, but Lincoln was killed and Andrew Johnson ran amuck, knowing that in time white folks would coalesce around white interests. They did and we were doomed.

So, in substance, I propose: (1) A new Constitutional Convention to allocate fair representation to omitted minorities, like us; (2) Supporting new political parties to dilute the impact of the existing ones, and to empower ourselves; (3) Advocate a plank for quotas in American life among all political parties, to assure that we get our fair share of this nation's spoils, resources, profits, emoluments and hereditaments.

I realize these ideas are far-out. Consider the source.

Bless You, My Brother:

Larry D. Coleman, Esq.