No One Should Make You Vote by William D. Jackson

Through the course of history Black people have fought for the right to be treated and respected as citizens of a country they were forced to travel to on slave ships that crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
The numbers of Blacks that did not survive have been long forgotten and dismissed by generations of Blacks that think just because they make a little money, drive some kind of car, work on a job,but still are Just Over Broke can take voting as a event that can be discounted, overlooked or even forgotten. The evidence of non-participants in voting can be seen in the data that is kept. A record that shows there are still Blacks that either do not care for the sacrifices of others to allow them to been seen as a resemblance to equality or they are just ignorant and still lost on mental slave ships waiting to be mercifully sunken to save their lives.

Yes, this last election brought about a reality in the power of voting, but statistically Blacks still
need to grow in their political awareness and participation.Too many Blacks have forgotten the struggles, sacrifices and deaths to be granted the opportunity to vote. In the early 1960’s a Civil Rights struggle started; The right to vote. This was not easily earned, Blacks were not respected enough to be freely given this right. Blacks had to protest, fight (legally), seek legal means, demonstrate, were jailed willingly and unwillingly, some gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, women, children and men died for the right to vote.

The murder of voting-rights activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, gained national attention along with other murders, lynching’s and brutal violence that made the United States Government take action.
President Johnson, at that time, signed the resulting legislation into law on August 6, 1965. Section
2 of the Act, which followed the language of the 15th amendment, applied a nationwide prohibition
against the denial or abridgment of the right to vote on the literacy tests on a nationwide basis.
Black at that time were given an unfair test to see their “worthiness” even to vote. Even if they did
pass the test many were still denied the right to vote in many cases. Does this sound familiar even
in the 21st century?? In the 21st century if there was a nationwide literacy test in order to vote, graduate from high school, be employed or even have children, if this were the law how many Blacks would fail??
The reality is there are tests, but based on other criteria that seem to grow each year, Blacks still
fail to see the writing on the wall hidden under governmental programs, incentives, and special
programs.

Don’t question my rights to ask as a teacher over 20 years, mentor and involved in my community, I
put my mouth were my actions state, but too few Blacks do not want to get their hands dirty to
work with our children and involved in their communities.

This proves several important things, 1. Education and the ability to read will always be important
2. It is sad that in the 21st century still too many Blacks are not literate enough to read a voting ballot.
3. Some Blacks still don’t get it, the right to vote can be slowly and systematically taken away or denied.
4. If incarcerated in any way this can keep them from voting.
5. Voting rights can be re-established even after a felony conviction, but they must be demanded and not allow threats to work.

The seriousness can still be seen in the because across the nation, legal battles are building over state laws passed in the past two years that impose photo ID requirements, scale back early voting periods and restrict voter-registration efforts. There are other efforts being planned and will be implemented t he closer election day arrives. This is a warning of alarm for minorities and even women, that the right to vote is still an attempt to provide political power minorities and women.
These are changes that threaten the ability of many to vote even legally. What more needs to be said to Blacks and other minorities about their right to vote? There has been a recorded change in the past 6 years. Black voting turnout reached a record 65 percent in 2008, compared with 55 percent in 1988, according to Pew Research study. Driven by Barack Obama’s Presidential campaign, blacks
voted at the same rate as whites for the first time. This has created both a positive image to the power of voting and a threat to those in political power that desire to keep minorities from political and socioeconomic power or even equality.

Denying minorities the opportunity to vote weakens the voting strength of all minorities,
women, the poor, under educated and even those that were incarcerated and served their
sentences are discriminated against. When I think of the first time I voted, I was proud to
get may ballot and cast my vote in the political process. I was just as proud that I could
read the ballot because I valued education to know how important reading and compre-
hension is.

When people ask me if I think everyone should vote, I say, “Yes, I think they should.
But, vote intelligently.” Through the voting process Blacks were liberated physically
from slavery over 150 years ago. The psychological / mental liberation is still occurring
even today.

Too many Blacks are mentally still in slavery with thoughts of low self esteem, self and
cultural destruction, and accepting second class citizenship by not wanting to go back
to school to continue their education. Allowing the media to define their existence and
behaviors that result in continued self destruction.
Voting in November 2012 is just as important now as it was during past generations.
After looking at this video how can you NOT get out and register to vote, how can you
NOT honor the men and women that sacrificed their lives to earn the right to vote for
you and your children. The effort for equality and equitable treatment is never over,
it is a continuous fight on multiple fronts from education, politics, economics and
human rights. The first place to start is your vote.