Voting is a process we were kept from for a long, long time. Our history with voting is arduous and complex, and continues to be a point of contention. We weren’t considered a whole person in the constitution for a period and before that weren’t considered people AT ALL, let alone given a voice to elect people to make decisions that would affect our communities. There is a whole swath of time from the end of slavery up until the Civil Rights Era where voter suppression was rampant and continues this day in more subtle (and not so subtle) ways. I mean, Jim Crow laws were enforced NOT THAT LONG AGO. The color of our skin used to, by law, dictate where we were allowed to eat, walk, swim, sit, exist. Just think about it for a second. We, as black people, are asked to participate in an election process that until very recently was actively fighting against our equity and for our demise. An election process that continues to be unfair due to gerrymandering and other forms of voter suppression. An election process that has put officials into office who are continuously trying to take away the rights we ceaselessly fight for. The lack of representation in politics is thankfully changing, but it’s looked the same for so long it often feels like an uphill battle to elect diverse candidates.
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This brings me to a hot topic sweeping the Twitterverse: Undecided Voters. I personally cannot imagine being undecided with what is currently going on in the presidency and knowing one of the only ways I can stop it is by voting for ol’ Joe. HOWEVER, though I cannot imagine being undecided myself, I can understand why black women, specifically, may be reluctant to participate in the upcoming election. This indecision is not between the two candidates but between voting and not voting. Hear me out. I’ve been thinking about this A LOT recently.
I saw a clip this morning from an MSNBC interview of three black women who were undecided. They spoke about the reasons behind their ambivalence, stemming from disappointment in Joe Biden’s crime bill and not being fully inspired by his platform. Tweet/Clip below:
three undecided black women voters spoke to my colleague @ChrisJansing about why Joe Biden has yet to earn their vote despite everything that Donald Trump has said and done during his presidency. pic.twitter.com/fyZJ3mhCOV
— Ayman Mohyeldin (@AymanM) October 23, 2020
Now, I don’t agree with everything they say, because Joe has apologized for the crime bill many times and has been forthcoming about its faults. Though I do agree that it’s uncomfortable he brings up the black caucus’s support for it. Just cuz your black friends said it was okay doesn’t mean black people everywhere will agree. The same notion goes for the presence of Senator Harris on the ticket. The way the interviewer asked that question about whether her presence sways the ladies at all and they immediately say, no. Such a condescending sentiment to think just because a candidate is black would be enough to change their minds. Kamala Harris has a checkered past being the attorney general now Senator of California. I do want to say, though, she did have a hard job working in an already broken justice system. It’s not easy and overhauling the system is going to take the effort of a lot more people than one senator. Fortunately, there is increasing steam behind justice reform. Anyway, she doesn’t appeal to every single black person and to insinuate that is patronizing. I mean, there are black people out there who are voting for Trump! I’m sure they have interesting, nuanced reasons for voting for a large orange zeppelin full of hot air and inadequacy, but I don’t have the mental capacity to hear those details now, or probably ever. A true testament that there are people in every race and creed who love to vote against their best interests, but I digress.
The replies to that tweet are littered with mostly white men aghast by these women being undecided. I’m not sure where this reduction of critical thinking to seeing arguments/situations strictly in black and white happened, but it’s not productive, realistic, or the way human brains operate. Just because these women are not 100% voting for Biden doesn’t mean they’re voting for Trump and doesn’t necessarily mean their non-vote will result in his reelection. It was irritating to see comments about these women as if the election hung on their three votes.
Black women overwhelmingly voted for Hillary in 2016 and even with all of that effort the icy cold cheeto got elected. Black women have been behind countless movements, including BLM and Me Too. We are given this insurmountable weight to save everyone and continue to fight for ourselves at the same time. Often credit is not given to the amount of time, effort, and energy black women put into or given any regard for even starting these vital dialogues. Even beyond women who are ignored for starting entire movements, black women have suffered so greatly in this country, being the least paid and least appreciated, forgotten. So yes, I can understand if there are some black women who are tired of this entire system and tired of the inches of progress we’ve seen over the past 60 years or so. Yes, I can understand not being super thrilled with the candidates being presented and being told to vote for them and if not, you’re stupid, uninformed, selfish, or my personal favorite, looking for attention. Who wants that kind of attention?!
Yes, I can understand not wanting to participate in an election when you feel depleted, depressed, and hopeless. I will continue to advocate for why voting is a better alternative to not, but I will absolutely not judge or fault someone of color for not voting.
The narrative around the presidential election season has consistently been, this is the most important election of your generation, but in this case it actually is. We are in unprecedented times with a super villain in the office concocting different ways to divide and conquer this country. He has made it clear not only does he not have people of color’s interests in mind, he is actively supporting white supremacists and white supremacy.
Yes, I can understand Joe Biden may not be the progressive candidate of our dreams, but he will not embarrass this country when we’re at the UN or say dumb stuff like, inject bleach. He and Senator Harris do have this country’s best interest in mind. I truly believe that. I also believe that they will listen once they’re in office. They will learn and adapt and keep us informed. They will be professional and honest and not play to fears or incite riots.
Yes, I understand not wanting to vote and not being excited by any of the candidates, but I hope the thought of suffering four more years of this leathery orange sack full of rotting meat and rusted car parts is enough to consider voting for Biden. I get the hesitation. I do. But I cannot imagine the damage that Trump can do with four more years in that office. Sigh.
Other than the Presidency, there are some other elections and laws to vote on this November. I’m always forgetting to check those other things, but luckily there’s a website that consolidates all that info for you. You can take a look here to choose your state and make sure you’re armed and dangerous intellectually when you get to the polls.
Y’all if Joe doesn’t win… I just.
I JUST DON’T KNOW.