September 09, 2021

By LAWT Editorial Board

In 1982, the Democratic nominee and then Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley was perceived to be the favorite to become California’s first Black Governor.  The polls showed Bradley had a sizable lead over his Republican challenger, George Deukmejian and by 6 p.m. several news stations were reporting that Bradley had been the projected winner.  But then, something strange happened. 

Many African Americans who thought Bradley’s win was done went home after work instead of going to the polls to cast their vote. 

That morning to the shock of many, Deukmejian surged ahead late in the evening and surpassed Bradley to win the governorship.

With George Deukmejian now elected governor California built eight new prisons, a 67% increase beyond the 12 prisons California previously had.  These new prisons launched the “tough on crime” era not only in California but around the nation. 

When the successes of the Civil Rights Movement promised to manifest racial equality, this tough on crime rhetoric began the upswing on “Black Criminality” and the reassertion of White supremacy.   It was never blatant, and in many cases was far less overt and for more passive, but the results were the same. 

Jim Crow racism was masked under the guise of “tough on crime” and all of a sudden Black mass incarceration was alive and well in California.  The prison boom emerged out of that tough on crime movement.  The statement tough on crime was never openly anti-Black or anti-Brown, but one look at the outcome demonstrates that the effects have been every bit as lethal. Historically Anti-Black has always featured the myth of Black criminality.  Remember that slave owners always tried to sell the idea that slavery was beneficial to both the slaves and the masters.

Now, fast forward to 2016 and the election of Donald Trump.  Once again, many thought that because of all that Trump had done and said throughout his campaign, the womanizing, the racist rants and all of the legal and business lawsuits many thought that “he would never be elected President”.  So, while Hillary Clinton may have been uninspiring and many were “Pro Burnie Sanders” there is no doubt that the apathy and lack of Black voter turnout played a vital role in the election of Donald Trump. 

Donald Trump’s election like in the 1982 election of George Deukmejian inspired and anti-Black, and Black criminality movement that grew larger and larger as Trump served his four-year term as President of the United States, culminating during the insurrection on January 6, 2021.  This insurrection was the direct result of mass Black voter turnout to repeal him due to our previous no show at the polls in the 2016 election.

Today, we find ourselves fending off another challenge to our freedoms, to our dignity and to our way of life.  California, which is predominantly democratic, is now in the midst of a recall election which could unseat the Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to replace him with a republican/Donald Trump candidate and front man like Larry Elder. 

History should have taught us by now that when we show up and make our voices heard, we can make a difference.  It is our votes that are all too often the deciding votes for any candidate looking to be elected.  But unfortunately, all too often, it is our low voting numbers that can also be deciding factors in an election, particularly when we feel uninspired or that our one voice/vote will not make a difference. 

This is the defeatist mindset that Donald Trump and the Republican Recall is betting on; they know that we will not vote for Larry Elder or any other Republican candidate. But what they are banking on is Blacks not voting at all, which is just like casting a vote for the Republican nominee.

Let’s not be fooled!   A NO SHOW IS A YES VOTE for Donald Trump and the Republican-led anti- Black, “anti-Crime”, anti-affirmative action, anti-progress party who wants nothing more than to suppress our voices, suppress our progress and suppress our influence all in the name of “reform.”  We Must Show Up and Vote!

We cannot let our failures of the past repeat themselves and become our failures for our future.  Our children deserve better, our elderly deserve better, our community deserves the opportunity to recover from the pandemic without having to also overcome the racist undertones which have been plaguing cities in Texas, Georgia, Arizona and throughout the red states of the South now that there is Democratic leadership in the White House.

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!  VOTE NO ON THE RECALL, MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS SEND IN THEIR BALLOTS OR SHOW UP AND VOTE IN PERSON! THE SAME WAY WE VOTED OUT DONALD TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICANS THIS PAST NOVEMBER, IS WHAT WE MUST DO AGAIN TO LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD.  VOTE NO ON THE RECALL and keep Governor Gavin Newsom in office or once again wake up and find ourselves asking “What the hell just happened?” 

August 26, 2021

By Rep. Barbara Lee

U.S. Congresswoman for the 13th District of California

Just as it seemed we as a country were coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves faced with another challenge as the Delta variant of the virus spreads more rapidly throughout our communities. On top of the pandemic, we are also heading into another fire season while many of our neighbors remain unhoused. We know that low-income Californians, people of color and women who take care of their families while also providing essential care for others are feeling a disproportionate share of these burdens.

It is during this time that Republicans have chosen to once again return to the Donald Trump playbook of political games by attempting to recall Governor Gavin Newsom and overturn his election without any merit or standing.

This recall effort -_ in addition to being completely baseless and a blatantly political power grab -- is completely inappropriate during this period where we need to allow our elected leaders to handle very significant challenges. This recall election of the governorship alone will cost Californians $215 million in taxpayer money, money that could have been spent battling wildfires, developing housing, or combatting a pandemic that continues to threaten our health and public safety.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I know how much Californians -- and African American Californians in particular -- have to lose from this Republican ploy.

We know that recall supporters from the Trump camp understand they cannot win in a normal election, they are yet again using underhanded tactics to undermine our democratic elections. As we fight against voter suppression in Congress and in states like Georgia, we must realize that the recall election is the California version of that same Republican agenda.

Governor Newsom won his position in 2018 and has since set an example to the nation for what strong leadership can do in the face of crisis. Since the very beginning of this pandemic, we remember California was and continues to be looked upon as a gold standard for testing, vaccination, and virus protocols. Governor Newsom has proven his ability to lead California through the pandemic, and his resume ensures he is more than up to the task of controlling the Delta Variant.

