Woebeit, “Our forefathers marched, bled and died for the right to vote,” has long been a mantra espoused by politically-astute, made in America African’s intelligentsia, I have always had cause to pause and ponder why the one-vote, one-person democratic process doesn’t work (for us), the same as it has historically worked for White Americans. Naturally, since I’m a living historian that well remembers that poll tax cost my parents a full day’s pay (2 bucks), I can cite a litany of reasons why an uneven playing field has always been proliferated with political stumbling blocks to trip us up.
Then again, I can also cite a litany of reasons why integration, education, dedication, sanctification and, God forbid, miscegenation doesn’t work for us the same as it works for them. Race card aside, I also often ponder why Wall Street’s stock market doesn’t work as well for Black investors as it does for White traders? Even so, there’s a general election on Nov. 5, 2002, thus voting should be on the minds of every registered Black face I would love to see at a polling place. Why? That’s a good question and I’m glad you asked. Apathetic Black folks are convinced that their votes don’t count, so why vote at all? Conversely, they’re right.

Then again, to believe that going to the polls and voting fulfills our political obligations, is no different from a brother marrying a sister and leaving it up to her to take care of his business. Oops, I’ve drifted into the Outer Limits of logic again, so mayhaps I should qualify where I’m coming from. What I’m saying is, besides struggling to vote, we also marched, bled and died for the right to eat at lunch counters, stay in major hotels, ride in front of the bus, or even to go to the White “Picture Shows” without being relegated to the balcony. Ah, come on and pray with me, you small town brothers and sisters, you know where I’m coming from.

Painful memories aside, let’s just cut to the chase and say that we struggled just as hard to spend our consumer dollars with people that never have, or will respect us, as we did to vote. Square business, we still raise all kinds of hell to spend our consumer dollars with people that never advertise in our media, or show any other kind of appreciation for our support, yet we demand to spend our money with them. Furthermore, many White businesses send all kinds of signals that they don’t want our business. The ridiculous boycotting of Adam Mark’s Hotel in Dallas quickly comes to mind, inasmuch as African- American News&Issues was involved up close and personal.

Can you imagine the National Newspaper Publisher’s Association (NNPA), holding its annual convention at a hotel that the NAACP was boycotting to demand respect for our people? You don’t have to imagine. It so happens, Roy Douglas Malonson, AAN&I’s publisher is a very active member of the NNPA. Malonson stepped on a few toes when he flatly refused to accept Adam Mark’s backdoor treatment. He chose to commute from a motel in the ‘hood, although his room was prepaid. Need we ask the question: why would we want to stay at hotels that don’t want our business? The NAACP has even devised a grading formula to determine which hotel is most likely to welcome a Black face in their space. So what’s up with that?

The answer is simple. We struggled long and hard for equal rights to every opportunity guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, therefore we take it personal when those rights are messed with. It’s not so much that poor Black folks want to actually go (anywhere rich folks go), as it is they want the right to be able to go. I guess they figure, woebeit, they can’t even afford to stay in those swank hotels, it’s comforting to know that they can’t be denied access (under the law), if they should happen to get lucky and hit the lottery. Do you see the parallel when it comes to voting? Okay, let’s break it down.
I bet there are many brothers like me, who have never eaten at a classy White restaurant (if I wasn’t attending a press conference), because they think “Soul Food” is an angel food cake. Quite frankly, I’m not a good example, because I’ve voted only once in my life, when Minnie Mae Ryan (Roy), ran for Miss Wheatley in 1948. Hey, that’s understandable since I equate voting to wedlock. If I’ve lost you, mayhaps, brothers who need wives can relate to how voting is much like a marriage. Ideally, voting is much like wedlock, because one chooses candidates they want and marry them politically. Surely, a short honeymoon is due, but after the honeymoon is over, there’s work to be done to make life better. Are you praying with me brothers and sisters?

If so, married folks sure as hell don’t want spouses playing games behind their back, or failing to show up when they’re needed. And God forbid, if a spouse won’t return calls, since everybody has a cell phone. Hey, I know you would start thinking divorce when a dishonest spouse becomes more of a liability to you than an asset. You surely will have cause to pause and ponder why am I married? Nevertheless, you would probably put your foot down and make some demands. Voters should learn from married folks, who tell their spouses, “It’s either going to be my way or the highway.” I’m betting you’ll get their attention.

How, pray tell, can wedlock and voting relate, you old crazy warrior? Well, if voters equated voting to marriage, they would stay on top of the politicos they choose as much as possible, and make sure they remain true to their commitment. But, alas, Black folks are wont to allow politicians to call on them only when it gets hard, but seldom hold them to their commitment after our votes satisfy their need. So, why vote? Truthfully, one shouldn’t vote unless they can equate politics to marriage. Otherwise, Black voters ain’t nothing but political “booty calls.” I wonder if anybody knows where I’m coming from?