EDITORIAL

Inauguration reflections: respect for ethnics

This century's final election campaign and inaugural of an American president is over, and it's time to take a moment to reflect.

From the beginning of the campaign, analysts identified European and Mediterranean ethnics, from the Portuguese to the Lebanese, from the Baltics to the Balkans, as the vote to capture. Analysts believe that we have issues and values that are so important to us that we can swing an election. We don't readily identify ourselves by class, age, gender, geographic region or state - delineators common to other political voting blocs and coalitions. We do have domestic concerns in common - education, care for the elderly and property ownership are key. However, the issues that really get us going have more to do with foreign shores: immigration, foreign policy and defense - America's vision and role in the world.

In previous elections, the Eastern and Central European vote was often underestimated. In 1976, Gerald Ford's infamous "there is no Soviet domination" of Poland statement was greeted with derision by the captive nations bloc, traditionally Republican voters. Eastern and Central Europeans in droves voted for Jimmy Carter. Ronald Reagan took note, and his "evil empire" stance brought them back. However, the wearisome bungling of historic opportunity by the team of George Bush and James Baker lost them once again.

Throughout his first term, President Bill Clinton worked hard to respond effectively to the numerous sensitivities, problems and conflicts that resulted from the disintegration of the Soviet Union - new waves of economic refugees, defense downsizing and realignment, foreign aid, European civil wars and border conflicts.

Relations with Ukraine have reached a level where Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott recently stated, "It is remarkable that in the relatively short time since Ukraine re-established its independence, the ties, cooperation and over-all warmth of our bilateral relations have developed to the point of a strategic partnership, where each country views the other as a sympathetic friend and ally." From Strobe Talbott? Honestly. Who'da ever thunk it.

The National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee (NDECC), the grassroots coalition that advises the Democratic National Committee on ethnic issues and rallied the European ethnic vote for President Clinton, is proud of its results. The coalition of Irish and Italians, Poles and Portuguese, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Latvians and Lebanese worked. Nine states with large ethnic populations were targeted as key to a Clinton victory, and all nine states were won. The Poles and Ukrainians supported the Irish and Italians on immigration issues, the Irish and Italians supported the East Europeans on NATO expansion.

The NDECC is so convinced of its coalition, that it is ready to advise the Democratic National Committee on strategies for the next election. Already they are counting on ethnic community cohesion as a factor in an election victory in the year 2000.

Odd though. As we think we are getting weaker, others perceive us as more vital and essential. Maybe they know something we should know. Maybe they respect something we should respect.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 2, 1997, No. 5, Vol. LXV

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