McKinney WON Democratic Vote

KhaYUMbia Freedom Riders Claim Victory for McKinney
By KhaRabia Rayford

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney WON the Democratic vote. Huge Republican crossover, just as she predicted, resulted in Majette winning the “Democratic” primary. We know because the WE LOVE CYNTHIA Freedom Riders were there! The Freedom Riders, sponsored by KhaYUMbia, a DC based music group, were a very crucial part of the campaign. KhaYUMbia’s group had people of all ages, faiths, religions and colors. The oldest person riding was 71 and the youngest was 9. There were people riding with us who rode on original Freedom Rides with CORE, SNCC and the NAACP; there were Green Party people, naturalized citizens from India and Barbados, Hispanic, black and white, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, African, male and female, gay and straight, artists, professional, students, homeless, activists.

Everywhere we went in Cynthia’s district, people showed overwhelming support for the Congresswoman. Freedom Rider Ken Stewart put it this way: “I witnessed your (Congresswoman McKinney’s) support in the Atlanta area, from the MARTA riders to the taxi driver to the Precinct voters at Woodside Elementary to the drivers who passed by our busy intersection of avenues for some 8 hours, and the remarkable thing is, support for you crosses all socio-economic lines in the black community. It seems to be stronger as the individual’s income…or visable trappings thereof… increases, there is significant support among labor union members, and there is significant support among white liberals… who are also recognizable by their visual trappings!” (See full letter, attached, “Open Letter From Freedom Rider Ken Stewart to Congresswoman McKinney)

Other Freedom Riders noted the same. Whenever I campaigned, and wherever I campaigned, the support for Cynthia McKinney was tremendous. As Baba Yumi and I held up Cynthia McKinney signs on the streets, we got honks and smiles from bus drivers, sanitation workers, Cadillacs and Expeditions, Hyundais and people walking. I saw the broad band of her support—we went to a fundraiser the Bengali community had for her, the Islamic community, the co-chair of the Green Party was at campaign headquarters, Bishops and Ministers from the largest churches in her District gave her endorsements. The Bishop of one church, New Birth (attendance of 20,000 people), lauded the Congresswoman and told his congregation that it is important, in these difficult times, to stick by the Cynthia McKinney.

The CBC also stuck by her. Representatives Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Barbara Lee, Bobby Rush and former Congressman Walter E. Fauntroy all campaigned hard for her. Reverend Fauntroy, and Congresswomen Lee, Jackson-Lee and McKinney shot a very impressive television talk show, Sign of the Times, that aired live the day before election.

CBC members went to churches, fundraisers, and on the day of election, Fauntroy and I sat side by side as he called voter after voter and urged them to vote. I was calling radio stations and getting celebrities on the air. As the polls came in, and the high Republican crossover became a reality, I was asked to get on the phones and get radio stations to encourage people to get out and vote. Robert Hooks, the venerable actor and activist in Hollywood (who also happens to be Baba Yumi’s uncle!), Pam Afrika, Professor Grif of Public Enemy and Reverend Fauntroy –all went on various radio stations to encourage people to get out and vote. And vote they did.

McKinney won the Democratic Vote. Here are the figures: McKinney's opponent, Denise Majette, received 49,103 votes from traditionally Republican voting precincts in North DeKalb and 2,145 votes from Republican leaning precincts in Gwinnett County, totaling 51,248 votes. She received a total of 68,612 votes. Therefore 74.69 or 75 percent of the opposition’s votes came from the northern and Republican part of McKinney's district.

South DeKalb is the base of the traditional Democratic vote in the 4th District. Denise Majette received 17,364 votes from South DeKalb, which totaled 25.3 percent of her total vote. Majette carried only one precinct in South DeKalb by a margin of 24 votes (North Hairston).

Of the 76 precincts in North DeKalb, 54 were carried in the November 2000 election by the Republican opposition and therefore can be classified as Republican precincts. The opposition carried all 54 precincts.

