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The statement—Blacks don’t give money or vote—is made by people in both political parties, and some of the readers will take exception to the statement, but in my estimation, there is a degree of accuracy. Those who really do not pay attention to politics and graphics that report voting trends across this nation will say with a degree of outrage, “Blacks voted in record numbers to elect the first Black president in 2008.” Their statement is accurate, but there have been two major elections since—one in Georgia and the other in Louisiana and Black voters only voted in Georgia 14 percent and Louisiana 18 percent.
I was privileged to be an active participant in 1988 when Jesse Jackson ran for president and 88 percent of Black Americans voted for him, In 2008, Obama received 98 percent. However, between 1988 to 2010, the Black voting bloc is at an all time low. There is a multitude of reasons why Blacks are not the powerful voting bloc they once were. A major reason is that neighborhoods that once were overwhelmingly Black began to deteriorate and were demolished and Blacks were scattered across the county. Another percentage became more prosperous and moved to more affluent communities, and those left behind were of little hope, in some circumstances no hope, underemployed, unemployable with many of them adopting the attitude “vote for what?”
I speak with people every day and hear and agree to a large extent about their frustration with the political system. My answer is we still must vote. Leadership not a leader is almost non-existent. Those who generally describe themselves as political leaders serve the party. A minister said he could not actively support a candidate, but he forgot his church had an Obama sign in the pulpit. Employees of the corporations constantly cry out I must protect my job but a segment are prohibited from being activists.
If you truly believe that your vote can make a difference then ask, invite or remind at least one person to vote on Nov. 2. We have the capacity to make improvements not only in our lives, but our children and their children’s lives.
“We can if we believe we can.”
Please remember Kingsley Association.
(Louis ‘Hop’ Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum Page.)
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