Voting Power
VOTING POWER
By Raymond L. Carr Jr.
Knowing our voting rights is important, especially when Black people fought and died for our right to vote.
I remember when I became eligible to vote, my grandmother was so happy that I would be voting for the first time. All I knew about voting was, people before me marched and protested to vote. But, I didn't really understand the power of voting or how my vote counted.
The first time I actually voted, I didn't know who to vote for, so if the name sounded familiar I voted for them. I knew nothing about the candidates, I knew nothing about the issues and to say I was uneducated to the voting process was an understatement.
Unfortunately, too many people of color feel disenfranchised from the voting process. One reason people feel their vote doesn't count is because, some candidates turn into celebrities after they are elected, they stop taking phone calls and disappear until its time for reelection. This is the reason we have to keep our elected officials honest and accountable with our vote.
With our vote we elect Governors, Mayors, District & Circuit Judges, State Supreme Court Judges, State Court of Appeals Judges, County Prosecutors, Attorney Generals, City Counsel Members, State Senators & State Representatives. All of these officials and some offices I didn't mention, make laws and policy that effect us and the issues we care about. However, if we don't vote we give up the power who we elect to represent and protect our rights.
Recently, we lost another Black Man adding to a seemingly endless growing list of murdered Black people by police. George Floyd, he was murdered by four members of the Minneapolis police department. After his murder, there was a call for Justice and protesters took to the streets in several cities across America.
Unfortunately, some non-protesters have taken this opportunity to loot and become violent. Even though, the looters are wrong, the same outrage people feel when property is damaged and stolen, they should feel that same outrage when Black people are murdered by the police.
All of our elected and public officials take an oath to serve, protect, and uphold the law. But, it seems like they serve themselves and protect each other, right, wrong or indifferent. Because, there is an 'Code of Silence', that parallels to the 'Stop Snitching Code' of the streets.
Now, that protesters has the attention of the world, what are we going to do with it? Just making talking-points with no change or reform, that can not be the goal.
Those who make decisions about us have to get voted into office, so when they allow us to be treated unfairly, then we FIRE THEM WITH OUR VOTE.
The next time, a cell phone, dash cam, security camera catch bad behavior by a police officer, and they tell us we didn't see what we just saw, we FIRE THEM WITH OUR VOTE!
If an average citizen, committed some of the same actions/crime as law enforcement, they would be charged within the first 48, no one should be above the law.
It's time to protest with our vote! And hold our elected officials accountable, and if they don't take responsibility for their office. Then, we network and create Voting Blocks and vote the same way, so we can Hire and Fire our elected officials with our vote!
Let's be clear, elected officials work for the people, so they shouldn't tell the boss what to do. As the boss, we have the POWER to HIRE & FIRE with Our VOTE!
If you're not registered to vote, please get registered to vote today! Do your part for Justice and lets vote together for change!
By Raymond L. Carr Jr.
Knowing our voting rights is important, especially when Black people fought and died for our right to vote.
I remember when I became eligible to vote, my grandmother was so happy that I would be voting for the first time. All I knew about voting was, people before me marched and protested to vote. But, I didn't really understand the power of voting or how my vote counted.
The first time I actually voted, I didn't know who to vote for, so if the name sounded familiar I voted for them. I knew nothing about the candidates, I knew nothing about the issues and to say I was uneducated to the voting process was an understatement.
Unfortunately, too many people of color feel disenfranchised from the voting process. One reason people feel their vote doesn't count is because, some candidates turn into celebrities after they are elected, they stop taking phone calls and disappear until its time for reelection. This is the reason we have to keep our elected officials honest and accountable with our vote.
With our vote we elect Governors, Mayors, District & Circuit Judges, State Supreme Court Judges, State Court of Appeals Judges, County Prosecutors, Attorney Generals, City Counsel Members, State Senators & State Representatives. All of these officials and some offices I didn't mention, make laws and policy that effect us and the issues we care about. However, if we don't vote we give up the power who we elect to represent and protect our rights.
Recently, we lost another Black Man adding to a seemingly endless growing list of murdered Black people by police. George Floyd, he was murdered by four members of the Minneapolis police department. After his murder, there was a call for Justice and protesters took to the streets in several cities across America.
Unfortunately, some non-protesters have taken this opportunity to loot and become violent. Even though, the looters are wrong, the same outrage people feel when property is damaged and stolen, they should feel that same outrage when Black people are murdered by the police.
All of our elected and public officials take an oath to serve, protect, and uphold the law. But, it seems like they serve themselves and protect each other, right, wrong or indifferent. Because, there is an 'Code of Silence', that parallels to the 'Stop Snitching Code' of the streets.
Now, that protesters has the attention of the world, what are we going to do with it? Just making talking-points with no change or reform, that can not be the goal.
Those who make decisions about us have to get voted into office, so when they allow us to be treated unfairly, then we FIRE THEM WITH OUR VOTE.
The next time, a cell phone, dash cam, security camera catch bad behavior by a police officer, and they tell us we didn't see what we just saw, we FIRE THEM WITH OUR VOTE!
If an average citizen, committed some of the same actions/crime as law enforcement, they would be charged within the first 48, no one should be above the law.
It's time to protest with our vote! And hold our elected officials accountable, and if they don't take responsibility for their office. Then, we network and create Voting Blocks and vote the same way, so we can Hire and Fire our elected officials with our vote!
Let's be clear, elected officials work for the people, so they shouldn't tell the boss what to do. As the boss, we have the POWER to HIRE & FIRE with Our VOTE!
If you're not registered to vote, please get registered to vote today! Do your part for Justice and lets vote together for change!
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