KEVIN P. CHAVOUS SPEECH AT ALLEN AME CHURCH
SUNDAY JANUARY 25, 1998
GIVING HONOR TO GOD, REVEREND PASTOR LIPSCOMB, OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF ALLEN
CHAPEL AME CHURCH.
I FIRST WANT TO THANK PASTOR LEON LIPSCOMB FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS
WITH YOU ON THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
YOUR PASTOR HAS BEEN A GOOD FRIEND TO ME AND A PROVEN FRIEND OF THIS CITY AND I AM BOTH
HUMBLED AND HONORED BY HIS ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK FROM THIS PULPIT TODAY. I CAME TO THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TWENTY YEARS AGO AS A STUDENT AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
IN ADDITION TO FINISHING LAW SCHOOL, TWO OTHER SIGNIFICANT THINGS HAPPENED TO ME –
I FELL IN LOVE TWICE, FIRST WITH MY WIFE BEVERLY WHO IS WITH ME TODAY, AND SECONDLY WITH
THIS CITY. BEVERLY AND I NOW HAVE TWO SONS, KEVIN AND ERIC AND WE ALL LOVE THIS CITY, OUR
CITY, OUR HOME.
WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN OUR HOMETOWN... THE DAILY MEDIA REPORTS SHOW WITH
AMAZING REGULARITY THE SHORTFALLS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR CITY AND OUR GOVERNMENT...
AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT THE APATHY AND IMPROPRIETIES OF SOME OF US AS CITIZENS AND
OFFICIALS SOMETIMES MAKE THE PROBLEMS WORSE.
WE NOW FIND OURSELVES IN THE POSITION OF BEING LARGELY GOVERNED BY STRANGERS. STRANGERS
WHO KNOW NEITHER US OR OUR CITY.
YES, WASHINGTON, DC IS IN CRISIS. BUT THE GREATEST CRISIS WE FACE IS NOT FINANCIAL OR
MANAGERIAL. THE GREATEST CRISIS WE FACE IS THAT OF THE SPIRIT.
WE CANNOT TEETER ON THE BRINK OF THINKING THAT OUR HARD-WON SELF DETERMINATION IS LOST,
OR THAT WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING NOW THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
I BELIEVE WE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARE AT A CROSSROADS. YOU KNOW
HAPPENS WHEN YOU'VE REACHED A CROSSROADS. YOU CAN GO RIGHT OR YOU CAN GO WRONG.
AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE TURN OF THE CENTURY..THE YEAR 2000...WE MUST HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF
WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE STAND FOR IN WASHINGTON AND SEEK A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF JEREMIAH CHAPTER 6 VERSE 16...1T READS,
" STAND AT THE CROSSROADS AND LOOK; ASK FOR THE ANCIENT PATHS, ASK
WHERE THE GOOD WAY IS, AND WALK IN IT."
OFTEN WHEN WE LOOSE THE PATH AND FACE TOUGH TIMES WE TURN TO GOD; SEEKING
AND FINDING COMFORT, STABILITY, AND GROWTH.
TOO OFTEN HOWEVER, WHILE ON THE PATH OF TRIAL AND TRIBULATION WE GET STUCK
IN THE VALLEY OF IT'S NOT MY FAULT.
HONESTLY, I AM SICK AND TIRED OF IT'S NOT MY FAULT. YOU KNOW WHAT I AM
TALKING ABOUT.
WE GET STUCK IN THE PAIN, FINDING SOLACE IN FINGER POINTING, PLACING BLAME
AND SINGING THE FAMILIAR WORDS OF THAT OLD SONG "WOE IS ME, BUT IT'S NOT MY
FAULT".
MANY OF US LOOK FOR LEADERSHIP IN PLACES OF AUTHORITY... WE LOOK OUTSIDE
OURSELVES TO OTHERS, FOR THEM TO FIX WHAT IS WRONG.
EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR A SAVIOR TO SAVE OUR CITY. I STAND HERE NOW TO SAY
THAT WE NEED LOOK NO FURTHER
WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER SAVIOR, WE NEED TO GO TO WORK. WE ARE THE LEADERS WE
ARE LOOKING FOR AND WE MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OURSELVES
NOW IS THE TIME TO RECLAIM OUR CITY AS OUR OWN. NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE
THE RIGHT AT THE CROSSROADS FIND THE GOOD WAY AND WALK IN IT.
TO DO THAT, I BELIEVE WE MUST FIRST GET A CLEAR VISION OF OURSELVES AND
WHO WE ARE AS THE SUCCESSFUL MULTICULTURAL CITY OF THE FUTURE.
FROM EACH WARD, EVERY AFRICAN AMERICAN, WHITE, HISPANIC, ASIAN, CHRISTIAN,
JEW AND MUSLIM, WE ARE THEY. WE CAN AND MUST LEAD AND GRAB THIS MOMENT
I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT GRADUATES STUDENTS WHO CAN
READ, WRITE, COUNT AND COMPETE, WITH STUDENTS ANYWHERE.
WE MUST HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH STRONG, TALENTED INCORRUPTIBLE
MANAGEMENT TO OVERSEE THE MANY FINE OFFICERS IN THOSE RANKS.
