Editorial: Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham Must Win!

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Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham

Unlike the myriad of African American leaders who know they should be supporting Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham for the states high court with their voice and their money we boldly and unequivocally support her candidacy and we urge you to vote for her.

Sunday you may see another candidate in the pulpit at your church appealing for your vote, but make no mistake that it will be the last time youll see that candidate in the Black community. And please, dont be enamored by the omnipresent ads you may have seen supporting another candidate for state Supreme Court justice and this is why.

Cunningham faces an opponent who helped the citys chief executives chances for being elected and hes backing that opponent.

But Cunningham should have the backing that counts the most, your vote. The toll that this campaign has taken on Cunningham hampered by a lack of public support from city leaders who continue to be a rubber stamp, and ensnared by business, civic and faith leaders who dont openly want to ruffle feathers actually goes to show what the justice is made of: through and through commitment to the people and the honor of the bench.

There has never been a Black woman seated on the state Supreme Court so the opportunity to elect Justice Cunningham is historic. In fact, a look at high courts around the nation reveals only a handful of Black female justices -- from a pool of fewer than a dozen Black justices, overall. But this is not about historic tokenism: Cunningham is the most qualified of the candidates for this seat.

Shes no elitist. Cunningham is a hard-worker, and autonomously she has worked for every notch on her judicial belt. In New York, she worked a night job to pay for nursing school. Then she worked as a nurse to pay for law school. Then she went to work for the people and established herself as a jurist who is competent, compassionate and fair. Rather than curry favors and indebt herself to politicians, she has remained an objective and respectable lawyer and judge.

Voter turnout in the March 20 primary is not expected to be as eventful as it was in 2008 election. But before totally dismissing Tuesdays election, consider that Cunningham could win with just under 30 percent of the vote.

We dont want to take our chances on a body of justices who dont represent the makeup of the people of this state. One Black male on the court with six other white justices is not enough. We dont want to elect a justice to the court Tuesday who has lived a life of privilege with a career bulleted by appointment after appointment, with little record of working hard to earn positions.

Consider that the states Death Row was emptied because of the potential for wrongfully putting convicts to death convicts. Most on Death Row were felons of color and a number of them have already been released from prison. If cases involving relief for these and others wronged by the states justice system should come before the Supreme Court, we want a justice on the bench who can see the full scope and breadth of cases and rule with a more-encompassing point of view. We need a justice who is connected to the people in such a way that she understands when deciding on environmental issues, for example, the disparities that could result in adverse effects on segments of the states population.

Dont stay away from the polls Tuesday. Join us in supporting Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham for state Supreme Court justice.

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