What do you mean you're NOT voting?

[SeekSimplicity]

Hello members and sisterfriends. I want to bring up a topic that has me furious this morning. African Americans who are not voting. I overheard someone say that they did not believe in voting. They mentioned that we should just sit back and pray about it. Now I certainly believe in prayer and that we should pray for the leaders of our country but we need to get out there and vote for them. Faith without works is dead. We should have faith that when we pray, God will put a leader in place that will have our best interest at heart but in addition we must help ourselves. We MUST vote

I say all of this to say that there are many African Americans who are not voting. Why??? When we don't vote what message are we sending to those whose family members died for this very right? Is more education needed for those who believe that their vote does not count? What must we do to help our people understand that their vote counts?? Are we sleeping? When will we wake up???

Sorry for the long post.

[PositivelyAKA]

its sad when we don't vote, but don't get angry, just try to educate them and if they refuse to change, move on, there are plenty of us out there willing to make a difference.

[AKAtude]

I remember when I was a kid, my parents would take me in the voting booth with them when they voted. That had a lasting impression on me. I couldn't wait to turn 18 to register so I could vote, too. I think its sad, too, when people don't exercise their right to vote.

[MaMaBuddha]

hey sisterfriends...

i would like to vent on an epsiode in front of 125th street in Harlem...

my organizations was out registering people to voting and we were also handing them information on who the candidates were. i can honestly say that about 2 out the 25 people that passed in a span of 10 minutes knew who the candidates were or even their issues. the rest of the people didn't.

funny thing is some to them didn't want to register, they didn't have time or they didn't care or they were trying to holla ( i am from down south, ladeez *lol*) me... being quick tempered and having to watch my mouth, tried to explain the issues the candidates were covering. all i got back was smart comments about why i even cared. i was greatly disapposinted. i even went back to the "our people were lynched and dead for the right to vote." to no avail.

thennnnnnnn... yesterday, i was leaving the grand central terminal on 42nd street and saw a table set up by nypirg with about a million people (mostly non black and latino) registering to vote.

so many thoughts went through my head. what is wrong with my people? (black and latino)

we are so quick to COMPLAIN about things such as police brutality, racial incidences, profiling, and other things...but the real issue to keep these people who support these issues out these political offices.

we need to educate ourselves on what voting is and how it effects us. how this is our voice to speak. HELL, we need to run for positions on city council. not sit back on complain about it.

MTV did a little episode a few months ago when the democratic candidates came to the apollo theater. they walked up and down the street asking people if they knew why the candidates where here and why they chose harlem (apollo). i happened to be supporting one of few black owned businesses on 125 and the the reporter came and asked me if i knew what was going on. and i explained i did and went into detail. after i was done, she told me i was the only one that knew what was going on out of the various people that were asked to be interview. i was crushed because i know my people are smarter than that.

i apologize ladeez for running on this tangent...but i will continue to educate my people, but we have got a lot of work to do.

thank you sisterfriends and keep up the good work....

MaMaB
DST

[BrandNubian]

MaMaB:

I did voter registration with my organization this weekend as well, and I have to agree with you...the African-American turnout was depressingly low. We had a pretty good turn-out overall, but many of the brothas and sistahs seemed totally disinterested. They passed our table by with barely a glance; when we asked, "Sir/Ma'am, are you registered to vote?" they would just mumble a "yes" and hurry on, or not answer at all.

Actually, we didn't get the "who cares about voting/what difference does it make?" reaction from the African-Americans, but from the white folx. A white woman answered us with, "Yes I am registered, but it doesn't matter because I don't vote anymore." We were all perplexed. We said amongst ourselves, "Why not?"

Anyway, it was just depressing to see how many people (white, black, Latino, whatever) were so disenchanted with voting and participating in government.

My two cents...

BrandNubian



------------------
"We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the
dove, a tough mind with a tender heart."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[Cultured Pearl]

Originally posted by SeekSimplicity:
I overheard someone say that they did not believe in voting. They mentioned that we should just sit back and pray about it.

I actually had a conversation with someone over this very issue a couple of weeks ago. The person with whom I had this conversation is a Jehovah's Witness and explained to me that their teachings and interpretation of the Bible do not support voting. Their faith in Jehovah is all that they rely upon; therefore, they will not spend any time supporting or voting for any human who could not possibly live up to what Jehovah can do.

I must say that I was COMPLETELY taken aback by this conversation, especially since I was having it with a black person. Our people fought too long and hard for us to have the right to vote...but, on the other hand, I try, though I may sometimes fail, never to cast aspersions on ANYONE'S faith, disagree with it as I might. This one creates a real dilemma for me!

