Originally Posted on Daily Censored in 2010….but still very much relevant.
By: Solomon Comissiong
“It was the black man’s vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. Your vote, your dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put in an administration in Washington, D.C., that has seen fit to pass every kind of legislation imaginable, saving you until last, then filibustering on top of that. And your and my leaders have the audacity to run around clapping their hands and talk about how much progress we’re making. And what a good president we have…”
‘The Ballot or the Bullet’
Malcolm X, April 3 1964, in Cleveland OH
Every election cycle politicians inevitably begin their aggressive push to convince (fool) potential voters that a vote for them, and their party, will lead towards a marked improvement in their day-to-day lives. They tap in to as much of their corporate blood money as they can in order to fully utilize the anti-democratic US corporate media system. This routine move is made in order to sway as many critically disengaged Americans that money can buy. US electoral politics is a game, a joke, a sham. It usually plays in to the hands of the filthy rich ruling class—after all the created the game as well as wrote the rules. Tens of millions of Americans have been duped in to believing that the way the system is structured gives them some sort of chance to dramatically alter the course of their lives, community and the country as a whole. The US electoral system, like the pharmaceutical industry, is predicated on everything but the cure. It continually gives prospective voters a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the next time—-there will be real tangible change that they can feel. They (we) are strung around from election to election to election—-waiting, hoping, and believing that change will come. But just like that elusive winning lottery ticket—-it never materializes. Current US electoral politics are a major gamble, especially for black Americans. They customarily find themselves on the losing end of a rigged political system.
In general, the two party system (Democrats & Republicans) is bad for most Americans. However, for systematically disenfranchised people desperate for some sort of sizeable improvement in their lives; the system is devastatingly nefarious. The conductors of the system, and their hired snake oil salesmen, work overtime to convince this potentially important voting block that they can make a difference if they vote, and if they do—-their lives will change for the better. It seldom does.
Black people have been routinely used like pawns by the political elite, especially by the Democratic Party. These crooks are easy to spot. They usually show up in black communities a few months prior to a major election promising to work on behalf of their community if they get their vote and are elected. And like clockwork, this seldom happens. Both parties play this game; however when it comes to black communities…the Democrats are especially adept at this. You see, Republicans’ overt actions are usually honest enough in letting black folks know where they stand—-they simply don’t give a damn. Republicans don’t try to hide their lack of concern with black and brown communities in America. As a matter of fact, Republicans will ride campaign platforms laden with anti-black and Latino policies and initiatives. After all, they are today’s Dixiecrats. Democrats on the other hand enjoy playing the role of an illusionist—now you see me, now you don’t. They will say all the right things come campaign season, however once they are elected their campaign promises are a figment of their fraudulent imaginations. The Democratic Party is more similar to the Republican Party than they are different, especially when it comes to policies regarding people of color. One party boasts on its conservative policies, the other quietly supports them. Don’t believe me—just check out how Democrats usually support rampant police state-like policies in black and brown communities, no matter how many young unarmed black and Latino men get gunned down in the process. After all it was Bubba Clinton who signed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994 which allotted billions of dollars to build more prisons. He worked hand-in-hand with the Republican led congress to achieve this law that continued the wave of unchecked police brutality in communities of color coast to coast. Interestingly enough, most of these prisons were built, and police were hired, all the while violent crimes were on the decline.
Unemployment rates double that of whites, rampant police brutality, an institutionally racist “justice” system and an out of control prison industrial complex are just a few of the disproportionate issues plaguing the black community in America. However, those are issues that the Democratic Party could care less about. The proof is written all over their in action and omission from their national platform. And the first phonotypically black president of the United States has willingly adopted many of the regressive polices encompassed by the written and unwritten Democratic platform, especially those regarding the black community. Despite the enormous economic gap between black and white communities President Obama has let it be known that he does not intend on developing any targeted plan to raise black unemployment or to close the widening economic gap. He, like the Democratic Party, is more than comfortable with the status quo. Again, actions speak louder than words. However, despite not doing a damn thing to try and improve the overall plight of African-Americans, the Democratic Party and their president are now asking the black community for their vote. And the sad thing is—-most of black America, that votes, will give him their vote. They will also give the Democratic Party their votes which, much like the dollar, are backed by nothing. Just as many black people got out in the streets to protest Bush’s illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of those same black people have either keep their mouths shut or even supported Obama’s escalation of the war in Afghanistan, drone attacks that have killed scores of Afghani and Pakistani civilians, and the hundreds of billions of dollars to fund this aggression. When Obama made the decision to bailout Wall Street to the tune 12.8 trillion dollars, without bailing out victims of sub-prime instigated foreclosures, the black mis-leadership continued to urge black people to keep supporting a president that had long ago betrayed them. All this and we should keep on blindly supporting the Democrats and their president? The Democratic Party and president Obama will continue on ignoring black communities until prospective black voters make some demands that actually mean something. Words without action are increasingly irrelevant.
