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| Black America must become voting addicts |
| Since this edition of African-American
News&Issues ideally won’t be fully distributed throughout the five major Texas
cities and/or elsewhere until Nov.6, 2002, we are caught in what is commonly referred to
as the “in between time.” In the meantime, while we’re waiting to exhale or
the votes are being tallied, we have plenty of time to reflect on the state of politics in
Black America. But, I found myself wondering why people seem to be so easily addicted to
bad habits, but-- for some odd reason-- find it very difficult to make a habit out of
doing positive things. My first choice for a headline for this editorial was, “Black America should treat voting like a crack habit.” Need I tell you where I’m coming from with that questionable analogy? If so, I guess you’ve never heard the party line, “one hit off that crack pipe and you’re hooked.” Frankly I’ve always considered it propaganda that was used to brainwash people into believing that crack cocaine was indeed the most powerful drug that had ever hit the streets. Without a doubt, that kind of media driven misinformation, did a great deal to convince our children that crack had made them helpless victims. I don’t have to tell you that the power of suggestion is more powerful than any drug. Denial notwithstanding, we don’t want to get off into a discussion about the evils of drugs, but our biggest problem was giving our young people an excuse and convincing them they can’t help themselves, once they make the mistake of taking that first hit off the crack pipe. Even so, that’s not exactly where I’m coming from anyway. The reason I used the crack cocaine analogy, is because it has always amazed me how otherwise lazy and unmotivated people will do whatever it takes to feed a drug habit that’s destroying them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Black Americans would treat voting like a crack habit and find a way to get to the polls by any means necessary, like addicts do? You can be sure turbulent weather has never stopped a crack head from braving freezing rain, sleet, or even a hurricane to get to the dope house. Nevertheless, I heard several people say that they didn’t vote early “Because the weather was so bad.” Could it be true what they say about our (African-American) people? I’ve heard it said for years that the slightest hint of bad weather gives us an excuse to shun our responsibility. Although we learned to laugh to keep from crying to survive in America, political apathy isn’t a laughing matter at a time when we need to vote more, rather than less. As tenuous as that crack head analogy is, there is no way we can ignore what we see in our deteriorating neighborhoods every day. I can certainly understand why families that have been personally devastated by a drug problem couldn’t possibly say anything good about it. However, in a very negative way an addiction brings out the best in many people. It takes a lot of determination, energy and drive to feed a drug habit, which are the same things it take for one to be successful in life. If an addict worked as hard to get marketable skills and education (so that they could take care of themselves and their responsibilities), they would have no need for drugs to make them feel like they were somebody. They would get high on self-esteem. As publisher of Texas’ widest circulated newspaper with a Black perspective, I often wish for an advertising representative who was inclined to go after accounts as zealously as dope addicts go after drugs. Come to think about it, I wish the people working for Malonson Company, Inc., treated their jobs like a drug habit. I could go on and on citing a litany of good habits that would make our neighborhoods so much better, if we had the wherewithal to pursue them with the same zeal and dedication that we put forth to maintain bad habits. Surely, a very large number of political apathetic people are inclined to say that voting is a waste of time and doesn’t do them any good. I don’t think I even have to tell a crack head that voting does much more good than getting high on drugs. Truthfully, you can expand that common sense logic to a whole lot of the destructive behavior that far too many African-Americans engage in-- to the detriment of themselves, their families and our community. Unquestionably, even if you’re spaced out on crack, you should have sense enough to know where I’m coming from. However, since we’re in the in between time and it’s too late to vote in Nov. 5th election, perhaps it’s something you will consider during a future voter registration drive or the next election. Who knows, the first time you vote, you might experience such a (self-worth) high, until you get hooked on the political process and become an electorate addict.
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