| It is heartening to see that a group of Black ministers, | | | | controversy. It was important to make the Senate look |
| formerly supporters of Roland Burris, will ask him to | | | | more like America. The all white Senate would appear |
| resign from his U.S. Senate seat. Mr. Burris was | | | | racist in rejecting the seating of a Black American. The |
| controversially appointed to replace President Obama | | | | usual. |
| by disgraced, and now impeached, former Illinois | | | | More disturbing was the fact that, yet again, Blacks |
| governor Rod Blogjevich. Initially denying any | | | | were rallying around a prominent Black figure |
| involvement in the governor's seedy attempt to sell the | | | | undeserving of our support. An honorable man, |
| senate seat, or of even meeting with Mr. Blogejevich's | | | | regardless or race, would have rejected appointment |
| representatives, Mr. Burris has changed his | | | | by a governor facing impeachment for trying to sell |
| story--twice. | | | | the appointment. Anyone accepting it, regardless of |
| Contrary to his testimony before the Illinois House | | | | race, should have faced widespread criticism no |
| committee, Mr. Burris first "remembered" he had | | | | matter how clean their record. But no. Like with former |
| spoken to several of the ex-governor's advisers, | | | | Washington D.C. mayor Marion Barry, like impeached |
| including his brother, and later "remembered" that he did | | | | federal judge Alcee Hastings, we, Blacks, rally to his |
| indeed attempt to raise money for him. All this done | | | | defense. We must support our own. |
| under oath by a former state attorney general. | | | | This is why it's encouraging to see some change of |
| The atmosphere surrounding his appointment was | | | | heart in Illinois. Certainly not unanimous, probably not |
| very different. At that time Mr. Burris had near | | | | even a majority. But if members of the Black clergy, |
| universal Black support, never mind the fact that said | | | | the strongest opinion leaders within our community, can |
| appointment had the stench of scandal about it. While | | | | raise and hand and say "enough is enough", then there |
| Senate leaders, and even the President, first | | | | is hope. The hope that we will judge our own by the |
| questioned or challenged the legitimacy of his | | | | content of their character and not the the color of their |
| appointment, both caved against the onslaught of | | | | skin. |
| Black public opinion. Race was injected into the | | | | |