My question is: Have any of you ever heard this before from other Jehovah's Witnesses?

[SeekSimplicity]

Thanks PositivelyAKA. I was really struggling this morning with trying to understand this persons' reasons for not wanting to vote but I have since then recaptured my composure :-) Peace and God Bless.

[darling1]

It really cracks me up when people talk about not believing in voting. From my experience it hasusually been people with these 'the white man ain't this' 'this country ain't that' type of attittudes. These same folks are screaming about running back to Africa--to the'motherland'. Do they not know that people are dying just to have a voice in that country? There are still places in this world where people have no voice. It wasn't that long ago when we were struggling to have that right. I shake my head at people who don't believe in voting.

I just wonder what if tomorrow there is a military coup or civil war and we are faced with the same situation that other countries face will these same anti-voting folks have the same song ?

I have heard people from other countries say to me that Americans are spoiled, I am truly beginning to wonder if they are right???

[PinkCashmere]

Voting is your voice. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

[LadyAKA]

PinkCashmere, I like that saying ...
And I wanted to let all NYC peeps know that today is the LAST day to register, go on now get out there ... and if people have questions, please ask, many of us are informed and can help.

Lastly, I can help you find a list of candidate that will be up for election on Nov. 7, don't forget the presidency is not all that is at stake this year!!!

[MissPdiva]

SeekSimlicity:
I am currently taking a political science class at my university where we talked about the voting process. I discovered that alot of people, including African Americans are not voting because they learned about the electoral college (which I'm sure you are familiar with) and they felt that their one vote does not count. If everyone felt like that, we'd be in trouble.

[This message has been edited by MissPdiva (edited October 14, 2000).]

[AKA2D '91]

My undergraduate degree is in Political Science, so I really feel that it is MANDATORY that I VOTE! Not only because of that, but also because of the struggle our people went through just to have that right!

I bet if the government would threaten to take away all the HANDOUTS folks get MONTHLY to dress from head to toe in NAME BRAND GEAR, ETC, I bet SOME PEOPLE would get OFF THEIR YOU KNOW WHATS and get out there and vote!

I BET EVERY TOM, DICK, HARRY, SALLY, JANE, AND SUE would be out there in droves trying to vote! IT IS VERY SAD!

[mojo]

I had to come up with a motto for voter registration this year. It did not go over very well and had to be changed. It was


VOTE OR SHUT UP.

I get tired of people complaining about a situation, but sit on their butts not doing anything about it.

[SeekSimplicity]

Cultured Pearl,

I too had a conversation with a collegue who is a Jehovah's witness and an African American. I asked her if she was attending the Million Family March here in Washington, DC and much to my dismay she said they (Jehovah's witnesses) do not believe in listening to others pray or except guidance from those who are not of the same faith. I told her it was also to promote voting of African Americans and that a voting booth would be set up for those who would like to register. She said you are not going to acually vote are you? With a resounding YES she immediately tried to tell me that I was uneducated in Bible scriptures and how I am voting for the devil. Okay??? Somewhere in her bible it says we should not vote and rely soley on God. Can someone show me where this is? 'Cause I wanna see. Now I know they read from a different bible but they serve the same God. Now would Jesus tell them one thing and tell the rest of us something else? Can anyone show me the bible verse where God tells us not to vote?

Now what really bothererd me was that she really tried to persuade me from voting and told me how wrong I was for wanting to do so. I guess she called herself breaking it down to me. Okay, don't talk to me like I'm stupid I told her. She stated that one should never mix religion with politics. You know religion can really bring people together but it also has a way of seperating us as a people. The last thing African Americans need is separation. I must say I am puzzled by their belief system. Not because it is different but because people like my collegue really try and persuade me to do what I know in my heart is the wrong thing to do.

To all who seek it may they find simplicity

[LadyAKA]

Mojo, some may think that statement is harsh "VOTE OR SHUT UP" but at a rally in DC, Al Sharpton said something similar ...something like (paraphrasing here) ...if you don't vote, then don't talk to me, because you are a certified UNCLE TOM, and I don't want to hear your complaints about your hot water being turned off unfairly ... etc, etc...
He had me in my seat almost in tears. Not because he was talking/acting that way but because this is the only way to get through to some people!!
As for voter registration, I started with FAMILY, and sometimes those are the hardest people to deal with, my brother would say why is this so important to you, and I was like, we obviously did not come from the same womb .... ANYWAY - our day is coming and I sure hope, those that care can come out and unite as one and make a difference!!