This is a wake-up call to the politically conscious youths of America who are progressives, liberal-minded people and minorities - especially African Americans. This is an emotional appeal, so bear with me.

We have a choice to make on Nov. 7, and the choice we make will affect youths, the less fortunate and people of color, whether we want to believe it or not. When the Rev. Jesse Jackson came to speak at my college, George Mason University, I felt he was trying to connect with young people to give them urgency and to light a fire in their hearts. Jackson delivered an inspiring speech - albeit biased toward Vice President Al Gore - that both sides of the political debate had to take heed of.

It would be my impression that Jackson and other liberals alike are very much against the death penalty, and for good reason - it would be hard to say that its application in the United States does not have racist undertones. I believe that in the very recent past, Jackson and other progressives alike have taken to task Texas Gov. George W. Bush’s record on this important issue.

Flash forward to the presidential debates. When Bush was asked about the death penalty, he gave a straight-forward answer that showed he is a man of confidence and conviction in supporting the death penalty - no “beating around the bush” so to speak. When Gore was asked about the death penalty he also gave a straight-forward answer that showed he is a man of confidence and conviction in supporting the death penalty. The fact of the matter is that Gore would be safe in saying he supports the death penalty - were he a Republican. The fact of the matter is that he is a Democrat who has rallied minorities, especially African Americans, on liberal ideals. Another fact of the matter is that he is the person that we, people of color, have for some reason rallied around. How can we support someone who claims to be the liberal candidate when he abandons the people he is trying to protect? I fear Gore will not take care of African Americans and other minorities from a mean-spirited justice system.

Leaders in the African American community are not addressing Gore’s major abandonment on the death penalty issue, either out of ignorance, bewilderment, panic, or a bias toward Gore. I hope that minorities and young progressive liberal-minded people aren’t voting for Gore just because Ralph Nader has no chance, or that “a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush,” because that is bunk. When someone who is specifically against the death penalty votes for Gore instead of Nader, he is not voting for the “stronger horse” - he is selling himself and his conscience down the river. I urge any and every young person of color and people with true progressive or liberal ideals - which includes an opposition to the Gore-favored death penalty - to vote his or her conscience Nov. 7.

Jackson very simply summed it up during his rally: “No vote, no choice.” Vote your choice. Vote your conscience. Don’t sell your ideals down the river to Gore and the Democrats just because it’s the status quo to do so. How many more African Americans have to die at the hands of an unjust “justice” system? How many broken promises will we accept in exchange for keeping this status quo? The alternative to selling out your ideals is to simply vote for Nader. We must not trade hope in for beating the odds. I hope this emotional appeal strikes a chord in the hearts of liberals and minorities, just as Jackson’s appeal struck a chord in mine.

Amit Kumar
marketing senior
George Mason University
Fairfax, Va.