and so its erection day.
meh.
this is the first time in 16 years that i am not participating in the electoral process. and while there are many reasons for this, the biggest of all can be traced to a speech i first read/heard while in high school by Al-Haj Malik El-Shabazz (more popularly known as malcolm x). in this speech, titled the ballot or the bullet, there was one line in particular that stuck out to me.
"The black man in the black community has to be re-educated into the science of politics so he will know what politics is supposed to bring him in return. Don't be throwing out any ballots. A ballot is like a bullet. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket."
these words were spoken in 1964. and while certain circumstances existed then that no longer exist now, there are still many similarities and in some cases worse conditions and circumstances. true, he was directing his words to the black community. but government is supposed to serve the people. that no longer is the case. quite honestly, it could be argued if that ever was the case.
it amazes me that people will be blind to politics for 3 1/2 years and then suddenly want to get active when the elections come around. in the 60's, government and business lied to and misled te black and immigrant communities to acheive their objectives. now, the entire american population needs to be deceived. and the sad thing is, no one does shit about it. they dupe you with this "lesser of two evils" bullshit. but in reality, both parties are equally fucked up and i am not going to allow myself to be deceived into thinking that either of them will do anything to make my life better.
i will admit that part of me is torn over making a concious decision to abstain from voting. i am well aware that voting rights for black people did not come without a lot of struggle. there are some (like my parents) that could say i am disgracing the legacy of those who fought for what i am so foolishly squandering. and in response i would say that those who struggled did so in hopes that the future would bring parity and empowerment to communities without a voice. but i have seen that voting is merely rubber stamping processes and policies that serve business and industry first, political objectives second and the good of the general population as an afterthought...provided it doesnt interfere with any of the first two.
sure...people fought for the right to vote because not everyone had that freedom. but no one should have to fight for the right to think. when you give up that right, nothing else matters.
meh.
this is the first time in 16 years that i am not participating in the electoral process. and while there are many reasons for this, the biggest of all can be traced to a speech i first read/heard while in high school by Al-Haj Malik El-Shabazz (more popularly known as malcolm x). in this speech, titled the ballot or the bullet, there was one line in particular that stuck out to me.
"The black man in the black community has to be re-educated into the science of politics so he will know what politics is supposed to bring him in return. Don't be throwing out any ballots. A ballot is like a bullet. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket."
these words were spoken in 1964. and while certain circumstances existed then that no longer exist now, there are still many similarities and in some cases worse conditions and circumstances. true, he was directing his words to the black community. but government is supposed to serve the people. that no longer is the case. quite honestly, it could be argued if that ever was the case.
it amazes me that people will be blind to politics for 3 1/2 years and then suddenly want to get active when the elections come around. in the 60's, government and business lied to and misled te black and immigrant communities to acheive their objectives. now, the entire american population needs to be deceived. and the sad thing is, no one does shit about it. they dupe you with this "lesser of two evils" bullshit. but in reality, both parties are equally fucked up and i am not going to allow myself to be deceived into thinking that either of them will do anything to make my life better.
i will admit that part of me is torn over making a concious decision to abstain from voting. i am well aware that voting rights for black people did not come without a lot of struggle. there are some (like my parents) that could say i am disgracing the legacy of those who fought for what i am so foolishly squandering. and in response i would say that those who struggled did so in hopes that the future would bring parity and empowerment to communities without a voice. but i have seen that voting is merely rubber stamping processes and policies that serve business and industry first, political objectives second and the good of the general population as an afterthought...provided it doesnt interfere with any of the first two.
sure...people fought for the right to vote because not everyone had that freedom. but no one should have to fight for the right to think. when you give up that right, nothing else matters.
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Oh, and i forgot to mention in my message. The Boondocks is fucking awesome! I'd have a crush on Huey if he wasn't animated... and like 10... but yeah. Fucking awesome.