One of the Most Amazing of the Peace and Freedom Party's Seven Unique Candidates Is Mrs
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
One of the most amazing of the Peace and Freedom Party's seven unique candidates is Mrs. Flo Ware, candidate for congress in the 7th District. A Seattle resident for 25 years, a list of Mrs. Ware's past and present affiliations and activities reads like a history of black struggle in Seattle. Last summer she traveled and spoke around the U.S. as the spokeswoman :'or the Northwest Contingent in the Poor People's Campaign. Presently Mrs. Ware is a Vice- President of the Seattle Chapter of CORE. What follows is the result of an afternoon of conversation between a representative of HELIX and Mrs. Ware: HELIX: Mrs. Ware, the Peace and Freedom Party MRS. WARE: Model Cities is a good example of is a new development in Seattle and nationally, what what's wrong with the Federal Government's are your feelings and thoughts about the local PFP? programs and approach. Model Cities hasn't changed MRS. WARE: Last summer as I traveled around anything; it's just expanded the present welfare the U. S. I spoke on the need for a new political system. In addition the concentration on central area force, a third party. In the midwest a reporter asked problems has built resentment among the poor whites me where I thought the "New Politics" were going. I of Ballard, Georgetown, White Center. The program told him that I had a feeling that the Northwest built the kind of resentment which feeds George would play an important role in determining that, Wallace and his Fascist movement. and I think with the PFP I've been proven right. The HELIX: Another aspect of the local scene which September convention was tremendous. PFP already liberals often point to is the election of Sam Smith to represents many different sorts of people, and it has the city council, what is you opinion of Sam Smith? an identity with and speaks to the problems of today, MRS. WARE: Mr. Smith has good intentions, but the large number of young people is a particularly he's on the wrong track. He's being used as a tool by good sign. the mayor. If he really represented balck people he HELIX: You mentioned the youth in PFP, for could have the central area's active support -- but he many this is just an indication of the tremendous doesn't. I don't think people in the central area "generation gap" in the United States today, does support Sam Smith, or trust him -- I would hate to be this same age gap exist in the black community? in his position. MRS. WARE: It does. For example, at the Poor HELIX: The transformation of the People's march some young black militants acted as . Haight-Ashbury district into a hippie district in San body guards for me, this I didn't understand, I'd Francisco last year reportedly created real resentment never had a bodyguard before. I t struck me that I among the black residents of the area. In Seattle didn't really understand the way black youth looked Hippies and students have been moving onto Capitol at the struggle and the movement. Since then I've Hill because of the low rents, is there a great deal of sought more contact with black youth -- I think I resentment about this in the black community? know what they're about, what they're saying. When MRS. WARE: No, it hasn't really become I talk to middle aged people, I tell them not to be so widespread. But if I could say something about critical of the Panthers, I tell them that they should hippies; just as middle class college students support the Panthers and come and learn from them, discovered that the only way to correct what is wrong because there's a lot they can teach people about with this society, those things which upset them were struggle and change. to become political, so will the hippies; I think they HELIX: What do you feel the average black wiII move in a political direction and join others in working man or woman thinks about the Panthers? struggle for change. MRS. WARE: I think black people in Seattle HELIX: What are your impressions of Brock understand the role and the goals of the Black Adams, your Democratic opponent, in this election? Panther Party better than the news media or police MRS. WARE: Brock Adams can mostly be department would like people to believe. criticized for everything he hasn't done, create HELIX: What are some of the basic social concrete proposals which get at the roots of poverty problems in the central area today, what are people and racism haven't come from his office and won't. most upset about? Because no matter how much he might want to do, MRS. WARE: It goes without saying that the basic he is a supporter of the present system-capitalism. In problem is racism. The current form which racism a sense he's a victim of the system. takes in the central area is the almost daily police HELIX: The establishment press has been most harassment of the Panthers, and black youth in critical of black nationalism, calling it racism in general. The police are using the Black Panther Party reverse, what are your feelings on this matter? as a whipping boy in order to separate and alienate MRS. WARE: Nationalism must be put in its the community, to break it up. Police cars have been proper perspective. I agree with Huey Newton when seen cruising the streets, guns sticking out the he said cultural nationalism is not enough -- it wiII not window and police dogs in the backseat; everyone is bring black liberation. The fundamental problems are sensitive to the fact of this invasion by the police. In economic: hunger, poverty, unemployment, survival fact, nationally I think that in a basic sense racism, for black people. These must be met and dealt with. not the Vietnamese War, is the fundamental question HELIX: Finally, Mrs. Ware, what do you hope this facing us. If we could end racism, eradicate it and its campaign will achieve? root causes, we could end war, poverty and MRS. WARE: I hope it will help build the Peace unemployment. and Freedom Party, so that by 1972 the party will be HELIX: Government programs have been set up in a real political force. PFP needs to grow, both in ";'eattle to deal with these problems, for example, membership and political sophistication, I hope the J\.l -leI Cities. campaign will help it do both. .