Voting

This article originally appeared in the Carolinian Newspaper under "A Different Voice"

I got a call from a friend this week who reminded me that great minds are coordinated in thought. She reminded me of something had almost simultaneously thought of and suggested that I write about for this week’s column. Here goes…thanks you B.L., A.A. and B.A.

This is a year where every vote will count and is to be coveted, planned for and executed. Every year it is our right to vote, but this year it is also our duty. In particular, we must help those people who are in nursing homes, shut in and eligible to vote, to do just that. We keep hearing that this is the most election of our lifetime and I really believe it is. We must think of our relatives and neighbors whose freedom is necessarily restricted by the circumstances they are forced to endure at this time because of COVID-19 and to help them vote.

I actually am surprised that nursing homes had not thought of this but I am willing to forgive them if they get on board, because I suppose their minds had been focused on saving the lives of their residents. Still, if people in their care want to vote nursing homes should find a way in coordination with the State Board of Elections for them to do so. For those of us without restrictions, there can be no excuse.

This is one of the most important elections in my lifetime. When I think that my grandparents, uncles, aunts and some of my cousins could not vote, it is appalling. It didn’t matter your level of education or how much money you had or how many followers you had, if you were Black you could not vote. It makes you wonder when people ask the question “Why should I vote? What good will it do?”

In the past I have had to answer questions from people who were not as fortunate as I was to take civics in high school about government and the Civil Rights Movement. They see no connection between their plight and the struggle that came before they were born. They assume that when the constitution said “all men are created equal” it automatically included them. They did not experience the used books, the white and “colored” water fountains, waiting rooms, and lunch counters. They know nothing about lynchings, and Black principals who had to cut the grass of their white superintendents, or experience the horror of being denied a job simply because you were Black. We have a responsibility to continue to tell them.

This election is not about rioters, abortion or the suburbs. This election is about will we continue to strive for a more perfect union or are we content to be ruled by a tyrant. Will we be led by someone who believes that he is the Q-Anon messiah or will we say “enough is enough”? What will it take for some people to get it?

Not all people have access to C-SPAN, MSNBC, CNN, FOX that disclose the facts (FOX may be an exception), but all should understand a dog whistle when it is blown. It is the duty of any of us who can see or hear that human lives must be valued. Lives are more important than dollars. We must make sue every vote is counted. Even the elect can be confused as it says in the Bible but it also says you will reap what you sow. Don’t be bamboozled – VOTE and make sure everybody you know does the same. VOTE.