Vote? Whateva...

I was marinating on the recent election results in Memphis and Georgia, and in particular, my generations voter apathy. A part of the civil rights struggle was gaining the right to cast a vote . To be able to show up and vote without being harassed, without being turned away because of some false technicality and to have that vote counted. Folk took much abuse just to exercise their rights. I don't have the numbers before me, but based on the little reading I do, there is no doubt, that a large majority of blacks, 18-35 don't give a hot damn about voting. Most say it does not matter, the powers that be are gonna do what they want to do regardless. That's true on one hand (electoral college bs), yet untrue on another especially on the local level. However, there is power in numbers. Won't you agree? But damn we're talking bout colored folk, we can't agree on ish, well maybe on bullshit like who the greatest baller is, or who the greastest MC is, but never anything on substance. Do we even remember the blood, sweat and tears given by those before us just for such rights, the little girls killed in church, the mothers and sisters attacked by dogs, and beat on by red necks because of their fear of our prospective unity raising us from our situation at that time.

Here are some reasons I think we don't vote.

The lack of choice in candidates. But I blame that on those who in fact vote. We tend to vote for a name and not on the issues, partly because we are too lazy to learn the issues and determine what candidate best represents our view on the issue. When we vote on name, we simply recycle the same ole representation and prevent fresh blood to step up to the plate and represent.

Lack of interest - We have people making decisions on how we live, how money is spent, how money is disbursed, how we educate our children, how we go to war, who we support in war, how can one not care?

Lazy - Can't use work as an excuse, most get an hour to vote, you can even early vote. Fifteen minutes on one day every two years aint gonna hurt nobody. We would rather sit at home and watch the game, BET, play playstation, or stand on the corner with our homies sippin 40's complaining about how high gas is than go and select someone to represent ones own interests.

I really think that education plays the biggest part in voter apathy. We just don't know the issues, and don't know how to take an issue, look it in and out, and then take a position on that issue. Some simply don't know how to do the research to help form an opinion. So when that person does go to the poll, they are unarmed with the facts, and end up often voting against their own interests.

I wish the NAACP and the Urban League would address voter education, do more than just register folk to vote. Educate voters on why they are actually casting a vote. Educate them on the impact of how voting one way or another impacts theirs and others lives. The bottom line is we have forgotten the struggle. Someone care to start a non-profit with a brotha?? If we figure out how to get colored folk to the polls, we will be millionaires......

Anyway, if you have time, and a quiet room, click on this link, it's a very deep speech about the Ballot or the Bullet. My how some of the issues touched on exist today. The state of the black community, war, liberation and other issues. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/malcolmxballot.htm