Twenty-two of the 76 precincts in North DeKalb were carried by Cynthia McKinney in the 2000 general election. However, in the 2002 Democratic primary, they were carried by the opposition suggesting Republican crossover. In the 2002 Democratic primary election in DeKalb County, there were 116,544 Democratic ballots cast while there were only 6,886 Republican ballots cast
suggesting that Democrats voted approximately 17 times more often than Republicans which is unlikely.

In the 2000 Democratic Primary, there were 54,861 ballots cast while there were 116,544 ballots cast in the 2002 Democratic Primary, which is a 47 percent increase. Republicans telegraphed via the media their intentions to intervene in the Democratic primary with no response from the State or National Democratic leadership. Republicans had articles in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a website-- goodbyecynthia.com, as well as television and radio interviews announcing Republican intent. Republicans were told to “fall on their sword” and vote for Majette.

The McKinney campaign tried hard to relay the message to voters. We think she was successful, because the turnout was large for a primary. However, the complicit nature of the Democratic leadership in the Republican takeover of the Democratic primary cannot be ignored. As Congresswoman McKinney stated in front of her campaign headquarters on August 20th, “the Republicans wanted to beat me more than the Democrats wanted to keep me.” She was referring to national leadership, not the Democratic voters.

It is clear that Congresswoman McKinney won the Democratic vote. Republicans should not have the right to determine the outcome of a Democratic Primary as they did in Congresswoman McKinney's race. Therefore, the outcome of this election is not only a travesty of justice and a perversion of the democratic process, but stands alongside the Florida 2000 debacle as just as llegitimate.

Republicans and their supporters did not just crossover. Majette and her people played the dirtiest of politics. On the morning of the election, Labor Union members came out in force to their own headquarters to man the phones and get out the vote. But the night before, someone had ransacked Union headquarters and stolen 31 phones. By the time the phones were replaced, it was late afternoon, and voting was almost over.

Also on the morning of August 20th, keys to 10 Cynthia McKinney vans disappeared. The 15-seat passenger vans were to get people to the polls as well as to canvass neighborhoods. Those keys mysteriously disappeared the day of election, making it difficult for us to deploy people as planned.

The Majette campaign printed up Cynthia McKinney t-shirts (or stole them from our campaign office) and had her poll workers wearing them. People going to vote would take literature from workers with Cynthia McKinney t-shirts only to get inside and see that it was Majette literature they held in their hands. A voter accosted one such poll worker and asked why she was wearing a McKinney t-shirt if she worked for Majette. The voter was very angry and told the poll worker to leave. The poll worker replied that she was being paid $400, and she wasn’t going anywhere. Estimates are that Majette spent $30,000 that day on crooked poll workers alone.

Majette campaign workers were paid thugs. They called Cynthia’s father, veteran lawmaker and former Georgia State Representative Billy McKinney, a “poverty pimp,” because he is concerned about just treatment for Decatur poor. While campaigning with signs, I personally saw a grown man take a McKinney sign from a young sister, tear it up and stomp on it. During one outing, we were chanting, “We Love Cynthia,” and a Majette worker suggested, “Let’s sing we love Denise.” Her fellow workers refused. “I don’t love her,” one of them said. The workers were rude and aggressive, and as I was campaigning on Candler in Decatur, Majette workers surrounded me and tried to block me from the view of cars. I was wearing moccasins, and they began to chant, “Get out the way, Indian shoes! Get out the way, Indian shoes!”

The energy at the McKinney campaign was the exact opposite. People of all faiths, beliefs and colors worked side by side. Indian, Native American, Muslim, Christian, African Traditionalists, all worked together. Truly Cynthia brought out a diverse group of people. Black, White, Green, Arab, Israeli, Jewish, Christian, African, Pakistani, Palestinian, Irish, regular black folks and regular white, progressives. As one campaign worker put it:

“There was an amazing coalition, genuinely, people from around the country and around the world. Greens, labor, white, progressives, Israelis from different parts of the state and her district, the Nation of Islam…it was a moving experience to see such an array of people. With Cynthia, so many more people had a voice. The Native Americans had a voice, they came up on the Hill to see her. U.S. Veterans had a voice, progressive Jewish peace groups had a voice. There were people who had no one to go to on Capitol Hill who were able to go to Cynthia and she would help them. People from New York to California support her. She won her district, the Democratic vote. The Republican crossover is the most abusive form of the political process. But we have to keep working together and something can be done, we just have to find another way of doing it. Because this election was not about I don’t agree with you, or you don’t agree with me. It’s about grinding people down and total control.”