The actions I refer to do not lead towards the hyper-conservative Republican Party either. The Republican Party continues to be riddled with white nationalist good ole boys/girls that would turn back the calendar to the 1800s if they could. Keep in mind, many republicans support or are being supported by the band of white nationalists (Tea Party). Tea Partiers are registered republicans who simply wanted to up the ante with their conservative “values”. The cutting of any social programs geared towards even attempting to level the lopsided playing field is a place where most republicans and Tea Baggers find common ground. The Republican Party and its Tea Party breakaway faction are not viable options for any conscious African/Black man or woman. Two kinds of black people typically vote republican: those who are substantially paid by or benefit from their socially regressive policies and those who are confused politically. They are an even worse option for black people than are the chameleon-like Democratic Party. This is not to say that every once in a great while there emerges a Democrat that can be trusted to truly advocate and fight to improve the living conditions that millions of black people languish in. Cynthia McKinney was one of those trustworthy Democrats. However, after seeing what frauds many within the Democratic leadership actually were, she left the party and joined the more progressive and socially centered Green Party (www.gp.org).
Black Americans need to stop registering, completely, with the Democratic or Republican Parties. As Malcolm X urged; black people need to start registering as independents. This small action, alone, is a significant attention grabber for those who have long ignored the day-to-day trials and tribulations of the “average” black person in America. Secondly African-Americans need to seriously consider starting their own political base/faction/party or working with an established progressive party like the Greens (www.gp.org). However, it is never in black people’s best interest to join any party without investigating it and making sure they know that the black vote is no longer unconditional to any party. The move of starting a National Black Independent Political Party is not unprecedented. The founding of such a party occurred in Philadelphia in November of 1980. Before that there was a National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana in 1972 and even a Black Power Conference in Newark, New Jersey in 1967. Unfortunately, that specific wave of black political organization did not last as long as many would have hoped. However, now in 2010, the time is more than ripe for the reestablishment of a vibrant black political movement. It just so happens that in 2009 a bold and well organized Black led Political coalition was established. The name of this coalition is called Black is Back. And on November 13, 2010 they will descend upon Washington DC for their second annual rally to demand: social justice, peace and reparations, among many other socially important issues. Of course the corporate media will not publicize the work of Black is Back or their rally. As Gil Scott Heron told us, the revolution will not be televised, especially as long as TV is within the slimy hands of the corporate elite.
These types of necessary political movements never happen without good organization, mobilization and even better follow-through. The ground game (grassroots organizing) has to be strong as well as consistent, in order to build and embolden the critical mass. Black people and people of color, in general, must begin to make serious demands to their local, state and national elected officials. These demands must come in a collective manner and they must be made with the promise of no longer wasting our votes on political scoundrels from either corporate party. And we cannot be scared in to voting for Democrats simply due to fear of what the Republican Party may do if they take control again. What did voting Democrat in 2006 get us—not a damn thing! Knowing that either the Republicans or Democrats will screw us if we vote for them—-is a wasted vote, especially if there are better alternatives like the Green Party. Voting for the evil of two lessers is a precarious game to play, in and of itself. I cannot make it any clearer; blindly voting for Democratic candidates will always be a losing proposition until we, as a community, are more unified and serious in our demands. Until then, they will continue to take wholesale advantage of the black community; all the while we continue to decay from governmentally sanctioned neglect.
Old habits and traditions are hard to die, just like voting for one of two corrupt corporate political parties. The advances of the civil rights era would not have been made had it not been for a critical mass of black people leading the way. Yes, there were other people who had joined in the fight, but make no bones about it—-black people led the way. After all, it was black communities that stood to be most positively or adversely affected by the gains or losses of that era. In 2010 the stakes remain high. History has taught us that it is, without a doubt, time for people of color to take a new political direction. Are we ready to step outside of our governmentally manufactured discomfort zones and build a better future for our communities? I hope so. I strongly believe so—something has to give!
“So it’s time in 1964 to wake up. And when you see them coming up with that kind of conspiracy, let them know your eyes are open. And let them know you—something else that’s wide open too. It’s got to be the ballot or the bullet. The ballot or the bullet. If you’re afraid to use an expression like that, you should get on out of the country; you should get back in the cotton patch; you should get back in the alley. They get all the Negro vote, and after they get it, the Negro gets nothing in return. All they did when they got to Washington was give a few big Negroes big jobs. Those big Negroes didn’t need big jobs, they already had jobs. That’s camouflage, that’s trickery, that’s treachery, window-dressing. I’m not trying to knock out the Democrats for the Republicans. We’ll get to them in a minute. But it is true; you put the Democrats first and the Democrats put you last.”
‘The Ballot or the Bullet’
Malcolm X, April 3 1964, in Cleveland OH
Solomon Comissiong is an educator, community activist, author, public speaker and the host of the Your World News media collective (www.yourworldnews.org). Solomon is the author of A Hip Hop Activist Speaks Out on Social Issues. He can be reached at: solo@yourworldnews.org
