LOGAN CYCLES THROUGH FAMU"
by Bill Cotterell
State Rep. Willie Logan rolled his U.S. Senate
campaign through Florida A&M University, telling
students Tuesday that they can make a difference if they challenge the established
political system -- and stick to it.
The Opa-locka Democrat, who took up motorcycling five weeks
ago to make a 900-mile trek from
the Alabama line to the Florida Keys, cited the long fight to restore
FAMU's law school, which
was abolished in 1968. A bill passed in the 2000 legislative session
will set up law schools run by
FAMU and Florida International University.
"Any
group, any individual, can make a difference," Logan said. This campaign is working
outside the status quo. We're going to challenge the system to encourage
more folks to participate and run for public office."
Logan, who qualified for the Senate race as an
independent, said it is unfair for Republicans
and Democrats to be assured the first two spots on the ballot. Logan said the order in which
candidates appear on the ballot should be set alphabetically or by a random drawing of names in
each race.
Logan said he has been well-received in
small towns across the Panhandle in the first week of his
motorcycle marathon. He said few voters asked him about laws passed during the legislative
session or political issues in his campaign -- but that many were
interested in his criticism of "big money" in politics and control of the
system by the two parties.
"This campaign is about empowering the people and
demonstrating that the American dream is still alive --that an individual can make a difference
and change the system," Logan said.
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