click here to read what hedz are sayin' (comments) below
(written 2006)
It’s 2006, and hedz still think the United States government isn’t racist! On Thursday, July 13, 2006, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which opened booths to millionz of American-Afrikanz, was “granted” a... get this... 25-year extension from Congress as Republicanz sought to improve their standing with us so-called “minoriteez” before electionz this fall.
The Senate turned in a 98-0 vote count the week of July 17th after the previous week’s House passage vote count of 390-33. Can you believe there were actually 33 politicianz who wanted to abolish American-Afrikanz' right to vote?!
The next step is for good-old George W. Bush to sign the legislation, which, by the way, was not a coincidence that he finally showz up to speak at the National Association for the Advancement of CERTAIN People’s (NAACP) national conference after refusing to the invitation five yearz in a row.
August 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law after efforts to fully integrate Afrikanz produced violent reactionz in Southern states. The law declared a nationwide prohibition against voting discrimination based on race, eliminated poll taxes and literacy tests, and other election devices that were used for decades to keep us from voting.
The 33 who voted against the Act were obviously Republican. Actually, they petitioned to shorten the renewal from 25 yearz to 10!! But that don’t make the Democrats our ally either!
What we should all be askin’ ourselves is, “25 yearz?! Why not LIFE!” This is why I am a proud NON-registered voter! That’s right, I don’t vote, ‘cause it’s a game designed for you to believe you have a say when you actually don’t!
I mean, ask yourselves, why are American-Afrikanz the only group of people who has to ask if we can partake in voting every 25 yearz?!!? It’s asinine for our “so-called” leaderz to allow this shit to happen! Why aren’t they informing the people of this fact?! Oh, forgot, they’re all part of the game – they’re not our leaderz, the system appointed them as our leaderz for us!
This Act and every election should be seen as an insult – especially for those who call themselves “american” because the truth is we’re “leased” americanz!
The fact the government allowz this a part of legislation to exist today serves as an even greater diss because it meanz come 2031, hedz will convene again and decide if Afrikanz should be granted the permission to partake in voting again!! I mean, what’s the big deal with trashin’ the 25-year contract and make it life?! It’s clear to me they still see us as 3/5ths of a man and thus not worthy of full citizenship.
No other race, including Asian- and Latino-americanz has to have congress pass a bill allowing them the right to vote here in america. We are the only race who have to go through this despite the large percentage of us that make up this country’s armed forces as well as having the largest spending power – well over $761 billion ($1 trillion by 2010)!
Ask yourself, what you think woulda happened had they not passed the Act? Take a sec and marinate on that vision… I think all hell woulda broke loose, Sun! In fact, it actually woulda finally freed us because this would've taken the blindfodz off many of us! We’d finally see how YT truly see us; we’d ultimately give the ax to the co-conspiratorz of our ignorance – our so-called negro leaderz – and develop new leadership, creating our own systematic government!
I guess YT ain’t fully ready fi war yet! But that don’t mean we shouldn’t be gettin’ prepared. It shoudn’t take another 25 yearz to go by ‘til we speak on this again, ‘cause come 2031, they might be ready to deal with the repercussionz of abolishing the Act.
So instead of celebrating YTs permission to play in his reindeer games for the next 25 seasonz, we should be organizing our own game plan which would include a Nationality that would give us both dual citizenship and exemption from the 2nd class rights they instilled on us post-1865. There needz to be more than speeches, marches, protests, and boycotts, there needz to be a strategic 5-10 year plan devised or revised to develop our own government – a system that unites all melanated Afrikanz ‘pon di world!
Ok, enough of the readin’, “Go out and get this movement started!!”
*UPDATE: Tingba Apidta, revealed in his book 'The Hidden History of New York: A Guide for Black Folks', Afrikanz were granted the right to vote, according to the Eurocentric history of New York recordz, in 1811. BUT, this so-called "right" had some serious bulls*%t attached YT didn't have to worry about:
1) American-Afrikanz were required to obtain a "certificate of freedom" from a New York judge
2) A paid lawyer was required for this purpose
3) Twenty-five cents was to be paid by the Afrikan applicant to the court;
4) The judge giving the certificate was to be paid a shilling
5) Another shilling was to be paid to the County Clerk for filing the certificate in his office
6) An additional payment was to be made to the Clerk, for the certificate to be used by the voter
While most may think a shilling isn't much (said to be about eight-cents USD today), American-Afrikanz didn't have any money! Because of this tricknological tactic resulting in a low voter turnout, it gave the illusion American-Afrikanz weren't interested in voting.
