William T. Robinson, Jr.
You would think by now White America has gotten the message that Black Lives should matter and some changes are with coming. We have seen national footage of Americans of all colors, religions, and creeds coming together rallying, marching and protesting the senseless deaths of African Americans at the hands of ruthless law officers.
We all know by now that changes are due to correct a humongous wrong that has been occurring for 400 years against African Americans in this country. African Americans and concerned supporters are no longer allowing White politicians or established systemic institutions to ignore the elephant in the room, it has reached the peak where it is unavoidable.
Some Whites get it, they truly see the callous injustices and inequalities disproportionately attributed to African Americans and hear their cry and demands for equality and justice, to be seen and treated like their white counterparts. Some laws and legislation have changed on policies and training procedures that will better serve and help all citizens. Many businesses and institutions that have historically practiced discrimination and exclusion have reexamined their practices and vowed to do better, even disassociating themselves from certain individuals, groups or organizations that blatantly flaunt racist discriminatory views.
A puzzling question that is now facing Black America is why if so many Whites say they understand our quest to be considered as legitimate Americans treated equally, why are so many Republican politicians enacting voter suppression laws (laws making it harder for Black, brown and marginalized people) throughout the country to vote? It is a flagrant manifestation that shows many Whites don’t respect African Americans and marginalized people rights as legitimate Americans.
Some would derive that the action of these Republican politicians’ reeks of racism and white supremacy. But I conclude it is more out of fear and the thought that Black people really count and it can be proven by their vote. These Republican politicians supporting these voter suppression laws claim they are carrying out the wishes of the constituents they represent, therefore hoping to stay in their constituents’ favor and be reelected. That’s says a lot about the real face of so many White Americans and their insincere concern on the suffering and racial injustice Blacks have endured and are still enduring.
I wish I was wrong and these Republican politicians were acting on their own accord overlooking the wishes of their constituents, but it is what it is. Remember that adage,” The more things change, the more they stay the same”.
Some concessions are made and Blacks are given the illusion that changes to better things are occurring. Voter suppression laws are a slap in the face to African Americans and marginalized people and regardless of the rhetoric of some moral fewer republican politicians, we all know most of these laws are morally wrong and without merit.
Let’s rally and support For the People Act, which if passed is a multitude of voting rights expansion laws at the federal level that will stifle these bogus voter restriction laws. We can no longer allow some Republican politicians to deflect their deceptive rhetoric claiming voter fraud occurred in the last election which has been proven to be unsubstantiated and just a downright lie. These voter suppression laws are nothing short of Jim Crow politics and shouldn’t be entertained. How can we bring credence to realizing that Black lives count when you devalue, disrespect, and trivialize their right to vote?
Kudos to Major League Baseball for removing their annual events (All Star Game and Draft) from Atlanta, Georgia, because Georgia has passed some unprecedented voter’s suppression laws: not being able to supply food or water to people waiting hours in voting lines, requiring stricter ID requirements, limiting drop boxes, new restrictions on voting by mail, and allowing state takeover of local elections. These enacted changes will disproportionately disenfranchise people of color.
While voter suppression laws make a mockery of Black Lives Matters, there are a slew of individuals, groups, organizations, and businesses that will show otherwise, through their actions. You can’t claim you care about Black lives mattering verbally, and your actions show otherwise.