I BELIEVE IN THIS AGE OF DOWNSIZING WE STILL NEED DECENT AND EFFECTIVE
SOCIAL SERVICES AND BETTER DELIVERY OF THOSE SERVICES.... INCLUDING PREVENTIVE HEALTH
CARE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THOSE AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE TO AIDS AND TRAPPED
IN THE CYCLE OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
AND, LORD KNOWS WE NEED JOBS AND A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO CREATING JOB
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITIZENS.
I BELIEVE WE CAN LIVE IN A CITY THAT IS FRIENDLY TO THOSE WANTING TO
CONDUCT BUSINESS OR EVEN START A BUSINESS. I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A CITY WHEREIN MANAGEMENT
AND SERVICES ARE PROPERLY INTEGRATED.
I BELIEVE WE CAN LIVE IN A CITY WHERE THE STREETS ARE SMOOTH AND DON'T
RUIN OUR VEHICLES AND WE CAN LIVE AND WALK ON SAFE STREETS THAT ARE NOT LITTERED WITH THE
BODIES OF OUR YOUNG.
I BELIEVE WE CAN LIVE IN A CITY WHERE DEMOCRACY FLOURISHES.
LAST AUGUST WHEN CONGRESS GUTTED THE POWER OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, IT
STRUCK A CHORD IN ME.
MY SPIRIT RESONATED WITH THE DETERMINATION THAT WE MUST MOVE AGGRESSIVELY
TO SHOW WHAT WE CAN DO. RATHER THAN COMPLAIN ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO US.
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS MY WIFE, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THE PROS AND CONS OF HOLDING HIGHER OFFICE IN THIS FRAGMENTED GOVERNMENT. MANY PEOPLE
THINK THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS NO POWER. BUT AS I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, I AM
ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT THERE IS NO GREATER POLITICAL POWER THAN THE POWER OF THE
PEOPLE.
I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A SIMPLE MAN, AN ORDINARY MAN AND I BELIEVE THAT
MANY TIMES GOD WORKS THROUGH ORDINARY PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME TO SOLVE WHAT SEEM TO BE
INSURMOUNTABLE CHALLENGES.
THOUGH I AM AN ORDINARY MAN, I HAVE A FIRE IN ME THAT BURNS DEEP. THIS
RAGING FIRE TELLS ME THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN WORK BETTER AS
NEIGHBORS, AND WE CAN BE BETTER AS A CITY.
I AM PROUD (COMPELLED) TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT IN FEBRUARY I WILL STEP
FORWARD AND SHARE MY VISION OF LEADERSHIP AND OFFER MYSELF AS AN OFFICIAL CANDIDATE FOR
MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
I WILL BE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, NOT TO IMPROVE MY SOCIAL STANDING OR BECAUSE
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO.
I DO SO BECAUSE I LOVE THIS CITY AND I HAVE A HOPEFUL VISION FOR ITS
FUTURE.
THAT VISION INCLUDES TRUE HOME RULE AND ACCEPTING ALONG WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, WHO SHARE OUR SOIL, ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT.
THAT VISION COMES WITH THE FAITH THAT WE CAN FIX WHATEVER MAY BE WRONG
WITH OUR CITY. BUT AS IT IS WRITTEN.. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AHEAD I WILL PROPOSE MEASURES THAT WILL REQUIRE A
COMMITMENT OF FAITH PROM ALL OF US.
I WILL ASK YOU TO ORGANIZE, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD WARD BY WARD AND
RECLAIM WHAT IS OURS.
THIS IS OUR CITY. OUR HOME, AND If S TIME FOR ALL WASHINGTONIANS TO ACT
LIKE IT.
LET ME CLOSE WITH A QUOTE FROM BENJAMIN E. MAYS FORMER PRESIDENT OF
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE AND THE ATLANTA SCHOOL BOARD:
IT MUST BE BORNE IN MIND THAT THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE DOESN'T LIE IN NOT
REACHING OUR GOAL. THE TRAGEDY LIES IN HAVING NO GOAL TO REACH. IT ISN'T A CALAMITY TO DIE
WITH DREAMS UNFULFILLED, BUT IT IS A CALAMITY NOT TO DREAM. IT IS NOT A DISASTER TO BE
UNABLE TO CAPTURE YOUR IDEAL, BUT IS A DISASTER TO HAVE NO IDEAL TO CAPTURE. IT ISN'T A
DISGRACE NOT TO REACH THE STARS, BUT IS A DISGRACE TO HAVE NO STARS TO REACH FOR. NOT
FAILURE, BUT LOW AIM IS SIN.
FRIENDS, PASTOR LIPSCOMB, MY AIM IS HIGH AND STRAIGHT, MY DREAMS FOR OUR
CITY ARE PURE AND CLEAR AND MY IDEALS ARE JUST AS HIGH.
WASHINGTON, DC CAN RECLAIM ITS PLACE AS ONE OF AMERICA'S TRULY GREAT
CITIES.
NOW IS THE TIME....WE ARE THE LEADERS WE ARE LOOKING FOR....WE HAVE COME
FAR AND WORKED HARD AND YET WE HAVE FURTHER TO GO.
I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR PRAYERS IN CONTINUING OUR STRUGGLE TO SAVE
OUR CITY, OUR HOME.
THANK YOU. |
