 
BlackElectorate.com Endorses Jorge Cornell For Greensboro City Council
In the near ten year history of this website, BlackElectorate.com (http://blackelectorate.com) has been dedicated to three issues – information, education, and community development. That mission and objective has resulted in our publication and promotion of over 125,000 articles, and 1,500 editorials free of charge; the establishment of an online school to teach business, economics, and finance – Black Electorate Economics University (BEEU); and the convening of an offline group - The ‘Business and Building’ Community - of over 500 of our most interested viewers in support of four issues: 1) Promoting Financial Literacy, Wealth Creation and Community Development Through Black-Owned Commercial Banking Institutions (http://blackownedbank.com/) 2) Supporting The Effort Of The African Union To Establish a “United States of Africa” out of 53 Nations ) 3) Fighting the Disenfranchisement of Previously Incarcerated Persons (an effort in association with the American Civil Liberties Union -ACLU) and 4) Supporting Former and Current Members of Street Organizations (commonly referred to as ‘Gangs’) in their Efforts To Rebuild Communities That They Once Destroyed. This effort is in alliance with Saving Our Selves (S.O.S.), an organization based in Newark, New Jersey, growing out of a successful peace effort in 2004 between members of the Bloods and Crips.
It is an eclectic agenda that we have embraced, and committed ourselves to, but one that has been so rewarding and which we think is badly needed. This work, in our view, is reflective of the direction that political thought, activism, and institution building need to head, in order to be more relevant and responsive to the needs of the poor, the young, and the everyday realities of communities struggling to survive in a global economy marked by technological and demographic change.
Through these efforts, we came to learn about the bold work of Jorge Cornell, the Head Inca of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation in the state of North Carolina. In a firm and beautiful manner, exactly one year ago, Mr. Cornell, also known as ‘King Jay,’ called all members of street organizations and ‘nations’ to a table of peace, to discuss how to resolve long-standing conflicts between their respective members, and to dialogue over ways in which they could work to better the communities from which they come.
"My goal is to bring peace to the streets; black and brown, come together as one. I'm asking for all Bloods, Crips, MS-13, Trese; anybody out there that represents something, to put your weapons down and come to a table so we can talk peace," Mr. Cornell said.
Striking a chord and message that many had prayed and hoped for, Jorge Cornell’s call for peace and progress was immediately embraced not only in North Carolina and through the United States and world.
As a result of that news – which we widely circulated at BlackElectorate.com – and irect outreach, we had the good fortune of eventually meeting Jorge Cornell, and discussing his vision directly with him. Those serious and several conversations led to in person contact and interaction. We saw him up close and observed him and those he associates with. We evaluated Jorge Cornell’s work and the sincerity of his call not through the lens of the news media and third parties, but through our own engagement with him.
We spoke to BlackElectorate.com viewers who live in Greensboro and North Carolina.
From this, it was clear to us, that his efforts, vision and commitment were sincere and rooted in the best interests of not only Blacks, Latinos, the Poor and Young people, but also that of all of the residents of the city of Greensboro, North Carolina.
In our time with him, we were impressed by the level of respect Mr. Cornell received from such important institutions as the Beloved Community Center of Greensboro, North Carolina and influential leaders such as its Pastor Nelson Johnson.
In nearly ten years of following leaders of all kinds at BlackElectorate.com – business, cultural and political – on a daily basis, we think we know a fraud or a deceiver when we see one.
Jorge Cornell is neither.
There are many individuals – intellectuals, activists, and politicians – that we have encountered through the lifetime of this website who have espoused rhetoric that would lead one to believe that they were rooted in the community and placing its interests above their own.
However, with time, it became evident that too many of these persons were insincere and indulging in a vain exercise of self-promotion, and even exploitation. These individuals were using the power of their words and manipulating the sincere desire for change, held in the heart of the masses, to only advance themselves.
In thinking of these many opinion leaders and politicians who use just causes and issues of concern to advance their own careers and not the self-enlightened interest of their people, we are reminded the saying that a vanguard that is disconnected from a collective, is nothing more than an elite.
Elitism is the total opposite of the kind of leadership Jorge Cornell represents.
His entire life and political platform represents the collective of people from which he comes. He emerges from their suffering and seeks to respond to the persistent challenges they face.
Jorge Cornell is concerned with a declining educational system in Greensboro, North Carolina because he is a proud father who works daily with the very children who attend these schools. Jorge Cornell is concerned with the criminal justice system because he has seen the system from the inside out, knowing its strengths and weaknesses. Jorge Cornell is concerned with economic development and job creation because he understands that the fabric of a family and the security of any neighborhood is weakened, whenever poverty, idle time, and lack of opportunity prevail.
Who better to deal with these problems than one who understands them not by observing them from a safe distance or learning about them as an intellectual exercise, but as one who knows from experience, what these challenges mean, and the consequences of delaying the realistic solutions they require?
Some see Mr. Cornell’s past experiences and current relationships as a negative.
We see them as assets giving him rare insights, powerful experiences and the ability to speak the people’s language and respond to their struggle, like few individuals to ever enter electoral politics.
In living the difficult life that he has and taking the stances that he has, Jorge Cornell’s heart has been tested; his mind has been sharpened; and his character strengthened.
He is ready for servant-leadership in public office.
In troubling times like these, Greensboro, North Carolina, the United States, and the world doesn’t need leaders who have the skill and ability to say the right thing and look the right way but lack the courage and realism to do what the time requires.
What is needed are not elite leaders willing to do only what a campaign contributor, political party, or interest group demands. We don’t need those only willing to do what is politically correct or ‘safe.’
That approach unfortunately sometimes wins elections, but it doesn’t solve problems.
No, in this day and time, what is demanded are leaders willing to take risks, speak truths that others shy away from, go places people are afraid to, and embrace those who have the most at stake, but the least connection to the political process that shapes their lives.
In Jorge Cornell, we have such a leader.
Jorge Cornell For Greensboro City Council!
Cedric Muhammad
Publisher
BlackElectorate.com
http://blackelectorate.com/
July 20, 2009
For more information visit Jorge Cornell's official website:
http://cornellforcouncil.wordpress.com/
Saturday, August 1, 2009 To discuss this article further enter The Deeper Look Dialogue Room
The views and opinions expressed herein by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions or position of BlackElectorate.com or Black Electorate Communications.
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