His Honor Bill Campbell, the

current mayor of Atlanta, is in a heap of trouble. It appears that the

FBI is investigating the mayor for a variety of alleged possible wrongdoings.

Frankly, I don't know much

about that. Atlanta politics is such that I am continually grateful that

I do not live within the environs of the city of Atlanta. The petty bickering

of small-town politics is more than enough excitement for me. However,

the truth will eventually come out and the mayor will either be vindicated

or humiliated. Life will go on. There is, however, something that I am

curious about.

Recently, a prominent minister

in the Atlanta area, a black man, declared on Atlanta television, something

to the effect that the mayor was the victim of a vast government conspiracy

to attack and undermine black political leaders. In fact, if memory serves

correctly, he intimated that all prominent black leaders were in danger

of falling victim to this conspiracy.

Okay, let's go with this thought

for a minute. Let us assume that the United States government is actually

and actively involved in the systematic harassment, undermining, and discrediting

of black political leaders in the United States.

So, it this is true, the local

FBI office, which is accountable to the national headquarters of the FBI,

which is under the jurisdiction of Janet Reno's Justice Department, is

targeting black leaders.

Reno, an appointee of the President,

surely, if this logic holds, would not act independently in such a sweeping

probe, but would act with the full knowledge and consent of the President

of the United States of America. So, the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

the Justice Department, and the Clinton-Gore administration are all conspiring

to attack black leaders. Follow me so far?

So, black leaders, who are,

who currently are in power in this country. Remember, Republicans do not

hold the White House and neither do they control the Justice Department

nor the FBI. The Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Reform Party,

and the Communist Party have virtually no voice in this or any other matter.

The Democrats are in control in this arena.

Here's my question: Does the

good Reverend really believe that the Democrats in Washington are targeting

the black Democrats in Georgia and elsewhere? If he does not believe such

a statement, then why did he make such a statement on television?

But let us assume that the

Reverend was speaking in all honesty. Let us assume that he really does

believe that the Democrats are working to undermine black leaders who

are themselves mostly Democrats. Why on earth would the Washington Democrats

do such a thing? What possible reason would Democrats have for attacking

leaders in their most faithful voting bloc?

But here's my real question:

If the Reverend believes what he said and if many African-Americans also

hold to the same viewpoint (which a black friend of mine said is quite

probable), then why in heaven's name would black voters cast their ballot

for Democrats?

I mean, if I believed that

the national leaders were out to destroy the influence of my leaders,

I would want to identify who those national leaders are and work to defeat

them, not elect them. I certainly would not want to be a prominent black

leader under a Democratic president.

So, for me the issue of Mayor

Campbell's alleged wrongdoing is not nearly so interesting as the allegation

made by the minister regarding a national conspiracy against black Democrats

So here is what I am curious

about: Is the black minister from Atlanta going to cast his vote for a

Democrat in the upcoming election? And if so, could he please tell me

why?

[David Epps is rector Of Christ

the King Church, which serves south metro Atlanta. He may be contacted

at [email protected] or at www.ChristTheKingCEC.com.]