Vice president and presidenial hopeful Al Gore addresses Unity 99.
(photos by Sandra Delgado/Unity News)

Gore extols affirmative action, technology
By Lora Victorio
Unity 99 Convention Online Staff

Pledging to ''fight for fundamental fairness," and expansion of technology in under-served communities, Vice President Al Gore spoke to hundreds of journalists today at a Unity '99 Convention plenary titled, "Race, Technology, and Future."

Gore slammed I-200, the initiative passed by Washington last year that eliminates affirmative action. ''Some will try to convince you that we need to go back to the broken policies of the past,'' Gore said. ''I never, ever want to go back and I never want to see this country go back.''

The vice president and presidential hopeful opened his remarks by noting that he'd received an invitation to a Salsa and Meringue party. He joked with the audience, "I'm known for my meringue." The crowd roared, but took a serious turn as Gore called the convention the "greatest gathering of minority journalists."

With a panel behind him of more than 30 people of diverse ages, ethnicities and experience in the new media field, Gore spoke of the need for more minorities in media. He said that people of color make up less than 12 percent of newsrooms, and 40 percent of newspapers do not employ minorities. "Newsrooms need to reflect diversity," he said. "We must lead the fight for fundamental fairness."

Gore said that new technology is the key to the future. He referenced a report released this month by the U.S. Department of Commerce, "Falling Through the Net," on the telecommunications and information gap in America. "The Information Age can be the Empowerment Age," he said. "We must close the digital divide and link classrooms to the Net."

Gore authored a proposal for more technology funding for schools that he called the "E-Rate Program," the largest single investment in schools, with the largest subsidies going to poorer school districts.

"From pre-K to post B.A. . education is the cornerstone of opportunity," he said. "I will do all I can to close the opportunity gap."

Following his speech, Gore answered questions from representatives of the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Native American Journalists Association and the National Association of Black Journalists.

During the questioning, Gore took a stand on the controversial I-200. "I did speak out to white audiences and audiences of color. [The president and I] are positively against I-200. [Our] position is abundantly clear," he said.

Gore received a standing ovation from the normally non-partisan journalists. Laura Carr, president of L.A. Carr Communications, said, "I felt he was sincere in his comments. He was on track in regards to the need to have more people of color connected to technology."

Belinda Stanley, a NAJA delegate, agreed. "He was pretty blunt. He didn't try to come up with excuses concerning the failure in education."

Even so, Stanley was still hesitant to believe all of Gore's claims. "[His comments were] a bit of lip service, unless they can back it up with some kind of special programs for minority entrepreneurs to build technology business or funding to pay for other programs."

Olivia Nisbett, a UNITY Student Campus participant, shared some of the skepticism. "What he had to say was good, if he's actually going to follow through on it. We'll see."