Now, the Trump-backed recall is setting its sights on dismantling all the work we as a state have done to keep this virus under control, and for no more than a political ploy to steal a governorship from the voters who put Governor Newsom in office. The good news is that we have faced these challenges before, we know the good work we are capable of doing.

Although it will take time and a continued effort from our leaders to get through these crises, we will return to a sense of normalcy once again with strong leadership and good decision making as Governor Newsom and his team have already shown capable of executing. Ignoring these problems and instead being forced to deal with a completely unsuitable recall for Californians by Trump-backed groups is a recipe for disaster.

The ploy to recall the governor is one of several democratically elected positions that Trump-backed groups have targeted to recall. From progressive district attorneys to city council members and from California delegates to local school board members, these recall groups insist upon wasting taxpayer dollars, costing Californians hundreds of millions of dollars, just to win political games.

These recalls are a waste of our money and are completely detrimental to overcoming the challenges we have at hand. Simply put, the recall effort of Governor Newsom and every Trump-backed recall effort will hurt Californians--not just our recovery from Covid but reproductive freedom, education funding, civil rights and other longtime conservative targets.

We have come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic, the early helplessness we all felt is finally transitioning to hopefulness. We cannot afford to forfeit all that we have worked for over petty political stunts. It is time to fight these recall efforts and ensure our leaders can focus on the issues that matter for the health, safety, and welfare of every Californian.

Women and people of color stand firmly behind Governor Newsom. We know that the health of our families, our neighborhoods and our rights depend on defeating the recall. We invite all readers to join us on September 14 -- or as soon as you get your mail-in ballot -- in voting NO on the recall.

Rep. Barbara Lee represents California’s 13th Congressional District including portions of Alameda and San Francisco counties in the United States House of Representatives.

August 19, 2021

LAWT Report

By now, most Californians have already received their ballot for the recall election in the mail.  This election is critical for the advancement of our community to fend off the right-wing conservative attacks on our state’s government.

We have all seen and read about voter suppression efforts being launched in Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and a number of other states across the country.  But, what Californians should realize is that we are being targeted in the Republican-led voter suppression efforts here in California with the recall of Governor Gavan Newsom.

These efforts are being led by anti-tax, anti-immigration, anti-police reform, anti-diversity and inclusive, conservative Republicans in an attempt to gain a foothold on their failing party in the country’s most populous state. 

Californians and African American voters in particular are facing a stark choice on September 14: Do we retain Democratic Governor Newsom or replace him with a candidate hand chosen by the Trump-led Republican Party, and turn California and its progressive agenda on its ear.

There are over forty candidates running to unseat Governor Newsom; over half of whom are Republicans.  According to local polls, the current leader in the race to unseat Governor Newsom is right-wing radio host Larry Elder, along with former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and “The Bear” Trump supporter and businessman, John Cox.  All of these candidates are being heavily funded by right wing conservatives who are in favor of the voter suppression campaigns being waged throughout the nation.

Also linked to the recall campaign are the activities are members of neo-fascist, para-military groupings like the Proud Boys, Three Percenters, and possibly Qanon.  All of these groups were instrumental in an attempt to overthrow the election and the government as part of the January 6 insurrection of the nation’s capital, all who take their lead from Donald Trump and those who support the Trump culture.

The truth is Governor Newsom does not deserve to be recalled.  You may or may not agree with his decision to shut down California because of the pandemic, but what you cannot deny is that his decision and leadership saved lives.  He has also brokered opportunities for support of small businesses who without the support from state agencies would not have survived.  California, the most populous state in the nation, was able to save hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives by taking the actions Newsom took.  California managed to support small businesses, including many restaurants, and the state has operated well.  The governor, along with his state legislature, have made it a priority to invest the billions of dollars of state resources back into the communities that need it most.

The Republican candidates are using race-based discriminatory tactics to either in flame voters or simply get us to sit this race out.  These divisionary practices using sexist rhetoric, homophobic intolerance, crime suppression all is part of the Trump propaganda machine that Governor Newsom so vehemently opposes.

The Republican far right is counting on California’s and particularly African Americans who most of the time vote Democratic as well as progressive-leaning independent voters to stay home, lulled by a false sense that there is no way a small Republican minority will unseat Newsom.

We cannot and must not get lulled to sleep by these tactics.  When you receive your ballot, VOTE NO, JUST VOTE NO.  Don’t vote for any of the recall candidates, because you are against the recall.  When you have your ballot and voting by mail, fill it out and mail it in right away.  There are also in-person drop pff sites throughout Los Angeles.  Make sure your entire family and your friends also VOTE NO, JUST VOTE NO. 

We cannot afford for the governor to be recalled and to potentially have Larry Elder or some other right-wing candidate unseat the Governor and lead our state and our community to our own demise.

On the line is the protection of hard-won gains that Gov. Newsom expanded, such as increased pay, paid sick leave and paid family leave, and doubling the earned-income tax credit for low-income families, and expanded the right to form unions, including signing legislation to give childcare workers the right to organize.

We cannot be tricked into letting a far-right, pro-Trump Republican lead our state.  Our votes, our voice will set the tone and are the most critical piece to overcoming this attempt at voter suppression, and our community finding itself in an even more challenging position than we already are in.

The L.A. Watts Times is strongly pushing that all Californians vote in the September 14 recall election, and make sure that family members and friends vote, as well.  VOTE NO AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE POST OFFICE AND MAIL IN YOUR BALLOT or MAKE SURE YOU VISIT AN IN-PERSON DROP OFF SITE.  JUST VOTE NO, AND DON’T VOTE FOR ANY OF THE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT.