Sabir Manteen with his wife Yvonne, sons Jawanza, and Messiah, and daughters Nikotris, and Nvbia.

Sabir Manteen is a registered Democrat running on the Republican and Right to Life lines this November. He is also listed on the Empowerment Party Line, which Manteen said, is the Independent Party line. He said he made the jump from registered Democrat to run as a Republican because 15th Legislative District incumbent Maxine Postal (D-Amityville) "is no longer doing the job."

"I chose to run for office, and to run as a Republican because I want to be able to complete some of the tasks our current legislator has failed to accomplish," Manteen, a resident of Wheatley Heights, explained. "I mean, why complain (about something) instead of standing up and working to change it."

Two years ago, Manteen considered setting out to fix what he believed was wrong by running in the Democratic primary against Postal. He later decided against the move and backed Postal.

Manteen, who was born and raised in New Cassel, Westbury, said he is a man with a sense of morals, values and ethics instilled in him by his patents.

"And those are the kind of virtues I still live by today," he said. "I also admire many of the civil rights leaders who, over the years, have helped effect change in our society."

Manteen, one of the few African Americans to take a run at the legislature, added that he considers those values as well as his strong work ethic as among his greatest strengths; strengths he hopes to bring to the legislature in 2002.

"Although many people are not aware of it, I am one of the hardest workers in the Town of Babylon," Manteen noted. "I teach business law at Hofstra, I’ve served on the Wyandanch Board of Education and I have a very strong work ethic instilled by my mother and father. If anything, I am a bit impatient; I want to see change (happen) sooner than later."

Over the last century there have been many advances both in the field of technologies and in the humanities. Manteen said that as far as he is concerned, among the more important achievements of the 20th century has been the gains made by the civil rights movement.

"But there is still a long way to go," he pointed out. "I think the best thing that can happen during the 21st century is to finally arrive at the just treatment of all people, all human beings, regardless of race, creed or national origin. And I think those advances must come in all aspects of life, not just in our courts. And that’s why I place among my personal and political heroes our numerous civil rights leaders."

Counted among the achievements of the nation’s civil rights leaders is the fact that through their efforts voter registration among minorities increased dramatically, even in the 1950s and 60s when there was much opposition in many southern states. Manteen said that battle is not over yet, either.

"There’s still public apathy among all peoples," he explained. "I think we need to offer voters more of an incentive to vote by making it easier to register. I believe in on-site registration, which would allow voters to come to the polls the day of an election and if they aren’t as yet registered, be permitted to register and vote right there and then. I also think we could bring even more people to the polls by allowing non-violent felons to vote."

Manteen added that if he had to chose a word that typifies his beliefs, he would have to choose three: faith, struggle and perseverance. "The one thing I cannot abide by is defeat or failure,’ he said. "We must keep going forward. We must have faith to continue the struggle and persevere."

Sabir Manteen is a graduate of CUNY Law School where he earned his Juris Doctorate. He is listed in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities and is a former trustee and past president of the Wyandanch Board of Education. He is also a member of the Town of Babylon Advisory Committee for Economic Development. He is married and the father of four children. He is presently a resident of Wheatley Heights.