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Well, I see everyone's point. However, I think that there is more to it than just going out to vote. People MUST feel likle that their votes count. Yes, the educated percentage of our people, as well as some less that knowlegeable about the system, know that we as a people play an important part on ALL elections.
Playing Devil's advocate, what do we get? There are plenty of programs out there that lose funding when we don't vote. However, who knows that? For the past x amount of months, commercials, ads, debates, etc. have been rolling, but nowhere does it say, "If you don't vote, you stand the chance of losing your Medicare or Section 8." Or how about, "Your vote determines whether your kids will get free lunch or not." You just see some sly foxes smiling in your face. If there is one thing that I know, it's that people (our people especially) don't care and don't want to be bothered if they aren't directly affected.
Secondly, elected officials and candidates always want to get the African-American vote, but they don't care about us. How many of these people actually come into our neigborhoods and schools to find out what matters to us or how we feel? A few of them roll in, but show minimal concern. If you can't be down with the 'hood, dont expect the hood to be down for you.
Lastly, the focus is one the wrong people. The main group of people that aren't voting are the young, i.e. anywhere from 18 to 35. We all know that Clinton gained so much popularity because he put himself down with the "MTV generation." Clinton showed us young people that he was human and that he knew what it was all about to be young. He also showed that he was willing to put programs into place that would benefit us. No one talks to us, yet they beg for our vote. FOR WHAT? This is how people feel and those feelings are real.
I can complain until the cows come home. Sometimes, I feel the same way as everyone else. Voting seems like a waste of time. I do it out of privilege because I know what my people went through to get me this right. I vote out of hope that maybe things will change. I vote for all types of reasons, but things always seem to remain the same or get worse....
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