Despite all of this, Cynthia still won the Democratic vote. On the night of elections, outside campaign headquarters, under a huge tent, the mood was exuberant. When Cynthia arrived, even though the polls were showed the colossal Republican crossover, the entire crowd began singing the theme song KhaYUMbia wrote: “WE LOVE CYNTHIA! Uh! Uh!” The Congresswoman danced to the front, and soon she was surrounded by her supporters dancing, laughing and singing. We surrounded her with love.

Inside headquarters, I presented Cynthia with the huge card, signed by every Freedom Rider. She took a moment and read a little of what we wrote. I then gave her a present from the Freedom Riders, a little furry hugging rabbit. “Because you always hug everybody,” I said.

At her speech that night, the Congresswoman said, “This is a history train. We got on it a long time ago. And we are still riding it.” I spoke to the Congresswoman the next day, just before I went on Democracy Now. “ Once we rode the history train together,” she said. “It was a 10 year ride. We bought diverse people together, and that’s what made us a threat. Thousands of Republicans crossed over in the Democratic primary. Republicans wanted to beat me more than the Democrats wanted to keep me. I wish Majette well.”

I want to thank Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney for giving us the chance to be part of such an historic event. I am sure I speak for all of the Freedom Riders when I say it was an honor and a privilege to stand with you and ride on that history train. I want to send a personal Thank You to all WE LOVE CYNTHIA Freedom Riders:

KhaYUMbia,: KhaRabia Rayford, Baba Yumi Steve Hooks, Baba Kenny “Lonesome” Jones;
Thank you, Baba Yumi, for standing strong with me in the weest hours of the night and the earliest hours of the morning, for pouring libation with me and walking with me, supporting me everywhere. Thank you for your strength, and your love, and your stability. Thank you for your advice and patience. Thank you for your courage, and thank you for your love. And thank you for allowing our bank balance to go down to zero so we could do this!
Baba Kenny “Lonesome” Jones: Thank you for looking after the Freedom Riders, for being stable, and happy throughout the trip, and playing some powerful drums. What a spirit!
Saahir Brewington, my daughter, who came up from Texas, and did whatever was asked;
Corrie Welch;
Mama Nia Kuumba, who traveled from DC to Alabama to Georgia;
Ken Stewart, who sponsored four seats on the bus, and offered great advice;
Scott Stewart, Ken’s brother, who flew down from New York;
Neal Avery, of indymedia;
Jessie Harris;
Kwesi Seitu, Director, the Center for Tsunamic Justice;
Talib Karim, President, BETA;
Dorothy Hill;
Eric Jackson, who almost missed the bus because he was getting food for us from Senbeb Co-op!
Zahrina Shakir, who solicited donations from her mosque;
Lena Mobley, activist for Agricultural Reform;
Reverend Leon Anderson/ Elder Yehudah Hebrew Israelite, who prayed and blew his horn for us!
BrotherTabu/ Henry Taylor: videographer and photographer, always with a smile. You are such a wonderful and playful spirit;
Rob Cullen, Green Party, my fellow Vegan;
Kweli Porter;
Shawn Aaron. Green Party;
Montrella Cowan;
Robert Alston, 71 years young, who rode with CORE, SNCC and the SCLC. He was our strongest warrior;
Sandra Bradley;
China Cowan;
Adam Eidenger, Green Party and Mintwood Media Collective. Adam and his fiancee made huge canvas signs, and hung them above freeways all over the 4th District!
William Taft, thanks for cooking!
Pat Lewis, sign maker extraordinaire!
Roberto Diaz;
Saati Choudry, from India, who is returning to India to try to fight against fascism there;
Ananta Alva, who always had a smile;
Ken Sain, Green Party and editor of their newsmagazine.