For example, in 1819 there were some 11,000 American-Afrikanz in New York but only 100 were allowed to vote in that yearz election — and of course, YT knowing any vote by us could sway an election, went out to control the Black ballot.
In addition, in 1821, delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Albany, New York mandated American-Afrikan voterz to be landownerz of $250 worth of property and residents of at least three yearz — which didn't appy to YT.
To combat this, seventeen yearz later, the New York Association for the Political Elevation and Improvement of People of Color was found as one of the first organizationz that was, by design, uncorrupted by whitefolks money and influence. This was before Marcus Garvey and represented a new phase in Afrikan self-determination.
For more about this, read 'Urban Unrest - Remnants of Slavery in New York'.
Additional Readz: Read Y I'm Not A Registered Voter
Read more from our Current and R-Kyvz Vault
Comments | Send Us Your Comment • Respect. Peace brother. I read your article, thanks for the feed. While I agree with most of what you have to say, my question to you is this: This system is fucked; true. We as American-Africans basically had to force our way in this society via death, marches, sit-in, more death, fights, boycotts, and any means necessary. We wouldn't have gotten this far if people didn't bleed, sweat, and die for our way of life as we know it. I've always felt the way you feel about this system and to be honest, before Obama I had never voted before. Do you believe if we take the same force that it took our ancestors, to get us to the point that we are now, that same force can infiltrate and change the system/government? Slowly but surly we are having more young people get into politics, especially since Obama. If you don't feel it will every happen, what is your solution other than not voting? How can you force change without agitation? Lastly, I let my mother read your article and she is an elder who lived the 50-60 struggle era in the South. She would like to know how old you are because while she agree with most of your article also, she feel your reason Y you r not a registered voter is not a 'good' enough reason and may be because you are under the age of remembrance. Furthermore, she said during the early 60's a lot of Black folks wouldn't participate in the rally's, boycott, marches, ect. Cause they thought it wouldn't make a difference....Just as you feel voting will not make a difference... Look forward to your response. M'BWEBE'S RESPONSE: Agreed, our people have endured much, more than any human has had to, but the way I see I it, we've been reduced to believing we are romanz walking amongst romanz. To each their own, but I honestly feel you cannot turn a weed into a rose. This country's foundationz (better yet, the GLOBAL aspect of white supremacy) is rooted in the degradation of Afrikan people. So to think we can somehow change the way white folk feel is a form of mentacide (mental suicide, a word of origin from Dr. Bobby Wright). Did you read the piece that compliments this one entitled, '25 Yearz? Y Not Life!'? I ask that you read this one before replying. I say this because no one, INCLUDING black politicianz (and Obama) have yet to address the issue of our race being the only one who has to be given permission to participate in the vote every 25 yearz (again, read the piece) Government is just like the Parliament we see in England, the only difference is there are no VISUAL King or Queenz. There is only so much Obama can do (and moreso, so much "they'll" allow him to do) in 4 yearz, and even in 8 if given a 2nd term. The politics of this country do not change, the only thing that does are the faces. Read books like, The Rockefeller Files, Tragedy and Hope, etc. (I also invite you to read more about the unseen elite, the 1% of 1% who govern the world. My alternative to voting is not to and, in so many wordz, create our own. There are so many starting points, I will use Drs. Neely Fuller, Jr. and Francess Cress-Welsings, 9 Areas of People Activity as the blueprint, as well as Amos Wilsons, Blueprint for Black Power. Regarding your mother, as I've dealt with many Elderz from that era, they may feel my wordz are insensitive to the struggles they've either seen or even endured first-hand. I assure you, there is no disrespect, for I hold great admiration for the courage that was needed to physically face what they faced. For that, I am grateful. However, I still stand firm on the notion regarding voting was the right to have the CHOICE to vote. Voting accomplishes nothing ESPECIALLY when the only choices you have is to pick the lesser of 2 evilz... I'm intrigued to know how she might feel knowing after all that was sacrificed, it could have all gone away in 2006 when congress silently passed the 1965 Voting Rights Act for an extension to the year 2031. Meaning, come 2031, congress can decided to take away this right if they choose! So do we REALLY have full and equal rights as every other american in this country?? I think not... Bless... |
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