To the editor:

While the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)’s Legal Defense Fund is and will be primarily concerned with reapportionment of Congress, redrawing of congressional district lines, once detailed population data from the 2010 Census becomes available at the end of this year or early next year, rather than reapportionment at the county Board of Commissioners’ level, I thought that you would find this of interest.

I recall that, when the Cass County Apportionment Commission met following the availability of 1990 census data, the Cass County Republicans’ Margaret Stanley took the position that racial composition and distribution in Cass County’s population should not and could not, as a matter of law, be a consideration in reapportionment of the Cass County Board of Commissioners — that, in fact, was not then the law nor has it been since.

It was, instead, a demonstration of her (and perhaps Republicans’) claim of “color blindness,” color neutrality (meaning, in fact, a “whites only” view of reapportionment and society), ignoring American history and law in the process.

While wearing “my hat” as chair of the Cass County Democrats, I would occasionally attend Cass County Republican Party Lincoln Day dinners in the 1970s because of being interested in hearing speakers such as then U. S. House Republican Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford speak, as he did in 1973 (and look what happened to him because I went to hear him speak — he became Vice President and President).

Later, then Gov. William G. Milliken and then State Rep. Dennis O. Cawthorne (now a Lansing lobbyist) spoke at those annual dinners.

They would urge some 200-odd attendees to enlarge the party by reaching out to and recruiting people of color to their ranks; the audience did not listen.

The only person of color in the audience was Gerry Hart, of Cassopolis (he ran on the Democratic ticket for Cassopolis Village President, served one term and later became a Republican).

For years, Mr. Hart was the only person of color there.

In the later 1970s, I heard then U. S. Rep. David Stockman speak at Sturgis to the St. Joseph County Republicans at their Lincoln Day dinner to a “house” of perhaps 150 persons.

There was no person of color present.

In that day, the 1970s, Republican leaders spoke of and advocated inclusion.

Rank-and-file Republicans didn’t buy it, didn’t agree with it and didn’t do it.

Unfortunately for the larger American society, that is largely still true.

When I spoke on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, at a Marcellus church at a Laity Day Sunday observance as a lay speaker about hate, fear and racism and ended my remarks with urging others in the sanctuary to join with me in saying aloud Jesus’ message of the Golden Rule, “Love others as you love yourself,” few in the sanctuary joined me.

We as Americans still have a long way to go.

Even getting people to give “lip service”, is hard work, let alone getting everyone to accept, respect and honor all human beings, regardless of status or color.

When we get there, we will be democrats with a little “d” —that would be progress.

Burke H. Webb

Marcellus