A special thank you to the following people:

Brother Hodari Ali of Dar Es Salaam, who donated healthy snacks from his store, Dar Es Salaam on 34th Street in Mount Rainier, Md. Brother Ali came up to me at the Reparations Rally, before we went on the march, and slipped $100 in my hand. Believe me, Brother Ali, that really came in handy. Thank you so much for your blessings! Folks, please call the brother and thank him at 301-209-0010.

Ur Aua Hehi Metu Ra Enkamit, King of Ausar Auset, DC, and Senbeb Co-op, for healthy snacks. Senbeb actually made up over 100 individual bags of organic fruit and power bars. They really came in handy, as we got busy because the power bars went straight to the system and energized us for the work. There were even enough fruit bags for people to eat on the way home. Thank you, Ur Aua! I think I’m addicted to the power bars now! Please call Senbeb Coop and thank them at 202-723-5566.

A special thanks to Paul Mulkhiver, fellow WPFW Local Advisory Board Member, for his generous donation.
Also, thank you to Jeff Johnson, Alpha Phi Alpha, for scouting out the bus, Capitol Tours, and paying the down payment.
Medase to Mama Yaa Oparabea for her generous contribution. Mama Yaa came all the way to my house to give me blessings as I went down the road.

Thanks to Khalid Rosenbaum, fellow WPFW LAB member. And thanks to Priestess Nuradina Nurradin, Nile Valley Yoga for her help, and for connecting me to the media in Atlanta. Special thanks to sister Zehrina Shakir’s mosque, under the leadership of Warif Deen Muhammad. And thank you, Tony McDaniel of Nubian Eye for allowing us to meet at your store.

Thanks to Damu Smith of Spirit in Action on WPFW, for allowing me to speak on his show. Thank you also for caring for China and Montrella.

Thanks to Amy at Democracy Now and the entire WBAI staff and programmers. There were no blocks for my going on WBAI, and that really helped me to get the word out.

Special thanks to WOL/Radio One’s Joe Madison, the Black Eagle. His admonishments got half of the people on the bus.

I’d also like to thank new friends we made in Georgia:
Brother Waunique Shabazz, Program Director at WRFG. Brother Waunique answered every call. He showed me what it is like to have an activist in position at a radio station. Brother Waunique rallied WRFG and got the Congresswoman on the air, opened up the airwaves, through one show or another, everyday, and in the 11th hour, on election day, was instrumental in getting leaders on the air to get out the vote. Thank you and bless you, brother Waunique! You showed me the power of progressives in radio!

Also, a special thanks to Sister Queen Adama who allowed me to flow over the waves and who came to drop some science on us at the rally after elections. Sister Adama is a healer, wordsmith, and dancer whose show runs on WRFG. Hetep, and blessings, sister.

Special, special blessings to Sister Songstress Anna Islam, who came through for us at campaign headquarters with sound, drums, keyboard, guitar and good vibes. Sister Anna and her husband , Brother Rashid, have Rashidanna Entertainment, and do music and promotions. They also have a venue in East Point, Georgia, called MusArt, and KhaYUMbia will be returning to perform there! You can call them at 404-228-6923 or e at Fumar1 [at] msn.com. Also, doing sound, was brother O’Shea of Sizemeg Music. He did sound and even played a little drums when needed! And thank you for letting us eat some of your food! You can contact him at sizemeg [at] eudoramail.com

A special thank you to the church, Green Pastures for providing safe and comfortable accommodations for the Freedom Riders. Special thanks to Brother Walker for the special care and love.

And last but not least, thank you to Mr. Perkins of Capitol Tours, Washington, DC. The Freedom Ride would not have happened without you.

So who knows? Maybe the Freedom Ride will ride again! Stay in touch! 202-234-3839, http://www.khayumbia.com We Love You! Contact us for future events! Peace!

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