Professing Change in Brooklyn

Harvey Clarke is a professor in the political science department, and is currently running for United States Congress for the republican party with a campaign managed almost entirely by his students. An immigrant from Jamaica and former Pace University student himself, Professor Clarke shares his views on politics and why he should unseat his rival, a 22-year incumbent in Brooklyn.  Pace Press: What district are you running for? Harvey Clarke: We are running for the Tenth Congressional District in Brooklyn.  PP: What is the District like? HC: It's huge, that's the first thing. There are 750,000 people living in that district. It starts at Kings Plaza and then it goes all the way into Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn.  PP: Why are you running? HC: (Laughs) I knew that question was coming. Well, my students were the motivating factor, the students in my class who kept asking me, "Why haven't you made a run for political office?" They truly think I can make a difference. Another thing I keep saying is that [the campaign] is a new voice, a new voice for Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn, and New York overall, but especially in our district because the councilman who is there now (Edolphus Towns) does nothing in congress pretty much says nothing. He's been there for the past 22 years, and that voice is almost out of step now with New York. He voting record is something (shakes head)...if you look at the records you will se that most the voting issues are the little issues. The important issues are there but he has said nothing on them. So we need a new voice. The other thing I want to say is that we need a diversification of votes. Hispanics and African Americans and minorities for the last 70 years or so, they have traditionally voted democrat. I remember the first time I told somebody that I was a republican and they said to me, "well, you don't look like a republican." And I said, well how the hell does a republican look? But certainly what they were saying to me is that republicans are not black. [Minorities] just don't instinctively vote democrat, it's time for them to say, "yes, I am willing to vote for the Republican Party if it suits my interests."   PP: What is the greatest issue facing New York City right now? HC: The issue of housing. It's right up there. Security is another big issues, and the education system. Those are the three primary issues right now. You know we could put some form of immigration up there too.   PP: What issues does Brooklyn face as a borough separate from the rest of the city? HC: My district has some very depressed areas: Bed Sty, East New York, and some parts of Williamsburg; in fact some parts of Canarsie have been declared a poverty zone. We want to create an image here in the neighborhood where the garbage is cleaned up on a daily basis, and even in my district if you move from one community just down the road from the other, you will see differences between them overall. Another one of the most important things that we want to do is try to bring new small business to our community. There are a tremendous amount of little ways that we could quickly bring small business in there, and it's not difficult, it's just that sometimes the community needs some help in some ways.  PP: What has been the most challenging aspect of the campaign so far? HC: (Laughs.) That's a good question. Money. We have a very big district like I said, 750,000 people living there, so we need a lot of money. While we do have some money, we still need more money. So we have had to figure ways out to use whatever little money we have wisely so I'm asking people for contributions. If anyone wants to contribute to the campaign they can go to the website, www.clarkeforcongress.org or email clarkeforcongress@yahoo.com those are ways that we can be contacted. We will be having a fundraiser September 12.  PP: You have been a professor of political science for a long time. How has it affected your politics and how do you separate teaching politics from being a politician? HC: There is a separation in every way. In my first stump speech when I went out to East New York I went in with some of the ideas that I had spoken about in class and some of the women almost ran me out of there. They told me not to come back until I knew what was going on in their community. It's ok to speak your theory in class, but in the final analysis you must go out in the neighborhood and see the people there. Most people just care that the park on the corner is safe, their buses run on time, there aren't drug dealers hanging out by their kid's school. We have to find a better way to not leave anyone behind and have a vibrant middle class, that is what makes America great, that middle class. I think most people in the United States want to work hard, earn a living, and do well, but there are times when obstacles are in the way and I think that's when government, in a very limited way, must find a way to help these people. I'm not saying anyone is entitled to anything, but sometimes the government has to find ways to assist people to move forward.  PP: What is your background? HC: I was born in Jamaica. I came to the United States in 1980. I only came right $50. I knew I had to work my way up. I went to Pace University for my bachelor's degree, then I went to the Graduate School (CUNY) and I did not get to write my dissertation, and that's something that I want to do. I worked at Pace University as the international admissions counselor, and I recruited students from all over the world. The first time that Pace was ranked in the NCAA women's basketball it was because of the kids I recruited from Barbados, and that's what put Pace's basketball team on the map. (Laughs.) But eventually I began teaching politics. I teach government and international politics. The thing that fascinates me the most is the constitution. Someday, I think I want to write my Ph.D. on some aspect of the constitution. I think it's one of the most important documents ever written.  PP: Whom do you most admire in politics? HC: Reverend Martin Luther King, I think we all look at him and start from there. Colin Powell, Marcus Garvey, and Winston Churchill, though, those are three people who have shaped my thinking and three people I really admire.   PP: What are three things voters should know about you? HC: Well, first, that I truly care about the political system and I would like to see more done to integrate immigrants into that system. Second, that I like to be around my students. They keep me current, they are able to deal with change and not get stuck in their ways. I get a lot of my strength from them. I'm also a big sports fanatic. I think sports are politics and life played out on the field.  PP: Is there anything you would like to say in closing? HC: I truly believe that in this era, students and political activists cannot afford to be complacent. What I want at the end of the day, even if we are not successful in this race, I want my students to say that this time we were not historical bystanders, but we were active participants in the political process, which time and again has led to the betterment of our people. Even if we only can change the debate a little bit in the end, I think we will have been successful. 

If you would like to volunteer for or contribute to Professor Clarke's campaign, he can be reached at his office located on the 11th floor of 41 Park Row at 718-975-2913, via email at clarkeforcongress@yahoo.com, or on the web at www.clarkeforcongress.org.